Red Creek Renegades

Chapter 2: Banner

My eyes linger on Hawk Lee's ass as he leaves the office. They follow him as he crosses the gravel lot, hops on his motorcycle, and leaves. After pulling a job, he almost immediately goes to our legit garage to work a full shift. That way if asked, people will say they've seen him.

Me? As the daughter of the club president, I mostly do things that keep my hands clean. Most days I work in the law office of one of the club s old ladies. However, I'm the one who wrote the computer program that these VINS go into and keep everything straight with the shipping of the parts, once they've gone through our chop shop. The last person to enter them had f****d everything up, and I'm in the middle of straightening it all out, which is why I don't want his hands in it at all.

I consider this a great day though because I got to see Hawk.

"How's it going? Think you'll be out of here soon?" my dad asks as he walks over to where I stand.

Racer Clark is a man not only of large stature but also a big personality. He took over the club when my grandfather was killed in a motorcycle accident fifteen years ago, and he's led us through some lean times. Right now, business is booming. Not only are we making money hand over fist with our chop shop, but our legal garage is the best in a three-county area. We're turning people away because we can't get to them. It's a hell of a situation to be in. I glance at my watch I never rely on my smartphone for the time I always wear a watch: a clunky metal piece of jewelry that's feminine and a little edgy, before answering.

"Yeah, I've got to head down to the law office. Bella has to be in court this afternoon and I've got some legal briefs to type up, so if it's cool with you, I'll finish filling out the spreadsheets tonight, then we can pull Jackson in here tomorrow and I'll explain the entire system to him. That way no one will mess it up again. I trust him."

"Sounds good. Go ahead and head out; I'll finish up for you." He grabs my notebook from my hands before he leans down, kissing me on the cheek. "You know I don't like your hands to be dirty, Banner."

"I know, but I like helping you out every once in a while. Ya know be your favorite child and all."

Those words are spoken softly. Even though my dad has never made me feel like I m any less than my brother, I still feel it on days where I m not confident. I'm fully aware that many others see me as a weakness. My goal since I've known who my dad is and what he represents has always been to be as strong as I can be. I never want to be the downfall of the club.

"Never thought less of you or your mom, Banner. You're stronger, braver, and smarter than half the guys in this club. I'd never want you to be anything else than what you are, I promise."

Emotion clogs my throat unexpectedly. It's not very often Dad gets deeply into what I mean to him, so it takes me by surprise. I smile at him. "Thanks, Dad, I love you. I'll be back to get this done tomorrow."

"You gonna be home for dinner tonight?"

"Planning on it," I reply as I grab my bag and purse. "I'll see you tonight."

He walks me to my car, opening the driver's side door. "Be safe, Banner."

"Always."

And with that, I'm heading towards downtown Red Creek.

* * *

I love the small town I live in. Located in the Great Smoky Mountains, we get to experience the best of everything. It gets hot during the summer and cold during the winter. Spring is a time for heavy rainstorms. Every fall the colors are enough to take my breath away, and during the winter, it sometimes becomes a blizzard. If anyone asked me where I wanted to live, I wouldn't say anywhere other than here.

We're within driving distance of Knoxville, Gatlinburg, and Cherokee. Every Christmas, my mom and I go to the Biltmore to see it decorated, and I know exactly how blessed I am. I get the perks of big city life while still being able to enjoy the charm of small-town living.

Turning off Strongsville Road onto Big Pond Road, I drive onto the bridge that allows Red Creek to run smack-dab through the middle of town. Legend has it that Moonshiners back in the day used the creek not only for making Moonshine, but for transporting it down the mountain into Gatlinburg where they sold it for a considerable profit. Some people even say that's how the Red Creek Renegades started. Now Moonshine is legal in Tennessee as long as you pay taxes on it, and Red Creek is just something those of us who live here take for granted. No matter where you are in the area, you can hear the bubbling and rushing of the water.

"Oh nice," I whistle to myself as I see a parking spot open in front of the law office. Parallel parking isn't my strong suit, but thanks to my back up camera, I'm decent.

Once I've parked what I deem good enough, I shut off my car and take out my purse and bag I carry with me every day. Conscious of traffic, I check the street before stepping out of the car.

"I've got your coffee," I hear the voice of my boss, Bella Tomes, call out.

"Thank you! I've already been up for like three hours," I sigh as I get into the office and collapse in a heap.

"Helping the boys?" she asks as she sets the coffee down on my desk.

I sigh again, this time delighted as I take a drink of the coffee. "Yeah. Somebody, I don't know who, f****d up the system I had put into place for them. The only way to fix it is to start from scratch. Hawk brought in a car this morning, so it was the perfect opportunity for me to do that."

"Oh, I'm sure it also has nothing to do with the fact that Hawk is F-I-N-E as hell."

A blush covers my cheeks. I can tell by the way they heat. "I don't date brothers," I remind her, not even sure I believe what I'm saying.

"Yeah, girl, I said the same thing." She wags her left ring finger in my face. "Yet here I am, married to one of the hottest." She may be married, but she uses her maiden name in her law practice

"And smartest," I remind her. "I'm teaching Jackson," I reference her husband, and my older brother, "my cataloging system tomorrow. Tell him I have high expectations."

She has a seat in front of me, a smirk on her face as she crosses her legs in her business suit. "Trust me, Jackson Clark always lives up to expectations. He kind of excels at it."

"That's what I'm counting on."

She's quiet for a few minutes before she speaks again. "Just tell me how good he does tomorrow, and I'll be sure and reward him for a job well done."

I spit my coffee out. "Bella! Oh my God!"

"Like you wouldn't do the same with Hawk? The two of you need to stop dancing around one another. At some point there's going to be something that will push the two of you together, ya know?"

I don't know that, so I make a noise in my throat. "Your matchmaking heart can keep on dreaming."

She gives me a disbelieving look.

"So what briefs do you need to be done today?" I ask and give her a look of my own. "This s**t ain't gonna do itself."

Sighing, she gets up, walking across the room to her desk. "Oh fine, kill my fun."

Within minutes, she's put some paperwork on my desk. "All of these today?" I ask as I grab my glasses out of my desk.

"Yup. I'm being a slave driver since you don't want to talk about hot men with me."

I can't help the giggle that works out from between my lips as she pouts. "If something ever happens between Hawk and me, you will be the first to know, although I can almost guarantee you nothing ever will. He's club-oriented, all the way."

"So is Jackson, but he still f***s like a champ."

Again, I spit out the drink of coffee I've just taken. "Bella!"

"Sorry, girl, not sorry. You need to release some of that tension, and Hawk Lee is the man to do it for you."

I do my best to ignore her as I start up my computer and pull the file I need to work on towards me, but in the back of my mind, I wonder if she isn't right.