Free Extraction by Xyla Turner

something that long, you'll miss it too.”
    “Yeah? I've thought about going back, but it wasn’t in me?” I said. “Life ain't the same no more.”
    “Fucking right.” He nodded. “But you make that shit work. Stay in touch with your platoon, get a core group. Some even settle down and tie the knot and shit.”
    I laughed.
    “Funny, right?” He nodded.
    “Right.”
    “You got a woman?” he asked.
    “No,” I answered. “Well, I don't fucking know.”
    He burst out laughing and said, “Shit, man. You sound like me. Just plain fucked up.”
    “You can say that,” I agreed. “I take it you have or had a woman?”
    “Now, what I had was a fucking horrible lapse in judgement and fucked up any chance I had with said woman. Her ass is engaged to be married to some stick.”
    “Damn,” I whistled.
    “Well, whatever's going on with your shit, do me a favor and fix your wrongs man. Make that shit right before you lose the privilege to even be in the same room with her alone.”
    “Yeah, man. I hear you, loud and clear.” I drank the last of my beer. “However, a friend of mine once told me, it's never too late to fix your wrongs. Maybe you don't need to be alone with her but she just needs to hear you above everyone else.”
    Apollo nodded and said, “Goliath, shit, you just might be on to something.”
    “Noted,” I said.
    Apollo looked at me and said, “You just driving by or you live near here?”
    “Driving by but I'm only two hours out.”
    “Okay, come to our table. I want you to meet somebody.” He waved towards a table full of bikers.
    I nodded and said, “Right behind you.”
    I paid for the drink and followed him to a table in the back.
    There were a few people seated in the back along with women sitting on guy’s laps. One of the women was the singer.
    “Razor, got somebody I want you to meet,” Apollo called to the man looking into the singer’s eyes.
    She wasn't just a groupie; the man was gone for her. I looked to their fingers and saw they had on wedding bands and hers was huge.
    “Alright, honey. It's time for act two.” She kissed him.
    He rubbed her belly and that's when I noticed that she had a little bump. “I'll be here,” he said with a gravelly voice.
    His eyes turned towards Apollo and he said, “Who’s your guest?” Just like that, it was back to business. Here sat a man who could gaze in his lady’s eyes in one minute and put a man down in the next.
    I could dig that.
    “He's just passing through but he's army like me. Don't know him per se, but got a feeling you might want to chat,” Apollo told the man with the salt and pepper goatee.
    “Well, that's my cue to go. You guys start talking all of that club shit and I don't need to be around,” said a mocha-colored woman with long flowing hair.
    She was sitting on the lap of a very muscular man, who was also clearly smitten with the woman on his lap. Despite his slap on her ass, the two communicated with their eyes and gestures. Also, there were rings on their fingers too.
    Damn, what kind of club was this?
    They all had on cuts that had the same emblem, their names and titles.
    “I'm Razor, President of the Guardians. This, here, is Bronx, he's the VP and you met, Apollo, my Sergeant of Arms.” He held out his hand, gesturing for me to be seated.
    “I'm Goliath, I live over in Lily,” I said.
    “Good.” He nodded.
    “You're not from around the area, are you?” Bronx asked.
    “No, I'm from Onley. I moved here after I was discharged.”
    “Well, you picked a good area. The Guardians are a bike club that does a whole lot more. We have people from all over who are Guardians and they are in different professions and contribute in various ways. Some are doctors, lawyers, etc. A lot are ex-military or police and that's because of the type of work we do. It's not just all about our club but also what’s right and wrong. You know? As you can see, we’re family men; we don't hit or abuse women or children but