Page 111 of Praying for Thunder

Her timid smile grew. “Well, let me hook you up then.” She pulled out a chair at the table for me.

The unexpected action had me sitting, a little confused.

I watched as she went to the coffee machine, poured a cup, then doused the beverage with sugar, some creamer, and a couple of marshmallows—something I didn’t even know was in the clubhouse. Another cup, she filled with only coffee, and one marshmallow.

Coming back to me, she set a cup in front of me, then sat next to me. She took a sip and moaned. “Perfection.”

Studying this young woman, I brought my cup of coffee to my lips. Her having short blonde hair and a very small frame should’ve had me suspicious, but I was too confused by her kindness. What did she want from me?

Sharell had been kicked to the curb soon after the rally. Was this woman to be my new ‘mommy’?

My eyes widened when the decorated coffee hit my tongue.

Tabi giggled. “That’s right. You can thank me now.”

Just then, Onus walked in. “What do we have here? Am I interrupting?”

I winced. Eww. What does he expect me to do with ‘mom’?

Tabi’s tone changed to a flirty one. “Do you want to be interrupting something?”

The fuck? I inwardly smiled, thinking of Diesel.

Tabi got up to get Onus coffee while he sat at the head of the table. Staring at me, he patted the spot to his right. “Move your ass.”

Sure not to forget my coffee, I quickly did as I was told and sat next to him.

“Here from now on,” he demanded.

Was this an apology for almost killing me? Knowing Onus had a purpose for all his actions, I couldn’t help but be suspicious.

It was sad, but seeing him after such a beatdown, I wasn’t upset or afraid. This Onus was his calm side. I never got struck by this one. I was very accustomed to this Onus after a release on me or someone else.

Coffee being placed in front of him, he told me, “You need to wash some bikes today.”

Prospecting for Titans was basically being a slave. So, I nodded. “Then, if it’s okay, I got something I gotta do today.”

He took a sip of the hot beverage. “Sure.”

Too easy. That had been far too easy. No questions. No nothing.

I should’ve known…

The ride down Highway 74 felt like the longest one of my life. I wanted to pull over and puke, but what I wanted wasn’t nearly as important as what she needed. As ‘cowboy’ as her daddy thought he was, I knew he wasn’t enough to stand up to the Titans.

Not even glancing at Grandma’s burnt home, I rode as far as I could through the woods before leaving the bike behind and jogging the rest.

Ta-dump. Ta-dump. Ta-dump… were the vibrations on the ground that eventually got me to where I needed to be. Rya, practicing for hours, every day now, was like a goddess riding nature at its best. If that little girl hadn’t owned my heart by now, which she did, I was for sure done for after seeing her light, once again, beaming.

Standing at the edge of a part of the woods, I was about to run, catch up to her, and feel her freedom… But I couldn’t. Her five brothers, each on a horse of their own, were to my right, a few yards away. They were smiling at Ryannon with so much pride.

One spoke in awe, “She looks like a young version of Mom.”

Another one nodded in amazement. “Total natural.”

Another said, “Gifted in her seat.”

Another sadly sighed. “Dad’s gonna throw her into this life, ain’t he?”