Chapter Ten
Elise
Time at the clubhouse seemed to whizz by in the blink of an eye.
I’d been cooped up in the same place for weeks now, but never once had I felt hemmed in or claustrophobic. On the contrary, I loved living at the clubhouse, I got to spend time with my daughter, my grandbaby, and my son-in-law, and I’d never felt more content.
Sophie was smart, funny, beautiful, and so damned caring of everybody. Getting to know her was as easy as breathing, and I fell in love with my daughter and her family a little more every day.
Every morning, I woke up and pinched myself. I couldn’t believe we were finally together. We got closer each day until I felt like I’d known her for years.
Belle was a dream, a little doll, perfect in every way, with her mom’s calm demeanor and dark pools for eyes, just like her daddy.
Atlas had me laughing out loud constantly, mainly because little Sunny—and by default, Kady—called him Assless and tortured him almost to death. He knew they ran rings around him, and he didn’t give one solitary fuck. It made me happy my granddaughter would grow up with a dad who would give her that, along with his protection and more love than she’d know what to do with.
John’s boys and their wives were also sweet with me.
Cara, I knew through Junior, and I’d always liked her. She suited Cash mainly because she challenged him and was a patient mom to Wilder—even though he ran her off her feet most days.
Bowie and Layla were a little more reserved but still kind, though I suspected the more we got to know each other, the less awkward things would be between us.
My gaze slid to Kennedy, who at that precise moment was arguing on the phone with Robert’s lawyer. She was the best legal counsel I could’ve chosen, purely because she knew her job inside out and didn’t take any shit.
With Kit absent, Ned threw herself into taking Robert to the cleaners as well as planning her wedding. I admired her and loved how much she adored her ol’ man. She was a lioness when it came to her kids, but with Kennedy, that fearlessness also extended to her man.
I’d given John up for Sophie, whereas Kennedy would raise hell on earth before she let any of her family go.
I wished I was more like her.
All the ol’ ladies were strong in their own ways. Thirty years ago, if somebody had told me the Speed Demons would revere their women, I wouldn’t have believed a word. But I was, suddenly, part of a club that put their ol ‘ladies and kids on a pedestal, and it was beautiful.
The MC had come a long way, and to my surprise, club life not only suited me, but it felt like home. Maybe because a part of me felt it was always meant to be mine. I’d encouraged John to go for his dream all those years ago, and I loved that he’d done everything he said he would and more.
The Speed Demons were their own little community, and the club’s relaxed way of life and easy relationships forced me to drop my guard without realizing I was doing it.
John and I were building a solid friendship, and I was enjoying the process of getting to know the man he’d become. The cool guy I’d loved as a girl was still there, but underneath, there was now an added goofiness that mainly came out around the kids.
Mason, Seraphina, Kai, Kady, and Sunny adored him, and John adored them right back. He spent hours—time he should’ve been working on club business—with Kai on his dirt bike and Mason on his rebuilt Harley, giving them instructions and tips on how to handle their rides, and soaking up every minute with them.
The girls were all John’s princess. He’d sit in the bar for hours to watch Kady practice guitar with pride shining from his eyes. He’d spar with Sunny so gently and carefully that my heart fluttered just watching them.
John loved the babies, too, and offered to watch them at the drop of a hat. There wasn’t a day that went by where, at some point, he didn’t have a baby strapped to his chest or a diaper bag slung over his shoulder.
After being cast out into the cold, being around so much warmth melted my icy heart at an alarming rate. I’d gone from living a life I detested to waking up with a smile and laughing daily, and it had happened in a matter of weeks.
“It’s assholes like him who give lawyers a bad name,” Kennedy bit out, stabbing her phone to disconnect the call. “He thinks he can bamboozle me with the law, except he can’t because I know the law better than him.” She dropped her cell onto the table and gave it the finger.
“I take it that didn’t go well,” I said with what I hoped was an understanding smile.
“It went great,” she corrected. “They’ll email the bank statements within the next hour.”
I sat back in my chair. “I know we’re not divorced yet, but I already think of Robert as my ex-husband. I can’t wait for the day it’s official.”
