22. Bingo Card
Chapter 22
Bingo Card
Simone
The ultrasound technician had to reschedule my appointment from Tuesday to Thursday. It was a relief since I had fading hickeys from the weekend in Augusta.
Rather than spend our time at his house, we spent the whole weekend at the Devil Lancer clubhouse. Many things were the same as a Riot clubhouse, but it had a different vibe – rougher and rowdier.
Saturday night, Steel had tied me to his bed and done wicked things to me. He hadn’t only marked me with love bites, but also with his cum. That had to be the most erotic thing any man had ever done to me. I’d never felt so wanton and yet revered at the same time.
“What’s wrong?” Steel asked, sitting next to me in the waiting room at my OB-Gyn.
Thinking about that night while filling out medical forms wasn’t a good idea. I let out a quiet chuckle. “Nothing.”
“From that grin, it must be something.”
I shook my head. “I’m just wondering how we’ll top last weekend.”
That earned me his rumbly chuckle. “We’ll top it all right.”
I didn’t think Steel was a dominant, but boy did he like his control. Not that I was complaining. Nobody had taken care of me the way Steel did.
“Oh, good. I’m not late,” Mom said, bustling into the cramped waiting room.
I shot a furtive glance at Steel, and whispered, “You sure it’s all right?”
“First grandchild for her, yeah, I’m sure,” he whispered back.
Mom sat on the other side of me. “I’m so excited. Aren’t you?”
“Yes, but—”
“But what?” she asked.
“But remember, he doesn’t want to know.”
“I know.” Mom glanced past me. “How are you, Steel?”
He nodded. “Jackie.”
I kept at Mom. “That means no trying to change his mind in the exam room.”
“I know, sweetheart.”
My phone dinged in rapid-fire succession. I saw three texts from Alexandra.
What’s the deal with Rafferty?
Jazz says he’s hanging with a club, but it isn’t the Riot!
Do you know anything?
“Oh hell,” I whispered.
“What? Are you okay?” Mom asked, her posture stiff.
I smiled at her. “I’m fine. Calm down, I’m only four months along, no worries.”
She widened her eyes. “ Only four months? Simone, every month of pregnancy can give you something new to worry about.”
I rolled my eyes and the woman sitting across from me gave me a commiserating smile. After a deep breath, I turned back to Mom. “It’s all good. I got a text from Alexandra, that’s all.”
Mom nodded. “Say no more. She can be very dramatic.”
I choked on laughter while the woman across from me snickered outright.
Mom looked from her to me. “What’s funny?”
Steel leaned forward. “Pretty sure it takes one to know one.”
Mom gasped.
The door opened and a nurse called out my name.
Even though I had seen ultrasound pictures before, I still had no idea what I was looking at as I stared at the screen while the tech moved the wand over my belly. She adjusted some knobs and the blur of white took on a different shape. Lines started to appear on the screen and I realized she was taking measurements.
“Since this is your first ultrasound, I’m measuring from crown to rump. It helps to give us a guide for development and better determine your due date.”
I exhaled slowly. “Okay.”
She grinned at me. “Everything looks fine so far.”
I nodded. “He doesn’t want to know the gender, but I do. Can we do that?”
“Sure. I’ll write it on a piece of paper for you, and you can find out when he isn’t within earshot.”
Steel gave my hand a squeeze. “The baby looks healthy though, right?”
The tech tilted her head. “The doctor will let you know, but unofficially, I don’t see anything to be concerned about right now.”
“Good,” I whispered.
It struck me that Mom had been too quiet. I turned her way and saw her fighting back emotion, but two tears had escaped her closed eyes.
I reached out and grabbed her hand. “It’s okay, Mom.”
With a watery glower she sighed. “It’s better than okay, pumpkin. These are happy tears.”
There was a knock on the door and my doctor came into the room. She spoke with the tech and looked at the various measurements, and looked at me. “You’re still feeling all right?”
I nodded. “Just tired, but it’s been that way the whole time.”
She smiled. “Yes. You’re starting the second trimester soon, so you might feel a little less tired.”
“Enjoy that while you can,” Mom muttered.
The doctor tipped her head at Mom. “Right. I’m referring you for a gestational diabetes test. It’s standard procedure to keep you and the baby healthy. In the meantime, everything looks good and we’ll see you back next month unless something changes.”
The tech handed me an envelope. “I’ve written down the gender in there, that way he won’t hear, and we’ve had moms-to-be change their minds and want a surprise after all.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, and there are paper towels, so you can wipe off the gel before you get dressed.”
“I’ll wait outside for you,” Steel said.
I squeezed his hand. “Okay. Are you coming back to the apartment?”
He checked the time on his phone. “We’ll see.”
