Merciless Ride Read Free Page B

thousand miles on it. I don’t drive it except for a weekend cruise here and there. I have a small, Chevy S-10 pick-up truck I use for my daily commute if I don’t ride my Harley.  
    Her family is a close knit one. They don’t ask for handouts or help, ever. Her mom and aunt step in to take care of Axel; as a result, she has never had to put him in daycare. Hell, only the town doctor and a handful of others have actually seen the kid. If you didn’t know Tessie came home from college because she was pregnant, you wouldn’t even realize she had a son.  
    Word around town says her mom’s health is getting worse. Tessie needs a car, not only for work, but to get home to her mom and Axel if need be. I have a car I am not using; therefore, the logical thing seems to be leaving it with her. Too bad her face doesn’t show her agreement with my plan.  
    “Shooter, again, I can’t take your car.”  
    “Look, with your car, we gotta order parts. I told you that already. Those take a few days to get in, and I can’t leave you with no way to get to Axel, your mom, and to work.”  
    “I’ll rent a car,” she replies firmly.  
    “Tessie, don’t be stubborn. We don’t even know what your car will cost to repair. Take the Challenger.”  
    “Why are you so willing to help me?”  
    “Call me selfish. If you don’t have a car, you can’t get to work, and then who would serve me a beer?” I ask in mock innocence.  
    “Corinne will happily serve you, Shooter.”  
    “Ha. Got jokes, do ya? Corinne will happily serve up more than just drinks. Tessie, I’m just tryin’ to be a friend here.”  
    “I would hardly call us friends.” Her face is set in stone, not giving anything away. She is tough, but there is a sadness deep in those brown eyes that pulls at me.  
    “We could be,” I state, watching for her to give me some sort of clue or opening, yet she gives away nothing. “Take the car, Tessie.”  
    “I don’t need any new friends, Shooter. Keep your car. Thanks for stopping by, but I’ll get my car sorted. I’m no trouble of yours.”  
    “Come on, Tessie. Look, I get it, you haven’t had it easy. Neither have I, but I have an opportunity to help you, and I want to take it. No strings, no favors, no debts, no markers, just me paying it forward, so to speak.”  
    When she doesn’t reply or change her stance, I throw out the big guns. “Okay, I’ll call Rex and have him arrange for your transportation.” I begin to step backwards, making my exit.  
    “Wait! You wouldn’t really involve Rex, would you?”  
    “If you don’t take the car, yes, I will. Tessie, you’re part of the Hellions’ family in a way. None of us want to see you struggle. Take the car.”  
    “You won’t call Rex if I take the car?” she questions as I watch the determination flash across her face. For whatever reason, she does not want to rely on my brother.  
    “If you take the car and agree to have dinner with me,” I add, totally knowing I’m pushing my luck here.  
    “Shooter!” she cries out in frustration, losing some of her firm resolve to keep me shut out. “What happened to no strings, huh?”  
     
    “What? I want us to be friends, that’s all. Seriously, I’m a man with far too much bad history to bring a woman along for my ride, but I want to get to know you as a friend. Besides, I get the feeling you could use a friend right now and just that.”  
    “I’ll take the car, but only until my car is fixed. Things are complicated for me, though. I can’t accept your dinner invitation. To be honest, it’s not in your best interest to be my friend.”  
    As my buddy, Nathan ‘Boomer’ Vaughn, pulls into Tessie’s driveway, I hand her the keys to the Challenger, smiling. “Baby, I’ve never been one to do anything that’s in my best interest. We’ll have dinner one night, Tessie. Mark my words.” At that final statement, I walk away.  
    Climbing in the cab of his truck, I