The Junkyard Boys (18 page)

“You and Max sort your shit out yet?” Buck interrupted my thoughts with a grunt.

“Not really. I was going to talk to him, but that fucker shot out the windows and now here we are. I just don’t know what’s going on with him. You should see some of the crazies he drags through the house at night. I started locking myself inside my room just so they wouldn’t accidentally come in and fuck with me.” Buck had a knowing look on his face like he wanted to say something but couldn’t. Of course, he knew all of Max’s secrets, but he would never tell me. He ran a hand over his worn-out, wrinkled face and exhaled heavily, concern evident.

“Just…cut him some slack, ok? I know you don’t understand, but trust me when I say Max is dealing with a lot of shit, some of which can be hard to handle. I’ll talk to him when this is over, see if I can get him more grounded.”

I shook my head in understanding, silently hoping Buck could reach Max and bring him back from the brink. Lord knew I’d tried and nothing had worked. His self-destructive behavior had me worried. I couldn’t lose my brother and I wouldn’t. He was my family.

A quick glance out the window had me seeing our guy coming out of the bar, stumbling, with some bimbo in toe. I nudged Buck with my elbow, careful not to touch the hand he had just used to play with his dick, and gave him a quick chin lift toward the outside so he could spot our guy coming out. I took the safety off my piece as we exited the truck and tucked it into the back of my waistband. We didn’t need to discuss it; this was the same way we’d operated every time we’d taken on one of these assholes. I would take the guy from the front either by bumping into him or asking a dumb-ass question. While he was distracted, Buck would bring up the rear, holding him by the neck with a gun pointed to his head while we asked our questions. The last guy pissed himself, he was so scared, but I couldn’t afford to feel sorry for him. Time was a wastin’.

I dropped my head and hunched a bit so that my size wouldn’t intimidate this asshole. My long hair acted as a blanket to cover my face so he couldn’t get a good look at me. I had to get closer before he took off in the other direction and we would never get to question him. I decided to go with asking a question this time, since he was already distracted with a whore on his arm.

“Hey, my man, you got a cigarette I can borrow?” I didn’t smoke, but fuck it, he didn’t know that.

“The fuck I look like? The 7-11? Get the fuck gone before I kick your ass.”

That was all the time we needed. Buck grabbed him around the neck and stuck his nine into his ribs before he could say anything else. I pointed my gun at the whore so she wouldn’t scream.

“Hit the bricks, bitch, and don’t look back.” She took off like her ass was on fire. How she could run in five-inch heels was beyond me, but as long as she was gone that was all that mattered.

“What the fuck you guys want? Money? Check my pockets. You can have it all.”

He was panting like a dog with his hands lifted in the air in surrender. His alcohol breath blowing in my face made me want to shoot his ass just to stop him from breathing.

“We don’t want your fucking money, asshole, we want to know where the fucking biker is.” Buck was squeezing his neck so hard the guy’s face was red as a pomegranate. As soon as he made the demand, Buck loosened his hold, causing the guy to cough and sputter trying to take in air.

“What fucking biker? I know a lot of bikers. Which one you looking for?”

“You know who we’re looking for. Don’t play stupid. The one asking all the questions around town.” I was quickly losing my cool with this prick. I lifted my leg and kicked him square in the knee, causing it to buckle when it cracked on impact. Buck placed his hand over his mouth to stifle the scream that tore through his lips before he could alert his buddies inside.

“This is the last time I’m gonna ask you. Where is the fucking biker?” I put my gun right to his fucking head and cocked the trigger, ready to end this asshole.

“Ok, I’ll tell you. Just don’t shoot me.” He was still hunched over in pain but alert enough to answer.

“He’s going into town today, said he had some business to take care of with a girl.”

“What fucking girl, fuck nuts?”

“I don’t know her name, ok? She works at the candy store or something. He said he was going to talk to her about something important, but he didn’t say what.”

His answer took me over the edge, and with a right hook to rival Mike Tyson in his prime, I smashed his face in so hard, blood shot from his nose all over the concrete as his prone body dropped like a rock when Buck let him go. I felt the adrenaline surge through my body, and it took all my strength just to stand upright. He was going for my woman, and I’d left her unprotected. I grabbed my cell from my pocket and quickly called Sebastian. He answered on the second ring. Clover wasn’t allowed any personal items while working due to health codes, so I knew she wouldn’t answer my call and did the next best thing.

