CHAPTER TWELVE
Seraphina
I stretch and slowly open my eyes. Looking around the barren room, which consisted of a bed, a dresser and two nightstands. I remember that I’m at the clubhouse in one of the spare rooms Ink put me in after I’d been released from the hospital last night.
My thoughts going back to the fire, as tears blur my vision. I still find it hard to believe that we’d lost our home, but I was just so thankful that Willow and I were okay.
And the baby, of course. I touch my hand to my stomach and sniffle, shaking my head in disbelief at how close I came to losing everything I held dear.
The pain of losing my child was so intense that I would not have hesitated to end my own life to be with her. I turn my head and look lovingly across at my still sleeping girl. Unable to stop my hand from tucking a stray dark curl behind her ear. I spend the next few minutes just staring at her, leaning over, I place a soft kiss to her forehead. If I had done anything right in my entire life, it was Willow.
I gently pulled back the covers, careful not to wake her as she slept soundly. Fresh tears well up in my eyes as I thought about all of Willow’s baby things destroyed in the fire, each one a reminder of her innocence and tiny size. And this time, I couldn’t stop the tears coursing down my cheeks.
I quickly swipe the tears away, the salty taste lingering on my lips, and chew my lip as another troubling thought rears its ugly head. The realization that Willow and I would be living under the same roof as Ky had completely slipped my mind.
Shit! Ky and Willow will be in the same orbit for goodness knows how long. But I couldn’t very well demand he stay away from the clubhouse without raising suspicions. I look down at myself and wrinkle my nose at the same clothes I’d been wearing when the fire broke out, reeking of smoke.
I hurriedly take a shower, not wanting to linger in a man's bathroom, which was clear to me from the array of male hygiene products neatly arranged on the shower shelf. With a towel wrapped around my body, I softly tread back into the bedroom; that’s when I notice a pile of clothes placed on a chair in the corner of the room. I walk over resolutely and see the note is from Everleigh.
Sera,
I hope you and Willow can use these until you both get something new? I hope you can wear the clothes I’ve left for you; I know we’re not exactly the same size. The ones for Willow are Ivy’s, I can tell they’re of similar size so it should be good. Meet us in the common room, and we’ll go downtown to get something for you and Willow.
Everleigh.
I brush furiously at the tears threatening to spill. These women have all been wonderful to me, and I don’t know how I’ll be able to repay them back for their kindness.
But I needed to stop crying.
I hurriedly get dressed in a pair of jeans, which were a tad tight around the hips and tush, but unfortunately, that couldn’t be helped. Pairing it back with a crimson silk style shirt that showed off my coloring. I run my fingers through my still wet hair, piling it up into a messy bun on top of my head.
The only shoes I had on me were the sneakers I use for work, they were old, scuffed, but comfortable. Just then, Willow stirs in the bed, her brown eyes looking around the room before coming to rest on me, and I can see the relief in them, she wasn’t alone in a strange room.
“Good morning sweet pea.” I greet with a bright smile. The smile falling from my face the instant my baby girl cries. Rushing to her side, I scoop her up into my arms and cradle her in my lap. “It’s okay, baby girl. You’re safe.” I coo, looking towards the sky mouthing Thank you to whoever was up there watching over us both.
It took a few minutes for her full on crying to be reduced to a few sniffles, and I held her throughout, telling her she was safe, that nothing like that would ever happen again. I would do everything in my power to make sure that didn’t happen.
“Do you feel better?” I ask softly, as she nods her head, her eyes puffy from crying. “How about we go downstairs and get some breakfast? I bet you’re hungry? I know I am.” I lightly tickle her tummy, and she gives me a tentative smile. With her sadness over the last twenty-four hours seemingly behind her, I help her get dressed in the clothes Everleigh provided, and If she was here right now, I would’ve kissed her.
Happy that we’re both presentable, I take a deep, calming breath before I open the door of the room; grab Willow’s little hand in mine, step out into the hall, worry etched on my brow at what I might find here playing out. Following the sounds of voices downstairs, I stand in what can only be described as a great room.
The room falls silent as we enter, and I can feel the weight of everyone's gaze on me, making me acutely aware of myself. It’s then I make eye contact with Everleigh and mouth a thank you to her as I swing Willow up into my arms. Ink makes his way towards me, and I’ve never felt so calm as when I’m in his presence.
