Chapter 6
Jules
“ J ules, how’s fatherhood treating ya?” Flack asks as soon as I walk into the clubhouse. Remy’s father is like the jolly uncle every kid has growing up. Well, from what I’ve seen in movies and shit. Both of my parents were only children.
“It’s… something,” I answer truthfully.
Life is a hell of a lot easier now that I have Violet. I get to go to work and do what I enjoy, with people I enjoy working with. Like our recon team, not so much my pain in the ass family. The evenings are still a struggle as Juno likes to fight going to sleep, but we have our morning routine set so at least my life is exactly as I like it until around 6pm.
Flack’s eyes narrow and he screws up his face a little before letting out a breath. “I know how you feel, kid. Both my girls were the result of fucking around with club whores. Sunny’s mother fucked off and left her with me. Like you it was a fucking shock to the system. I was in a 1% MC, had no idea what the hell to do with a kid. But there were people who knew more than me and taught me everything I know. ”
No offense to Flack, but I feel like my life is a fuckton more organised than his, so I guess if he can get his shit together and raise a baby, then so can I. I think through his words. “Wait, what about Remy’s mom?”
“That was another matter. I had to share Rem with her crack whore hooker mother. Took me a while but I managed to get the bitch to give her up when she was four. Four years too long if you ask me.”
I nod. I get what he’s saying. He stops me as I turn to walk away.
“Family is more than the people that share your blood. They’re the people who have your back. You’ve had mine and I got yours if shit gets a little too real for ya. Can’t offer to babysit, but I know what it’s like to think that you’ll never love that little lump like she should be loved.”
My brows pinch as I look into his rugged face. “What if I can’t?”
He shakes his head at me, before stepping close and slapping a big hand on my shoulder. “The fact that you’re worried about it shows you can. Trust your gut. It’s never led you wrong before, right?”
I jerk my chin at him. He gives my shoulder a shake and swaggers back to where he came from, waiting at the bar for Niko to get him a fresh beer. I give a quick wave to Tav’s eldest and take a seat in the recliner near the couch.
I’m not sure how DRMC became the place the Tombs family likes to hang out, but it is what it is and I don’t question it. It’s like a home away from home. Even Juno likes visiting, although that’s probably because there’s lots of kids around. She stares at them as they run around and make noise and do the shit kids do. She frowns the whole time, but every once in a while I’ve noticed her hands waving and her feet kicking.
I glance at my watch and take a few deep breaths to calm my irritation. My siblings are all meant to be here as we have something we need to run by the MC in Church tonight. As soon as they arrive we can get this shit started. I need to be home by 6pm, to relieve Violet. She doesn’t mind if I’m a few minutes late here or there, but definitely not on a Wednesday, which is her family dinner night. The first and only time I was late on a Wednesday she tore me a new one. She also made me call her mother to tell her why she was going to be late. The woman is a menace. Both Violet and her mother. And yet, even though she is a huge pain in my ass, I respect the work she does for me. Every night there is a cooked meal waiting in the oven. Juno is bathed and in her little pyjama things. I don’t know what she uses, but Juno’s skin is looking a lot better and her hair always smells nice when I get home. Sometimes she even stays and holds Juno while I eat dinner. She talks and I listen. Sometimes I ask her questions. She’s my employee so I try to keep a little separation between the roles, but it feels like over the few months she’s worked for me that we’ve become friends. It’s fucking baffling and weird as I’ve never had female friends before. Hell, I’ve never found anyone whose company I enjoy enough to want to keep them around. And that’s the hard part, if I want to keep Vi around for Juno I have to keep my moods in check and my cock in my pants, which is proving a lot harder than I thought. Turns out the fucker doesn’t care if we employ her. He wants what he wants, and he wants Vi.
“What? No, that’s not what happened. Pops was meant to get rid of it and he just shoved it in there until it fermented and exploded! I had nothing to do with that shit!” Tav yells as he and the rest of my family walk into the clubhouse .
I sometimes wonder what we look like to outsiders. My brothers are tall, big guys. Dayz is beautiful but with way too much hair, and Pops looks like every other retiree around in his polo shirts and chinos. Then there’s me with a RBF so strong Juno inherited it. Add to that the fact that we are noisy fuckers who argue a lot, and well, shit, I’m amazed anyone takes us seriously.
“Jules! You tell him!” Tav whines.
My brow raises. “Tell him what?”
“That it was Pops’ fault that a cow exploded behind his house.”
I’m well known for my impassive, unexpressive face, but at that sentence my brows fly to my hairline without hesitation. I don’t even answer him. Instead I look from my grandfather to my sister and I know it was probably both of them.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I answer. Because I don’t. And I don’t really want to know, I have places to be.
“Oh my god! Everyone did you know Elio blew up a cow with Pops and Aunt Chewy?” Cove yells as she comes racing through the door, Sage, Elio and Blanche following her.
“See!? I told you Gus!” Tav crows.
The MC brothers that are now all in the common room waiting for Church roll their eyes. Except Rider who is kneeling in front of Cove wanting all the gory details.
Boots stomp and Marx’s annoying as fuck whistle calls us all to attention. “Church!” he bellows and everyone falls into line.
