Chapter 13 Brunch With Satan
Nell
According to my phone it was after eleven o’clock.
Rick wasn’t in bed with me, and judging by the absolute quiet, my guess was that he had already taken off to handle whatever the hell it was he did around here.
I assumed that being the vice president meant he was a busy man.
It was obvious when we rode in the day before that the club had a few busy businesses.
When I got up to get myself together, I realized there were a few issues I’d have to rectify.
One of those things was a lack of hygiene items. The stuff I left behind in my old place couldn’t be trusted, so I hadn’t brought anything with me.
That left me brushing my teeth with my finger.
The other issue was my lack of clothing.
Thankfully, Rick had brought my bag in at some point. There was a note on top of it.
Hey sweetheart,
It’s been a rough few days and I wanted you to sleep in and get some rest. I have church this morning with the officers and members. By the time we’re done, they will all be fully aware of who you are to me and we’ll have a plan to go get your studio moved and deal with Johnny Fucking Culver.
Plenty of food in the kitchen, help yourself to anything you want. If anyone gives you trouble, come interrupt my meeting.
Your husband,
Rick
I tossed on a pair of leggings, a tank top, and one of Rick’s Kings of Anarchy hoodies because I wasn’t sure how chilly the rest of the clubhouse would be.
After the previous night, I couldn’t deal with being cold and feeling out of place again.
Unfortunately, my stomach wouldn’t stop rumbling and I realized I hadn’t had anything to eat since breakfast the day before.
A road trip on a motorcycle was not the same as one in a car.
It was kind of hard to stuff your face full of snacks when they were tucked away in a saddlebag (if you had them) and you were wearing a full face helmet or eating bugs when you lifted the visor.
I made my way to the kitchen and poked around a bit before settling on a yogurt that was about two days away from being expired, a banana that might have been a tad too ripe, and a cup of coffee.
Rather than take it back to the room, I plopped down in a seat at an empty table in the kitchen area.
There were several there along one wall.
I took one in the corner so I could watch the doors.
There was one leading back to the common area, the way I had entered, and another, larger door that led outside.
Another one, that appeared to be a pantry, was in the middle of the long wall that led between the other two doors.
All the cabinetry, appliances, and sink were on the opposite wall.
There was no one in the space when I got there, so I figured I might be able to eat in peace.
That peace did not last long.
Roxy and her mother strolled in a few minutes after I got settled.
My appetite took a nosedive but I refused to scurry off like a scared mouse.
I was welcome here. Baffle was the vice president and my husband.
That had to mean something even if these women tried to make it sound as if it didn’t.
Based on what Brady said when he stood up for me the night before, there was a hierarchy and I was near the top, just under the club members and officers.
I kind of knew that from TV, too, but I didn’t want to count on that knowledge since Rick told me each club ran things differently.
The women eyed me when they entered the kitchen and walked right past without saying a word.
I hoped that my luck held out and that continued, or better yet, that they were on their way out the side door.
When they reached for mugs and poured themselves some coffee, I knew I wasn’t that lucky.
The women sauntered over and made themselves comfortable two tables away from where I sat.
Just as I was about to choke down my banana and make a quiet exit, the side door opened and Crutch came through with his wife hot on his heels and two little boys trailing behind them.
Based on what I’d seen and heard at the wedding the night before, I knew they were Bigfoot’s son, Hawk, and Sammy’s little brother, Ryan.
While I wasn’t exactly comfortable with the addition of the other woman who had harassed me, I figured maybe they would stick to themselves and leave me alone since there were children in the room.
The boys asked for pancakes and Tilly immediately got busy making them.
Crutch came over to have a seat at the same table I occupied.
“I thought all the men had a meeting this morning?” I asked him just to make small talk and also because I was curious if Rick would show up or go looking for me.
“They do but Baffle filled me in early so I could be here,” Crutch explained as he tapped the table then glanced at his wife. “To help with the boys,” he tacked on without looking at me.
I didn’t believe that for a minute. He might have been helping out with the boys, but that wasn’t why my husband sent him out of the meeting early.
I wondered if it had been a wise choice to send the husband of the woman who had given me a hard time, though.
That seemed counterproductive and quite frankly made me nervous.
“It’s crazy that she thinks she can question a club brother, the former president no less, about his whereabouts,” Roxy faux whispered to her mother loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Nell isn’t asking for club secrets. She was curious and probably wondering if her husband was finished with church yet,” Crutch explained with far more patience than I would have had.
“He shouldn’t be much longer,” he said as he turned his attention back to me.
I wondered why he was being so nice when his wife had been awful to me so far, but I didn’t get the chance to ask that question before he turned around to the table Roxy and Lila occupied.
“You ladies should hit the road since you’re not here to eat. ”
“You’re kicking us out?” Lila scoffed.
“Nope. I think it’s for the best today unless you have something to say to Nell.” The way his gaze laser-focused in on them, it was like he dared them to address me, even though he just gave them the opening they needed to do their worst.
“Said all I needed to her last night and nothing’s changed,” Lila chimed in with a roll of her eyes.
“What Mom said,” Roxy agreed.
“Then it’s time for you to go.” Crutch turned back around as if his word was law and he had more important shit to focus on.
“I’m an ol’ lady and have every right to be here. Roxy is Punchy’s daughter, so she does, too.”
Roxy flinched as her mother spoke and I wondered what that was about. As luck would have it, I didn’t have to wait to find out because Crutch had zero compunction about telling Lila how things really were.
“Punchy revoked any claim on Roxy last night and again this morning in church, so all the brothers know it’s been done.”
“What?” Lila hissed as her head snapped back-and-forth between the former club president and her daughter.
“She can’t be here unless it is a day open to the public or she’s a guest for a specific event that isn’t closed to club members and family.”
“I invite-” Lila started to say before Crutch cut her off.
“By a member,” the man finished before Lila could get a word in edgewise.
“Come on, Mom. Let’s go and I’ll explain.
” Roxy’s defeated voice may have made me feel bad for her if I didn’t know what she had done to trick my husband into sleeping with her in the past. Granted, he wasn’t my anything when it happened.
Considering he saved me from an assault, I felt the need to protect him - even from having something that already happened in the past constantly dredged up.
As the women made their way out of the clubhouse’s kitchen, my attention shifted to my yogurt, so I missed whatever prompted Crutch to speak.
“One more misstep and being Punchy’s ol’ lady won’t give you any privileges here either. Go home, Lila.”
My eyes drifted to Tilly who remained unusually quiet while her husband kicked the woman, who I assumed was her best friend, out of the clubhouse. Once the two women were gone, Tilly plated the boys’ food and then brought her tea over and sat directly across from me.
“I wanted to apologize for my behavior. I was woefully misinformed about a few things.” She sniffed and I looked up to see tears in her eyes.
“You know what she did now?” I questioned.
Tilly seemed shocked that I knew. “Do not behave like this in front of him. There is a reason he didn’t want anyone else to know when it happened.
” My warning came out a bit more fiercely than I intended, but maybe that was necessary to get my point across.
Crutch chuckled while Tilly looked at me like I was a puzzle that she was missing crucial pieces to solve.
“It’s okay, honey. You can dial it back. Baffle is spilling the beans to all the members today.”
“No! Why?”
“For you,” he said with a slight shrug of his shoulders as if it wasn’t that big of a deal.
“I don’t want that. It has nothing to do with me.” I glanced around frantically searching for where their meeting room might be, but I knew none of the doors in the kitchen would take me directly there. “Where are they?” I finally asked as my eyes came back to meet Crutch’s amused ones.