Chapter Six
Lyssa -- One Week Later
Beast had sent a Prospect to gather my things from storage, which meant I also had my laptop and e-reader.
I’d looked into online classes like he’d suggested, but there was plenty of time to make a decision.
It wasn’t like I could jump in the middle of the semester. I’d have to wait until the next term.
I pressed a hand to my stomach. What if I was pregnant?
He’d been doing his best to knock me up.
I’d wanted to take classes to help with the club, in any capacity my dad would allow, so I’d taken finance and tax courses.
Boring as hell, but honestly, there wasn’t anything I wanted to do with my life.
I didn’t have a career in mind, something that made me excited to get up in the morning.
Except for what I was doing now. Being Beast’s woman, and possibly a mom, filled me with joy.
I’d talked to my mother and assured her I was fine.
I’d left out the part where I wasn’t coming home.
She hadn’t mentioned anything about me moving, which made me wonder if Dad knew and just hadn’t told her.
If Beast hadn’t talked to my dad yet, I wasn’t going to be the one to drop that bomb on my family.
I had a feeling my dad would have plenty to say on the matter.
My phone rang and I saw the display. Portia .
Yeah, my parents had given my twelve-year-old sister her own phone.
She only had family and the club programmed into it, so she couldn’t get into much trouble.
It didn’t even have access to apps or anything.
With danger lurking around the corner, it was probably a good idea to give her a way to reach out if something happened.
“What’s up, squirt?” I asked when I answered.
“When are you coming home? You are still coming back, right?”
“Um. Why? Is something wrong?”
“Hwan said he heard his parents talking and his dad said you were going to live with the Reckless Kings now. It’s not true is it? Did you really move? Are they far away? If you don’t live here anymore, when will I see you?”
My heart melted a little. “You’ll still see me, Portia. I love you, all of you. You’re my baby sister and no matter whether I live at home or elsewhere, I’ll always be here for you.”
“Love you too, Lyssa. I miss you.”
“Miss you too.” My throat tightened with unshed tears. It had been one thing to be away at college, but it hadn’t hit me until just now. This was my home now, and we weren’t exactly around the corner from my family. I wouldn’t be able to pop over anytime I wanted.
Wait. If Zipper was talking about me living here… That meant my dad and my mom knew. Why hadn’t they said anything? Were they waiting on me to bring it up?
“Can I come stay there sometime?” Portia asked.
“I’d love that, but not right now. You do what Dad says and you stay inside the compound fence. You hear me?”
She was quiet a moment. “Bad men are out there?”
“Yeah, squirt. Bad men are outside the gates. You stay home and stay safe.” I didn’t know for sure if Tony would go after my sisters, but I wasn’t willing to risk it.
He’d followed me to the Reckless Kings, and I didn’t exactly advertise I was related to the Dixie Reapers.
Still, I didn’t want to take any chances. What if he knew more than I realized?
“Okay, Lyssa. I gotta go. Mom is calling.”
The line went dead, and I gripped my phone tight. I hadn’t realized how much I’d miss her, Hadrian, and Ivy. Being away at school was different. I’d known I was going home for holidays and I’d only be gone four years. This wasn’t the same, not even a little.
The front door chimed, and I rushed to see if Beast was home.
I skidded to a stop when I saw Ranger. I hadn’t had a chance to get to know the Reckless Kings all that well, but Beast had introduced me to a few.
Beast wouldn’t send someone here unless trouble was coming.
Had Tony come back again? We hadn’t heard from him since that first day.
I’d thought it odd he’d been so relentless, then ran with his tail tucked the first time he saw Beast. Especially since I knew now why he’d wanted me.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Beast asked me to keep an eye on you,” Ranger said.
Keep an eye on me? I’d been home alone several times since I came here. Why was he suddenly worried about me being by myself? Had trouble come knocking and he was concerned I’d get hurt?
“Should we arm ourselves or something? Did Tony breach the compound?”
He shifted on his feet. “Um, no. We don’t need weapons.”
My eyes narrowed. “We don’t need weapons, and I’m not in danger. But you have to keep an eye on me?”