We file in, the brothers not even questioning that Gus and I file in alongside them. Everyone takes their seats, Gus and I on some extra office chairs that have been placed at the table for us.
“We still have two guests yet to arrive, so I’m going to start with general business. Tombs, I expect you to keep your mouths shut outside of those doors.” Marx glares at us and I glare right back.
Marx doesn’t need to worry about us telling anyone what their little MC is up to. We have more important shit to be doing. Regardless I give him a nod and Gus agrees to whatever the fuck Marx was asking.
Tank’s huge fists bangs on the table to everyone’s attention. “Just wanted to let you know that Lovely is doing a fucking amazing job at DBT. The reception is tidy and welcoming, customers love her and she’s a fucking demon when it comes to paperwork. She’s implemented a new system and we’ve had no overdue payments since she came on.”
I watch Marx as he takes in the news. He puffs up with pride and I can’t fault him. I feel a little proud of her, too. I’ve watched her grow since she’s been living next door and it’s been quite a sight to see.
“Good, that’s good.” He goes to say something else but is interrupted by banging on the door.
Rhodie stands and strides toward it, pulling it open wide enough to talk to whoever is on the other side. There’s some grunting before Rhodie turns and makes his way back to his seat, Moss Davies and Roman following close behind. I guess if we’re going to do this, we’re going to need all hands on deck.
Moss sits in an office chair next to Gus while Roman stands over Rider, staring, until Rider gets sick of being eye fucked and moves to the other shitty office chair next to me.
“Bossy fucker,” he grumbles as he flops down, legs outstretched, arms crossed over his chest.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet,” Marx says in a voice that’s not really too friendly. Roman tends to bring that out of people.
“Hmmph,” Moss grunts. “I’d love to know why I’m sitting in Church with the head of the Bartashev Bratva.”
“Your guess is as good as mine, Sergeant,” Roman replies.
Marx stares at Gus who gives him a nod. “Gentlemen, there is trouble brewing in our little patch of the world.”
Violet
I flick Jules a text before loading up little miss grumpy face and slamming the door. It’s Wednesday night dinner and there’s no way I can be late. Which is why I decide I’ll take Juno to the clubhouse to wait for Jules.
Sliding into the front seat I buckle up and check my rear view to make sure I have a good view of my little buddy. I smile when she gives me her RBF. In the time I’ve been her nanny I’ve grown really attached to her. I feel like she’s a lot more like her father than even he realizes. Sure she looks a spitting image of the rest of the Tombs family, probably favoring Tuesday purely because she’s a girl, but aside from the scowl she inherited from her father, she also has a similar personality. At six months old you’d expect her to be babbling away to herself, rolling over and generally doing a bunch of baby stuff. Not Juno Tombs. No, she’s happy to sit in her little seat and judge you. Which I find hilarious.
We pull into the clubhouse carpark and I park next to Pops’ old beat up truck. I figure I may as well leave my keys and other crap in here, I mean who would be stupid enough to steal from an MC? I gather all Juno’s things, unclip her seat from the base Jules added to my car and lug her and her belongings inside.
“Oh, hi Violet!” Mira comes bustling over like she hasn’t seen me in ages and gives me a friendly hug, her arms wrapping over all the things I’m carrying. She’s one of the nicest women I’ve ever met, and one of the most random.
Mira is, I guess, kinda like what would happen if Tuesday was a lot more social. And maybe better at reading social cues. Jules shared with me one evening that Tuesday is neurodivergent. It was over one of the dinners I had made and I had stayed behind a little later than usual to hold a fussy Juno while he ate. I have to admit I quite like those dinners. I wouldn’t call us best friends, but I wouldn’t call us strangers or the guy who always rubs me up the wrong way when he demands stuff and doesn’t use manners, either. Anyway, his sharing Chewy’s diagnosis made me wonder if he is also on the spectrum but doesn’t recognize it in himself. I’ve seen it a few times before when I was working at a small medical center where I trained. A whole family came in focused on the one child they knew to be neurodivergent but didn’t pick up the signs that both parents and the sibling were all on various points of the spectrum as well. I suspect Jules’ coldness is actually an inability to be able to voice or even recognize what he feels.
The other women greet me one by one and I head toward the table they’re sitting at.
“Vi, did you know Elio and Pops and Aunt Chewy blew up a cow?” Cove all but yells in my face. If I didn’t know better I’d think she was Dr. Hansen’s, I mean, Switch’s daughter.
“Not only did I know, but I think I saw some chunks as they rained down over Jules’ house.” I was shocked and grossed out about the whole ordeal, but when I peeked out the window and saw the three of them out there unbothered, I figured it was probably safe. Fucked up, but safe.
I place Juno’s car seat on the table and take a seat just as Mama Debs greets me with a warm hug, “Are you hungry kotiro ? I have fettuccine keeping warm as we speak,” she smiles, eyes glowing.
I’m shaking my head before the words even come out. “I’d love to, but no, thanks. I have family dinner tonight and Flora would kill me if I ate elsewhere. Besides, tonight’s the night that Josh is coming to family dinner, and I need enough space to finish his food when Mom’s not looking.”