“Mommy!” My little girl’s voice is like a balm to my wounded soul. With everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours, it was difficult for me to keep the tears at bay as I wrap my daughter into my arms. Her toddler scent calming my whirling emotions, as Ink drapes an arm over my shoulders. His lips peck my cheek softly. And again, I wish I could feel something more than friendship for this man who has been a rock for me these last few months.
“You want some breakfast?” he whispers in my ear.
“A coffee would be great,” I reply with a smile, looking down at my little girl. “And what would you like, little miss?”.
“Pancakes,” she says, clapping her hands and bouncing on the balls of her feet.
I chuckle. “How about something simpler, like cereal?” I reply.
Willow pulls up, crossing her little arms over her chest, and full on pouting now. “No cereal. Pancakes.”
Ink touches my arm. “She can have pancakes Sera, the ol’ladies made some,” He explains, and I smile softly, before moving lithely towards what I assume is the kitchen. I place a stack of two pancakes on a plate and pour some maple syrup over the top.
With Willow’s hand in mine, we return to the common room, and I place her on a chair in front of a round bar table, cutting her food into bite-size pieces, as I sit across from her. Watching her eat.
I thought I’d have a slight reprieve from all the people surrounding me, but I didn’t account for the fact that Lexie would be here as well, I notice her stand from the corner of my eyes as I try to concentrate on watching Willow.
Her pretty gray eyes, her teased hair in what was all pink, is now in a kaleidoscope of blonde pink and black, paired with a fully inked sleeve tattooed on her right arm, make her a badass bitch as she saunters her way toward me. I stand to my full height, which isn’t much when you’re only five foot three, and push my shoulders back, preparing myself for another confrontation.
Willow finishes her breakfast, and I wipe her mouth as she slides off the chair.
“Can I go play, mommy?” She asks, and I nod my head before she skips away.
I watch my little girl toddle off towards a group of kids around the same age, and I bite my lip, wondering if I should intervene.
“She’s safe. That’s Everleigh’s youngest, Ivy,” the younger woman drawls, coming to stand by the table I’m sitting at, sipping my coffee, pretending I wasn’t anxious at what she was going to do. She was hankering for a confrontation when the girls visited me at my house, and I could tell she was hankering for one right now, but I was determined to not give it to her.
“Look, Lexie, is it? I’m really not in the mood for this.” I couldn’t help my hackles rising, and my voice came out sounding snooty. Something I was trying to avoid.
The other woman stops, sighing deeply. “I’m here to apologize to you.” She shocks me by saying. “How I treated you was not on, and I’m truly sorry,” she says, her eyes staring across the room to where Ink was talking in hushed tones to a beautiful young girl that looks like Everleigh, but younger, and I know this is her daughter Lily. I’d met her briefly at Chains’ birthday party a few months ago, but since Ink was hanging all over me that night, she had virtually ignored me.
Covered in ink like 99% of the rest of the men, he would be intimidating if I didn’t know him so well. But he’s also extremely handsome, with close cropped hair, a well-maintained beard, and piercing ice-blue eyes.
“Oh, well, okay.” I stammer, unable to get my mouth to form complete sentences, that’s how much Lexie has shocked me.
Another shock to the system is when Lexie laughs, attracting the attention of a man who I think is named Riggs. He could hardly take his eyes off her.
“I’m really not a bitch to the people who know me. I guess you just brought it out of me when we first met. I wanted to apologize to you in the pharmacy, but you ran out of there so fast, I wasn’t prepared to chase you down.” She chuckles, and I can’t help but smile at the memory. She stretches out her arm. “It’s not my place to tell you what you can and can’t do. You all three are adults, and can decide for yourselves. So, friends?”
I smile at her and accept her hand. “Well, that’s very mature of you.” I reply
“It’s been known to happen a time or two,” She says, her unusually gray colored eyes glimmer with mischief and we both laugh out loud, drawing the attention of the others in the room, finally breaking the tension that’s existed between us since we met.
“I guess I was just protective of Lily when I heard you and Ink were seeing each other.” She replies, by way of an explanation to her shitty behavior toward me. “I always thought they’d get together.”
It was difficult to meet her eyes, because I was afraid she would see the lies in them if I did. I wanted to shout that Ink and I were nothing to each other, but if I did that, it would leave me vulnerable to Ky. And I just couldn’t handle that. Especially now, knowing he was involved with his ex again.
