“No. You don’t get to talk like that. You think I don’t know what it’s like? To know your husband is hanging around with skanks.”
“I don’t imagine they’re all skanks.”
Betty laughed. “And you wonder why Lord wants you. You’re different. He’s used to women throwing themselves at every single guy with a dick. All of the women. They can’t seem to say no to a cock. If you’re been around the club long enough, you’ll see it. You’ll know it. They’re looking to make a name for themselves. Some of the women want long-term. They want an easy life that the men provide. Others want the reputation of screwing every man in the club. They’re patch whores. The more men they fuck, the more valued they think they are. I know it doesn’t make sense. Believe me, I don’t get it. But to them, it does.” Betty sighed. “You can’t let them get to you. They’re like vultures. If they spot any weakness at all in you, that’s it. It’s all over.”
Ally sighed. “I really need to tell him. Don’t I?”
“Yeah, you really do. Lord is a good man. He told me to take care of his boy and that’s all I’ve been doing.” Betty looked ahead. “I didn’t imagine for a second we’d be where we’re at today. I love him so much. I adore the life we’ve built, but we did it together. Talk to Lord. He wants you.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“He snuck onto our land to have his way with you. That guy is pussy whipped.”
There was a sudden whimper.
“That’s my call. I’ll be back. Think about it.” Betty patted her knee and then got up.
Ally watched her go.
Leaning back on the sofa, she put her hands on her stomach. “Did you hear that? Lord is pussy whipped. Your daddy wants me. Well, I hope he does. Either way, I’m going to love you enough.”
Her nerves were getting the better of her.
She rubbed her stomach, wondering when she’d really start to show. The sudden urge for some hot chocolate overcame her, and she got to her feet, making her way toward the kitchen.
Making herself at home inside their ranch was hard.
She grabbed two mugs from the cupboard before opening the fridge. She poured out two mugs of milk and then put it into the saucepan. Next, she had the pan on the stove, heating up.
She went through each cupboard, looking for some chocolate mix. The moment she found it, she smiled.
Score.
Just as she was sprinkling the powder into the milk, Ally paused as she heard the unmistakable sound of bikes entering the front yard.
Turning off the burner, she put the packet on the counter and rushed toward the front door. Her heart raced and she couldn’t wipe the smile off her face.
Without looking, she opened it up and stepped onto the porch, only to come to a stop.
It was dark and the floodlight had turned on as the bikes arrived.
The insignia wasn’t Lord’s.
She recognized it as the Skull Nation MC.
Before she had a chance to react, Betty was there, already thinking ahead.
“Fuck. Shit. Fuck.” Betty slammed the locks closed.
“Mommy?”
The bikes and lights must have woken the kids.
“Go and hide, baby. Do as I’ve told you. All of you. Go and hide. Now!”
Bullets rained down on the house, shattering glass.
Betty grabbed her hand, and together, they ran upstairs. She expected them to go to the children, but they ran to her bedroom.
Ally didn’t know what the hell she was doing.
“Call Rancher.”
“I don’t have a cell phone.”
“Open the fucking window and yell. He’s in the barn. Just keep on yelling.” Betty had pulled a box out from under the bed. It had a lock on it and she was surprised how Betty was able to get into it. The woman’s hands shook.
Rushing to the back window, she pushed it up and yelled Rancher’s name at the top of her lungs. She did this over and over again until the sound of a door slamming open interrupted her.
Ally looked toward Betty.
Her gun was loaded, and she grabbed Ally’s hand. They ran through to the bathroom. She closed the door and snapped the lock into place.
“What do we do?” Ally asked.
“We stay silent.”
“What about the kids?”
Betty shook her head. “This is what Rancher’s been training us for. They know what to do and they play the game how to stay quiet. They all have to be so silent that no one will ever know they’re there. He’s the one who adapted this house.”
“Betty, they’re the Skull Nation.”
“I know.”
“They’re going to kill us.” She’d never get to tell Lord she was pregnant. Holy crap, had she and Lord gotten Betty, Rancher, and their kids killed?
“Rancher will come. He always promised to protect me. He’ll be here.” Betty held the gun up and aimed at the door.
“But … what if he doesn’t?” Ally asked.
Betty opened her mouth, closed it. “He won’t let me down. He never has. I trust him. He’s coming.”
Ally covered her mouth with her hand as they heard the loud footsteps of the men coming up the old wooden stairs.
If Rancher came, would he be able to take on the men alone? She saw at least three, but there could have been more.
All she wanted was Lord.
She didn’t have a gun and as the bathroom door slammed open, Betty fired.
Ally screamed as one of the men grabbed Betty and threw her hard against the wall. The gun she’d been holding dropped to the floor. As Betty tried to attack, struggling wildly, she got slapped in the mouth and Ally finally saw red.
She screamed, charging at the man. His jacket claimed him to be the President of the Skull Nation club.
Jumping on his back, she brought her arm across his neck, hoping her weight would do something to stop him.
He slammed her back against the wall, the impact winding her.
Within seconds, he had his hands wrapped around her neck as he smiled at her. “I knew I’d find you.”
Chapter Twelve
Lord cut off the guy’s dick, then nodded to Brick. As soon as he stepped away from the howling piece of shit, his VP put a bullet between his eyes.
“We ride out now,” he said.
This was the reason he’d sent Ally to stay with Rancher. He didn’t trust the Skull Nation to use her against him. Now he wasn’t sure if the VP had been fucking with him or telling the truth. What if they’d found out where Ally was staying?
She’d begged him to keep her at the club, and he was starting to believe it may have been the best choice. At least his compound was heavily fortified and protected by armed men. Rancher’s place may be off the grid, but it wasn’t a fort, and there was only one man guarding it. Rancher was a tough son of a bitch, but he wasn’t invincible.
It wasn’t supposed to go down this way.
He was certain he’d made the best choice. There was no way the Skull Nation could have found out what he’d done with Ally. As far as they were concerned, she was at home waiting for him.
Should he head back to the club or to Rancher’s place? Time was of the essence right now. They’d killed the VP, but Lord wanted their prez.