Legend (Requiem MC #6)

Chapter Seventeen Warrior Woman

Legend

Uncle Zed shook his head. “That’s exactly what you said at five years old,” he told Glory. “I knew then that you would be a firecracker.” He looked over at me. “And you might be the only man with enough guts to take this blazing fire on!” He chuckled and patted my arm.

“No guts, no glory,” Liberty just had to say it.

Fate scoffed at his brother. “Are you serious?”

“Yes, yes,” Glory said. “He’s seriously stupid like that.”

“You cannot be calling me stupid, Glory,” Liberty retorted.

“And why not?” she asked. “I can do and say whatever I want and you can just stuff it.”

“See?” Liberty said.

Fate nodded as he cut in, “Therein lies the whole problem.”

We all looked from one twin to the other.

Liberty went on, “With dad telling her crap like that… she was born to shine ? Like even when she was just a toddler.”

Fate agreed, “Then by age twelve, he was training her like a soldier.”

Liberty kept nodding his head. “And on top of that, he spoiled her like crazy.”

Justice even got in on it, “Remember the freakin’ pony?” He reminded his brothers. “She was only ten years old and he got her a damn pony.”

“Yes,” Liberty said. “And I asked him why we didn’t get one.”

“And he said, we were boys, that’s why!” Justice added.

“Right? And like what the hell did that even mean?” Fate nodded.

All three Walker brothers gave each other nods as this was a subject they all agreed on. Glory being a loud mouthed spoiled brat.

“Wow!” Glory exclaimed. “You’d think you all would have grown out of this petty sibling jealousy thing.”

Briget agreed with her, “I think you all need therapy for this.”

“Yes, they seem to have some real issue, alright,” Glory stated with a grin on her face.

As the Walker men scowled, their women burst into laughter.

I chuckled. The competitive relationship that Glory had with most of her brothers was well known in Requiem. “Well, I’m sorry to tell you all that he was right on at least two points. She is a girl and she does shine.”

The whole group stared at me.

“There!” Glory told them. “Finally, it is settled. I’m the most brilliant, most badass Walker.”

“Nah, he is totally biased,” Liberty grumbled.

“Yeah, not admissible,” Justice added.

Glory just shook her head. Still chuckling, she gave each brother a hug.

They hugged her back as they all smiled. This sort of conversation was normal for all of them. Competition, pranks, jokes and love. To all of them it was the same thing. I’d seen it for years, so I was used to it.

Glory then turned and embraced her uncle. “I will miss you the most, Uncle Zed. I love you.”

Zed looked a bit red in the face as if he was pushing emotions down. Kissing her cheek, he turned and rushed away.

Finally, Glory gave a small wave to her family and slid into the limo seat.

I gave the small group a nod. “We’ll be back soon.” Then I turned and got into the large car as well.

Oscar shut the door and rushed over to the driver’s door to get in.

Looking up, I startled a bit to see my cousin’s smiling faces as they sat in the front part of the limousine.

Tito and Rocky chuckled as they nodded their heads at us.

“We just wanted to tell you we are up front,” Tito said.

“But you can press that green button on the panel there to talk to us,” Rocky finished for him.

Oscar piped up, “Yes and you have a fridge with snacks and drinks to the far side of that little island. There’s a full stereo system, TV, and a full bar.”

Glory glanced from them to me as she looked stunned by all the luxury.

Shaking my head, I smiled at her. “Don’t look at me. I gave this life up, remember?”

She tisked. “I’m just gonna pretend I won all this as a prize or something. Like it’s just a vacation.”

I nodded. “Good plan. In fact, I think that’s what we both should do.” I shrugged. I knew the wealth would not sway me or Glory into staying with my family. Yes, luxury was nice but I wasn't used to it anymore and besides that…the price would be too high. My freedom and now that we were together. Glory’s freedom as well. Not that I could ever picture her being trapped in that kind of life.

The partition glass went up and my cousin’s faces disappeared. The car moved and we were heading out of the compound driveway, then through the open double gates.

Leaning back, I took Glory’s hand in mine and laced my fingers through hers. My plan was to just relax. I knew we had our escorts to watch the road for us. If I remembered right, the security procedure would be…one bike up front and one behind. Then on the freeway, they would be in the lanes on either side of us. Leaning my head back while closing my eyes, I rested.

“You okay there Legend?” Glory asked as she squeezed my hand.

I smiled though my eyes remained closed. “Sure, sweet Glory. I’m just resting a bit.”

Leaning in close, she whispered, “You deserve some rest. The pleasure you gave me last night, and this morning, then just an hour ago…Wow.”

I chuckled. “Wasn’t work at all, Glory.”