It’s true; I hadn’t told anyone that I was pregnant yet, but we were still too deep in this thing for us to back out now. My eyes search out Ink, who’s still talking to Lily, and guilt slides up my throat, making me want to throw up.
Or it could be as simple as I haven’t yet eaten anything, and the baby was demanding food.
She was younger than either Lexie or me; as I watch her for a beat—Ella, another beauty that’s attached to the club, comes up to her and says something before they both walk away from Ink. But it’s the furtive glance back over her shoulder that gets to me the most.
I know Ink is hung up on her, so maybe I should just end this madness, pack up my things and disappear somewhere with Willow, where no one will find me?
“Thank you. Apology accepted.” I smile.
“I hear on the grapevine Ky is about to cut that bitch Mariah loose.” Lexie’s words bring a flicker of hope, but I remind myself not to get carried away by the fleeting feeling.
But then I frown, Lexie’s the second person who’s called Mariah a derogatory name. The first being Ink when I was in the hospital. What was going on? Nobody seems to like the other woman. I wonder what that’s all about.
“Where did you hear that from?” I ask, ready to disbelieve anything she has to tell me. But before she the chance to reply, Ink appeared. I was so relieved to see him, I almost threw myself at him.
“Come on, Lexie, just quit it,” Ink spats.
Lexie turns her attention to Ink. Her withering gaze would’ve scorched a lesser man.
“Shut up, Ink. You have no idea what we were talking about,” the other woman drawls. Turning to leave, but Ink grabs her arm to stop her.
“I don’t want you upsetting Sera anymore. Just stay away.”
I clear my throat, about to intervene, when Lexie gives me a look, and lifts her other hand to stop me from speaking up.
“Well, well. Would you look at that, Ink, forever, the gentleman protecting a woman that isn’t Lily?” She snatches her arm out of Ink’s hold, as he swallows hard, his eyes doing a quick look around for Lily, I was sure. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it anymore. Sera and I are good now, aren’t we?”
“We are.” I confirm, hating the tension that’s built up all over again.
Once Lexie leaves, I take a big, calming breath, shaking my head. “She’s intense,” I say,
“Sorry for leaving you alone,” Ink replies.
“Don’t worry about it.” I say, forcing a smile to my face. “You looked busy.” I close my eyes and shake my head, the words I spoke, sounding accusatory. “I didn’t mean…”
The clubhouse door swings open, stopping my words in their tracks; and in walks the man who’s haunted my dreams for years, his arm casually draped over the slim shoulders of the woman I’d seen months ago—the night of Chains’ birthday. The night I almost told him about Willow. The night I should have told him about her. Now I’ve just dug myself into a deeper hole, and I don’t know how to get myself out of it.
His other hand is holding on tightly to a beautiful little boy around Willow's age. My heart stops for a split second, as all the other times I’d seen him side on, both he and his mother are strangely familiar to me. But as hard as I try to rack my brain, I can’t remember where I’ve seen them.
Behind them walks Kick, Ky’s father and the President of the club, holding Everleigh’s hand, who doesn’t look all that well, and hasn’t been for a few weeks now if I’m being honest. But she had constantly rebuffed my questions, so I dropped it.
Sitting at the bar, I feel a sudden wave of discomfort as Ky locks eyes with me, his gaze narrowing and his jaw tensing, all while Ink's arm remains around me. But I don’t know why he’s angry when he’s doing the same with the other woman. I squash down the jealousy I feel and meet his gaze head on.
I won’t allow him to intimidate me.
There’s a silent conversation going on between the two men, and I can tell Ky is holding onto his last thread, the tension swirling around the two is cloying. But before he acts on any of it, Kick calls out Church.
Ink gives me a peck on the cheek, I know just to rile up Ky even further, and all the men file into a back room, slamming the door behind them.
Sipping on my now cold coffee, as my palms sweat, I wipe them down my jeans covered thighs. But I push through the panic attack threatening to overwhelm me, breathing deeply, my gaze taking in my little girl playing with the other kids milling around, knowing she’s okay is the only thing that calms me down. Just as someone sits next to me.
“Hey, why don’t we all make a day of it, and take Sera shopping for some new clothes?” Zoe calls out to the room full of women. The last thing I wanted to do was go shopping, but I know I need a whole new wardrobe.
I can’t keep wearing another woman’s clothes.
