CHAPTER TWELVE
-:- MAV -:-
Friday afternoon and I’ve gotten myself a date with the lovely Blake. I left her with her mouth hanging open in shock, but no way am I stupid enough to leave her swinging in the wind with unattached brothers in the MC.
I have a few things to get done today as I’m working the door at TJs tonight. Colton is along with me, but I want to speak to Garth about helping on door duty. He is bored as shit working at the Swap Shop, and nothing much is happening there apart from women walking in and out exchanging or buying stuff.
I’m going to get him into the club as a brother, given time. He’s a great man, and prior military, so an excellent addition to the fold. His wife, Hannah, is a real help at the shop. She works hard although she only works three days a week.
Sentry owns 51% of the shop, and we’ve left him to his own devices as the club owns 39%, and Paisley as a silent partner 10%. It’s worked out well, but I don’t think Garth needs to be standing at the door when I can get him working with us on doors at Club Whisky and TJs, which will earn him more cash. I’m going to visit the shop and speak to him as soon as I get the chance. I’ll need to clear it with Sentry too or I’ll be in trouble for stealing his staff member.
Walking into the playroom, I close the door behind me and give Sybil, Amelia, and Bitty a conspiratorial look. “Okay, tell me all you know about Blake and you don’t need to fill me in on the Yax thing because I know she’s in a house Blake owns. I just don’t know why.”
Bitty gives me a firm look before she speaks. “Blake is a widow. Her husband died in a vehicle accident, but he had what he thought was a son with Yax. He hasn’t, as the son is not his. I had our boy Specs dig and find out if the DNA report was true or not, and surprise me pink, it was not true. So, we are getting rid of Yax, her man and sadly the boy, Franklin. You know most of this, Mav.”
“Yeah, now is Blake seeing anyone? Does she live on her own? Is she naturally accident-prone?”
“Wow…hang fire, Mav,” Amelia gives me a questioning look. “Are you after seeing Blake, like you know, romantically? Because if you are, then you need to get permission from Bitty. She is her mother now, after all.”
“I don’t know about permission, but I’m taking her out on Saturday night to Club Whisky. We are gonna have a meal and I’m going to find out about her. I won’t rush her. I need to know if she has anyone sniffing around, and if she has anything that I need to be aware of.” I’m doing my best to find out all I can so I don’t put my big foot in my mouth at any time.
“Not that I know of, Mav. She is working two jobs. One at the Coffee House, and one for Heather’s cleaning company. She’s a hard worker, has been paying debts she shouldn’t have been, and I’m sure she has been struggling alone.” Bitty sniffs as she shows disgust when she states the last part.
“Okay, so nobody I have to persuade to leave her alone then? That’s good.”
“You treat her right or you’ll have all three of us to answer to.” Amelia taps her cane on the floor, which I’m sure is to make a point.
“Of course I’ll treat her right. Come on, Amelia, since when did I not treat a woman right? Fuck’s sake…” I’m not happy at her comment, but realize I’d cursed when I hear, ‘Fu’s ake.’ Goddammit, I forgot the twins were in here.
The door opens and Mia steps inside, gives me a wide smile, which I return as I quickly slide past her and scoot out, making my escape because I know Hunter is going to drop me right in it.
“Momma, uk’s ake,” I hear as I rush away from the playroom, but I see Axel standing in front of me with his arms folded across his chest. But it’s the shit-eating grin on his face that tells me I’m safe from a tongue-lashing about cursing in front of the boys.
“MAV!”
“You best get to your business, Mav, you know, before Mia catches up with you. I think Meat needs a hand with his extension on the treehouse.” Axel is loving the fact we are all getting into Mia’s bad books of late. I know it’s that she leaves him alone when she is cursing us out. Which is rather hypercritical, but I’m not stupid enough to tell her that.