“Get to Fosters’ now. He’s going after Clover,” I shouted into the receiver. I could barely get the words out as we were hauling ass back to my truck, hoping it wasn’t too late.

“Rolling hard, brother, meet you there,” was Sebastian’s response. I could tell by the squealing tires he was already shifting gears, trying to pick up speed as he hung up. Buck had Max on the phone, giving him the same instructions, and I put my truck in gear and floored the gas. I sped outta that alley with only one thing in mind: getting to Fosters’ and saving my girl.

Clover

“Thanks for coming in, Mr. Smith. I hope your wife enjoys her chocolates.” I said good-bye to our longtime customer as he grabbed his small bag of treats and headed out the door. The Fosters were taking care of some bank business in town, so I was in charge of running the retail part of the store and cashing out the usual customers by myself. The bell sounded overhead, signaling he had exited the store and was on his way home to his lovely wife. I placed his money in the register, not realizing that when Mr. Smith left someone else came in behind him. Someone who was truly not welcome at Fosters’.

“Hey, sweet thang, good to see you again.” I would know that voice anywhere, but it still didn’t stop me from being startled when he spoke to me. I grabbed my chest to calm my racing heart and turned to scowl at my unwelcomed customer.

“You scared me, Craze, what are you doing here? You need to leave right now.”

“Thought I told you to call me Julian, sweet thang.” Whatever, this guy really was crazy.

“Ok, Julian, you need to leave. I can’t talk to you anymore, and Range is…” he quickly interrupted my tirade.

“Looking for me, I know. I also know Buck is back in town, so I suspect they will be showing up shortly. As a matter of fact, I can guarantee it.” He looked so smug when he said it, he obviously didn’t know Range was carrying a weapon and wouldn’t hesitate to use it to wipe that cute little smile right off his arrogant face.

“If you know all that, then what are you doing here?” I really shouldn’t have encouraged this conversation, but curiosity got the better of me and I found myself asking instead of insisting that he leave. His cocky demeanor suddenly got real serious and whatever was on his mind weighed heavily.

“Shit is going down, Clover, and my time has run out. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am that you got mixed up in all this. I wish there was another way out, but in my life, those ways are limited.” He looked so sincere when he said it, I almost believed him, until I remembered one important fact.

“Then you shouldn’t have shot out Range’s windows, you big jerk. I was there, you idiot, you could have shot me or my sisters.” This shocking revelation caused all the color to drain from his face and he looked like he was gonna hurl on the counter. He started to shake his head as if to say no, but before he could answer me, the door to the store swung open with Sebastian rushing through it, shouting like a madman.

“Get the fuck away from her, motherfucker!” He advanced toward Craze with a menacing-looking scowl, but he wasn’t ready to take on an armed man, which was exactly what Craze was before he even got close. Craze pulled out his gun and pointed it right at Sebastian’s head without even batting an eyelash.

“Back the fuck off, asshole, or I’ll blow your fucking head off.” Sebastian immediately stopped, his steps faltering slightly as he held up his hands in surrender.

“Hey, man, I’m just trying to give you a head start. Range and Buck will be here soon, and they are not as understanding as I am. Do yourself a favor and clear out while you can.” Sebastian appeared calm, but I could tell he was trying to defuse the situation before it got out of control. I looked to Craze, hoping I could get him to see reason and leave before someone got hurt.

“Julian, please don’t do this. Just leave before things go too far,” I implored him, but he didn’t listen. My words were white noise to him.

“I can’t, Clover. Things have already gone too far. I have no choice.” His arm was steady as he continued to hold his gun on Sebastian. This standoff only lasted two minutes until Range and Buck busted through the door, each of them holding their own guns and pointing them at Craze. I could feel the tension rolling off these men, unwilling to give an inch, but all I could do was stand there and watch it happen.

