Chapter 39
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
FREAK
“Aparty, for Ace?” I raise an eyebrow at Pippa.
“Yeah. Trix asked me to help arrange it. We thought we could ask the Kings from other chapters, the ones who came to help us do the rebuild.”
Well, fuck me. I’d wanted Ace to have a birthday to remember, but after Toni had turned the idea down, I’d kinda put it on the back burner. I’m not surprised Trixie’s already got the ball rolling. Just one more reason she’s perfect.
“You won’t get any argument from me. Inviting a few of the out-of-town brothers is a great fuckin’ idea. I’ll talk to Bullseye.”
Pippa grins gleefully. “Already done. Saint’s spoken to him, and he’s agreed.
Trix suggested she ask the Kings Ace knows at the rally next weekend, but Bullseye thought he’d give them prior warning.
He’s putting feelers out to the other chapters while we speak.
” Her eyes get a twinkle in them. “Smooth might come.” She nudges me with her elbow. “He performs marriages.”
I rear back. “Well he ain’t going to perform mine.
” Not that I’ve been able to ask Trix to marry me.
With Piero in existence, there’s no way I can.
And if I could and was going to get married, I’d take Words as the officiant any day over the brother who’d fucked up Saint and Short’s weddings.
While it had been amusing to be the onlooker, I doubt it was so much for the participants.
Yeah, I’d plump for Words’ dour funeral tones any fucking time.
I’m not averse to the idea of marriage. But Smooth conducting the ceremony? Fucking never.
“He can perform whatever he likes, but not with Trix and me.” Then I grin.
“But I’d like to see how Saint and Short greet him.
” If he had any sense, he’d stay away. “Pippa, I’m grateful that Trix and you are arranging this for Ace.
Feel free to do whatever you think best. But now, I’ve got paperwork waiting. I’ve got to get going.”
“Sure thing, Freak.” She waggles her fingers at me as she walks away.
I hadn’t lied. I really do have a job to do.
Arriving at Royals, I meet up with Stalker, and we start going over the camera footage.
It’s easy to see one of the casual employees we have on the bar on the weekends is helping himself to a chunk of our takings, presumably thinking we won’t notice.
Not Joe, thank fuck, nor any of our full-time employees.
It’s an easy decision that the next shift he’s on, the light-fingered bastard is going to find out exactly what happens when he fucks with the Kings.
Other than that, takings are good, the new girl, Satin, who’d I’d let audition, what was it, six weeks ago? Well, she’s turned out to be a customer favourite and is pulling the customers in. The jury’s still out on Ames, but Stalker assures me, she’s learning the ropes and is improving.
Next, he passes over some paperwork. I give the documents a cursory look, knowing our treasurer will have already reviewed them, then I place my signature where he indicates I should.
Business done, he sits back in his chair. “How are things going with Trixie?” His eyes grow hooded. “Does she give you shit about working here?”
She hasn’t. I suppose another woman would be jealous about her man working with naked girls. But she’s never given me any indication that it worries her. “She’s cool with it,” I tell him. “She trusts me.” Just as I trust her.
Stalker doesn’t challenge me on it, instead he nods, then changes the subject.
“I miss seeing her around.” As the growl starts to emerge from my throat, he waves me down.
“She was always good for a laugh, and I don’t mean sexually.
Some of the life seems to have gone out of the club without her being there.
In some ways she was a mother hen, with the prospects and club girls.
The latter seem a bit lost without her.”
“And the food…?”
He snorts. “Definitely gone downhill. Pippa’s not around much to give direction either.
She’s too tied up with Jade.” He leans forward, and grimaces.
“Look, Freak, I don’t think any of us handled it well when you first got with her.
It was kinda strange, you know? One moment she was a club girl, and then you claimed her, elevated her to being an ol’ lady.
Kinda took us a moment to get our heads around it, and to be honest, we weren’t sure of where the line should be drawn, and how friendly we could be before we disrespected you.
I reckon the pendulum swung too far in the wrong direction, and she must have thought we were ignoring her.
It was awkward as fuck and, unfortunately, I think we upset her.
” He pauses, then adds, “She doesn’t come back to the club unless it’s with you, and then she’s glued to your side. ”
I swallow down the sudden rush of anger that anyone might have done something to, even inadvertently, hurt Trixie because I know how difficult the situation had been.
It had been obvious my brothers were scared of overstepping and doing the wrong thing.