Walking through the kitchen and outside, I make my way over to the treehouse, where Meat is standing on his walkaround in a roman centurion’s outfit. But the icing if you like, is Star next to him wearing a cherry red stola over a cream tunic. She has a wig on and jewelry that has her looking damn authentic for the period.
“You need any help today, Meat?” I shout to him, although I can see the trap door is closed, which is him telling everyone he’s not available. Looking down at me, he frowns, grabs Star around her waist and pushes her into the treehouse, slamming the door behind him. Effectively telling me to fuck off. I sigh and make my way back to the clubhouse, where I dodge Mia and the Three Stooges in the kitchen.
BS grabs my arm and drags me into his office as I was passing to go to my room. “I need you to come with me to check out an empty shop. The one at the end of the main street. One of my contacts has seen someone going in and out. I’ve spoken to Wings, Knuckles and Colton. We can sneak over there tonight once it gets dark and take a look. You in or not?”
“I’m in. What about getting Graham in on the action? He’s bored as fuck at the moment.”
“Get me involved in what? You’re right, I’m bored. Nell has everything wrapped up nicely, and apart from working on the property to keep it tidy, we’ve nothing going on. So, whatever is going on, I’m in,” Graham states clearly. Where he appeared from I don’t know, but he seems to come around here quite a lot of late.
“What are you doing here again?” BS asks, and we both watch the smirk grow on Graham’s face.
“I came to fill Axel in on Nell’s date, and the fact Vincenzo is chasing Nell even harder than normal. He’s invited her to one of his mafia events, and from what one of his men tells me, if she goes, it’s Vincenzo's way of saying she’s his woman to his men. I know Nell has no idea at the moment, but I want to be a fly on the wall if she agrees, then finds out this shit.”
BS and I look at each other, then at Graham, who can’t hold back the laughter and throws his head back, laughing loudly. I don’t hold back my smirk because I’ve got to agree I’d like to be a fly on the wall, too.
Feeling my phone vibrate, I take it out of my back jeans pocket and see it’s a message from Chaos.
Chaos: Not going on a ride this weekend. I’m helping Winter set up a new range out back of the property.
Mav: OK. No problem.
Chaos: Another time, Mav. Any news on the fight?
Mav: No, I’ll catch up with Colton and let you know.
Chaos: OK.
Putting my phone back in my jeans pocket, I turn to BS and Graham. “I’ve got to go as I am working out with a couple of the brothers. See you later, Graham.” I give them both a chin lift and quickly make my way outside.
I give a hand to Drag and Buzz after leaving BS and Graham, who are working on a new workout routine. Being the one who’s taking the hits from these two is never fun, but it teaches me a few tactical moves ready for the fight coming up. If it happens!
These two can fight and they keep each other sharp. I’ve seen Chaos, Wings and Target working out with them, too. They all are fast and fierce, not giving a quarter to each other.
“You ready for this fight thing if it comes off, Mav?” Buzz asks, and I give him a chin lift as I respond.
“Yeah, we all are ready, and I’ll tell you I’m more than happy to not have Colton as a bona fide manager, ‘cause shit, he’s a mean one.” I chuckle as I think of the last session we had where Colton was giving Wings shit about moving faster.
“I wish I’d put my name down now. I could do with a good fight. Nothing much going on around here these days. I’m not complaining about it as such, it’s just boring. I’ve spoken to Reuse about helping at the tattoo shop now and again. I need an outlet because with the club being at peace, I’m bored following Axel around all day. He’s in his office a lot of the day, checking on the officers’ reports.”
Drag surprises me with his comment because I had no idea he went to the tattoo shop. I know he gets along with Reuse and Hashtag well, but not sure about the woman called Siggy as I’ve not been to the shop since it opened.
“What can you do at the tattoo shop, Drag?” Buzz asks.
“I can stand on the desk, use a broom, whatever is needed. I can watch some of the women coming in and out, too.” Now, he has a huge grin on his face saying the last, and I’m sure he’s found himself a few women for a one-nighter that way.