My eyes flit to the woman who had come in with Ky. She’s sitting quietly, not speaking to anyone, not even watching over her boy, which I find strange, but she seems to be just staring silently at me. I notice a look of hate on her face, which catches me off guard, because I’ve never met the woman, so why would she hate me?
The hatred in her eyes melts into an overly bright smile, her forced cheerfulness is unconvincing and her sweetness feels fake. I frown, not understanding where the hostility was coming from, but then it’s gone as quick as it came, leaving me wondering if I’d imagined it all.
I can’t help but wonder what her game is? Why do I feel as though she’s up to something? And then it comes rushing back to me where I’ve seen her and the boy before.
In a picture frame on Angelo’s desk.
What the ever-loving fuck is she playing at? I force my facial expression to remain neutral, hoping I don’t give myself away, since she’s still staring at me.
The realization that I’ve seen her before has thrown a spanner in the works for my attempts to stay away from Ky, I’ll have to go to him sooner rather than later to tell him what I know. Pinning a smile to my face, I hope I can pretend so that she doesn’t figure out I’ve remembered where I’ve seen her.
“Sounds good. I’m game if everyone else wants to go?” I turn to the woman, Mariah, who’s ingratiated herself in Ky’s and the club’s life again. But for what reason?
“What about you?” I ask, keeping up the pretense. “Mariah, is that right?” I smile apologetically.
“Yes,” she answers shortly. “Thanks for the invite, but Finn and I need to get home.”
“Home?” I ask, mentally kicking myself for the telling question.
“Yes, we’ve moved in with Ky, at his house,” she says with a look of satisfaction.
“I see. That’s nice of him,” I reply, still with a smile on my face, albeit a little tight. I refuse to let the jealousy I feel over what she revealed take over. Without another word, the other woman collected her son, and they walked out of the clubhouse.
“That was weird. Or is it just me?” I can’t help but ask, as the other women chuckle.
“No, it’s not just you. We feel it too.” Zoe replies.
Just as we were about to head out to Zoe’s SUV, the door to the meeting room swings open and Kick pokes his head out, motioning for Everleigh to come over. Apologizing, she tells us to go on ahead, and we reluctantly do.
Collecting all the children and for the first time in forever, I was taken to Walmart, dressed in jeans and a shirt that didn’t belong to me, where previously I wouldn’t be seen dead leaving the house until I was dressed to the nines.
The other women and I pile into two cars with a couple of prospects following us. Apparently, that’s the only way we were allowed to go anywhere. The kids in their booster seats, and I was shocked that they would have an extra booster seat for Willow already in Zoe’s car ready together with Bella, the baby she and Chains were looking after for Tiny, until he had gotten his act together.
It was a story that was heartbreaking for everyone involved.
We hit the shops like it was going out of fashion. For the next few hours, I let my mind wander to the best bits of my life in captivity with Angelo. I doubt I’d have survived had I not had Willow to keep me sane. I probably would’ve given up a long time ago.
After refueling with lunch at a charming cafe tucked away from the main road, we headed to our final destination—a boutique at the end of the street. That’s when I felt it—an odd sensation, like that of being followed. I tried to push the thought away, not wanting to ruin the day by dwelling on things. I’ve always had a habit of burying my head in the sand and ignoring what’s right in front of me. Not unlike today.
I had already purchased enough clothes for myself and Willow to refill both our wardrobes two times over. The last boutique we went to was a lingerie shop, filled with rows of delicate lace and silk. There, I purchased a few nice outfits, and in the back of my mind, I couldn’t help thinking whether Ky would like the style or color, but then chastised myself for my runaway thoughts.
I was just sliding into the jeans Everleigh had given me, when Mariah burst into the dressing room, holding a knife to my throat, warning me if I made to tell the other women anything, she would harm Willow. Well, I couldn’t have that, so I willingly went with her.
When she drags me through the back exit to her car, and I’d seen Willow inside, sleeping, my heart sank. I’d hoped my little girl wouldn’t be involved in any of this and she’d be safe with the women back at the clubhouse. It seems my little girl and I were alone. Again
The bitch then clocks me over the head once I was in the backseat with Willow, and my vision goes blurry, which means I had no idea where she was taking us. I try to keep my wits about me, but I feel myself falling more and more into darkness, no matter how hard I fought it. But the determination to keep my daughter safe was strong, and to get us both out of the situation we found ourselves in. Though the addition of my psychotic stepbrother, Angelo made things more difficult. Finally, the blackness overcomes me.