I’d busted Rat’s nose just for touching her, for fuck’s sake.
So some of this, at least, is down to me.
Before I’d claimed her, Trixie had always had a hug for anyone having a bad day, or would offer a friendly ear.
Our relationship was new, and I was prone to misinterpret innocent actions and to losing my temper.
The brothers had read me wisely. But it didn’t mean it was fair on my old lady.
My thoughts straighten out enough for me to voice them. “She’s much happier living outside the club.” I’d seen this for myself. Seen the way her smile appeared more often now that we have our own place.
He shakes his head slowly. “Yeah, I can understand it’s been just as hard for her to adapt to her new status. She probably took us keeping our distance to mean we’d turned against her. But that’s not the way of it, Brother. She may not be club property any longer, but she’s ours.”
“She’s mine,” I state, but there’s no anger in my voice. I do understand what he’s saying. “Does everyone else feel the same way?”
He shrugs. “Can’t answer for everyone, but I’ve heard enough brothers talking to know that they all miss her. And,” he gets in fast, “not as being a club girl. We all know her pussy now belongs to you and is off-limits to everyone else.”
My head dips up and down. “Let a bit more water flow under the bridge, then I’ll bring her around, let her mingle, and,” I shake my head, “I promise I won’t kill anyone for talking to her.
” Stalker chuckles. “It’s Ace’s party in two weeks, so she’ll have to be there then.
Just give her a little more time to adjust to her new life.
This is all new to her.” I think for a moment, then add, “To us.”
At that moment, my phone rings. Mouthing an apology to Stalker, I take it out, check the caller ID, then, my tone exasperated, I answer, “Pippa, I’m working.” Even though I’m doing anything but. “I can’t talk about Ace’s party—”
“Freak,” Pippa cuts through my protestations. Hearing panic in her voice, which really is unlike her, I tense.
“What’s happened? Why are you calling? Has something happened at the club?” If so, why didn’t Bullseye or Saint call me, unless there’s been an attack or a police raid.
“Just listen, Freak. Trixie went to the bakery in town to order a cake for Ace’s party.
I just heard an alert on the police scanner.
The woman at the bakery called the cops and reported a woman being abducted on the street.
Freak…” her voice drops to a whisper. “I’m worried it was Trixie. I tried calling her…”
But she didn’t answer. She doesn’t need to say the words she’s left unsaid. And that’s completely unlike Trixie. My blood feels like it’s turned to ice in my veins. “The bakery on Main Street?”
“Yes.”
Fear, only equal to the time I lost Ace, floods through me. “Does anyone else know?”
“Genie was here when the alert came in. He’s gone to speak to Bullseye and Saint.”
“I’m heading for the bakery, to confirm it was her.” Pippa’s not one to call out a false alert, but I’m human. Hopefully I’ll find her shopping in town.
“Freak, I hacked into her phone. She called an Uber to take her to that shop, so the timing fits. All the evidence points to it being her.”
I stand, kicking my chair over, feeling the rage build inside me.
“I’m checking all the CCTV in the area. But I don’t have much to go on, other than it was a black sedan.”
“Anything you find out, you give it to me immediately.”
“Freak? Genie here. I just checked. Alongi’s gone off grid.”
An anguished howl leaves my mouth and I kick the chair I already toppled over, then shoot out my foot again for good measure, taking little satisfaction from the sound of splintering wood.
“Brother.” Stalker’s on his feet.
My anguished eyes find his. “Pippa thinks Trixie’s been taken. Fucking Alongi must have caught up with her.” Again the chair, now with only three legs remaining, gets more punishment.
Stalker walks to the door. “Then let’s get back to the clubhouse. We’ll find her, Freak. We will fuckin’ find her. We’re Kings, remember?”
We have to. I can’t lose her now. Along with Ace, she’s become my whole fucking world.
“You go ahead, Stalk, I’ve got to go to the bakery and make sure it was actually her who was taken.
” I’m hoping like fuck this has all been a mistake, but the ache in my gut tells me the hope I’m clinging onto is all in vain.
“I’ll do that,” he states quickly. “You go check. You let us know what you want us to do. We’ve got your back, Freak.”
A quick jerk of my chin acknowledges his words. Leaving the paperwork we were working on strewn about the room, we both head for the door. As we exit through the main clubroom, Stalker yells at Joe that he’s in charge, then we’re at our bikes.