Chapter 44

I decided to drive. I needed to get us to the pier quickly and I knew I would be a bad passenger. I was angry at all of them. How could they keep this from me?

Carol and Maureen tried to justify what they did but I stopped them by putting my hand up and giving them a look. They knew there was nothing they could say to make this better. But the one I was most upset with wasn't here.

CJ had turned me inside out. One minute I wanted to strangle her but the next wanting to hold her and try to get her to understand why she shouldn't keep anything from me.

Uncle Roy tried to say something but I just gave him the same look and he sat in the backseat with the ladies. Too Mean sat shotgun and said he'd get one of his guys to get his car from the parking lot and asked if I wanted my car taken over to the beach house. I nodded and told him there should be an extra key at CJ's house. He told me he'd take care of it.

"Houston do you think we will need back up? I can have my guys get to the pier quickly."

I turned and looked at the ladies, 'well do you think we will need extra help?"

Maureen nodded and I closed my eyes and let out a string of curses.

Too Mean talked to his guys and asked them to get to the pier ASAP he asked Maureen and Carol where the bar was and they gave him the location.

I was breaking speed records but we would get there before Too Means guys i thought we should stop and get Will we needed as much back up as we could get, "Too Mean call Will tell him what we know and that I'm going to swing by to pick him up I don't think your guys will get there in time and I am not going to wait. We don't know what's happening to CJ or Star. That side of the pier is home to a lot of shady characters and we don't know if they might have been involved in Jake's momma being taken."

Carol gasped, "I didn't think of that, oh my god, Star asking all those questions and then CJ showing up, you don't think they have her there do you, oh no we really screwed up oh Cowboy we are sorry!"

Maureen shook her head, "Damn what have we done we should have just told you not sis, but we didn't know this was going to happen, hurry cowboy go faster we got to go save our girls."

Too Mean looked at me as he was talking to Will. "I'll let him know. We should be there in about 5 minutes.

They finally got what I was upset about. They thought the same thing CJ was thinking. That it only had to do with Star but I was always the type that saw the whole picture when they told me about the incident at the bar with Star. I remembered she had talked to all her friends and others at the pier trying to get information about Jake's mom. If she had found something and now was being held against her will and CJ walked in trying to get answers it was a disaster waiting to happen.

I had failed both of them.

"Once this is over, I am going to have a conversation with Ms. Parsons. I do not want any interference from any of you. That includes you Too Mean and Uncle Roy. We have unresolved issues and we will be discussing them rather loudly, mostly coming from my side so no interruptions and if it gets nasty then so be it. She needs to realize that she can't go off and think she can take on an army without some back up and she needs to start listening to reason. Do I have everyone's word?"

I looked at Too Mean, he nodded and Maureen, Carol and Uncle Roy murmured okay. That was settled and we were almost to the pier. Will was outside waiting and got in front with me and Too Mean.

"She called back and I pleaded with her to not do anything, she knew the charges were dropped and that Star hadn't come back. I told her that I'd help but she just hung up. What's the situation Maureen, Carol? How many bad guys did you see at the Bar and we will be discussing why this wasn't shared with the rest of us later."

I looked over at Will. He was just as upset as I was. CJ was special to him; she had always had a special place in his heart for her. There was a time that I was even jealous of having to share CJ with him when he would come visit during the summer. It got worse when we got older. But he pulled me aside and said that he loved her like a sister that she only had eyes for me. "Cuz you have nothing to worry about, but if you don't act on this one day it might be too late. I took my shot and was let down easy, but at least I did. Don't let her slip through your fingers, it will be a mistake you will regret."

I was a little shocked hearing he had made a pass at CJ and we tussled a little bit. CJ breaking us up and wanting to know what was going on between us. We both kept our mouths shut but I understood, CJ was special and mine I didn't like that she had shown Will the side of her that was only for me. But the older we got the more I realized she only did that to those that meant something to her, I had asked her once why she never considered Will as a potential suitor bracing myself for whatever she had to say.

