Chapter 3
Lena
Four years ago, I never imagined the direction my life would have taken.
And all it took was one phone call from me.
As I sat here in my seat surrounded by other students along with Raine, waiting for our names to be called, I couldn’t help but look up and send out a message to my mother.
‘ Thank you for keeping that receipt and not taking your secret with you. You saved my life. In more ways than one.’
Raine reached her hand over and held onto mine tight as the dean of the college said his speech.
Thankfully, ever since Raine had married Tank, her last name went from starting with an L and to a C. And since my last name began with a D. We were able to be side by side for most everything.
She was the best friend a girl could ever ask for.
Even though I would rather have one of us be taller than the other because of short girl problems.
But we made it alright, and nine times out of then, the brothers at the clubhouse laughed their asses off at our antics.
When the man started about the past four years of our schooling, I couldn’t help but recall everything that had happened.
Which was why my fingers moved over the leather cuff that Storm had gifted me last Christmas. It was brown leather that was tied with thin leather straps with the club’s logo and Property of Wrath MC was displayed on it.
I so wanted it to be Property of Storm, but that was just wishful thinking on my part.
After the past four years, needless to say, I had it bad for the man.
And this was why, so allow me to explain how the four years have played out...
A couple of months after I made the move, I had settled into my new life.
And it was that.
A new life.
After we had my birthday dinner, the very following day, Red took me out and bought me everything with new tags, and anytime I looked at something then the price I put it back.
But Red hadn’t.
No, he had grabbed it and put it into the cart.
As we were loading things up in the back of his truck, he placed his massive palm on my cheek and said, “Been thinking on this since I laid eyes on you. You look just like her, and me. I want you to call me Dad, whenever you’re ready. But I also want to get a test done. Not saying your momma was lying or anything. This is about protection. Because god forbid something ever happened to me, I want you to be protected with the club. Okay?”
I got it. I did, therefore, I nodded.
Fourteen days later we had the results, and that was when the very next day, I had called him Dad for the first time.
The way his eyes watered is something I’ll never forget.
He looked into my eyes which were the mirror image of his and whispered, “Never wanted kids. Didn’t want to bring them into this world with all the shit that’s swirling around, but darlin’, fuck me. Had I known what this feeling feels like? I would have read that letter a whole hell of a lot sooner.”
I had also gone to the soccer camp and liked it, but my heart wasn’t in it. Not anymore.
Not like it was when Raine told me about what she wanted to do with her life.
I hadn’t realized that you could even do that.
And something deep inside of me called out… ‘This is you’re calling. You’re needed.’
That was how I found myself starting fall classes to become a neonatal nurse.
We were four months in when Raine tore down the steps to me where I stood waiting for her with a huge smile on her face, when I called out, “Hey hooker, what’s up?”
“He’s on his way home!” She yelled and wrapped me in a hug as we both started jumping with excitement.
I was so happy for her.
She missed him.
It was almost as if the other half of her heart had been missing.
And hours later as I stood beside my dad, I got it.
The other half of her heart was home.
My eyes strayed to where he stood.
Watching.
A soft smile on his face.
And I was still watching him when his eyes moved from his daughter and Tank and then to me.
I didn’t tear my eyes away from him.
To say I was happy for my best friend would be an understatement.
I had heard about people being connected, but I’d never experienced it first-hand.
Not until I met Lena.
And even more so as I stood against the bar as we celebrated Tank popping the question to Raine.
That was when I smiled, huge and called out, “Matron of Honor right here. Cassidee is a bridesmaid, as well as Shea. And ladies when I get married it’ll be the same. Only Raine will be my maid of honor since she’ll be married.”
Everyone chuckled at my words but one person. Just one.
And when my eyes locked with his, I titled my head to the side in curiosity.
What about what I said would have caused him to have both of his hands clenched into fists, that all too familiar tick in his jaw, and his eyes narrowed?
And even more so, what was it about what I said that caused him to slam his beer bottle down onto the bar top, storm down the hall, and disappear into his office?
I knew he wasn’t upset about Raine and Tank.
Or else he would have thrown Tank out of here.