“I’ll rush it through as fast as I can,” she assured me. “You’ve both agreed to the divorce, so as soon as we’ve settled your alimony, I’ll file the papers.” She sat forward, resting her arms on the desk. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do when all this is over? You’ll be wealthy, and Henderson won’t be able to hold you back anymore.”
Good question.
“All I’ve dreamed for thirty years is getting away from him,” I admitted. “I always assumed he’d eventually get arrested and locked up, and I’d be free, but divorce works just as well. I’ll keep a base here—it’s where my family is—but I think I’ll travel. I’ve never seen Niagara Falls.”
“What about John?” she probed gently. “Is there a chance for you two?”
My heart tugged.
It was all I’d been thinking of for the last week.
“If you’d have asked me that question when I first came here, my answer would have been a resolute no. I let John go because he moved on. Watching him love somebody else marked me, and I swore I’d never let anyone that close again.”
“And now?” she asked.
“I’m changing,” I admitted. “I built walls to keep people out because it was safer for them and me. Being here brings back the girl I used to be, and that girl loved John with everything she had.”
“I can relate,” Kennedy stated quietly. “You’re not the only woman in this room to be fucked over by a Stone. I fell in love with Snow the first night I met him. We had a few days together before he left for his deployment, but it didn’t take long for everything to fall apart. He ended us for all the right reasons, but he communicated it badly. I thought Snow had been killed in action until we met again at Atlas and Sophie’s wedding.” She let out a humorless chuckle. “To say I was blindsided was an understatement.”
“Why do you call him Snow?” I asked curiously.
“It was his military handle. The night we met, he introduced himself as Snow. Since then, I’ve associated that side of him with that name. There’s the soldier, Snow; the biker, Breaker; and the father and husband, Kit. My man suffers from severe PTSD, but he’s worked hard to get it under control. Last year, he completed a program at a Vet Center in Grand Junction. His PTSD still comes out at times, but more as a protective instinct. My man has an edge, Elise. He’s not the young guy I fell for who wanted to save the world, but the man he is now would burn the world down for me and our kids. Snow, the soldier, scares some people, but I just see him as another side of my Kit. He makes me feel safe.”
“That’s a beautiful way of thinking about it. It’s a testament to your strength that you got over the hurt and made a go of your relationship.” I cocked my head. “How did you get over it?”
“I didn’t at first,” Kennedy explained. “When he came back from Grand Junction, I was so angry and jealous, I couldn’t see straight. He didn't exactly keep his dick in his pants when we were apart, and although craving the high from sex is a symptom of PTSD. It didn’t stop me from being affected, and it took a while for it to stop eating away at me.” She placed her elbows on the desk and propped her chin in her hands. “One of the club girls tried to pin a pregnancy on him, too. Kit was so high at the time he believed the baby was his and almost made her his ol’ lady. When I found out, I could’ve killed him, but eventually, I understood. Over time, I got to know Kit for the man he is now and fell in love with him all over again.”
My chest twisted painfully. “John got Adele pregnant and married her.”
“But you were already married to Robert,” she pointed out.
My throat clenched. “Yeah, I sent John away. Robert had just taken Constan—I mean, Sophie by then. I was terrified he’d hurt her. I would’ve done anything to keep her safe. I made a choice, and not long after, John did, too.”
“Do you think Dagger would’ve knocked Adele up back then if you were still single?” she asked.
My reply was emphatic. “No. He would’ve married me.”
“I bet you both felt very alone at the time,” she murmured sympathetically. “I know it doesn’t erase the pain or the trauma you went through, and I know you’ve been out of the loop for a long time, but you’re not alone now. Sophie would never let you down, and neither would Atlas. Could you draw a line under the John you knew as a girl and get to know the John he is now? Could you start with a friendship?”
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” I admitted. “What if John doesn’t like who I’ve become? What if he breaks my heart again?”
She shrugged. “I’m not telling you to rekindle. Play it by ear, and if you and John don’t gel anymore, say goodbye. If you love having a friendship with him, that’s okay, too. If you find yourself undressing him with your eyes and wondering exactly how hard and wide that chest of his is, then either jump his bones or go buy a vibrator. My only advice at this point is to stop putting so much pressure on yourself. You don’t have to have all the answers yet, so just let it unfold the way it’s meant to and enjoy the ride.”
