I reached out and tugged her closer, kissing her softly. “We’re heading out back. Just yell if you need anything.”
She gave my beard a quick yank, then went back to what she was doing. I herded the guys out back and quickly realized I didn’t have enough chairs. A quick text to the Prospect bringing the supplies fixed the issue. I only hoped he brought enough beer. I had a feeling these guys would need it. Especially Badger and Dingo.
Chapter Nine
Elena
“They’re gone,” I said as I carried two bowls of popcorn to the living room. “Can someone help me grab the drinks? Outlaw offered, but I thought it would be better to get the men out of here faster.”
“Thank God,” Meiling muttered. “I love Dingo, but he’s driving me crazy with all the hovering.”
“If you think he’s bad, you should see Badger,” Adalia said.
“Your men worry for you,” China said in her heavily accented voice. “It’s a good thing. They love you. Why would you complain about that?”
Meiling reached over and took her mom’s hand. I hadn’t learned much about any of these women, but Mei had immediately introduced China as her mother. Shella was the youngest of the group, and so far the most talkative. With her sister missing, I’d expected her to be reserved. I had to wonder if she was just trying not to think about it, and talking was her way of keeping her mind off things.
“I’ll help,” Shella said, jumping up from her seat. I eyed the living room and realized we were all crammed on the couch with no space to spare. I wasn’t about to ask any of the pregnant ladies to lift anything, though. After Shella helped with the drinks, I’d grab two of the kitchen chairs and bring them in.
She followed me to the kitchen and we grabbed as many bottles and cans as we could, then took it all to the living room. While Shella handed out the drinks, I went back for the two chairs. Meiling had claimed Outlaw’s chair when she’d arrived, but now Adalia and China had more space on the couch. I didn’t think there were more women who would pop in, but we’d have an extra spot if there was. I knew Lavender and Wire were still here somewhere, even though I hadn’t seen them since earlier.
“Does Outlaw do the alpha male thing where he tells you what to do and when to do it?” Adalia asked. “Badger’s worse about it when we aren’t at home.”
“Um, maybe a little. He’d probably be worse if I were pregnant, though.”
She laughed. “Oh, don’t even doubt it. To be fair, the club doesn’t have kids running around yet. I’ve had two miscarriages and Meiling hasn’t had much luck either. It’s her first with Dingo, though, so we’re all hoping this one makes it.”
I wasn’t sure what to say to that. I didn’t know anything about these ladies. How had they met their men? Why had they decided to stay? Or were their guys like Outlaw and just decided they were keeping them? It wouldn’t have surprised me.
Meiling shared a look with Adalia and her mother before turning her gaze toward me. “We all have some pretty horrific pasts, except Shella. She was more sheltered, even though she didn’t have it easy either. Our guys can be a bit much to handle, but at least we know they care. For me, it was the first time I’d ever felt wanted.”
My gaze shot over to China to see if she was offended, but she offered a soft smile.
“My daughter was taken from me when she was very little. I was sold to a brothel and she was placed in a very bad foster home. Blades was in prison at the time. It was only six months ago that we all found each other again.” China glanced at her daughter. “I was worried my Meiling wouldn’t want me in her life after the life I’d led, but my baby needed me so I came home with Blades.”
My heart ached for what they’d suffered. Adalia didn’t share her story, but I had to wonder if something equally as bad had happened. She’d said she had a horrific past, but I didn’t know what that meant. While I’d been in foster care, the reverend and his wife had never hurt me or abused me.
“What do you think of the club so far?” Shella asked. “When I first found out my half-sister had a daddy in the Devil’s Boneyard MC, I wasn’t sure what to think. My mom started fucking up her life even more and I ended up taking Payson to Irish. To say he was shocked was an understatement, and his woman was less than pleased.”
My jaw dropped a little. “He had a kid with your mom while he was with someone else?”
“No! No, Irish and my mom had a fling before he’d claimed Janessa. But she’s great with Payson. They offered to let me stay, but I didn’t want to be in the way. Grizzly took me in and I’ve loved living here. He’s been the best dad.”
“I haven’t really been around the club yet. I came to a party and someone drugged my drink. It’s how I ended up at Outlaw’s house,” I said.
“I heard Demon gave that bitch a lesson she won’t soon forget,” Meiling said. “I’m just glad they figured out who was behind it, and why she was doing it. That could have ended badly for the club.”
It got quiet and no one seemed to know what to say. I didn’t either for that matter. I wanted friends, though, and if these ladies were attached to guys in the club, then I’d be seeing them a lot. Or so I thought. I rubbed my hands up and down my thighs, a bit nervous. What if they didn’t like me?
“I don’t normally do stuff like go to a biker club. I was passing through and the lady at the motel said I should check this place out. She left out exactly what the Devil’s Fury was when she gave me directions.”
Adalia laughed. “I bet that was a surprise. You seem a little…”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah. I know. Outlaw says I look all sweet and innocent.”
“Are you?” Meiling asked.
My cheeks warmed. “Not as much now as I was that’s for sure. I don’t know what it is about that man, but I seem to lose all sense when he’s around.”
The snickers told me that I wasn’t the only one who suffered from that affliction when it came to the Devil’s Fury men. Even Shella was blushing a bit and cast a glance toward the back of the house. I’d noticed when she arrived that the man at her heels had seemed extremely interested in what she was doing. Now I wondered if she felt the same about him. He’d been quite a bit older than her, but Outlaw was over a decade older than me. Age didn’t seem to matter much around here.
“So what trouble followed you here?” Adalia asked. “It seems to be a common theme. Meiling was trying to escape the owner of the strip club, among others. China was brought here by Blades when he found her in a brothel. Grizzly and Mae checked up on me after Badger found me in an alley. He killed the man who was raping me and went to prison. Shella’s mom was an addict who didn’t give a shit about her kids, only her next fix. And Lilian…”
Shella sighed. “It’s my fault she’s gone. She didn’t want Grizzly to know about the baby. I thought someone had hurt her. I didn’t know she’d wanted to be with Dragon. After all she went through in Colombia, I didn’t see how she could stand to be touched.”
My mouth opened and shut a few times. My life hadn’t been anything like theirs. Sure, I’d lost my parents when I was younger and went into the system, but I’d lucked out. Escaping a marriage to Garrison West had been lucky, but I hadn’t even realized I was in danger. I’d just known I didn’t want to marry him, so I’d left. My story was so… tame compared to theirs.