Needless to say, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it in all the months leading up to their wedding.
Which was held on the first day that Tank met Raine four years ago.
Holding Raine’s flowers standing beside her while she said, “ I do, ” to Tank was a dream come true.
Tank looked at Raine as if nothing else in this world mattered to him.
What I wouldn’t give for someone to look at me like that.
And I vowed right then and there to never settle for anything less than the world.
Which is what caused my eyes to stray to a man sitting in the front row, while Raine and Tank shared their first kiss as man and wife.
Only Storm’s eyes weren’t on the happy couple.
No. They were on me.
Nothing but hot scorching heat resonated in his blue eyes that reminded me of a diamond that shimmered when the light hit it just right. It was why I dubbed his eyes as diamond-colored eyes.
Thank god for the dress that Raine wanted me to wear.
Because the light blue material hid the fact that I clenched my thighs together.
Well... I had thought that the material hid it because seconds later I watched as his eyes flared, and then gone was the heat in his gaze, and his eyes moved to the happy couple.
And not once for the remainder of the night, did his eyes come to me without something lurking behind those diamond depths.
With my hip leaned into the bar, I was laughing as Tank led Raine around the makeshift dance floor.
As soon as they finished, she called out, “Okay, all the single ladies need to get onto the floor. It’s time for me to toss the bouquet.”
Her eyes came to me, and not realizing that I had done it, I shook my head at her, then looked at Storm. What I didn’t know was that she had caught it. And a soft smile tugged at the corners of Raine’s lips.
He was kicked back in his chair, his eyes unseeing as he stared at the far wall that was nothing but laid with brick.
Wanting to pull him out of this funk I knew he was in for reasons unknown to me, I waited and then chuckled softly as Shea caught the bouquet.
Then Hippie called out from the corner, “Time for the garter toss.”
Tank growled above the music, “Nothing that touches my wife will ever be tainted by another man. Fuck off.”
Grinning, I looked at Raine as she came to my side with a smile on her face.
I smiled, “Having a good time?”
She nodded, but jerked her head at her dad, “Yeah, but I don’t know what’s going on with him.”
Neither did I. And I wanted to know.
No, I needed to know.
Therefore, that was why I blurted out, “I’m going to go ask your dad for a dance. Is that okay with you?”
Her eyes softened as she looked at me, smiled, and nodded.
Placing my glass that held a Long Island Iced Tea on the bar top I made my way over to him.
Smiling at the people I passed and saying excuse me to those I had to maneuver around.
Whether it was just who the man was, or perhaps… maybe because it was me, his eyes moved to me as I walked toward him.
His eyes stayed on me as I reached his chair, smiled, titled my head to the side, and asked, “Dance with me?”
He looked up at me, clenched his jaw then shook his head, “Nah, Precious, plenty of men you can choose from. Boys closer to your own age.”
Whether it was because his words rubbed me the wrong way, or because he was the first person to ever defend me since my mom had passed away, I said softly, “I don’t trust any of them, Storm. I hardly know them. I would rather dance with someone I trust. So please, dance with me.”
He listened, intently, then I saw the indecision in his eyes, and when his mouth opened, I moved my hand, placed two fingers over his lips, and whispered, “Please, Storm. I’ve never danced with anyone. Let my first dance be with someone I know I can trust.”
He sighed, then looked at Raine, and then, I wanted to do a happy shimmy when he stood up.
And still, even though I was wearing three-inch heels, the top of my head barely reached his chin.
Jesus, what did they feed these boys, freaking miracle grow?
But everything in my head was swiped out when he placed his hand on the small of my back and led me to the dance floor.
I couldn’t have contained the smile on my face even if I had tried with all my might.
Just as he stopped, left his hand at the small of my back, and took my small hand into his large one, and I wrapped my hand around his bicep, the song changed over.
And the starting lyrics of ‘ Lying here with you. Listening to the rain’ also happened as rain could be heard hitting the metal tin roof.
It was kismet.
He smirked, “Maybe you’re right, Precious.”
I winced, “I said it was kismet aloud, didn’t I?”
He nodded, “Yeah.”
