Chapter 17 #2
“Before we go in,” Heather said as she put the SUV in park.
“A couple of things. One, there are a hell of a lot of people in there and with that comes a lot of squabbles and bullshit. Ignore it. Stay close to us, and you won’t accidentally step in shit.
Two, Otto doesn’t have his own room so someone might tell you to find a corner to put your stuff.
If they do, tell them to fuck off, that you’re staying in Tommy’s room.
Alright? No way is my pregnant daughter-in-law sleeping on the fucking floor. ”
“I don’t have any stuff,” I replied quietly. I wasn’t going to tell anyone to fuck off. Ever.
“Honey, didn’t you see them pulling your stuff out of the house?
You and Otto have a couple of bags of clothes and who knows what else in the back.
” She pointed with her thumb to the back of the SUV.
“I can’t guarantee they got what you actually need, because they’re men, but they did grab some clothes. ”
“Oh.” I looked back but couldn’t see anything.
“Can’t guarantee they got anything that matches, but you won’t be naked.”
I followed her out of the car and both of us wrinkled our noses when Heather opened the back hatch.
“Don’t worry,” she said, reaching for a duffel bag. “We’ve got a couple of industrial washers and dryers in the back. We’ll get the smoke smell out.”
Otto reached us and grabbed my suitcase and another bag, ushering us toward the building.
It was even more chaotic inside. I’d thought that everyone from the club had shown up for our wedding, but there were easily twice as many people there for the lockdown.
Otto didn’t even pause to say hello to anyone as he strode toward the back hallway, with Heather and I following behind like a couple of ducklings.
Tommy and Heather’s room was as warm and inviting as the last time I’d been there, and without waiting for an invitation, I dropped onto the edge of the bed.
“You set?” Otto asked, putting his hand on my cheek. “I gotta go check in and see what’s happening.”
“We’re fine,” Heather said from across the room. “Go.”
“I’m good,” I confirmed.
With a kiss, he was gone.
“Oh, and number three,” Heather said dryly, looking at me over her shoulder. “Lockdowns are mind-numbingly boring. That’s probably why everyone starts sniping at each other.”
“This is some bullshit,” Otto’s aunt Rose announced as she came through the door. “I had shit to do today.”
“Well, Esther had a pipe bomb thrown through her front window,” Heather said in amusement. “So.”
“No shit?” Rose asked, looking at me. “You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“She also crashed the Mustang.”
“Otto’s baby?” Rose’s eyes widened as she laughed. “Okay, tell me everything.”
The door was wide open so women and children flowed in and out, visiting and making sure I was okay for the next half an hour.
Most of them I’d met, but there was a surprising amount that I hadn’t.
It didn’t matter. Every single one asked if we were alright and told me to let them know if they could help in any way.
“They’re a good group,” Heather said, sitting on the floor, her legs stretched out in front of her with her legs crossed at the ankles. Rhett was driving tiny motorcycles over her knees like they were ramps.
“None of them can actually do shit,” Otto’s cousin Charlie said wryly. “But we can. I’m sure Bishop has already talked to Otto about fixing the house. Don’t stress. He’ll make it a priority.”
“How’s business?” Heather asked.
“His or mine?” Charlie asked, smiling. “Both are phenomenal. People always need coffee and homes.”
I tuned them out and rubbed absentmindedly at my back. Now that I was relaxing on Heather’s bed, my muscles were beginning to protest from the little accident I’d been in. My lower back, shoulders, arms, and legs were all starting to ache.
While I was thankful for the warm welcome I’d gotten, I was really worried about Otto. There were many women and children inside the clubhouse, but I didn’t see any of the men. I had a very strong suspicion that staying safe inside the gates didn’t apply to everyone.
About forty minutes after Otto left, he was back with his dad and brothers. As the family crowded into the little room, each man went to their spouse.
“Headin’ out, baby,” he told me, cupping my face as he gently rubbed his thumb over my bottom lip. I slid my hands beneath his leather, gripping his sweatshirt in both fists.
“Where are you going?”
“To make sure that from now on you and baby are safe.”
“All of you?” I asked quietly, looking at each of the men, their faces close as they spoke quietly to their women.
“There’ll be some that stay behind,” Otto assured me. “They’ll make sure you guys are covered here.”
