15. Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Fifteen
“So, how’s the settling in going?” Cecilia asks as she applies a fresh coat of nail polish to my fingernails. After a long week, this is exactly the kind of relaxation I need.
“It’s going… okay.” I hesitate. “There have been some hiccups.”
“Like?”
“Like Lucie. She can’t stand me all because of some petty shit from high school, and it’s causing tension.”
“Lucie has always been protective of Big Daddy. It’s not your place to change that, Gwyn.” Cecilia’s voice is calm and soothing.
“Yeah, but I’m not trying to take her father figure from her. I want peace in the house I live in.” What I don’t tell her is that she pulled a knife on Ophelia the other day. She’s crazy and all this stress is making my man more grumpy than usual. We’ve barely touched each other all week. By the time we go to bed, he’s too exhausted, either mentally or physically, to give me much attention.
I know he has a lot of responsibility resting on his shoulders and I knew what I was getting into with him. I just didn’t expect it to always be so much drama and everyone always up our asses wanting or needing something.
“Well, you can’t control how others act. You can only control how you respond.”
“I guess.” I sigh heavily and stare at my freshly painted nails. The friction in the house is starting to wear on me. I tried to laugh the behavior off, but the chick is certifiable and scares me a little.
“How’s Daisy?”
I hate I can’t tell Cecilia what really goes on at the clubhouse. I can’t even fully talk to her about Daisy either. Sure, she was there and did her hair, but she didn’t know the full extent of why. Hell, I don’t even know the complete backstory myself.
“She’s doing good. Moving into an apartment soon. I’m just stressed by everything. It’s a lot to take in.”
“Hey, don’t let it get to you. You want to be with him, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I do.” My cell buzzes and I see my man’s name flashing across my screen. He rarely calls me unless it’s important. “Hey.”
“Babe, I’m sending one of my guys to follow you home. We’ve gotta go on lockdown around here.”
My mouth opens, then closes. A million unspoken questions hang on my tongue, but I don’t voice them.
“All right.” I know better than to question him or argue about it.
“See you soon.”
I tuck my phone back into my purse and start cleaning up the mess from Cecilia doing my nails. I know she has another client coming in soon.
“What’s going on?” Cecilia questions, reading my worried expression.
“I’ve got to head home.”
“Is everything okay?”
“You know how it is. Club business.”
“Well, go on then.” She waves me off, not understanding that something serious is going down and I want to keep it that way. I don’t know the exact details, but I know from piecing together conversations from around the house that Hero fucked up a big deal. One that involves Ophelia and her dad and his murder.
Everything will be fine. The last time my man called me for something like this, I was freaked the hell out and all it was really was sitting at Big Daddy’s house with other wives and girlfriends and their children while the men stood on alert.
This time will be no different, I’m certain. I hitch my bag up on my shoulder and shoot Cecilia with another smile as she watches me climb into my car from the front door. As soon as I slide my key into the ignition, a motorcycle across the street fires up and follows close behind me the second I’m on the road. My man doesn’t play around with my safety, but sometimes it’s overbearing.
My heart pounds in my chest as I drive toward the clubhouse with more thoughts than I can fully process streaming through my mind. Did someone make a threat against the club, or is it merely a precaution? Does this have anything to do with the people who hurt Daisy, or is this about the stuff with Ophelia and Hero? Did Lucie go and do something stupid? Or did Sissy get into trouble?
I pull up to the gate and chew at my lip while waiting to be allowed through. Kidd is getting the bikes by the garage ready and everyone is on the move.
Big Daddy is waiting to greet me as soon as I’m out of my car. “Get inside, baby.” He shuffles me through the door while scanning the perimeter.
Whatever this is, it’s serious. The energy buzzing around us is intense.
“I’ve got a meeting tonight. It’s going to take some time. I won’t be back until late. Maybe not until tomorrow, depending on how shit lands. Kidd will be here in the house with you, Ophelia, Lucie, and Sissy. There’ll be other guys watching the gate, doing perimeter checks.”
“Where’s everyone else?”
“Sent them to one of my other properties. Don’t worry. Everyone is safe. You and the girls can have some drinks and gossip. And maybe while you’re at it, you can smooth the shit out between Lucie and Ophelia.”
