Chapter 9
Hunter walked through the clubhouse, ignoring the curious looks and the tension in the room. He had his own problems and no time to deal with his brothers' restlessness, which could smell fresh meat a block away.
They wanted to know about the girls in his room. But they were off limits.
He found Kodiak in the office, hunched over the table with a stack of invoices, a half-empty bottle of whiskey, and a full ashtray of cigarettes.
Hunter stepped inside and waited. Kodiak looked up, his mouth moving slowly.
He walked to the desk to see him better.
Prez had texted him a few minutes ago, asking to meet.
Probably regarding his request to find a refuge house for Annie and Leigh.
If he could get them somewhere where they could heal and gather their resources, they might have a chance of moving past the domestic abuse.
Kodiak gazed at him. "Do you think keeping them in Vancouver is the best decision for them?"
"Leigh needs to heal. I don't think they have a way to support themselves," he said.
Kodiak tugged on his beard, showing more of his mouth. "Are you going to support them?"
He nodded. He had no family to support. It wouldn't financially hurt him to help.
"I did some digging." Kodiak leaned back in his chair, rubbing his jaw. "The owner of the house where the women lived is Jason Stevens."
Hunter shrugged. He already knew that's where Leigh lived with her husband. All he wanted to do was find her a safe place. Later, she could divorce the fucker.
"Stevens works...fucking...patrol," said Kodiak.
He shook his head and pointed at his mouth. "Again."
"Stevens. Works. For. Washington. State. Patrol." Kodiak held his gaze. "He's a cop."
Sonofabitch. Hunter walked away from the desk, rubbing the back of his neck. He'd helped a cop's ol' lady escape?
He went into the situation believing the asshole wouldn't come after him because he would be afraid of the cops charging him with domestic violence.
But a cop? He wouldn't be afraid. The force would protect one of their own.
It was only a matter of time before a neighbor gave Stevens enough evidence to pin Hunter at the scene of breaking into his house.
He wore his vest the whole time. There were probably cameras that would catch his motorcycle.
He had Royalla printed across his shoulders in white patches, visible to all.
He fisted his hand. Not only had he put Royalla at risk of a raid, but if the cops caught him, he'd stand no chance at keeping his freedom.
They'd put him in prison on some bogus charges.
Law enforcement was their own club, their own brotherhood.
They would turn their back on domestic violence but go after someone messing with a cop's wife.
Kodiak waved, gaining Hunter's attention. He returned to the desk.
"Ring moved in with his ol' lady last month. The rental house he was in is vacant," Kodiak said.
Hunter gave a short nod. That would work. Royalla owned several homes that they rented out to members.
Roma walked into view, startling him. With his back to the door, he lost sense of his surroundings. She carried two mugs of coffee with Alanis trotting at her heels. She smiled when she saw Hunter.
"Hey, stranger," she said, lips slow and easy to read.
Hunter smiled faintly. He'd known Roma since she was a child. Children didn't care if he was deaf or not. She used to ramble on, happy as can be, before her dad died, whether he read her lips or not.
She crossed the room and kissed Kodiak's cheek.
Hunter waited until she looked his way again. "Do you have any clothes? For the women in my room?"
Roma's brows lifted. "I'll check."
Kodiak leaned in, speaking low to his woman. Hunter caught fragments—hurt, nothing, help.
Roma's expression shifted from surprise to concern. She nodded, then left with Alanis trailing behind.
Kodiak turned back to Hunter. "She'll get clothes. Food. Enough for a week."
Hunter nodded.
"I want them gone," Kodiak added, voice firm. "The men are starting to ask questions. You know how it goes."
Hunter's jaw tightened. Any woman hanging out in the clubhouse was free game to them. The women didn't belong to him. He could only protect them for so long, and the men would wiggle their way in, trying to gain their attention.
"We've got a shipment to prep," Kodiak continued. "Parts need to move by Friday. I need you back on the crew."
Hunter nodded again. "I'll get them settled. Then I'm yours."
Kodiak gave him a long look, then poured another shot of whiskey. "You're a good man, Hunter. Just don't let this mess bleed into club business. It's a bad time...lose..."
He lost the rest of the conversation. Kodiak spoke with the glass in front of his mouth. But no one needed to tell him how to do his job.
Life couldn't stop because the women needed his help.
Life moved on. They needed to jack some cars, strip and ship them.
It was the only way they'd have money coming into Royalla outside the legal customizing they do in the garage.
That money only went so far. They needed enough to support all the members and their families.
Kodiak stood. "Watch your ass. I don't need the cops getting you, too."
He left the room. Kodiak had made the situation clear. He couldn't keep Annie and Leigh here much longer. He also needed to watch his back. If Jason Stevens were setting him up, any law enforcement officer would be on the lookout for him.
He stepped into his room and found Annie sitting on the edge of the bed, her hand resting lightly on Leigh's back. He studied them both, trying to assess the situation before approaching them.
Annie looked up, her tired eyes alert, unable to hide her panic, before she smiled. She wasn't at ease here. Maybe she would never be comfortable after living through the abuse.
Hunter walked over slowly, crouched beside her so he could see her face better. "I have somewhere you can stay."
"We have to leave?" She looked down at her lap.
Her mouth continued to move, but he couldn't see. He hooked her chin. She flinched, caught herself, and looked at him. He took his hand away.
"I'm sorry." She bit her lip. "Of course, we'll go. You've done so much—"
"I'm going to help you." He gave her a few seconds to catch her breath. "You'll move to a house the club owns. You can help your sister heal. When you're ready, I'll help you move farther away."
"We don't have any money." She shook her head. "We can't pay you anything."
"It's free and temporary."
Annie blinked. "Really?"
"Yeah."
She never told him that her sister's husband was a state cop who could track her down if she used her name on any rental agreement, job application, or plane ticket. She needed to go dark, and he'd help her do it.
He nodded. "You'll have no neighbors. Privacy."
She glanced at Leigh, who was still asleep, then back at him. "Thank you."
Hunter shrugged. "You'll be safe."
Annie smiled faintly. "It's more than we had yesterday."
He stood, gave her space, and walked into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. He was halfway through twisting the cap when Annie walked to him.
She pointed to the door. "Someone's knocking."
Hunter frowned. Knocking?
Everyone in the club knew better. If they needed him, they opened the door and found him. He couldn't sense knocks.
He crossed the room and opened the door.
Roma stood there, grinning.
"Sorry." Her eyes twinkled. "I knocked because you have company."
Hunter raised a brow.
"I'm here for sizes." She tugged at her shirt. "Clothes, shoes, whatever they need."
Annie stepped up beside him and spoke to Roma.
Roma held up her phone and typed on the screen as Annie spoke. Blocked from their conversation, he stepped back, letting them handle whatever it was themselves. Before he could shut the door, Alanis darted into the room, panting.
While the women talked, he sat on the couch and petted the dog. Roma would take care of everything. She was good at things like that.
He kept an eye on Annie. She kept wiping the corners of her eyes, trying to hold back tears and failing.
She was a strong woman. Not many people have to live through abuse.
For those who do, having someone take your power away and hurt you is something you never forget.
He rubbed the dog's ears. You just had to learn to live with emotional and physical scars.
It'd be best if they were away from the clubhouse. Away from him.