No Man Left Behind: A Veteran Inspired Charity Anthology by Elizabeth Knox (black authors fiction TXT) 📕

try to get anyone to make her an ol’ lady. She also likes to have fun with more than one of us at a time.

“Thanks. Nama. I’m good. Maybe I’ll catch you another time. When I get back my ass is passing out in bed. It’s been a shit day,” I mutter, giving her a grin even though I’m not feeling it. I don’t give a damn about most of their feelings, but Nama’s different. She’s a real sweetheart. Not like Feisty at all.

“Okay, Kinetic, you know where to find me.” She smiles and walks off.

“You good?” Vader asks.

“Not in the least bit, brother. You know that. Now let’s get the fuck out of here, get this shit with Rocky done. I’m fuckin’ exhausted after dealing with all I have today,” I grumble.

“Yeah, Kin’, I saw her when she came in. Bitch looked sweet as fuck, in her tight ass jeans looking like Megan Fox. Isn’t she the one who screwed you over back when we went to basic?” Fuckin’ Vader and his memory. He’d been sitting on the bus that day when I left for basic. He and I ended up nearly coming to blows a few times over the shit he’d say about Charlee. In the end we’d sorted out shit and he’d become my brother.

“That would be her. But talk about her again like that and we’ll have issues,” I snap, giving him a glare.

“Sorry, brother,” Vader says, taking a step back.

Nodding, I turn and head for the door. “Let’s just get this shit over with.”

“You got it.”

Pulling up to The Waterhole, something doesn’t sit well with me. Glancing around the parking lot, I find it sparse besides the bikes that belong to Rocky and his men who came with him. Only a handful of cars, great not many people around to witness if this goes bad.

I’m itching to slam my fist into someone, and Rocky would be a good start.

“Come on, brother. Sooner we get in there, get this done, the sooner we can get back to the clubhouse and you can go chill,” Vader suggests, putting the kickstand down and climbs off his bike. Nodding my head, I follow suit, taking my helmet off and hanging it on the handle.

Silently the two of us make our way to the front door and open it. The little annoying bell over the damn thing announces our arrival. My eyes immediately narrow at the sight in front of me.

I’m already pissed, but seeing Charlee sitting there with Rocky cozied up to her nearly has my head shooting through the roof.

What the fuck’s she doing there?

“Rocky,” I mutter not wanting to deal with her just yet. I’d get to her after him and I handle business. “Let’s get this shit done.”

“Always the pleasant one.” Rocky cackles, but follows me over to the tables as far from Charlee as we can get. Taking the seat facing the bar, I let my gaze say it all as Charlee meets my own.

From the narrowing of her eyes, I know she gets my drift. I wanted her to keep her ass parked right where it was.

Turning my focus back to Rocky, I lean forward. “You got something you need to tell me?” I demand, narrowing my gaze on him.

“Don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.” Rocky grins.

“Bullshit, Viking called Falcon earlier today.” I inwardly grin at the way Rocky cringes. Yeah, he knows he’s supposed to be giving me something.

Stupid fucker.

“Viking is stupid for bringing you all in on this shit with us,” Rocky snaps.

“I don’t give a fuck what you think but he assured Falcon you had something for me. Now I suggest you hand it over before I decide to shoot your ass right here, right now,” I inform him casually.

Glaring at me, Rocky reaches into his cut and pulls out an envelope holding the money from the latest run we’d done with them. Rocky’s made it known he doesn’t like the idea of working with us and even more so, he doesn’t appreciate Viking switching the business up. Not my business but I’ll make a note to contact my cousin and let him know about his men here.

Taking the envelope, I open it slightly, put it in my cut, and nod. “Until next time,” I mutter, standing to my feet.

Now it was time to deal with Charlee and find out what the fuck she’s doing in a place like this.

And alone at that.

Chapter Nine

Charlee

“You cool with that dude?” Noah questions me quietly, cleaning out yet another glass.

Sucking in a sharp breath, I nod. “Yeah, why?”

“He looked like he wanted to strangle you the second he walked in here.”

I can’t deny Noah’s observation in the least bit. Kaden did look like he wanted to kill me, or that guy Rocky. He tilted his head and they went over to the far side of the bar and sat down at a table. From the corner of my eye I watched their interaction, especially as Rocky pulled out a thick envelope and handed it over to Kaden. They’re both still over there, but I’m not sure what they’re saying. Not that it’s any of my business in the first place.

Right after they started walking over Noah made me another mint mojito, so I pick it up from the bar and slowly sip on it. The sound of soles crushing against the wooden floor alert me someone is near, but I don’t look. To be honest, I don’t want to. I only want to sit here, drink my mojito, and hope Kaden along with his biker buddies disappear.

“Kinetic, I called dibs on that piece of ass,” Rocky calls from the other side of the bar, and now I look. I don’t know what causes me to turn. It could be worry, shock, or maybe even embarrassment. Hell, it could be all three.

Kaden’s face visibly turns red in front of me and I notice the way the vein