“Do you think I should make another go of it with him?” I asked.
“I can’t answer that.” She smiled to take the sting out of her words. “Forcing a relationship you don’t even know you want is a recipe for disaster. You knew the young John Stone, so now get to know the man. He’s loyal, smart, and very handsome. It would be easy to fall back into him, but there’s stuff you need to work through before you even think about turning your relationship with him into something romantic. You both carry baggage, so unpack it, then see how you feel—”
Kennedy’s cell chimed loudly.
“That’s my email notification,” she murmured, pulling her chair in toward the desk. Her fingers flew over the keys of her laptop. “Robert’s lawyer has sent the finance report. I’ve got confirmation of the money from your parents' house sale, as well as the shares and money that Robert’s dad left you. Add it to the settlement he’s offered you, and it equates to just over six million dollars.”
My skin prickled. “What?”
“Bert Henderson invested a lot of money in a small tech company in 1980. The shares back then were around twenty dollars each. Now they’re worth ten times that. He left you and Henderson and his son a third each. Robert Junior passed, so his shares get split between you and your husband.” She turned the screen around to face me, pointing to a spot on the screen. “Look.”
I leaned forward, eyes widening as I read through the report. My mouth fell open when I saw the name of the tech company.
“Bert must have had some foresight,” Kennedy suggested, taking in my shock.
“Jesus,” I breathed, my eyes skimming over the ridiculous numbers. “I can’t believe it. I mean, I knew Bert had money, but I never imagined this.”
“Those numbers already make you a wealthy woman,” Kennedy pointed out. “But taking into account everything Henderson put you through, I want to get more. I could double that figure, but I need you to give me the green light.”
My lips twisted with disgust. “My ex-husband’s cash is filthy. I’d catch a disease just touching it. I’d rather get a job cleaning truck stop restrooms than have to resort to spending money gained from hurting women and children.”
“I get it. I’d feel the same way in your position, and anyway,” Ned nodded toward the screen, “six million is no amount to be sniffed at. You can live quite comfortably off the interest alone.”
“Accept it,” I instructed.
“Think about it carefully, Elise,” she requested. “I can squeeze your ex for more.”
Scanning Kennedy’s face, I tried to weigh up the pros and cons.
Six million was more than I could’ve imagined, though the tech shares made up nearly half of that amount. Robert also had invested heavily for years, so I knew he was worth way more than he was admitting. He had offshore accounts and mountains of cash stashed away in his safe.
I swore to myself if I ever got out, I’d help victims of trafficking. It would be cathartic if I donated any extra settlement I could squeeze from him. However, I didn’t want to stay married to Robert for a second more than necessary. I had a life to live and a granddaughter to spoil, but the need for some kind of retribution left a bitter taste in my mouth.
“I don’t want it dragging on,” I told Ned. “Robert’s taken enough of my life. I want out now.”
“Give me today,” Ned asked. “I can’t file the paperwork until tomorrow anyway. Whatever offer we have on the table by six o’clock is what you’ll take away from this nightmare of a marriage. He owes you big, he owes your family big, and by God I’ll make the fucker pay. I can’t get back the time he took from you and Sophie, but I can make the years you have left more than comfortable.”
“I’ll be happy with six million,” I reiterated.
“Why?” she inquired. “When I can get more?”
I studied her again, taking in the determination etched onto her face. “For someone so beautiful, you’re scary.”
Kennedy rubbed her hands together excitedly with a wide grin. “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Now, sit back and watch a master at work.”
“Oh my God,” Sophie shouted excitedly over the music thumping from the speakers in the bar. “Nine million?”
“I know,” Kennedy said, disappointment lacing her tone. “One more day, and I think I could’ve gotten twelve, but my time was limited.”
I glanced at John, who was leaning against the bar with Cash and Abe, laughing at something Atlas was saying. “At least it’s more than six.”
“But less than twelve,” she retorted, pressing her lips together. “I must be losing my touch.”
Sophie bumped me with her shoulder. “Ignore her. Ned’s an overachiever.”