“I hear you been looking for me, fucker. Well, here I am.” The man I could only assume was Buck was the first to speak as he took in the scene before him. Craze didn’t waiver in his intensity as he took a good look at the large man holding a gun on him. Buck wasn’t as old as I thought, but he certainly had the look of a man who was comfortable around this sort of atmosphere. I saw an air of authority in him and knew any lost boy would find him appealing as a father figure. Even now in all this chaos, he had positioned himself in front of Range, acting as a shield of protection for his boy. He was trying to draw the focus off his family as any father would.

“Took your time gettin' here, old man. Had to step up my game to get your decrepit ass back to town.” He meant the shooting of the windows. Now it all came together, but why?

“Well, you got me here. Now, what the fuck do you want?”

“To talk about old times and how they affect new ones.”

“Not a good time to fuck around, boy, seein’ as I got a pistol to your head. Cut the bullshit before I lose my patience and decide to end this little stand-off by putting some hot lead in your ass.”

Holy shit, Buck was no joke, and although we’d never met, I knew right away this was no idle threat. He wouldn’t hesitate to end Craze where he stood if he didn’t get to the point. I prayed he would put us all out of our misery and state his piece so we could move on.

“Lower your weapon, old man, and I’ll get to the point of my little visit,” Craze answered.

“Not in a position to give orders, boy, and I don’t take none.” Buck didn’t lower his weapon; instead, he cocked the trigger just to prove his point. I couldn’t stand where this was going, and the longer it went on, the more frightened I got.

“Range, I’m afraid…please, just lower the weapons,” I appealed to my man, hoping he at least would see reason. I couldn’t stand by and watch anyone get hurt.

“It’s ok, tootsie baby, I won’t let nothing happen to you. I promise,” Range answered.

“Please, just lower the weapons and talk this out…please.” I was begging at this point, but I didn’t give a shit. I had to do something. Craze lifted the hand that wasn’t holding the gun, indicating he was going to lower his weapon if they did the same. Whatever was driving him to act so recklessly must have outweighed his need to project fear, ‘cause he slowly lowered his gun at the same time Range and Buck lowered theirs. They stood facing each other, still holding the guns but not pointing them at each other, which was a good start.

“You’re one tough old fuck, that’s for sure, but then again, Psycho always said you were.” At the mention of this person Psycho, Buck flinched but recovered quickly.

“The fuck you know about Psycho? He’s been dead for years.” Craze walked right up to Buck with a smile on his face, a huge toothy smile like he was just told he won the lottery or something. Once he got within two inches of Bucks face, he dropped a bomb.

“I know that, old man. He was my father.”

Range

As soon as we hit the door to Fosters’, I knew we were too late. Sebastian was being held at gunpoint and my woman was behind the counter, looking like a frightened rabbit. Buck and I pulled our guns at the same time, and if it had been up to me, I would have blasted that fucker to next week, but I had to wait for the all-clear. I couldn’t risk this fool taking a shot at my brother or my woman, so I followed Buck’s lead. He’d seemed to have it under control until the biker mentioned Psycho. I had only heard the name once, but I knew he was the VP of the club Buck had belonged to and was once a great friend. Outside of that, I didn’t know much else about their relationship, but whatever it was, it was enough to make Buck pause instead of firing his weapon.

“The hell you say. Psycho didn’t have any kids, you lying bastard. You must wanna die today, boy.” Buck wasn’t buying this guy’s story at all, and the more he persisted in telling it, the more Buck was about to lose his shit.

“You’re wrong, old man, he had two kids, a boy and a girl. He kept us hidden from everyone, including you. Thought it was safer that way, considering the shit that went down.”

“I don’t believe a word you say. Prove it or I’ll kill you just for making up this fucked-up story.”

The biker cautiously whipped off his cut to expose his arms, turning slightly to show Buck a tattoo, a strange-looking tattoo, but one Buck clearly recognized, because he holstered his weapon and took a step back like he was fighting to keep his balance.

“What the fuck is that, Buck? Don’t tell me you’re falling for this bullshit story. So what, he has a tattoo, that means fuck all.” I refused to drop my guard, knowing at any minute this fucker could start firing off shots and kill us all. Buck looked like he was having a mental breakdown while he shook his head in disbelief. What the fuck was going on?