“That’s not what I’m planning to do, but all the same,” I say, shrugging before holding my hands out to take my baby as she comes closer.
“Rach, why didn’t you tell me about any of this before?” Tracker asks as he grabs my daughter out of Bear’s arms.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I suppose I feared rejection. Shit, I still do, but I’m not asking for protection for me I’m asking for these two. They’re innocent in all this,” I whisper.
“Rachel, I wouldn’t ever reject you. You’re family. But I gotta say, you’ve put us in a bind with this shit. And I’m not talkin’ something that can be fixed easily. This will start a war. ‘Cause I’m not gonna let you handle this on your own. We’ll have to figure something out,” Tracker says.
“The club will have to vote on this, but I know my brothers are gonna want to know if you have Lucien’s ink on you. Considering you’re his ol’ lady . . . ” Stoney growls.
“I’m not his ol’ lady, nor do I have his ink,” I say, interrupting him.
“What do you mean you’re not his ol’ lady? You were engaged to the motherfucker.” Furrowing his brow, Stoney moves closer to the bed.
“I might have been engaged to the man, but he never asked for anything else. Nor did he have anything to do with my ink. The pieces that I have were done between the summer of freshman year and sophomore year. When I wasn’t at practice or studying, I worked at Ink Me as a receptionist. You can ask the guy who did them if you want,” I say harsher than I mean to.
“Well, that makes this somewhat easier since you’re not an ol’ lady to a patch member. The only thing we have to worry about now is him going after the children,” Stoney says.
“That’s why I’ve brought them here. Tracker can keep them safe while I work through what I need to get sole custody of them,” I say hastily.
“And where do you plan on being while you do this?” he asks through clenched teeth.
“I have to go back,” I admit.
“Like fuck you do,” Tracker yells, startling Corinne.
“I have to, Tracker. I don’t have a place here,” I say.
“Rachel, you’re not going anywhere. You’re staying right here. Not only for your protection along with your kids, but you owe the club. You did, in fact, run your truck into our clubhouse. Meaning I’m claiming you as my property. So, no, Doll, you won’t be leaving this room without me or anyone else who’s a part of this club,” Stoney declares.
Umm, what? Did he just say what I think he did? I don’t fuckin’ think so.
Chapter Five
Stoney
“Property? Are you fuckin’ serious?” Tracker growls as we make our way into church. Yeah, I know he’s pissed at the claim I made, but I’m just as shocked. I hadn’t intended to do anything of the sort. The words had come out of my mouth before I could stop them, and honestly, I don’t give a damn. I said it, and if it means Rachel keeps her ass planted here where she belongs, then so fuckin’ be it.
“Yep, I’m dead serious,” I say just as we get to the door for the room where we hold church. Reaching into my pocket, I pull my cell phone out and place it in the basket with the rest of them. Guess Tracker and I are the last ones to walk in.
Taking my seat at the head of the table, I slam my fist on the table rather than using the gavel sitting in front of me. I’m too amped up right now, and smashing my fist through something is what I’d prefer to be doing. “Alright, brothers, you all remember Tracker’s cousin, Rachel? Well, it looks like she’s gone and gotten herself into some serious shit,” I say before letting Tracker take over and tell our brothers what she told us.
“What are we gonna do about this? If she’s the ol’ lady of their VP, this will start a major war between us and them,” Shadow says through clenched teeth. After his transfer from the Franklin Charter, we’d voted him in as our enforcer when Coon decided to step down. No one blamed the man for wanting to step down after finding out his daughter had breast cancer. He’s still a part of the club but doesn’t sit at the table anymore.
“She’s not Lucien’s ol’ lady,” Tracker states.
“Still, this is bad. What was she expecting us to do?” Blaze grumbles.
“Only thing Rachel wanted was for Tracker to keep her twins safe while she does what’s needed. Damn woman was gonna go back,” I growl, gaining more than one odd look from my brothers.
“You gonna let her go?” Blaze asks, lifting a brow in my direction.
“No.” As the simple word leaves my lips, I know in my gut Rachel is meant to be here with me. I might not understand it, but I always listen to my gut. The way it tightens at the thought of Rachel with another man pisses me off.
“Our Prez here has claimed Rach as his property,” Tracker snaps.
“Property,” Ranger chuckles.
Damnit, now they’re goin’ to think of Rachel as my ol’ lady, and that’s not what I’m doing. I swore to never take an ol’ lady. By doing that, it’s like handing my balls over to one woman. Nope, not happening. Especially when I’ve been bitten one too many times.
Marie made sure of that when she walked out on Horse and me. I still put up with her shit for far too many years, paying the bitch off to protect my son for her poison. I’d been doing this for a long fuckin’ time now and finally told her this ATM was closed.
After that conversation, I made sure to talk to Horse. I’d gone to see him and visit my grandkids. When I confessed what I’d been doing to keep his mom out of his life, he’d only shrugged his shoulder, saying, “Let her come. She won’t get a dime from me, and if she thinks threatening my kids will get her anywhere, she hasn’t met my ol’ lady. Kenny will put Marie in the ground.”
Clearing my throat, I lean forward on my elbows as I make sure to meet the gazes of each and every one of my brothers sitting at this table. “Yeah, I’ve claimed Rachel as my property. This way, we can protect her. Besides, she ran her fuckin’ truck into our clubhouse.”
“She may have crashed into the building, but she didn’t damage it. Plus, the woman was unconscious before even hitting the damn thing. Honestly, Prez, I’m surprised she hadn’t wrecked before getting here,” Ranger says in his matter of fact tone he uses when he knows he’s right.
“Doesn’t matter, it’s done. Until I say otherwise, Rachel is my property. Anyone have a problem with that?” I growl, wanting someone to challenge me. But no one speaks up, they simply stare at me as if I’d grown two heads. “Good. Now, let’s get down to business. We need to gather as much intel on this club as possible. See if we can get anything on Lucien. Nerd, what do you have for us already?”
“What don’t I have? They’re some sick fuckers, but can you give me a day to finish getting everything together? I want to get Gadget and Keys on this, see if either of them can find something. I’ve already got Cy looking into things,” Nerd states.
The fact he is bringing in three of the best hackers I’ve ever met can only mean one thing. Between Gadget and Nerd, they can do a lot of shit, but adding in Keys from Hammer’s club and Cy from Blow’s charter out in Tennessee, yeah, this shit is goin’ to be fucked. “Yeah, we’ll reconvene tomorrow at noon. Party’s still on for tonight. Enjoy yourselves, brothers,” I say before banging my fist on the table.