Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
FREAK
I’ve never been so relieved to see anyone in my life.
Although I’d had my suspicions about the ex-Secret Service agent when she’d arrived here, she’d begrudgingly earned my respect due to her concern about Ace and her desire to teach him how to exercise his skills yet stay safe.
She’d gone from the number one person on my hit list to someone I could appreciate.
And right now, her background and experience will surely serve to help me out.
Especially as I’m doubting myself. Toni’s interacting with my brothers, and far from running when she saw the interior of our clubhouse, she’s relaxed. And here I am, getting fucking jealous, seeing admiring looks pointed her way.
It must be some leftover reaction from when I regarded Josie as mine. If I claim someone, I don’t share. My brain must be fucked and I’m mixing the two twins up, because I’ve only known Toni a few hours, yet here I am, feeling possessive about her.
It took less time to get hooked by her sister. Only minutes, and I knew I wanted her in my bed. To be honest, if Toni showed any inclination, I doubt I’d hesitate to get her horizontal. Perhaps they give off a unique pheromone, some kind of natural aphrodisiac?
Pippa’s carrying the coffee cup while wearing a sling holding her baby daughter. She passes the drink to Toni.
Toni takes it, but gives a delighted gasp as she leans forward. “Oh, he’s, she’s, so tiny. How old?”
Not a sign of the Secret Service agent is in sight when Pippa visibly melts. “Jade is not quite a month old.”
“She’s so cute,” Toni gushes.
“She is when she’s asleep,” Pippa retorts, but her softened features belie her tone. “She’s quiet when she’s feeding, or when she’s being held. But put her down for a moment, and the whole world knows about it.”
“Fuckin’ word.” Rattler snorts.
Pippa shoves him so hard he’d have fallen off his stool if he hadn’t caught hold of the bar at the last moment. Then, as calmly as if she hadn’t just pulled off one of her ninja moves, she introduces herself. “I’m Pippa. I’m married to Saint.”
Recovering from her obvious shock at how the other woman had handled Rat, Toni reciprocates, “Toni. I’m Ace’s aunt.”
Pippa’s eyes widen, and she acts as if she hadn’t spent an hour investigating her. “No way. I didn’t know he had any relatives. Are you an aunt on Freak’s side, or…”
“Ace’s mom was my twin sister.” She sighs, and then obviously decides Pippa’s someone she can confide in.
“Our parents had a bad divorce when we were just a few months old. Dad took me, Mom took Josie. I never even knew I had a sister until my dad was on his deathbed and admitted everything. I went searching for her, only to find she had died. I did a DNA test to see if I could find any other relations.” She turns to smile at my son.
“I found Ace.” She shrugs. “So here I am.”
I’m watching Pippa carefully, but she’s got her poker face on. If she’s found any holes in Toni’s story, I’ll have to catch up with her later to discover her thoughts.
Then she asks the question that I hadn’t really thought about up to now. “How did you find out where to find Freak?”
Toni looks first at her, then at me. “Duh,” she starts. “Ace told me.”
“I’ll give you the tour,” Ace hurriedly states, as if sensing he’s in for another lecture. His hand rises with the intention to take her arm.
“Give her a moment to drink her coffee,” I remonstrate with my son, tossing him a glare that conveys we’ll be talking more about this later.
The Kings of Anarchy don’t take well to their locations being shared casually with strangers.
Then to the woman of the hour, I suggest, “Why don’t you sit down for a moment?
” To encourage her, I pull out a chair and wave toward it, then kick out the one next to it and sit down myself.
She accepts the invitation, placing the obviously still hot coffee on the table. “This place keeps surprising me. It’s all so clean, and the furniture looks new.”
Leaving out the reason for the necessity – she doesn’t need to know an enemy club caused one fuck of a lot of damage, it doesn’t just look new, it actually is – I keep it simple. “It was redecorated a few months back, and we took the opportunity to get new furniture.”
Uninvited, though very welcome, Pippa takes the seat beside her, leaving Ace to take the one opposite. He’s wearing an expression that’s not hard to decipher. He’s bored and wants his aunt to himself.
“So where do you live?” Pippa asks conversationally.
“Flagstaff.”
Nodding sagely at the answer, Saint’s old lady asks, “So how long are you staying in town?”
Toni grimaces. “I took a week’s vacation, and this is day two. I’ll need to get back if I want to keep my job.”