“Why would you finish his food?” Remy asks, brows pinched.
“Flora Davies likes to make her food with love. And by love, she means chilli. Josh is a nice guy, but I doubt he has the intestines to handle too much of Mom’s love.”
The women all snicker. Well, apart from Chewy whose brows are pinched. “Why do you date Josh?”
I glance around the table, trying to figure out where left field, and that question came from. “Um, because I like him?”
This makes Chewy frown even more, a spitting image of Juno who is doing the same thing, but at Jr who is strapped to Ana’s chest. “I saw him when we were running through the security background. You’re conventionally beautiful. Josh is conventionally not. So, I just want to know why you, a conventionally beautiful woman, would date him. Is he very funny?”
I think about it for a moment and the answer would be a resounding “no”.
“Oh, she’s thinking too hard. She’s going to say no!” Nat cackles, Ana joining her.
“No! I was going to say - ”
“Too late! Sorry Vi. You hesitated. You can’t come back from that one,” Remy adds.
I let out a sigh. “Fine. He’s not funny. But he’s super thoughtful and kind and he laughs at my jokes so I feel that makes up for it.”
Chewy turns her body toward me, her gaze over my shoulder somewhere. “So, he’s really good at sex then?”
I choke on my saliva, sending me into a coughing fit. Hands start pounding my back and a glass of soda materializes in front of me thanks to Niko who’s running the bar tonight. I guzzle it down, the bubbles tickling my throat and soothing the coughing fit.
“Um, yeah, he’s okay,” I finally answer, to get Chewy to stop interrogating me.
“Oh no,” Mira whispers, “That means he’s bad.” She looks sad on my behalf. In fact, everyone except Lovely looks sad on my behalf. “When you’re with someone you really want to be with, making love is magical.” Mira says, with hearts in her eyes. I’ve seen her with Tank, they’re such a sweet couple. “Oh, the dirty fucking is really good too.”
“Rhodie let me peg him for Christmas.” Chewy informs us. “It was very romantic and my thrust game is very good. He said I wouldn’t be able to keep up without getting tired, but I proved him wrong. I’d make a really good man. I’m good at fucking.”
I stare at these women and make a note to get my sisters to the clubhouse. They would love this. Especially Lily. She may be quiet, but she’s a little freaky.
Pops comes out of the kitchen from where he’s been “helping” Mama Debs with dinner and scoops Juno out of her car seat before plopping down in the chair next to me. “What are we talking about ladies? ”
“About how good Chewy would be at fucking if she was a man,” Blanche says drily.
Pops nods as if that’s a totally normal thing to say, “Well, yeah, of course she would be. It’s hereditary.” He nods as if that’s a fact and blows a raspberry on Juno’s belly, making the child’s hands wave as her face stays neutral.
Before any of us can question whether that’s a weird statement or not, the doors to Church fling open and men, good looking men, so many good looking men come spilling out. Like a clown car of hotness. Jules is with them, talking to Nitro and I have to admit that man is stupid hot. His gaze raises and lands on me, widening a moment before darting to look at the clock on the back wall.
He stomps over, taking a moment to gaze down at Juno in Pops’ arms. She gives him a gummy grin and I watch as a smile slowly takes over his face, mirroring hers. I’m frozen in place, watching a moment I have to admit, I thought would never happen. I know deep inside that he cares for his daughter, but I wasn’t sure he had it in him to show it. Watching them smile at each other warms my heart.
For 0.23 seconds before he glares at me and barks, “What are you doing here?”
I sigh, before giving him “the look”. The look that Flora Davies taught me. “I sent you a message that I’d bring her here in case your meeting ran late. Mama Debs was happy to have Juno if I had to leave early. Is that OK, your highness?”
He looks like he sucked a lemon for a moment before covering it up with his usual bland mask. “I knew I had to be done before 6pm.”
I stare at him for a moment, wondering if I feel like a battle or if I should save that for Flora’s interrogation of Josh in about half an hour. I opt to take the easy way out. This time. “I know, and I appreciate that. But I figured this would be easier for you. Besides, Mama Debs has made fettuccine and a peach cobbler for dessert.”
His eyes light up and he must forget to be a moody jerk for a moment because he pulls a face at his daughter. Then remembers who he is and scowls at me. “Well, thank you for bringing her here.”
I grin, knowing that I’ve irritated him slightly. “You’re welcome, big guy. I’ve gotta get going.” I turn to the table of women who have weirdly been sitting there quietly, watching the whole exchange. “Thanks for the enlightening sex talk there Chewy.” I turn back to Jules frowning at his sister. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He gives me a nod and I lean over Pops’ shoulder, saying goodbye to Juno, “See ya tomorrow little chickadee.” Juno stares at me, but flaps her hands so I take that as a wave.
I wave to all the brothers, and then stop abruptly when I see one of them is my own. “What are you doing here?” Surely he wasn’t in Church?
“Well hello to you too, little sis! Like you, I was here for work.” He smirks at me and I know he’s keeping a secret. That’s his secret keeping face. “Need a ride to dinner?”
“Nah, got my car. Last one to get there has to tell mom her chilli is too spicy!”