We swayed side to side, moving around the small space, and when the second chorus started, I looked up into his eyes and asked, “So, care to tell me what asshole took your honey away?”
He lifted a brow, “Took my honey away? What the fuck, Lena?”
I giggled, “You’ve been acting like a bear. What’s wrong?”
I felt the barest twitch in his shoulder, “Just got something on my mind. No clue what to fucking do about it. And I sold my house. It was too fucking big for just me now that Tank married my daughter.”
“Well, the house thing that’s easier to tackle, are you okay with that?” I asked.
He nodded, “Yeah, a lot of shitty memories in that house. Happy to see it go to a family that’s growing.”
I smiled, nodded, then said, “I won’t ask about the other thing, because it’s probably club business. But I will say this. The man above knew what he was doing when he made you. You’re fierce, strong, protective, loyal, and so unbelievably smart. Whatever is on your mind, I know you will find a way to get to the end result that you want or that you need. I’ve only ever met two men that I can say have my complete trust, my dad, and you.” I finished that by squeezing his bicep.
His eyes bored down on mine, “Don’t ever fucking settle for less than you deserve, you hear me?”
I nodded, and that was when he brought my hand to his lips and placed a kiss on my knuckles. Would it be okay to never wash that hand again? Asking for a friend.
And then, just like that, he dropped my hand and strode out of the clubhouse without a backward glance.
My dad stepped to my side, leaned down and whispered, “When the Storm gets riled up, you’ll want to batten down the hatches, because nothing will ever be the same once the Storm has passed.”
It wasn’t until a year later that I finally found out why he had said that about Storm.
I had tried to ask Dad a few times, but I was always met with its his story to tell.
He also told me that only four people knew of his upbringing and if he wants you to ever know then he’ll tell you. He told me not to push Storm on it and to just keep being me.
So, I then kept being myself around Storm and trying to show him that he at least had a friend in me. That being the case in that year our friendship grew and grew and grew.
It grew so much that we talked daily. Whether it was a phone call at night, or random text messages during the day.
It also grew in the way that anytime we were all at the clubhouse for dinner, I had a permanent seat right beside him.
And god help anyone who tried to take it from me.
Just like a few weeks ago.
We were celebrating the fourth and chapters from all over had shown up.
As well as a few allied clubs.
Those allied clubs brought some girls with them that weren’t family members and weren’t ol’ ladies.
I had been busy getting my plate when I turned to head to my seat when I saw some woman slide into my chair and then move to place her hand on Storm’s forearm.
Well... that hand didn’t make it.
Because Storm stood up so fast, his chair flew back, as he grabbed the seat the woman was sitting on, my seat, mind you, and jerked it back.
You could have heard a spark plug misfiring in a Harley motor as all eyes flew in that direction as the woman cursed.
“That seat belongs to someone else. Get the fuck gone.” Storm roared.
We all watched as the girl stood up, tugging her mini skirt down her legs that barely covered her pussy and ass.
Then she stormed away from him in her five-inch hooker heels with her over-bleached blonde strands swaying.
I had made it back to Storm’s side, then sat my plate down after Storm righted my chair.
With my butt in my seat, Storm made his plate.
Halfway through after his eyes had been glaring daggers over to where the woman now stood, her hands waving in the air at some biker, he stood, then walked over to them, and tilted his chin after saying a few words to him.
Then I watched as the two of them headed into the clubhouse.
Once I ate, I finally took a chance and hoped the bathroom would be free, because I had been holding it in. All for the food. Yes, I was a food snob. Sue me.
As I headed to the bathroom, I halted outside of Storm’s office to hear him ripping someone a new asshole.
“What the absolute fuck were you thinking bringing those sluts to a goddamned family fucking function? Give me one good goddamned reason I shouldn’t blow your brains out and smatter them all over my office wall.”
I squeaked at that and then raced to the bathroom.
Not because I was scared of Storm.
Not because I really had to pee.
Not because what he said, for some reason, really turned me on.
Oh, who the hell was I kidding, everything about Storm turned me on.
But because he was discussing something that should remain club business. Not for outsiders to hear.