"Will? Are you kidding me? He's like a brother to me Houston and it never crossed my mind. I never told you but, he tried to kiss me when he was visiting one summer and I knocked him off his horse into the pond. Not that I wasn't flattered but I never saw him more than family."

I should have said something then. I should have asked her what about me would have knocked me off my horse or let me kiss her.

I had so many chances with her. Had I used them all up, had I lost my chance?

Maureen took me out of my reminiscing. "There the Bar is there it looks like they are closing up."

We parked and got out to reconn the place. "Carol, you said there was a door at the back so only two entrances I have my gun, how about you Uncle Roy have your weapon handy."

He pulled out his as did Will and Too Mean. "Okay ladies, you two stay back if shooting starts, get back to the car and hide. I can't have to worry about you two as well as CJ and Star. Promise me please."

They nodded. "Okay let's synchronize our watches for 5 minutes from now and we move in." Will and Uncle Roy moved to go through the back and Too Mean and I took the front. I had the girls move to the side of the entrance and we waited to go in. Too mean grabbed my arm to get my attention and whispered, "Hey Houston we will get them out safely you have my word, and I have to hug my girl for doing everything I taught her. She amazes me every day, and I hope you get your head out of your ass long enough to see what is right in front of you. You almost lost her once, don't make that mistake again or else."

Someone was coming to the door I pulled Too Mean back but then I heard a familiar voice yelling to let her go. Too Mean heard also and he pushed the door open and almost knocked over the woman that was there.

She was surprised I tried to grab her before she fell but saw the gun in her hand. I took it away from her and she gasped. "Don't struggle Miss I need to get into that main area and you're coming with me lets move!"

I walked in with my prisoner as Too Mean yelled out, "Get your hands off my girl."

Wait what? His girl no he was mistaken she was mine. CJ stopped her struggle over the gorillas shoulder and looked at Too Mean and turned to look at me and the look of relief was evident she whispered my name never taking her eyes off me. I was relieved but that was short lived. The gorilla holding her was adjusting his grip pulled her off his shoulder and held her in front of her one of his arm around her waist the other on her shoulder. He glared at me I glared back he didn't know what he had done. He was just another man I'd have to maim for touching what was mine.

Will and Uncle Roy came barreling through the back, "You better get your hands off Star my niece before you lose them pretty boy."

Star looked like she wanted to faint. She looked at all of us and closed her eyes. She looked down not knowing what to do. This was not sitting well with me but we'd get to the bottom of this.

"Get your hands off my dog before I get him to attack you." Will chimed in.

Beast was pulling the mountain of a man towards Will and once he seen the gun Will was holding he let Beast's leash go and the mongrel ran to his daddy.

The lady tried to get away but I held her back, "Don't struggle Miss and if you know the gorilla holding CJ I suggest you get his attention before he loses a hand."

She looked up to me and spoke "Popeye I'd let the lady go I believe they are all acquainted. Lucas let go of Star and Tiny don't do anything stupid I don't want to lose any of my boys."

"Beautiful here isn't going anywhere, let go of Momma and I might let her go. Luca let go of Star. Star come over here and introduce us to your friends". When he stopped speaking he put CJ is a choke hold.

The man was dangerous and I pulled Momma closer and had the gun pointed to her head.

"Let her go. I've had the worse day of my life and right now if I have to shoot you or worse I'm good with it because I can't let you hurt CJ or Star. They are my family and mean more to me than anything in this world so if you are a praying man I'd start reciting one about now."

"Whoa Cowboy let cooler heads prevail. Handsome can you let my sis go? Cowboy here will let Momma go and you blond hunk back there let Star go and why don't we all move forward and we all introduce ourselves? Come on we all have one thing in common. Star. So let's get to know one another."

Carol had come forward and was standing in the line of fire pulling Maureen with her. Will cursed as did Uncle Roy. Too Mean stepped forward and yanked both of them behind him.

These women would send me to an early grave.