“I appreciate your faith in me, but don’t count on that happening anytime soon. That will take a miracle.” Big Daddy told me last night that Ophelia’s father was murdered. I wanted to take her with me to get her nails done by Cecilia as a distraction, but she had to go speak to a detective about what happened. Not that Hero has let her out of his sight since he showed up with her. I can’t blame him, though. Lucie will go after her again the first chance she gets.
This is going to be a disaster.
The men have all been gone for hours and if I don’t leave this room soon, I’m going to lose my mind. There’s only so much of Lucie mean mugging Ophelia and me I can take before I say something that could make her snap.
I look around the room, wondering if there are any weapons or if the psychotic bitch is armed. I wouldn’t put anything past her.
“They hate me.” Ophelia glances toward Lucie and Sissy where they’ve been huddled together for the past thirty minutes, plotting who knows what.
“They’ll come around,” I tell her, giving her hand a squeeze before I suck down the dregs of my cocktail. I’m not drunk enough yet. “You’re the first woman to get between them and Hero. They aren’t used to the word no.” I laugh and shake my empty glass at Kidd. I’m in desperate need of a refill. “Are you sure you don’t want a shot or something? I know the waiting is hard and nerve-wracking. You’ll get used to it, eventually.”
“Does this sort of thing happen often?” Ophelia fidgets in her seat, twisting her fingers into knots.
“There’s nothing more precious to a biker than protecting what’s his.”
“I mean the danger. Turf wars. Lockdown. All this life or death.”
Kidd slides my drink onto the table, and I take a long sip before I answer. The only way I’m surviving this night is with copious amounts of liquor. “I heard about your dad. That’s gotta royally suck donkey balls, but I’ve never seen Hero look at anyone the way he does you.”
“Like he wants to choke me?” She smiles to herself, thinking about the way he looks at her.
“I mean maybe, but to me. All I see is a man who will burn the world down if anyone so much as glances at you funny.”
She picks at the umbrella in my empty glass, lost in her own thoughts. I shouldn’t have brought up her father. I’ve probably made her sad again. I’ve never had a lot of friends outside of Cecilia. I’m not good at making small talk.
Shit. Lucie and Sissy are on the move and heading in our direction. “Ooh, heads up. Two spoiled bitches’ incoming,” I warn.
Nothing good is about to happen. I thought I was making progress with Sissy, but the moment she gets with Lucie, she goes straight back to brat mode.
“Must be hard sitting here knowing that the man you’re fucking ordered the hit on your father,” Lucie says, poking a finger into Ophelia’s chest.
The two of them bicker back and forth as I slide out of my chair and move toward the bar. “You need to do something,” I tell Kidd.
“They need to fight it out now. Lucie needs put in her place, and Ophelia has plenty to prove.”
“I find the two of you pathetic. Though Sissy’s a teenage girl. What’s your excuse, Lucie? Hero told me all about your little problem. Maybe you’ll get the therapy you need in rehab,” Ophelia says full of piss and vinegar.
“He told you,” Lucie screams like a banshee and wraps her hands around Ophelia’s throat. Sissy jumps into the pile and the three of them are rolling around on the floor. Fists flying, legs kicking, pulling hair.
Kidd is enjoying this way too much and I’m afraid one of them is going to get hurt and it’ll be my ass Big Daddy tans for not stopping it. I grab one of the sprayers from behind the bar, hoping it will reach them when I aim.
“Give me a knife, Kidd. Hero won’t think she’s so damn pretty to look at once I fuck up her face,” Lucie yells as I spray her in the face.
“That’s enough.” I yell at all of them.
Kidd finally gets off his ass and yanks Lucie up off Ophelia by grabbing her under her arms.
“Your days are numbered, you dumb cunt,” she spits her venom at me, but she’s done bullying everyone. I don’t care if she kicks my ass next. This can’t continue. I’m tired of walking on eggshells around her.
“What the fuck is going on?” Big Daddy charges into the room with Hero, the two of them taking in the chaotic scene that’s been unfolding.
The sight of man has all the tension leaving my body.