And after I used the bathroom, and meandered around outside, I sat back down in my chair just as soon as he did as well. Then I leaned in and whispered, “I really think you need to have your office soundproofed, Storm.”
He lifted a brow, “Were you scared?”
I looked at him bug-eyed, “Of you?”
He nodded.
I shook my head with zero hesitation, “No. Nothing about you scares me, because I trust you. I just didn’t want someone who could try to bring the club down, hear your words, and decide to do something about it. Just food for thought.”
And not even a week later, Storm had his office soundproofed, along with room for church.
No one questioned it.
But I however got chin lifts with respect shining in their eyes from all the brothers as they saw me for weeks after that.
He never and I mean never tried to cross a line being that he was twenty years older than me but that didn’t seem to affect me as bad as you might think.
Age was just a number. And when someone was older, it just meant they were sent before you to make sure that your life was easier. So they could pave the way to make all your dreams come true.
***
It was four weeks later, after a lot of studying, and a lot of late nights cramming the study material.
“Lena, can you believe it, we graduate tomorrow, your twenty-second birthday is in two weeks and we both get to go work in the NICU at Saint Charlotte?”
My best friend Raine is just as ecstatic as me. When I moved here a little over four years ago, Raine told me about the accelerated program she was enrolling in.
She is two inches to my height. I'm still five foot one, yet she has dark auburn hair and hazel eyes. We are both pretty curvy and we always receive second glances and jaw drops everywhere we go, yet my Property of Wrath MC cuff that I never take off keeps them all at bay, which is fine by me.
Raine’s Property of Tank kutte keeps them away as well. We never wait in line anywhere; we never pay for our own drinks, and we rarely ever have to pay for our own meals.
“I know. I’m so excited. Just wait till we get to help save a baby and we get to see life taking its first breath.” Yes, I was squealing but I was so excited.
I got through college on a soccer scholarship playing goalie. I have only had thirty balls get past me since I was twelve and fell in love with the sport. Some said I should have turned pro, and I had a lot of scouts wanting me for certain teams, yet that wasn’t my dream; helping babies into the world was.
“Yay. So, I’m going to talk Tank into letting us go to that new club Juice for your birthday.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
Raine and Tank met when she was eight years old and he was nineteen. The story of how they got together still makes me sigh.
And I knew, right down to the deepest parts of me, that if Raine had met Tank when she was eighteen, it would have been love at first sight.
Instead, he made her his ol’ lady when she was nineteen and they married last year. They were even trying for a baby; I was going to be an Auntie, the best one ever.
“No worries, if I tell Dad that I want to go to Juice he will make it happen. No matter the cost, you know he hates it when I don’t let him do stuff for me.” And that was the god’s honest truth.
I rarely ask my dad for anything, and I know he hates it, believe it or not. All I asked for was a new phone when I got to South Carolina for the first time. He made me accept the money from him to decorate my new room and new clothes that fit me.
He made me throw out all the stuff I came with when I moved.
Then he bought me my Eurasian wolf gray puppy that I named Skylar, six months after I came to live with him.
Now, she’s a beast, she’s solid white and gray and weighs fifty-five pounds. She is the best cuddler and even stands guard when I’m using the bathroom.
However, let some idiot get within twenty feet of me and she becomes this stocky I’m going to rip your head off she-beast . She’s the best dog in the world and my third best friend, my dad, and Raine take the first slots.
“It was funny when you pulled up to the clubhouse in your jacked-up Ram 1500 and your dad got pissed because you didn’t let him pay for it.” My Ram is a 1500 crew cab jacked up with a four-inch lift sitting on forty-four’s all blacked out. I had started working when I was eighteen in the garage learning everything I could.
I still get tickled when I get asked if I can make it up in the cab. I’ve lost count of how many guys have offered me a leg up. I just grab a hold of the bottom of the door, jump to put my foot on the bottom step, grab the oh shit handle and pull myself up. I’ve got great muscle tone in my arms because of it too.
“I know I’m still hearing about it from him. Next thing I know he is going to get mad at me when I tell him I’m buying a house.” When I turned eighteen my mother’s lawyer contacted me.