As soon as the door closed behind him, Mom held her hand out. “Let me see. I’m dying to know.”
I held out the envelope and kept hold after she grabbed it. “Don’t tell me. I decided I don’t want to know.”
Outrage washed over her. “Simone Dolores, you can’t be serious!”
“What? I’m not keeping you from knowing.”
She scoffed. “Yeah, but I won’t be able to tell anybody because your brother can’t keep a secret, neither can Abby, and it’s only because Alexandra has a big mouth that I knew about your break up with Jordan.”
I gave her a closed lip smile. “There’s always Dad.”
Mom growled under her breath and took the envelope. “I’ll keep this safe. At least I can think about baby shower themes.”
I tilted my head. “Without giving away the gender, right?”
Her smile fell. “You really know how to rain on a parade, honey.”
I chuckled. “Sorry… not sorry?”
She shook her head. “Do you need more towels for the gel?”
I wiped my belly one last time. “No, I’m good.”
“All right. Will we see you this weekend?”
The paper on the exam table made a crinkling sound as I swung off. “I’m supposed to be in Augusta.”
“Again? This is crazy.”
I adjusted my blouse. “I have to figure out if I can handle living there.”
She sighed.
“It’s only a little over four hours away, Mom.”
“Yeah, yeah but you’re gonna miss us, and Abby, and Trixie.”
I shook my head. “You’re probably right, but it’s not like I can’t visit.”
“I know. Now what did Alexandra text you about?”
“Nothing,” I said a little too fast.
She gave me a pointed look. “It wasn’t about Rafferty was it? Trixie’s getting worried about him, and that is saying something.”
I moved to the door and shrugged. “I don’t know what there is to worry about with Raff, but she didn’t text about him. Just some issues with a hard-nosed professor.”
Mom shook her head. “She isn’t majoring in the same subject as you. How would you know about a hard-nosed professor?”
“Because she told me about this issue during Bike Week,” I said, opening the door.
“Something tells me you’re lying.”
I stopped at the check-out counter and locked eyes with her. “Mom, it wasn’t about Rafferty. And even if it was, she wouldn’t want me discussing it with you.”
She nodded. “You’re right. I’ve taught you too well.” She smiled. “I hope you end up with a girl so you can experience this bizarre déjà vu of hearing yourself talk back to you.”
A baby girl with Steel’s eyes and bossy disposition. I was not prepared for that.
I smiled. “It’s not my fault you taught me so well.”
“Nice save. Schedule your next appointment.”
For the first time since we started living together, Steel didn’t come home for dinner. After the ultrasound appointment, he’d told me he’d be late because of club business, so it wasn’t a surprise. I was surprised by the fact I fell asleep reading in bed at around five-forty-five. I hadn’t done that since moving to Jacksonville.
So much for a second-trimester energy boost.
The rustling of the covers woke me and I rolled toward Steel. “Hey, Ray.”
He chuckled. “It’s a good thing you’re cute. Nobody calls me Ray.”
I hummed while I snuggled up to him. “Everything okay? What time is it?”
“Everything’s fine and it’s ten-thirty. Did you eat dinner? Or just zonk out?”
“Both. I ate at five-fifteen because this child of ours is turning me into an old lady, and then I brushed my teeth and curled up to read… only I fell asleep.”
He kissed my neck. “I’d say I’m sorry, but you need sleep so our little boy can grow big and strong.”
My eyes flew open, not that Steel could see that in the dark. “What do you mean ‘little boy’? I thought you didn’t want to know.”
He chuckled. “I don’t want to know. I was projecting what I want.”
My head reared back. “That sounds very new-age-ish for a biker like you.”
His arms tightened around me. “No, but I’m not exactly thrilled with the idea of a little girl. Don’t get me wrong, she’d be so fuckin’ beautiful, but her beauty would do me in. I wouldn’t know what to do… kill first and ask questions later, or let her live her life like a decent dad would and deal with the fall out as it comes.”
I giggled. “It’s funny, Mom hopes I end up with a girl so I have to listen to someone be just as sassy as me.”
He groaned. “Yeah. Definitely pulling for a boy, two gorgeous firecrackers in my life might kill me.”
I kissed his jaw. “We won’t both be sassy at the same time.”
He laughed. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Simone. Let’s get some rest. If you’re up for it, I’d like to hit the road first thing in the morning.”
“When was your clubhouse built?” I asked as Steel pulled through the gate to the compound.
“Early eighties. It was a small church which ran a pre-school. They fell on hard times. Can’t remember if it was a preacher or someone else who pilfered their money.”
“They ran a pre-school? That’s odd because the way the kitchen is built, it seems like an afterthought.”