“You’re going to find my dad?” I knew the answer before I spoke, but I still needed verification.
I could see the indecision in Otto’s eyes clearly and I wondered if he’d actually lie to me before he finally nodded.
“Please be careful.” I took in the soot on his cheeks that he’d missed when he cleaned up, the strong jaw, the lips that looked firm but were so soft when he kissed me.
It had only been weeks since we’d found each other again, but I couldn’t imagine life without him anymore. How in the world had that happened?
“I’ll be home soon,” he promised. “Hang with my mom. Get somethin’ to eat. Take a nap. Maybe I’ll crawl in with you when I get back.”
He leaned forward and kissed me carefully, setting his hand on my belly for just a moment.
“I love you,” I murmured against his lips.
“I love you, too,” he whispered back, pressing his forehead against mine. “Be back soon.” He rose to his feet.
All the men were moving away from their families, and my stomach twisted with fear. No one else seemed scared. My sisters-in-law were stoic. Heather was already playing with Rhett again.
“Otto,” I called when he’d almost reached the door.
“What’s up?”
I knew it wasn’t fair. I knew that whatever he was doing was dangerous. I was embarrassed and ashamed, but I couldn’t hold back the words. “Don’t kill my dad.”
Otto held my eyes for a moment before nodding.
Then they were gone, and I thought my heart would beat out of my chest as I focused on breathing. I held myself as still as possible, an old trick I used as a child to keep myself from crying. The memory of my dad’s voice asking if I wanted him to give me something to cry about ringing in my ears.
The room was quiet except for Rhett’s motorcycle noise, and that’s when I realized that Nova and Emilia weren’t as unbothered as I’d originally thought.
“No use running it over and over in your mind,” Heather announced, closing her eyes as she rested her head against the wall. “It doesn’t help. Just makes you crazy.”
“Does it ever get easier?” Emilia asked with a huff.
“No,” Nova and Heather responded at the same time.
“Oh, yeah,” Emilia said, looking at Nova. “You grew up in the club, didn’t you?”
Nova nodded and cleared her throat. “Yeah.”
“Samson was a good man for a lot of years,” Heather said, opening her eyes to smile softly at Nova. She closed them again. “Watched Tommy’s back more than a few times.”
There was a story there, but I’d never ask what it was. I wouldn’t ever be the person that made Nova look like she did then—like she’d swallowed glass.
“So, how about a little family history for Esther,” Heather said, blindly reaching out to run her hand over Rhett’s hair. “Emilia, you go first. Tell her how you and Micky got together.”
Emilia snorted.
“The PG version, please.”
“I think we should start even earlier,” Emilia argued. “How did you and Tommy get together?”
Heather grinned. “That’s easy. I was best friends with his baby brother.”
“The original Micky,” Emilia told me and Nova with a smile.
“The original,” Heather mused. “Let’s just call him the older one, yeah? My baby’s an original, too.”
“That’s how you two got together?” Nova asked, getting comfortable against a bag tucked into the corner of a room. “Because of Uncle Micky?”
“Well, actually,” Heather replied with a chuckle. “Tommy hated me after we lost Micky. It really started years later during a lockdown.”
I couldn’t help but grin as Nova and Emilia oohed and ahhed.
“Hey, No,” Nova’s brother Bird interrupted, skidding to a stop in the doorway with Myla behind him. “Have you seen Titus? We can’t find him anywhere.”
Heather’s eyes popped open, and her head shot forward away from the wall.
“What do you mean?”
“We can’t find him,” Bird repeated.
“Is his car outside?” Heather asked, gently but quickly moving Rhett away so she could stand up.
“No,” Bird replied, looking at each of us. “We thought he rode with you or something.”
“Fuck,” Heather barked, hurrying out of the room as she pulled her phone out of her pocket.
“He was with you guys, right?” Emilia asked as she got to her feet and lifted Rhett into her arms.
“He was at the house,” I confirmed, standing.
“Come on, we’ll find him.” Nova ushered Bird into the hallway.
“He said Noel didn’t show up for school.”
“What?” Emilia asked, pausing on her way out the door.
“My little sister,” I clarified, my stomach sinking. “He was worried. He told me that she never showed up at school today.”
“Shit.” Emilia’s eyes closed as she took a deep breath. “Come on, we need to go tell Heather.”