Apparently, she came from a lot of money and my stepfather wasn’t aware of that. She left a third of it to Karly and the rest to me. Every time I look at my bank account, I am thankful that those seven zeros’ mean I get to donate to St Jude’s hospital every year.
“Oh, hell he’s probably going to insist on paying for your furniture at the very least.”
After our last class on Friday, she went to work at a tanning salon fifteen minutes from the clubhouse while I went and worked a few hours in the garage that’s attached to the clubhouse.
We only do custom work on Harley’s and occasionally modifications to trucks and jeeps plus we have a few other shops around town. That way we can earn some legit cash and it gives the guys time to make their gun runs.
While I was checking invoices in the office my dad came in, I guess now’s the time to mention the house.
“Hey Dad, I have something I need to tell you.” I had a smile on my face waiting for the reaction.
“What’s up, doll face?” He sighed before he said it; yeah, he knows what’s coming. He has called me doll face ever since he saw a picture when I was five. I had on a yellow sundress.
“I wanted to tell you that I’ve been looking at houses and I found….”
“Whoa. Hold the hell up,” he growled, “You went looking at houses and didn’t tell me? Am I hearing you right?” It isn’t often that he raises his voice to me.
Guess that’s why all the guys in the shop raised their eyebrows and peeked into the office.
“You heard me right.” I used my soft voice now.
“So, you’re going to move into a house that might have termite damage, might have mold damage, and might be in enemy territory, hell for all you know it might be on top of a graveyard. Maybe you have a pedophile living next door.” He was roaring at me now. Oh shit.
“Well…. I really like it, and it’s right down the street from our house so it’s not in enemy territory, it has been inspected by Mike Anders, the guy you use yourself. I put in an offer for it. I’m pretty sure the neighbors aren’t pedophile’s since it would be Bridget and her husband.” I bit my lip as I hoped he didn’t catch the offer part.
“I guess since it would be down the road it might be okay, but I still want to inspect it and check it out. We definitely got to see if any renovations need to be done so it’ll be perfect for you. We can….” Then he got this look on his face, he caught it. “What do you mean you put an offer in on it?” He was glaring at me now with his hands flat on the counter, his jaw was ticking.
“Well, the realtor said it was going to sell fast and I love the house. I didn’t see any renovations that I wanted to do and it’s my house Dad. You may have only raised me since I was eighteen but you’ve raised me into the person I am today. You always told me not to depend on anyone. Never let go of what you want and always fight. So, I’m being independent and buying a house with my own money.” He was shaking his head looking down.
Then without a word, he turned and started to walk towards the door. Normally everyone would scatter when they saw him coming however, they were a bit braver today.
After he opened the garage door he turned back “I’m buying the furniture, I’m buying the paint, and I’m paying to have your power cut on and arranging for lawn maintenance and whatever else the house needs.”
I started, “But Dad I…”
“No. I will not hear another word about this. It’s fucking final.” With that, he left while shaking his head.
I heard stubborn pig-headed daughter at least a dozen times for the rest of the day. All the guys were smiling, and the girls were high-fiving me. I so had to text Raine.
Me – So, he is paying for power to be cut on, all furniture, the paint… Oh and lawn maintenance I love him!
Raine – Gurl!!! Y can’t he b my daddy?
Me – Snooze u lose lol
Raine – Sure, rub it in!
I felt his presence before I heard his raspy voice, “What was all that about?”
Lifting my head to look at Storm I sighed, “Told him I put an offer in on a house.”
“Ah. That would do it.” He smirked.
Shaking my head at them and their caveman attitudes I smiled.
“Need me to go handle his ass? He may be your dad, but he’s my VP.”
Smiling a soft smile I shook my head, “No, it’s okay. I know he feels bad for not being in my life, and this is his way of making it up to me, but he’s already done that in spades.”
I looked into his diamond-colored eyes, I wasn’t sure what he was searching for, not until he nodded, turned on his booted foot, and walked out of the office.
Taking a deep breath, I looked at the guys in the garage who appeared to be working but all of them had their attention on me and everything that was said.
Most of the members of the MC had all been a part of the same platoon in the army.