He parked the truck under the shade of a huge oak tree. “That’s because it was an afterthought. The building was outfitted to be a church – sanctuary, and area to greet and mingle with parishioners before or after services, and a few rooms for Sunday school. Someone got a wild hair about a weekday preschool, and they needed a full kitchen in order to do that.”
I nodded. “That sort of explains the bizarre set-up.”
“Bizarre?” he asked with an arch of his brow and his lips quirked up.
“There are rooms upstairs and down, but your room is on the opposite side of those and the common room.”
He nodded. “Yeah, the previous president did his best to keep the renovations to a minimum. He wanted his room to be away from the others, so the pulpit and the area where the choir sat behind it was sectioned off. One side became our room for church and the other side became his room.”
“That’s why the ceilings are so high.”
His chuckle filled the cab before he opened his door. “That’s a big part of it, Jade. Let’s go.”
We went inside through the front door and Steel got numerous greetings from brothers and sweet-butts. I didn’t see Josie, so I suspected the brothers got the message that she wasn’t welcome. Nobody greeted me, but I didn’t let it bother me. For all they knew, I would be out in a week or two. To my knowledge, Steel hadn’t been vocal about my pregnancy to anyone other than Torque.
Steel set my suitcase alongside the wall near the door. “You need the bathroom first?”
I nodded. “Yes, I can’t imagine what I’m gonna do when this baby’s bigger and pushing on my bladder.”
After I used the bathroom, I found Steel right outside the door. I smiled. “I’m starting to think you’re a bathroom snob.”
He closed his eyes, chuckled, and shook his head. “You’re crazy, baby. The bathroom at my house is much better.”
I nodded. “Yeah, but everything in there seems brand-spanking new.”
“Not that new, but it’s well-maintained. When a man like me needs a decent shower, I need room and power.”
He moved past me and closed the door. I went to my suitcase and grabbed some fresh clothes and my toiletries.
Steel came out just as someone knocked on the door in a strange rhythm.
His brows furrowed. “What the fuck?”
He checked his phone, put it back, and put his hands on my shoulders. “I’ll be back in a moment.”
I nodded once. “It’s cool. Since we left so early, I’m going to take a shower.”
After I showered, I dressed in an over-sized lavender scoop-neck t-shirt and the light khaki maternity cargo shorts that I wore earlier. I loved that the shorts didn’t make my baby bump too obvious. I grabbed my toiletry bag and went to my suitcase.
From the hallway, I heard voices, both of them familiar.
Jordan said, “You’re so full of yourself. Why can’t we do this at the bar?”
“Because I want privacy and I would think you do, too,” Steel said.
Jordan’s petulant tone couldn’t be missed. “None of those people know me.”
“Torque, Tie, and Greco don’t know you? All three of them watched you grow up until Debra cut me out of your life. What do you need, Jordan?” Steel asked.
I heard a door squeak and I assumed he’d opened the door to the meeting room across the hall.
“I don’t want to go in there,” Jordan said.
“It’s just a room.”
“Yeah, and where’s your room here?”
“You cashed my check last week, so last time, Jordan. What do you need?”
For a long moment everything was silent and I wondered if Steel forced Jordan into church. I needed to stop eavesdropping. It wasn’t cool, but as much as I knew that I couldn’t tear myself away.
Then Jordan asked, “You have Simone here, don’t you?”
“Jordan, I don't have time—”
“You say you love me, but stealing my ex-girlfriend sends a message.”
“You dumped her, so I didn’t steal her.”
“If you want a relationship with me, give up Simone.”
Steel’s voice rose. “She’s carrying my child. I can’t leave her to raise him or her alone.”
“You did that to mom.”
“At her fucking insistence.”
“Not at first.”
“Right. I left when there was a threat and when I came back, I saw Deb’s true colors. Should have insisted on a paternity test then, but you were mine – no DNA test will ever change that.”
“But you went out of your way to tell me last month?”
“Yeah, because I hate the idea of keeping it secret from you – unlike Deb. Hell, she’d find a way to blame me for that, too.”
Jordan’s voice rose, his tone angry. “Leave Mom out of this. Simone has to go, I can’t be around her.”
That stung. What the hell would make him say that about me? We lived together for almost three years.
“Okay,” Steel said and my mind whirled.
Irritation welled up within me. Okay .
I suspected Steel had more to say, but clearly Karma was trying to teach me a lesson and I moved to the other side of the bedroom. Jordan was a tool to try manipulating Steel.
There was a side exit from Steel’s room out to the backyard. He’d used it last weekend when we left. I slipped on my sneakers. Then I shoved my keys into my regular pocket, tucked my phone into a cargo pocket, and went outside.
Gusty winds whipped my hair around. A front was supposed to move through later this afternoon. Billowy clouds glided across the sky. I loved watching the clouds, so I walked down toward the fire pit.
