Hard Ride (Filthy Dirty Desires)

“Silas isn’t the man you think he is,” I tell my father as he drives down the main street of King’s City.

“I know exactly what type of man he is. Jesus, he’s twice your age.”

“Age doesn’t matter. He knows what I need. He protects me, Daddy.”

“No, I won’t allow you to be with a man like that.”

“You can’t keep me from him. I’m an adult.”

“Like hell I can’t.”

“You can’t stop my heart from loving a man I choose.”

“Yes, I can. He’s a criminal for Christ’s sake.”

“He didn’t do it.”

“Do what?”

“The gun shipment. He didn’t do it.”

My father laughs, gripping the steering wheel. “Oh, is that what he told you?” He can’t stop laughing as he pulls into my neighborhood.

“I believe him. Why would they lie about it?”

This makes my father laugh harder. “You don’t know why a criminal would lie? He stole those guns, and I’ll be throwing him in jail for a long time. You’ll be throwing your life away by being with him.”

I shake my head as he parks in my driveway. “You’re wrong. They’re trying to figure out who did it. You’ll see.”

My father twists in his seat to stare at me. “No, you will. He’s not right for you.”

I get out of the car and lean in. “Yes, he is. He is right for me, Daddy. And I’m moving in with him.”

I’ve decided. I want a life with Silas. I want it all with him.

Work drags by… and by. I want to leave this place and rush over to Silas’s house and tell him I want him.

My father never came around about Silas, but I’m hoping once he realizes the Legendary Villains didn’t steal the gun shipment that he’ll see he’s a good man.

That he’s a good man for me.

He cares about me. I know this.

So, I’ve decided after work I’m going to let Silas know I’m not going to back out of this thing with us. I flit around the store, thrilled with my decision. I’m also happy that my father knows about us. Now I don’t need to worry about what he’s going to do.

Most likely disown me.

No, he won’t do that.

He’ll see everything is going to work out for the best.

It just has to. Now if work will do the same, life will be one happy circle jerk.

Dan West has been in the store all morning, and well into the afternoon, making sure things are running up to speed.

He’s been a complete gentleman, and I’m excited to work for him. He has expansion plans and wants to open more stores across Nevada.

This could turn into a promotion in a few years. He mentioned I could be a divisional manager in the future.

On my way to the stockroom, I wave at Dan as I pass him in his new office.

“The shipment just came in,” Hank, an older employee, tells me.

“Thanks.” I make my way to the back of the store to sign for the shipment. The driver isn’t waiting for me, so I slip through the employee door that leads to the loading dock and stop cold in my tracks.

“Put the boxes near the front of the truck. We can hide most of the AKs with the canned goods. Once it gets to where it’s going, they’ll know what to do with it,” a man with a deep voice says.

“We just need to make sure the guns make it across the border without a hitch,” another deep voice says.

“They will. Dan assured us this plan is foolproof.” The man laughs. “No one’s even onto us.”

Both men laugh and I try to peek around the corner.

AKs? As in guns?

Chills race down my spine. Dan West is using this grocery store as his front to ship guns across the border. I need to tell my father. I need to tell Silas.

I need evidence. Right now, all I have is my word, which should be enough, but it’s not enough to build a case in the legal system.

“We just have to get it to the Golden Snakes, and they’ll help get the guns over the border,” the deeper voice says.

“Through Arizona?”

“Yeah.”

Golden Snakes? I’ve heard of them from my dad. They’re a Mexican motorcycle club based in Las Vegas. I remember my father speaking about them a long time ago. They are true criminals. Men so bad, even the jails spit them out, hoping they’ll leave. Usually, they stick to Vegas, never venturing into our small town.

I pull out my phone, pressing the record button so I can get this all on video.

“Can I help you with something, Miss Hutton?”

Blood pumps in my ears as I whirl around and my eyes crash into Dan West’s. “I, uh, just needed to check my messages.” I tap at my phone, getting into the messenger app.

“I don’t think so.” He snatches the phone from my hands. “I know what you were doing. If my men had kept their mouths shut like they were supposed to, you’d be fine.” His voice is like venom, and I wonder what he means about me being fine.