Buzz looks at me and I shake my head grinning, but know better than to comment, but I chuckle more to myself than anyone else, as I make my way back to the clubhouse kitchen where I’ll grab a bottle of water to take with me to my room. It’s time to shower and change after that workout. It doesn’t take me long before I’m back downstairs and heading into the kitchen to drop my empty water bottle in the recycle bin that Reuse had positioned in the kitchen.
“Mav, I’m going over to Nell’s. Can you come with me? I’m leaving the twins and Summer with Jo and Sybil. I don’t want to stay long but I need to get out of here for a while.” Mia asks, giving me fluttering eyelashes, which I admit has me chuckling.
“Okay, let me drop this bottle and then I’ll get the truck keys. Meet me out front.” Turning, I head to PT’s office to grab the truck keys.
Once I have the keys, I walk through the kitchen, drop off the bottle and head outside to where Mia is waiting at the truck. Axel is standing with her. Well, he has her pinned to the side of the truck and looks like he’s getting rather frisky, much to my amusement and Mia’s displeasure.
“Axel, get off. I’m going out for an hour to Nell’s. Mav is driving, so I’m not on my own. I’ll be safe. Now get off…”
Axel is smirking, knowing full-well that he’s annoying Mia on purpose. He has this knack of getting her angry, then whisking her upstairs or to their house on the compound, where he soothes her down again. We all know how that soothing goes, and how Summer came to be.
Once Mia had freed herself from Axel, we quickly make our way to Nell’s. All the while, I’m hearing Mia mumble under her breath about Axel being an arsehole, an idiot, a sex maniac, and other hot and angry comments.
Deciding to divert Mia’s attention, I ask, “Have you heard anything from Shar lately?”
“No. But the last time I was talking to her, she was thinking about traveling. Maybe travel around Europe, visit the UK, and even Australia. She’s worked hard, but she’s ready to move on. I know she’s restless and trying to find where she belongs. She knows she can come to us anytime she wants, but I don’t think she will.” Mia sounds a little on the sad side, but knowing Shar, she’ll bounce wherever she lands,
“I thought she was going to get with Hammer, but it didn’t work out. She’ll be okay Mia. She’s a strong woman and a survivor.”
“I know.”
I let the subject drop, and arriving at Nell’s, I watch Mia become animated as she enters the kitchen, and takes a seat, throwing one question after another at Nell. I sit back and rest my head on the wall, making sure my seat is opposite Mia, so she doesn’t feel I’m on guard.
I close myself off to their gossip until I hear Vincenzo’s name mentioned, then I have to admit my hearing takes a turn for the better.
“Well, he’s a dick, and I know he’s a powerful man being fit physically, but it’s mentally I’m talking about. He controls all his men without hardly trying. They respect him and what he is doing for them all. You know he’s cleaned up and got rid of a lot, and I mean a lot of evil men and a few evil women. My gators never ate so well.” Nell places a rack of muffins onto the table that she’s obviously made earlier. I don’t wait to be asked if I want one. I grab one and take a massive bite.
“Damn good, Nell.” I hum as I finish this one and grab another. I close off to the rest of the gossip until Mark Milana's name is mentioned. Then my ears really do prick up.
“I’ve heard this asshole is selling drugs that are used for date rape, and I’ve had two or three men here, you know, for interrogation. It seems that this Mark is trying to get into the fight scene, but also wants to get into trafficking. He wants to be a billionaire…yeah, you heard, not a millionaire, but a billionaire…!” Nell sounds exasperated.
“I’ll speak to Axel. We can’t allow this and if you hear anything let me know, and I’ll do the same.” Mia is looking like she’s found a new hobby, and I’m not sure any of us want her to get too involved with Nell, interrogations or the gators!
I’m going to have to watch Mia, and if I need to, I will inform Pres, and I’m sure Mia isn’t going to be happy with me when she finds out I’ve informed on her. Oh, happy days!