I wasn’t sure I liked where this was going. The only reason Beast would ask him to watch me, without danger being present, would be to keep me on lockdown in the house. Or report my every move when I walked out the door. “So then I’m free to leave and go for a walk?”
He shook his head and pressed his lips together.
It seemed he wasn’t going to tell me exactly why I had to stay home.
I didn’t mind following orders, but I didn’t want to do it blindly either.
I knew Beast wanted to keep me safe, but if I wasn’t in danger, what was the point in making me stay home?
Unless there was something he didn’t want me to see.
My hands fisted at my sides as I imagined him with some other woman. “Just know that I’m real sorry about this.”
Ranger’s eyes went wide when I launched myself at him.
My knee hit his groin as I gripped the pressure point at his shoulder near his neck, making him drop to the floor.
I stood and stepped over his body. My property cut hung on a hook by the door and I grabbed it, slipping it on, before I went outside.
I hadn’t thought to grab my keys, but it wasn’t a far walk to the clubhouse, as long as no one tried to stall me.
I started walking and realized there were too many bikes out front.
Quite a few I hadn’t seen since coming here.
And… I faltered a moment. That car. I knew the shiny silver Tesla.
I’d recognize it anywhere. I broke out in a run, heading straight for the clubhouse.
As soon as I burst through the doors, I realized why Beast had wanted me to stay home.
My dad and my grandfather were both landing blow after blow.
Beast had a bloody lip and nose and seemed to be favoring his right side.
What the hell was going on? My dad cracked a fist against Beast’s jaw, making my man’s head whip to the side.
Before he could recover, my grandfather landed a blow to his ribs.
“Have you lost your minds?” I asked, raising my voice to be heard. Beast glanced my way, giving my dad another opening. I winced when he slammed his fist into Beast’s cheek. “Daddy! Stop it!”
My dad and grandfather turned to face me. At least my grandfather had the sense to look embarrassed. My dad not so much. He glowered at me and stalked over, not stopping until we were toe to toe. I tipped my head back to look up at him.
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” he asked. “Or did you know I wouldn’t approve?”
“Why don’t you?” I asked. “He’s a President like you. You’ve said before the Reckless Kings were allies. So why don’t you want me to be with him?”
“He’s too broken! Everyone knows he wanted Charlotte, and she left. You shouldn’t be anyone’s second choice,” he said.
“Third,” I murmured, thinking of Beast’s wife. My dad’s face flushed a deep purple and he turned, but I reached out to grab his arm. “Daddy, stop. Please. Does Mom know you’re here? Did she approve of you riding all this way to beat on Beast? Don’t you have better things to do?”
He drew himself up to his full height and the look he gave me would have scared a lesser person.
Yeah, I’d called him out in front of the Reckless Kings, my grandfather, and it looked like at least one visiting club, which explained the extra bikes.
I’d probably pay for it later, but I needed him to stop pounding on my old man.
Beast was too honorable to fight back. Neither my dad nor grandfather had a mark on them.
I eyed my grandfather. “Your wife know where you are?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “Not so much.”
“Is this the lesson you want Hadrian to learn?” I asked my dad. “That it’s okay to pound on someone who isn’t even going to defend themselves? I know he didn’t hit back. Not only are you both still standing, but there isn’t a bruise anywhere on you. Does that make you proud?”
My dad tensed and my grandfather walked over to me, pulling me against his chest. He gave me a tight hug. “You’re my first grandchild, Lyssa. I’m allowed to protect you.”
“Fine. Except I don’t need protecting from Beast. Instead, I need you to keep me safe from a lunatic who’s set his sights on me.”
Beast came over, moving a little slower than usual, to stand beside me.
I pried myself out of my grandfather’s arms and reached up to touch Beast’s face.
He winced and I had a feeling he’d have a black eye later.
I looked around and spotted a Prospect near the bar.
He gave me a chin lift and I saw he had something in his hand.
He tossed it over and I caught it. An ice pack!
I smiled my thanks and pressed it against Beast’s battered face.
“I’m sorry the men in my family are still kids,” I said. “I’m pretty sure Hadrian is more mature.”
My dad grumbled. “Not too big for me to make you find a switch.”
My grandfather snorted. “Since when have you ever used a switch on any of your kids? Not even when this one sent killers after my wife. Why start now?”