“I’ll see you again,” I say.
“You will,” he agrees with a jerk of his chin.
Turning around, I leave him in his office. Walking through the home, I almost run over a woman holding a baby.
“Sorry,” I murmur.
When I lift my gaze, I stop in my tracks. She’s an Italian beauty, but that’s not what makes me pause. No, it’s the child in her arms. All of the men in my life, they have babies and children of their own.
“You’re one of the men from the motorcycle club?” she asks, her voice soft and sweet.
I grunt, dipping my chin slightly. “Bellarosa is there?” she asks, wrinkling her nose, as if simply saying, Bellarosa, leaves a bad taste in her mouth.
“She is,” I agree.
She looks over my shoulder, behind me, and I can only assume that Gavino is behind me. She nods her head once. “I was not a fan, but I am glad that she is happy,” she whispers. “Thank you, Tell her that her sister, Pippa. She’s happy and safe. He doesn’t tell me much,” she snorts as she jerks her chin forward.
I chuckle, reaching out and touching the boy on her arm. “I can do that for you. And for the record, I wouldn’t tell you much either. Can’t blame him.”
Without another word, I turn around and make my way toward the front door. It’s odd meeting at his house, he’s never done that before and I wonder if I’ve passed some test of his and he maybe trusts me a little bit. I am under no illusion that men like Gavino, hell, men like me, trust anyone implicitly.
But there must be a bit more now than there was before. Worm is standing in the driveway, his mirrored sunglasses pointed directly at me as I approach. Since Eagle took the truck home almost four months ago, I had no way to get home. Which is why I demanded Worm drive a cage here instead of ride.
“I gotta divvy out some cash to the brothers who helped us. Let’s go to the clubhouse and unload this shit before we head home.”
Worm jerks his chin. “You know I’ve been keeping a digital eye on your woman,” he announces out of the blue as he shifts the truck into drive.
“And?” I ask.
“Don’t know yet. I think she’s still in the area though. I honestly don’t think she’s gone too far.”
Nodding, I lean back in the seat and close my eyes. “Dragon knows where she is. He’s being secretive as fuck. It’s pissing me off,” I say.
Worm is quiet. I think that he’s going to impart some wisdom on me, but he doesn’t. He knows something though. He wouldn’t bring it up if he didn’t. I just think he’s more like Dragon, and is keeping it under his hat for whatever reason.
Honestly, I’m too fucking exhausted to care right now. I’ll get back to Eagar and I’ll find out then. In a week, I’ll have all my answers and my woman. If I have to hold her down, she’s going to be branded and if I have to lock her away in my house, she’s staying fucking put.
“This club, just watch your back,” I grunt as he pulls into the parking area and shifts the truck into park.
I honestly don’t know why the guys decided to stay here when they could have stayed at the same hotel we did in the city. I didn’t ask any questions though, they came here for a job, they did that job and now they can get the fuck gone.
Reaching into the duffel bag, I take the cash that I need to distribute. Our club gets the lion’s share. It was our job, I brokered the deal and they just aided us as backup. My ass and Worm’s, they were on the line. These guys just helped scout, cleanup, and keep eyes on the sick fucks that we were after.
“Watch your back, keep one hand on your gun,” I rasp as we walk toward the clubhouse.
This is an affiliate club, not a Beast club, and even if it was, I would still stay on the alert. The fact is, I trust no one, never have. My own fucking blood, my brother, was a piece of shit, like I’m going to trust someone just because they share the same patch on their cut as me.
“Need to see the Beasts and your president,” I grunt to the man standing guard at their door.
He looks down at me, then grunts with a smirk. “C’mon in,” he says, his voice rumbling.
Shaking my head, I take a step back. “Not staying. Got somewhere I need to be.”
Before I even finish saying the last word, I feel it. That uneasy sensation in my gut. I’m being fucked over. Then I look to the left, then to the right, and that’s when I know for a fact my gut was right.
I’m being fucking surrounded.
“We got trouble, brother,” Worm rasps.
He’s only been a patched brother for a few months, however, he’s ex-military, so at least he has that going for him, because I have a feeling we’re going to need some goddamn serious skills to get out of this situation.
LEIGHTON
My stomach rolls as I stare at the sandwich that I just made. A sandwich that up until two seconds ago sounded absolutely fucking amazing. Turning away from the tuna and peanut butter, I grab a bag of sour cream and onion chips instead and walk toward the couch.
Sinking down, I let out a grunt as I close my eyes and let the saltiness of the chips burn my taste buds. I have to stop eating like shit and following my gross cravings.
What I need to do is get fruits and veggies, lean proteins and good fats like avocados.
I think all of these things as I open my mouth and shove another chip in. Picking up the remote control, I turn the television on with a sigh as I start to flip through the five channels that we have.
I have a doctor’s appointment today. The first one. I’m terrified as all hell, which is probably another reason why I couldn’t eat the concoction that I decided to create. Ana is cleaning the clubhouse from another party, and I need to help her, but my appointment time was nonnegotiable and the only opening they had this month.
“Holy fuck, what is that smell?” Dutch moans as he walks into the house.
Looking over my shoulder at him, I smile, then wrinkle my nose. “I had a craving, but then I couldn’t do it and I can’t make myself walk over there and throw it out, either.”
“Jesus, babe,” he grunts.
I give him a smile and watch as he takes my plate outside and returns a few moments later, just as I’m putting the final chip in my mouth.
“That was vile. I couldn’t even leave it out for the animals, they wouldn’t fucking touch that shit with a ten-foot pole.”
Standing, I dust the chips from my fingers onto my shorts. Shorts that I am no longer able to button. Shorts that are held up by a rubber band at the button. I’m going to need new clothes, sooner rather than later. I’m going to need a lot of things and although Bones pays me, and the guys are nice and tip when I tend bar, it is not enough to live on, let alone raise a baby on.
So, at the end of the day—I’m fucked.
“Ready?”
“No,” I murmur.
He grins, taking a step toward me. “You’re ready.”
Dutch doesn’t offer me his hand, and I’m glad. I wouldn’t have taken it. This whole thing, it feels so weird. I don’t know what to do. This is uncharted territory, every aspect of it. Dutch has been a great friend, he has been someone who has consistently checked on me, asked me how I’ve been, and has always offered an easy smile.