Chapter 20: Halloween Carnival
*Pregnant. That’s what you should be for Halloween. – Michaela to Molly*
Halloween was a break from training. And just about everything else. A fall carnival had been set up on the empty land across from the compound. It had been started back in the nineties and had grown since then. Now they even had a carnival with rides that would come out, including the petting zoo, clowns and games.
Price of admission? One new unwrapped toy or two nonperishable food items.
Big bad ass bikers ran a local food bank. And were sponsors of the Toys for Tots and Angel Tree programs. The old ladies convinced the club to take over the local animal rescue. Some of the men complained that it would make them look weak. But they were young. They didn’t remember when so many of them died for no reason other than being Saints.
There were some parts that the women didn’t have anything to do with. Or even know about. They all joked about where the bodies were hidden. Very few of the women knew about the pig farm the next county over. Held under a shell company. Ran by no one affiliated with the club. Security was provided by the company that Werewolf owned. But they provided security for a lot of legitimate businesses.
Taz knew about the farm. She had been nine when they found out who had killed her family. Sixteen when they were released from prison for operating a prostitution ring. He never made it to his first parole meeting. He had told his Brotherhood brothers that he was going to clear his head with a ride and would be back in a few days. He never returned. She had heard that the bike had been found in the river a few years back during a drought.
Plus, growing up in the house of the president of the mother club, you learned a little more than you probably should. But the main reason that she knew about the pig farm was because she was taken out to see that Scorpion was dead. It had been his son, using his mother’s last name, who had joined the club and requested the name Stinger. As a twisted form of revenge, he pinned a drunk Taz in a back room to rape her.
Fate had the last laugh when he died at the hands of her family. He himself was dumped at the pig farm also. His bike was stripped and sold off internationally.
Taz was never told that they were related. Nor that her suffering was planned for his revenge.
She was standing with a few of the old ladies when the Brotherhood roared into the parking area. The Saints protected Pistol, and the two clubs had a decent relationship, now. But even on a good day, things were still tense between the two clubs.
Looking around, Taz found herself surrounded by club members from all the local clubhouses. This typically only happened when the Brotherhood was around. All these years later, some of the Brotherhood still thought that she should be dead. She had survived the drive by shooting, and when she was brought out of her medically induced coma, she learned that she was the only one.
The rest of the day, she had several brothers around her at all times. There was an agreement between the Saints and any other club for charity events. No weapons. No fighting. No grudges. Especially since there were children and civilians. But that didn’t mean that the Saints trusted the Brotherhood.
The sun went down and the majority of the Saints and their old ladies moved across the street to the compound. The carnival was now being ran by volunteers from the community. Quite a few of them were on probation or parole. Werewolf set up cameras everywhere. You couldn’t take a step without one of his men knowing. Plus, they were given bracelets to get free drinks and food from certain vendors. The chips on the bracelets added a second layer of protection.
Trevor was a whizz with computers and programming. When families checked in, the bracelets were programmed together. When a child was reported missing, the goal was to have them with their family or a Saint within 90 seconds. Same for locating a family member of a lost child. The five children that were reported missing that day, were all located within a minute.
Taz stayed with some of the teens from the club families when the other adults moved to the compound. By nine, the younger kids were gone and it was mainly teens and young adults. The college kids were arriving. Several of the Greek societies sponsored booths during the day. But by now, it was mainly just the carnival games and rides that were still open.
Some of the boys were playing a game showing off how hard they could punch. Ink was one of the adults with them. He put a five down on the counter.
“Come on, Taz, show these boys how it’s done.” Ink called.
The guy behind the counter chuckled. “Do you want me to lower the level?”
“Dude just insulted you, Taz!” Athos laughed as he flung an arm around Priscilla. Bear cocked an eyebrow at the boy and he stepped away.
“Bear, leave the poor kid alone.” Taz suggested as she swung at the punching bag and had the highest score.
“Was that a threat?” Bear asked with a grin.
“No.” Riffraff said stepping up to the group. “A threat would be telling you to get in ring with her.”
“Come on, Bear.” Taz teased as she hit the bag harder with her left hand.
“Thanks, no.” he shook his head.
Taz took her last few hits and grinned at the kid working the game. His mouth hung open and his eyes were wide. The girls were debating what stuffed animal prize they wanted. After a hushed huddle, a giant pink bear was handed over to Bear.
Rolling his eyes at the girls he accepted the prize. Taz laughed as the large man hugged the stuffed animal before grabbing Camille by the hand and skipping away.
Riffraff shook his head at the other man’s antics and then led her away from the group. He got on his bike and then helped her on behind him. Pressing herself up against his back, she wrapped her arms around his waist. They inched out and once they were clear of pedestrians, he took off.
It didn’t take long to get to the all-night café. It had become their place over the last few months. Taz leaned into him in the booth. His arm went around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her hair.
Their relationship was a very open secret. In the clubhouse, they kept their hands to themselves, sat and stood apart, didn’t speak directly to each other unless it was a group conversation and certainly didn’t look at each other. But it was known that behind closed doors, it was a completely different story.
Taz stayed in his room most nights. They came to the diner several nights a week, and every morning for breakfast. Once they were on his bike, there was no doubt. She was his woman. Everyone knew it. The few brothers that had considered a relationship with her, kept their distance.
Here, in their regular booth at the back of the diner, they didn’t hide the growing relationship. The gentle caresses. Soft words. Tender looks.
There were times that he still thought that he was too old for her. But the instant she leaned into him, all doubts left.
