Reiders of Outlaw Mountain

Last night was the worse. I can still feel Aarons hands around my neck and my head hitting the table over and over again. I am thankful I was able to grab his beer bottle and smash him in the head.

It was early morning now , I had been driving for over nine hours. My neck was screaming at me , my head is pounding. I was almost to safety . Almost home I told myself.

It was home. It was Veta , a smallish town where I grew up with my grandma. She left me the house when she passed . The letter she left told me to keep it when I need to get away. Lord knows this was one of those time. Even now she is still watching over me.

Grandpa and my dad had been killed when i was about five years old. Some drive by shooting in new mexico is what I was told what happen. My mother died of an overdose when I was ten. She was never around tho. So when the police told my grandma there was no tears from me.

I was about 10 miles from Veta when my suv made a horrible noise and everything turned off.

"Fucking Hell!" I shouted

I reach for my phone and called the only company that could tow in this town. Outlaw River Garage and Towing. It was 6 am I would get the on call person . I needed the help tho. Two rings and gruffy voices grumbly on the other line.

"O.R. Towing, This is Crush .. what can I help you with...This morning."

I paused fuck it was him. It was Chris , he was my best friend all through school. I really did not want him to see me like this. i looked in the mirror , tears formed as I looked at my beaten face.

Crushes voice brought me back as he said 'hello you still there?'

I sighed and spoke "Hi , I need a pick up for my Escape, it just completely shut off and won't go in to gear or start . I am just on the edge of Veta on highway 16 about 10 miles out."

I heard shuffling and than crush grumply said " Give me about 12 minutes or so ."

With that I hung up. I looked at my phone actually finally looked at it. 13 message from Aaron saying once he was free from his business he going to finish what he started once he found me. I sighed and deletely them . I can only hope he just forgets about me .

It wasn't a long wait , a black and red flat bed tow truck pulled up . Out got a beast of man. He was wearing a tee shirt , a unbutton work shirt with the name crush on it and black jeans and black boots.His brown hair was longer now about shoulder length and was wet from I can assume was a quick shower.

I stepped out of the suv and pulled my blonde hair into the hoodie and pulled up the hood. I had my keys in my hand and i held them out to him and said

"Here Chris , can you take the car to shop and just take me to my house please."

He stopped in his track a foot away from me and stared at me . He reach out grabbed the keys and he ran a hand down his bread and gruffed

"Lauren , its been years and you finally come back looking a little rough for wear. You okay?"

I walked past him and got in the tow truck. He did his job shiftly and got my suv on the flat bed . He jumped in the seat with ease and looked at me and ask

"Lauren, I haven't seen you in years or heard from you since you deleted your social media and you show up back here looking like you Damn near met death. I have seen the look you have. You were my best friend lovely, just know if you need help, talk to me."

I didnt say anything the whole ride to my house was silent. Pulling up to the light blue ranch style home, I started to cry. I went to open the door and Crush pulled me close to him .

I don't know why the way his arms felt around me felt like warmth and happiness like it did all those years ago . It was a welcomed feeling. I cried on his shoulder and he spoke softly into my hood .

"Damnit Lauren , just tell me what happen to you. You screamed at me in this very yard that you would never come back here. Lovely talk to me."

I cried out " I can never leave here now. I messed up so bad , So bad Chris..."

He interupted me and said "Crusher, no one calls me chris anymore , its just crush or crusher."

I laughed a little bit and pulled away. My hood slid down and I saw the look on crushes face and looked down as he growled out

"Fuck Lauren you need to see a doctor. I knew you where not okay but fuck your face and thoart, lovely can I take you to a doctor?"

I shook my head no and climb out of the tow truck and walked up to the house. I found its keys in my purse and I walked in and shut the door behind me .

The house changed a little bit , I had been paying roslyn to keep it clean and tidy . She came once a week and cleaned it for me. She was doing a amazing job at that. There was no dust and the house smelled like apples. She was a hell of a house keeper.

Fuck my job. I should call work and tell then I quit . I could never go back to Albuquerque now. I would have to find a decent job here. I was accountant but I have a major in english I could always see if they need a teacher.

I scurried to house and to my room which was my grandmothers. I re did and stocked it with some clothes from my last trip here when she past. Away That was the last time I saw crush too.

He wasn't lying , i sighed out at the thought of that memory. I did scream at him in front of the house . I told him I loved him and i wanted to moved back to be with him. He laughed at me told me go finish my college and find a rich man.

He broke my heart. I told him I would never come back and i never wanted to see him again. Well hell I lied to myself. I have always wanted to come back. But never this way.

Aaron was my rich man Crush told me to find . I found a smart clean looking man. He was a lawyer . Never thought he would be my hell for the last 6 years. 28 years old and I nearly died last night . All Those years and i have been lying to my self the guy my heart still wants is still a biker for outlaw river . But maybe he can still be my friend, after all he was my best friend and my lover all through highschool.

I decide I needed a shower and makeup so i could walk to store. Pulling myself from my thoughts is all I could . I started making a list of what I would need for the house. The house may be clean but no one lived here so it needed food and what not .

After the shower I found some of my make up in my purse and start to try to cover my face the best i could. Hell it was hard but i looked some what human. It wasn't the best job. Putting another hoodie on and pulling hood up was the only way to feel safe.

I heard my phone ring it was work by the tone of the ringer. I answered

"Hi , its Lauren."

"Lauren , where are you, your 20 minutes late ?"

Lisa asked me on the phone worried she knew Aaron had been beating me . I held back tears and quickly said

"I am so sorry lisa , I can no longer come into work ,I quit ."

Lisa said my name but I hung up quickly. I reminded myself change my number later when I get back. Leaving my phone on the table, I grabbed some cash from my wallet . stuffed it into my jean pocket and walked out the door. I didnt even bother to lock the door. No one here would bother this house my closet neighbor was two blocks away.

It was early yet nearly 8:30 in the morning. I knew I wouldnt see alot of people just a few. School was in session and parents where working. I walked the streets towards down town . I knew i would have to pass by O.R. garage and towing on my way there . I could hopefully slip by easily without crush seeing me. I just need to get the store and back .