“Still, it was amazing,” she said as she leaned her head onto my shoulder. “The last couple of days have been the best, Legend,” she added with a sigh in her voice.

“I agree, so let’s hope we keep on an amazing streak,” I told her. “We are heading into a world…” I paused. “...well, it’s a tricky slope.”

“How bad can it be?” she asked quietly.

“The undercurrent of organized crime,” I straight out told her.

“But we are just staying at your father’s house, right?”

“As far as I know,” I replied.

“Ok, so where does this undercurrent come in? Like does he deal drugs and guns right out of the house?”

I laughed a little. “No, of course not. But the man runs a powerful organization and is ruthless… well ten years ago he was. I cannot say if he still does that.”

“But you believe he is still in it?”

“Yeah, I mean resisting that money and avoiding jobs that the head family wants you to do? I hardly think he is totally clean.”

The car seemed to change speed as it made a turn as well.

I opened my eyes to look out the window. We were now on the freeway. I spotted Duke in the lane next to us.

“What are you looking at?” Glory asked from next to me.

“Just the traffic. But all I see is Duke on his bike.”

Raising her head, she looked over at the opposite lane. “And there’s Steel.”

“All is well then,” I said as I leaned forward. “Want a coke or something?”

“See if they have a Dr. Pepper.”

I laughed. Dr. Pepper was a southern thing, if you said you wanted a soda that’s what they would give you. The very same was Louisiana. I scooted forward and opened the fridge. “Of course it’s in there.” I grinned as I pulled a bottle of it out and handed it to her.

“Oh, my gosh,” she said. “In a glass bottle no less.”

I nodded and took one out for myself. I stopped to glance around and spotted it. A builtin bottle opener on the counter edge. I placed the bottle top under it and popped the lid off. Handing that bottle to Glory, I grabbed hers and did the same with that one. Sitting back, I tapped her bottle with mine. “To a safe trip.”

She nodded and tipped her bottle back.

I did the same.

Suddenly, the car swerved to the right then back to the left.

My bottle sloshed sideways and soda splattered onto my lap.

“The hell?” Glory said as she held hers by the neck and scooted over to tap the window button. After it went down, she rose up and leaned out of it.

I sucked in a deep breath. My fucking God, she did not just do that. “Glory!” I exclaimed. “What are you do—” The car swerved again, cutting me off.

Tito’s voice came over a speaker somewhere in the Limo, “We are under attack! They're shooting at your enforcers. Stay down!”

“Motherfucker!” Glory swore as she tossed her bottle out the window.

All I could do was react as I pulled her back inside.

“Let me go, Legend!”

“You’ll get hurt!” I told her.

“They need me…let go!”

I released her.

Diving back over, she grabbed her gun from her waistband and leaned her torso out. Shots rang out as she emptied her Magnum at whatever target was out there.

I slid closer, worried she might catch a bullet just as a screeching metallic sound nearly deafened me. I looked past her and saw a car rolling as it hit the guardrail running along the freeway.

“Yeah, die, fucker!” Glory yelled out the window.

Our car again swerved a bit as she grabbed another clip from her back holster. Expelling the old one from her gun, she shoved the new one in. She then leaned back over to the window, looking back and forth.

A roaring sound came up close to the limo.

I sat up higher to peer out the back window.

A huge monster-like truck on high tires came, rammed the back of the limo.

The violent lurch knocked me down into the floorboard.

“Oh no, you didn’t!” Glory took aim and shot at the big truck until her current clip was empty too.

I climbed back up onto the seat and grabbed her to tug her down. “You’re out of bullets!”

Turning to face me, she grasped my cheeks with both hands and asked, “Are you all right?”

I nodded and pulled her close to hold her tightly to me. “I am, but you coulda been killed.”

“You got ‘em!” Rocky’s voice came over the speaker.

“Yeah,” Tito’s voice came on as well. “Damn, Miss Glory, that was a helluva shot. You wrecked that monster truck!”

I reached over to tap the green button on the console and asked them, “Are Duke and Steel okay?”

“Si, they managed to shoot back and not wreck their motorcycles,” Tito replied. “But Miss Glory literally saved their big asinis.” He laughed.

“Amazing!” Rocky added.

“Do we need to stop?” I asked.

“Nope, better not,” Rocky replied. “We don’t like police involvement and I can see the flashing lights behind us already.”

“Yeah, I agree,” Glory finally spoke up. “No cops.” She picked up her empty gun clip and shoved it into her pocket. Then checked her gun.

I stared at her, realizing she really was a warrior woman. I shook my head… My warrior woman.

“I’m gonna need fresh clips from my bag when we stop.” She put her gun back into the holster in her waistband. Finally looking up at me, she asked, “You okay?”