“Better than being basic,” Kennedy sassed, her stare sliding toward Layla and Cara, who had their arms full of baby boys. “I love how they’re sleeping through a party. It bodes well for your sex life. You and Bowie can make all the noise in the world, and they’ll just sleep through it.”
Layla laughed. “The twins and Willow might, but Sunny’s a different story.” Her gaze went to the dance floor where her daughter and Kady were shaking their little asses to some breathy-sounding girl singing about espresso. “My girl hates sleeping because while she’s snoozing, she isn’t up doing something.”
Sunny bent over at the waist and began to twerk and jiggle her ass.
“Jesus,” Layla breathed.
Cara laughed. “She’ll make a great stripper one day.”
Layla moved Finn to her shoulder, swaying him in time to the music. “Don’t tell Bowie. His head will explode. He’s already worried about her flirting. If you even suggest she takes her clothes off for money, he’ll enroll her in the nearest religious school.”
“Nothing wrong with stripping,” Kennedy interjected. “There’s some cake to be made. It paid for my law degree and my bar exam.”
My mouth gaped slightly. “You were a stripper?”
“Yeah,” she said proudly. “I was the toast of Vegas. People came far and wide to see my tits and my routines.” She looked down at her chest, her head jerking from left to right. “You wouldn’t think so now, though. They lost their pep after I breastfed the twins.”
“Tell me about it,” Layla bandied back.
Kennedy stared at Layla’s chest. “I bet yours flop down your sides like Spaniel’s ears after breastfeeding four.”
Layla sighed.
Cara laughed.
Sophie rolled her eyes good-naturedly.
I chuckled, thinking how these girls were a breath of fresh air.
Being the wife of Robert Henderson meant I was only allowed to befriend certain types of women. Most of those acquaintances were the wives of Robert’s business associates and good ol’ boys from the country club. Those women didn’t know the meaning of friendship and were constantly trying to one-up each other. I suspected a few had slept with Robert—not that I cared—however, I didn’t want friends who stabbed me in the back, so I’d kept aloof.
Being around Sophie and all the other girls was a revelation for a couple of reasons.
They had each other’s backs and were collectively known as the ol’ lady gang. In Bandit’s day, the club girls seemed to have more say than the ol’ ladies. Now, they did as they were told. Before, the wives were expected to stay in the kitchen and were only wheeled out on special occasions. Things had definitely changed. If Atlas tried to keep Sophie in the kitchen, she’d kick his ass.
The women were integral to the club’s success, which was unheard of back when Bandit was prez. Although they weren’t members, Sophie, Ned, Layla, Iris, and Cara were still as much a part of the Speed Demons MC as the brothers.
Even the men’s attitudes had changed.
The brothers were primarily ex-military, but they weren’t disillusioned like Bandit’s men were. They worked, played, supported each other, and showed respect.
It was unexpected, to say the least.
I jumped slightly as my phone suddenly vibrated from the pocket of my jeans.
Tilting my ass to one side, I slid it free. Suddenly, the loud pinging of multiple notifications filled the room. My eyebrows furrowed as half of the men in the room dug into their pockets, pulled their cell phones free, and read their messages.
A bad feeling prickled through my gut.
My gaze fell to my cell phone, and my eyes widened in shock as I tried to make sense of the image on the screen. My brain began to misfire, disbelief clutching my throat as recognition dawned on me.
It was my—no— it was Robert’s house, and it was on fire .
Half of the building had collapsed into a pile of rubble, and the other half was alight. Flames licked into the black night sky, lighting up the scene, which looked like something out of a disaster movie.
My stomach plummeted.
Jesus Christ.
My mind whirred as I tried to get my brain around the image of the house I’d lived in for the past thirty years burning to the ground.
Shouts and hollers filled the room, and someone called my name.
My gaze lifted to see John striding toward me, but I couldn’t take anything in. The only thought in my mind was the image on my cell phone, and my chest clenched as shock reverberated through me.
Somebody switched the music off, and within seconds, I was hauled from my chair and pulled against a hard, warm chest.
Tangy cologne, mixed with the masculine musky scent that embodied everything John, made my stomach do a backflip. For the first time in months, my insides settled.
“You smell like the woods,” I whispered.