“What do you do?” Having asked the question to which the answer will allow her to dive deeper into her background, Pippa casually looks down and coos to her baby. Fuck she’s good.
“I’m a librarian.”
I’m smiling, already knowing that answer.
Idly, I wonder whether she’s got a pair of glasses, and the thought flits through my mind of what she’d look like naked, wearing only them as she bobs up and down on my cock.
Would her boobs bounce like Josie’s? Or are they fake?
Just how similar are identical twins? Would her pussy feel the same?
With a start, I realise that while I’ve been lost in my highly inappropriate thoughts, Pippa and Toni are still talking, and even Ace is joining in.
Trouble is, I’ve completely lost the thread of what they’re discussing.
If it wouldn’t draw attention, I’d slap myself around the head.
I’m supposed to be sussing out whether she’s for real or if she’s here with an ulterior motive, not imagining her in my bed.
She’s been sipping her coffee, but now it’s gone.
“Can I show Aunt Toni around the compound now?” Having noticed the empty cup, Ace requests, adding fast, “I know church and the offices are out of bounds.”
“Church?” Toni’s brows rise. She looks first at me questioningly, then glances at my brothers, who, now that she draws my attention to them, are still standing at the bar, trying to look disinterested.
Though Stalker, in particular, keeps giving sideways glances at her.
When I get the chance, I’ll have to remind him that she’s hands off.
Only because she’s Ace’s aunt, of course, and to make a move on her would be a mark of disrespect.
Then, I wonder whether I’m going to be telling him, or if it’s a reminder to myself.
Ace, laughing, is already answering her question. “They’re not religious. It’s where they hold their secret meetings.”
“Not secret.” I chuckle. “It’s where we discuss club business, with only the patched-in members allowed.”
“Secret,” Ace repeats in a stage whisper, with a knowing look toward his aunt.
“Very hush hush.” Pippa grins, giving me an amused glance.
Fed up with adult conversation, Ace stands. “Come on, Aunt Toni. I’ll show you around.”
As she stands, I shoot a look toward Pippa, who almost imperceptibly gives me a little nod. I translate that as no red flags have been raised, and she can’t see the harm in letting Ace have a few minutes alone with his aunt.
Which suits me fine. I’ll use the time to catch up with Saint’s old lady and hear what she thinks of Toni now she’s met her. Before that, once Ace and his aunt have left the room, I swiftly relieve the prospect of his bar duties and instruct him to surreptitiously follow them around.
Then I return to the table. “What do you think?”
Instead of answering, Pippa shifts the baby into her other arm, then stands, beckons, and leads the way toward her office.
Once there, she starts tapping on her keyboard, making the screen light up in front of her.
It’s obviously awkward while holding Jade in her arms, so I offer to hold the baby for a moment, automatically rocking her gently.
It’s been a long time since I held someone so young.
Actually, I never have. Ace was two months old and already seemed more robust the first time I’d met him.
Apart from worrying about properly supporting her head, and other things I’ve heard Saint dictate, it’s easy.
She’s fast asleep and shows no sign of waking.
“The research I did before was to confirm the birth certificate as real, and that she was Josephine Mordrake’s twin. I didn’t have the location or her job, so now I can dive deeper in.” For a moment, all I can hear are the rapid soft thuds as her fingers dance over the keys.
Leaving her to it, I glance at the baby in my arms. I wonder whether things would have been different had I not had a job that had taken me away for months, or if I’d been there for the pregnancy, for the birth, and, most importantly, if I’d known about the meds Josie should have been taking and the condition she suffered from.
My thoughts lead me to the pertinent question. “Can you find her medical records?”
She rolls her eyes, not having to say the words, what the fuck do you think I’m doing?
“Got her. She’s registered to vote in Coconino County.
There’s only one Antoinette Mordrake on the electoral roll, and I’ve found her address.
She works for a public library in Flagstaff.
I’ve got her insurance details and am checking them now.
” Her brow creases as she concentrates, hacking into yet another database.
Jade is starting to stir by the time she next speaks. “She gets treatment for endometriosis, but there’s no mention of any mental illness, not even depression. It would have been listed as a pre-existing condition if she had in the past,” Pippa finally announces.
Jade starts wailing, and Pippa gestures for me to hand her over. When I do, any idea of questioning further leaves my mind, as she starts to lift her shirt, her obvious intention to feed her child.