The first one I saw was Storm’s Sgt at Arms Clip. He has one inch on my dad and about thirty extra pounds of muscle.
Then there’s Ripper who is the Icer of the club. No one wants to deal with him when he gets riled. Myself included.
Then there’s Cason who oversees all the MC’s funds and whatnot. He may not look like much at five foot eleven weighing a buck eighty, but he can lay your ass out and not even break a sweat. He wasn’t on a SEAL team; no, he came from a horrible background that had taken a great turn for him when he was taken in by the mother chapter in Clearwater.
Also, Tank is the Enforcer. He resembles a bull. He is six foot four two hundred and eighty pounds and does have an ounce of fat.
The Road Captain is Gravel he makes sure all the runs go according to plan and scopes out any possible dangers along the way also Porter and Hippie along with a few patched members as well plus about six or seven prospects.
It was hard to get into this MC which isn’t why a lot of people wanted in; it was because of what they stood for. Yes, they were one-percenters to the whole world who didn’t give a damn what anyone thought, though they were respectful if you earned their respect.
To them just because you’re a girl doesn’t mean you will be treated with respect, you’ve gotta earn it, same as the guys.
People also wanted to be in the club because of what they stood for which was Pride, Country, and absolutely no child molesters or abusers of any kind. They represented a dying breed in a world that was becoming far too commercialized, and I loved it.
When I got home to my three-bedroom two two-bath house that yes, I paid for, but my dad did indeed remodel my bathroom and had a stand-up shower and a claw foot bathtub installed, I loved them.
He also had all my walls painted how I wanted them, and he was the one who had my power cut on, oh and he also insisted on buying all my furniture.
I tried, boy did I try to get out cheap with all of it, but Dad wouldn’t have it. My kitchen was a warm brown color, and my appliances were all stainless steel, I had a mint blue décor going on and it was one of my favorite places to be.
I had an open floor plan that flowed into my dining room and then to my living room. My living room was the same color, but I had mocha-colored everything and cream-colored lamps.
Oh, and let’s not forget my fireplace was the focal point. It sat below a mantle that had some knit knacks but above my fireplace was a picture that I treasured, it was of my mom and me on the day I was born.
I had a copy of the picture the two of us made and gave it to my dad.
Next, you have my first two bedrooms and a Jack and Jill bathroom to the right down the hall between my living room and my kitchen.
Right off my kitchen was my laundry room then beside that to the left was my room and master bath. My bedroom was my sanctuary, it was painted dark gray on three walls and the last wall that my headboard was against was mint green.
All my furniture was white with crystal handles. I had a king bed with a white duvet comforter. Wall-mounted nightstands and the same lamps from my living room in my bedroom,
I had a dresser for my makeup and some clothes and my chest of drawers that held my TV.
On the wall beside my bed, I had a heart-shaped area that held pictures. Four of my favorite pictures that were in the middle were the day I met my dad for the first time, the second was the day I got Skylar, the third was when Raine and I graduated high school, and the fourth one was of Storm picking me up and putting me on the back of his motorcycle for a surprise party for my dad’s birthday last year.
Sitting on my couch with Skylar beside me we watched as Vin Diesel flew off his car to catch Letty as she was thrown from a tank.
To have someone love you that much? That was a dream that I wanted to turn into a reality with everything in me, and I wanted that person to be Storm.
Which was why we didn’t end up going to the new club called Juice.
Because anytime someone tried to bother me, Storm was always there.
And with that many bodies in an uncontrolled space, he didn’t need a murder charge.
Instead, we celebrated at the clubhouse.
***
I came back to myself when Raine elbowed me in the ribs from her seat beside me as I realized the commencement speaker had stopped talking.
She mouthed, “Are you okay?”
I nodded, then mouthed back, “Yeah.” Then I gifted her a smile.
And then... one by one we were all called.
There wasn’t a lot of applause for the other students.
Not until they called Raine’s name. Which I chuckled and looked at the back. Nothing but leather stood as far as the eyes could see.
And then when I was called, the same cacophony rang out in the auditorium.
I smiled wide, as I accepted my diploma, then looked at my dad, then at Storm and smiled even wider.