I was a few feet from an anti-gravity chair when someone wrapped a thick arm around me from behind.
I screamed and threw an elbow backward. My attacker grunted. He tightened his grip. I yelled while stomping on his foot.
Then Josie wandered in front of me. “Stop fighting with Mug. You act like you know what you’re doing, but you don’t. You’re just pathetic.”
I arched a brow. “That’s rich considering your failed attempt at trapping Steel.”
Josie’s eyes widened.
Mug’s grip around my neck tightened some more. “What’s she talkin’ about, Josie?”
Quickly, Josie schooled her features and looked at him. “Nothin’. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” She nodded at him. “Now, baby.”
I struggled against Mug’s hold and screamed. The fire pit was so far from the clubhouse, I wasn’t sure if anyone would hear me. Worse still, the wind carried my screams in the wrong direction.
“Stop fighting,” he grunted.
“Give me the damn thing,” Josie said.
Mug handed her a small syringe. I didn’t have a fear of needles, but terror ripped through me at the sight of Josie holding that needle.
“I’m pregnant! You can’t shoot me full of drugs!”
A condescending smile curved her lips. “Are you scared for your baby? Good. You should be. I don’t know what Special K does to pregnant women. Guess we’re going to find out.”
With all my might I shoved my weight against Mug’s frame, but he held steady. I screamed and twisted my head down to keep Josie away. My efforts were futile though because Mug had the strength of an ox.
“Watch where you’re aimin’ that thing,” Mug said.
Josie stood right in front of me. I felt a pinch, and in no time, the world went black.
“Are you sure she’s the right woman?” Mug asked.
I forced myself not to open my eyes as I gained consciousness. The longer they thought I was out, the longer I had to figure out what to do next. Not to mention, I had the worst headache in my entire life, keeping the light out helped.
“Yes, I’m sure. He brought her around two weeks ago,” Josie said.
“She don’t look pregnant,” he said.
My shirt suddenly lifted.
“See that? Those are pregnancy shorts, they have that waistband to support the belly,” Josie explained.
It took effort not to open my eyes when my shirt fell back into place.
“Where’s Knuckles? I want my money. I did what you assholes wanted, I need to get paid.”
A voice deeper than Mug’s asked, “What’d he promise you? Three hundred?”
Three hundred dollars to abduct another woman? Josie wasn’t just a bitch, she had no sense of worth.
“That’s not what he promised me. It’s between me and Knuckles.”
“Bitch wants more money, Sledge,” Mug said.
“You think I don’t know that?”
Josie’s tone lost some of its bitterness. “I didn’t say I want more money. I made a deal with Knuckles and he’s the only one I’m going to talk to about it.”
I let my eyes open just a crack and I got my first glimpse of Sledge. He had bloodshot brown eyes, and his frizzy hair looked like it was two months past a decent haircut. Though if he were aiming for a mullet, he’d hit that mark. He wasn’t as well-built as I expected a second-in-command to be.
“I need a hit. Did you snort all the coke?” he asked.
That might have something to do with his physique.
“Nah, man. We just got back here half-an-hour ago,” Mug said.
“Wake her up, she’s takin’ up too much space on the couch,” Sledge said.
Since I didn’t want anyone touching me, I shifted enough for them to recognize I was awake.
“Christ. Why didn’t you tie her up? Get her wrists,” Sledge ordered.
Shit. I might have enjoyed it when Steel tied me to his bed last weekend, but I didn’t want these people restraining me.
“She’s pregnant, she’s gonna have to pee, you know,” Josie said.
Maybe she had a conscience after all.
I slowly sat up and opened my eyes.
Sledge glowered at me. “Something about her is familiar. Josie, get her to the fuckin’ john and tie her up after.”
I stood before Josie reached me. With an arch of her brow, she led me to a cramped bathroom, if you could call it that. The entire space felt like an old closet that had been outfitted with a toilet and tiny sink. She stood in the doorway and turned her head while I took care of business.
One thing was official. This year wasn’t shaping up the way I thought it would. Pregnancy hadn’t been on my bingo card, and kidnapping sure as hell hadn’t made the cut, either.
After I peed, I rinsed my hands at the sink – there was no soap. Shocker.
Josie rolled her eyes when she turned her head back to me. “Let’s go. There’s a chair with your name on it, Jade.”
Thankfully, I hid my shock at her calling me Jade and Steel’s words at my parent’s house replayed in my mind. He’d called me that to protect me. With any luck, that might pay off. I had a bad feeling about Sledge, especially when he said I seemed familiar.
Josie led me to a chair. On the other side of the room, Sledge and Mug were snorting cocaine. I sat down, and Josie tied me up. Unfortunately, she probably did it tighter than Mug or Sledge. I had my circulation still, but I wasn’t going anywhere.