Star got away from her captor. "Stop please no one needs to get hurt. I'm sorry I should have just come clean to everyone. Popeye they are good people. Please let CJ go because boss man will put you down she means the world to him and you doing that choke hold is like signing your death warrant. No more secrets I'll spill all just…"

She was standing in front of all of us and start to shake and cry. "Boss man Popeye please don't hurt my families…"

Her eyes rolled back and she fell.

Damn.

Everyone started to scream. The gorilla was shocked that he let CJ go and she ran to her, Carol and Maureen were there also. I must have let Momma go because she ran picked her up and was cradling her.

I looked up and Popeye looked white as a ghost I put my gun down and called out. "Carol should we call 911?"

We all go closer and Carol yelled out "get me some water now and step back she needs some air."

The mountain of a man made an attempt to walk to the bar but the other Luca jumped over the bar, grabbed a glass and handed it to Popeye and gave it to Carol. He looked at me.

"She's a doctor."

He looked at me and Too Mean and we put down our guns I told Uncle Roy and Will to do the same. Beast was trying to get between the ladies whimpering and growling but no one would budge.

"Houston I'm going to go outside and catch my guys before the come in like gangbusters. You got this right?" Too Mean asked.

I looked at Popeye and the others "Truce no trouble till Star is okay do we have a deal?"

Popeye nodded as did the other two.

Star started to come around. She groaned and looked up at 10 faces and Beast.

"Hi. Did you all behave while I lost my marbles?"

I snorted as did the rest of the guys.

"Young lady you took years off of me when you slumped onto the floor like that. Don't ever do that again."

She sat up, "Sorry Uncle Roy."

"Uncle Roy is it what about me your Momma G I swear I've gotten more grey hair in the last 6 months then in my life time raising boys you young lady are going to be the death of me."

"Sorry Momma G."

"Oh you have so much explaining to do that I'm too pissed off to even start squirt. But, if you introduce me to the lovely angels of mercy that just revived you I might just forgive you."

"Jeez Luca put a pin in it and yes I'm sorry I pissed you off and Tiny I'm sorry too and Will and Beast where's Too Mean I need to say sorry to him too. Did I forget anyone?"

Popeye and I looked at each other. I shook my head, "do you want to do the honors because right now I might say something I'm going to regret."

"Nope you better speak because I'm going to yank her off that floor and put her over my knee and give her a good smack for putting my family in this situation. Dammit Star I told you time and time again you could trust us and you have another family that sounds like you've told everything to so yeah I'm upset but let's talk like I asked you earlier. We have a lot of questions like the first being why did Boyd manhandled you earlier and if he was harassing you why didn't you come to me?"

Carol looked up, "was that the idiot that tried to grab her earlier? We were here. We followed her and when we saw that I swear I never in my life wanted to harm someone as much as I did this morning I'm supposed to save lives but him I wanted to hurt him for hurting my girl."

"You followed me Carol and you saw that." Star whispered.

"No we saw that and she wasn't the only one that wanted to maim that jackass but he saved you." Maureen pointed to Luca.

I looked at him, "She didn't tell me the whole story, but he was handled and when I pieced the rest of it together I went varmint hunting. No one hurts our own and gets away with it."

CJ stood up and looked at me and at Popeye.

"I'm CJ that's Houston or boss man, the doctor is Carol and the other is Maureen. You already know that is Uncle Roy and Will is his son. The guy that left is Too Mean that's our family."

She walked over to me and I pulled her to my side putting my hand around her waist, showing this guy she was with me.

"Well beautiful you've met me. That's Momma G on the floor with Star, Luca is the varmint hunter and that's Tiny he works for me."

Too Mean came back, "Houston is everything okay or are we going to have to crack some skulls?"

I looked at everyone, "No I think we are all on the same page so why don't we sit down and hear Stars story it's hers to tell and we will figure everything out after all is said and done."

Star stood up. Came between me and Popeye and grabbed each of our hands. "Only if you both promise no hitting or yelling and you both become friends. Deal?"

We looked at her, she was holding her breath and looked at each other and shook hands. "Deal."