“I was fine, minus my ass landing on the floor. But I was all safe and sound as you hung out of the limo, going 85 along the freeway while unloading your weapon… twice”

She paused to stare at me. “Don’t get onto me, Legend. The first car was aiming at Steel. Then that truck was going to wreck this limo.”

I shook my head. “I’m not getting onto you.”

Her shoulders dropped a little as her defiant expression left her face. “You’re not?”

“No, I’m not.” I grabbed her arms and tugged her to me. “I already told you that I love you just the way you are. I don’t agree with your brothers about this. I’m in love with a warrior woman and that’s that.”

She grinned at me. “Damn, I didn’t think I could love you more, Legend. Then you gotta go and say shit like that!”

I laughed at her not so clean talk. That was also part of her style. The woman grew up with four brothers with just a father as a parent and an entire MC. I couldn’t fault her personality or attitude. It just worried me when she took chances. What she just did was risky as all hell, but she had felt like she had no choice. I leaned in to kiss her.

“Are you two okay?” Oscar’s voice came from the speaker.

I paused and replied, “I landed on my ass and spilled some Dr. Pepper but otherwise, we are fine.” In actuality, I think I spilled it on my thighs.

Glory laughed and pulled back to look down at my jeans.

“I called your father and he is pissed,” Tito broke in.

“Man, did you have to?” I knew the answer so it was a moot point to ask.

“Of course I had to, cousin,” Tito said. “Santo inferno, you know this is my job.”

“Yes, I know,” I replied. “Ok, so maybe we can take a restroom stop in an hour?”

“Si, Gio. Sounds bene.”

I released the button and looked up at Glory.

She reached over with a wipe she’d gotten from the console and attempted to get the sticky residue removed from my jeans.

I allowed her to try for a couple of minutes before I stopped her. “Ok, sweetness. That’s about all you can do.”

“I’m just hoping it will dry before we get there,” she said. “You don’t want to arrive in wet jeans.”

I chuckled. “We could have died today, Glory. Like I care about my damn jeans.”

“True, but I would not have allowed you to die, Legend.” She gave me a serious look. Hitting the button to roll up the window, she sat back and let out a breath. “Damn, that was badass though. I rarely get to use my skills. Too many brothers around and not enough bad guys.”

I had to laugh as I took her hands in mine and told her, “As long as you are safe and sound, I will be happy. I admit that scared me just now. You hanging out of a damn window like that while in a gunfight.”

“It won’t always be like this, Legend. The Walkers are at war. That’s why it’s dangerous. But after this is over and they catch Deacon, we can settle down and have a somewhat normal life.”

“Somewhat?” I asked with a laugh.

Shrugging, she replied, “My name is Glory and yours is Legend. We are bikers with the Requiem MC. Just how normal do you think we can be?”

I paused, then chuckled. “Yeah, you got a point. But don’t you want a white picket fence and 2 point 5 children?”

She stared at me. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am. Do you want a house? Like with a garden, maybe?”

Cocking her head at me, she asked, “What is this about?”

I chuckled as I realized I was sort of babbling at her. I reached into my vest, bringing out the manilla envelope I’d grabbed from my dresser earlier this morning.

Scooting closer, Glory stared at the envelope and asked, “Ok, Legend what is going on?”

Opening it, I shook it once. Something dropped out onto my palm and I closed my fist over it.

“What is that?” she asked as she stared down at my hand.

“I was going to wait until all this was over. But now I changed my mind,” I said as I opened my fist.

Leaning forward, Glory stared at the diamond ring on my palm. “OH. MY. GOD. I-is that what I think i-it is?”

I laughed. “It is exactly what you think it is, yes.” The ring had an antique look to it. A gold band with a three-carat diamond. I scooted off the seat to kneel one knee down on the floorboard. Like I just said, I had planned to wait. Maybe do this in a better setting. Something more romantic. But the attack that just occurred reminded me of how short life could be. Of how long I’d already waited to be with her.

Glory gasped loudly as she slapped her hand over her mouth and stared down at me.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly to steady my nerves. “I know I’ve been slow on this. But I have always loved you.” I winked at her. “I’ve had this ring for three years.”

Gasping again, she jumped in her seat while looking even more surprised. “What?” Her voice rose.

“I saw it in a store window in Sugarland years back and I knew somehow that it would be your engagement ring. Well, it would be whenever I got the courage up to finally admit that I loved you. So I bought it.” I raised it up and went on, “Glory Walker, I’m asking if you will spend your life with me, beside me. Be my wife. Will you marry me?”

Frozen as all the color had drained from her face, Glory stared at the ring.

I waited.