Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Rage
When I walk past the desk, Tiff is waiting to pounce.
“Who is she?” she asks.
I stop, turning to look down my nose at her. “Can I trust you with club business?”
Her brows rise in surprise at my response. She’s used to me ignoring her. “Well, yeah. Of course,” she says, looking away nervously. “Do you want me to keep an eye on her?”
Fuck, I can’t stand this woman.
She braces her hands against the counter when I step close to her. I bend over and whisper in her ear. “You don’t have to watch her because I know she’s not going anywhere. She’s club property now.”
I back away slowly, letting her believe I’ve got a thing for the new girl.
Jealousy flashes hot in her pupils before they narrow on me. “She doesn’t look like anything special. Why her?”
This time I do ignore her. You can’t explain depth to someone so shallow.
Serenity’s name alone is something special. But with that said, I’m not interested. I just want to help her get on her feet and headed down the right road. I know what it’s like to be caught in the fallout from a bomb you didn’t set, and I think that’s what has happened to her.
She shared a lot when she was in the Cage, whether she intended to or not. I’ve seen a lot of reactions before but none quite like hers. I don’t think she’s ever given herself permission to let some of that shit out.
Carson hops out of his brother’s truck as soon as I’m outside. “You sure you don’t want one of us to stay here tonight?” he asks as he heads toward Serenity’s car.
“She won’t go anywhere.”
He salutes me. “Got it, boss. I’ll get this parked over at the garage.”
Cole gets out next. “Omaha says they can delay if you think the Scorpions are going to throw a wrench in the works.”
I shake my head. “Fuck no. I promised Jameson we were ready.”
Jameson is the president of the national chapter, and he trusted me to start a club of Royal Bastards in my hometown of Cheyenne. They needed to move guns through here, and I needed to be close to the one person in this world I live for.
Cole salutes me just like his brother did. These two are a damn trip. I found them over in Nevada. They both had their tits in a wringer with the Scorpions.
It was innocent on their part, but it could have landed them in the hospital or worse.
The boys had busted up a fight between a Scorpion and his ol' lady. He had already given her a split lip and a black eye by the time the boys stumbled across the couple. They followed the asshole to make sure he left town after giving him the beat down he deserved, but he led them right into the Scorpions’ lair.
Lucky for the twins, Wizz and I were running intel and were fortunately able to pull them out of there.
After that they started following me around like lost puppies.
Followed me all the way back to Cheyenne.
They’re good kids, though. They understand the one percenter life.
They come from a long line of bikers. Their dad is a Skull.
I encouraged them to follow in their old man’s footsteps, and I guess they are, just not with his MC.
Boys will be boys, and sometimes you have to forge your own path.
I’m happy to have them. They’re as fucking loyal as they come.
“Want me to go in and give Tiff a little false info? Send the fuckers on a wild goose chase.”
I laugh. “Naw, she’s in a foul mood.”
“That’s the best time to fuck with her head.”
“True, but we don’t need her acting up right now.”
He nods. “You’re probably right there. See you at the Trough?”
“Yeah. Tell Wolfe to have a cold one ready for me.”
My mind goes back to Serenity as I walk back to the Cage to get my bike.
I can’t believe the Scorpions sent her here.
She wasn’t a solid plant, and they had to know it.
She’s really out of her element. Maybe that’s what they want.
To stir up a little storm, hoping one of us will spill our secrets to the real infiltrator.
Who the fuck knows, but I’m not going to mess this up. The Bastards are my family, and I owe them my life.
I take the long way to the Trough, driving by the bitch’s place. There are a few cars in the driveway I don’t recognize. Fuck, she better not be using again. I pull off behind a grove of trees, hoping to spot my little sister.
Janet comes out, hanging on some dumb fuck’s arm. I light up a cigarette, watching them through the trees. They look strung out. I pull my phone up to my ear after dialing CPS.
“She’s using again,” I say to the worker the minute she answers.
“Chase,” she sighs. This woman hates my ass, but if she’d just do her damn job, she wouldn’t have to know me on a first name basis.
“I’m looking at the bitch right now, and I promise you she’s blown out of her fucking mind.”
“What do you think is going to happen if we remove her, Chase?”
“I think she’s going to come live with me.”
She sighs even louder. “We’ve been over this a hundred times. You know your lifestyle. There’s no way you’re going to get custody of your sister.”
I don’t respond because she’s absolutely right, we have been over this, but what she’s wrong about is my sister. I’ve already got a room for her in my new house. I’m going to paint it pink, and Mila is going to love it there.
“Fine. I’ll send someone out there tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? Are you fucking kidding me? She could burn the trailer down by then.”
“Chase, you’re being ridiculous.”
“Am I though?”
She doesn’t answer because she knows I’m not. She knows the condition of that place.
“She’s got a man out here,” I say, hating the way my voice trembles.
“First thing tomorrow, Chase.”
I glance around feeling as helpless as I did as a kid. I’d go in there with guns blazing, but where would that leave Mila? I tried it once, and it only made things worse. No, I’ve got to do this the right way. I can’t risk losing her.
When I first found out about Mila, I wanted to run with her, but I couldn’t do it. I knew I’d have to live the rest of my life in fear, constantly looking over my shoulder.
“You’ll call me right after you check on her?”
“Of course.”
I hang up, swinging my fist in the air, almost throwing my phone out of my hand. Fuck!
My mom and her friend finish their cigarettes and then head back inside.
“It’ll be okay,” I whisper to myself, just like I used to every time my mom went on a binge.
It was always a lie.
I send the twins a message to tell them I’m going back to the Cage. I don’t even have to ask; I know they’ll get there before I do. I need to punch someone, and they’re the only two who are willing to get in the ring with me.