John’s chest rumbled one word. “Baby.”
“My house is on fire,” I breathed.
He pulled me closer and muttered, “Yeah. I’ll sort it.”
I couldn’t think straight, which is probably why the most asinine words came from my mouth. “All my clothes are in there. I hated wearing them; I despised the woman they represented because she was everything he wanted and everything I never wanted to be, but they’re worth a fortune. I was going to donate them to a charity that provides for women who need clothes to wear at job interviews.”
“I’ll buy out Nordstrom, baby—” John’s voice was cut off by a door slamming loudly.
Silence fell over the room, then, to my utter shock, a familiar high-pitched voice called out, “Cooeeeeeeeee.”
I pulled away from John and looked toward the entrance, my mouth gaping open at the sight before me.
Tristan, my hair stylist, stood at the doors.
He wore skin-tight black leather pants, a plum-colored button-up, and a matching scarf. His look was finished off with a white fedora with an elaborate black feather sticking out.
He looked fantastic, but he also looked like he had no business being in a biker bar.
Jesus Christ.
Tristan raised a hand, dropped it to the side, and snapped his fingers with a loud click . “Sorry to interrupt, big bad bikers, but I found a hottie who belongs to you. He was carrying a pretty miss thang down the street, so I stopped and gave him a ride.”
He stepped aside to reveal a shadowy figure.
Kennedy rose from her seat and, with a cry, flew toward her ol’ man.
Kit went back on one foot with the force of her impact before he slid his arms around her back and buried his face in her neck. He looked up, his vacant stare slid to John, and he muttered flatly, “There’s a girl in Tristan’s car.”
“Fuck!” John muttered, his hand tightening on my waist. “Atlas!”
“On it, Prez,” the SAA grunted, already heading for the doors to the parking lot.
“I’ll go too,” Sophie declared. “She may need medical help. Can you get an exam room ready? She may need treatment.”
Tipping my chin up, I touched Stone’s arm to get his attention. “I’m a nurse’s assistant. What do you need me to do?”
He scraped a frustrated hand down his face. “We’ve got a medical wing. Can you go down there and set up for Sophie? She equipped the place, so you should have everything you need.”
“I’ll show you where to go,” Layla offered, transferring Finn into Bowie’s arms.
John clasped my elbow. “Are you okay to do this? Your house is burnin’. I get it if you need to take stock and get your head together. We don’t even know if Henderson was in there when it went up.”
My teeth sunk into my lip.
As terrible as it sounded, all I felt at the idea of Robert being burned alive was relief. My ex-husband was evil through and through. The world would be a better place without him in it.
Shrugging nonchalantly, I stated, “I don’t care if he’s dead.”
A part of me expected John to stare at me like I was a serial killer, but instead, his lips twitched. “Yeah,” he murmured to himself. “That’s my girl.”
“He’s not dead,” a deep voice declared.
My neck twisted toward Kit, who stared blankly at us. He seemed almost detached from Kennedy, who was burrowing herself into his shoulder like she’d never let him out of her sight again.
“He wasn’t home,” Kit announced. “I knew the girl was in the basement; saw ‘em take her there. They talked about shippin’ her out the next day. I waited until the coast was clear, then went down there to get her the fuck outta there.”
Unease prickled through my stomach. “There’s cameras down there.”
A flicker of emotion moved behind Kit’s eyes. “Not anymore.”
John’s body visibly locked. “What the fuck?”
“Didn’t know there were cameras in the basement until I got down there,” Kit relayed. “Made a split decision. Get the girl the fuck outta there and clean up any traces I left. Didn’t have a choice.”
John looked to the heavens and blew out a hard breath. “What the fuck did you do?”
A dark grin spread across Breaker’s face, and his mouth twisted with evident satisfaction. “What do ya think I did? Wasn’t gonna leave the girl there, or any signs I’d been watching Henderson’s ass for days on end.”
John clenched his jaw tightly. “Jesus, Son. Please, tell me you didn’t blow the place up.”
Kit's mouth twisted into a smirk.
Cash chuckled.
Hoots of laughter began to cut through the room.
My jaw dropped.
John’s lips thinned, and he bit out, “Fuck my life.”