Chapter 50
Lark
Zipping up my suitcase, I damn near bounce on my toes in excitement.
I finally get to meet the Forest Creek Old Ladies in person today!
I’m also super stoked that Patch and Mary are engaged now and her demons have been… ahem… handled.
Humming to myself, I tuck my jacket and cut into my travel bag along with my tablet and some snacks I’ve already prepped for the drive. For this trip, Atlas, Cannon, Loki, Beast, Punisher, Odin, Mama Astrid, Erik and Dom are going with us.
I’ve also got a small weapons bag packed in it that I’ll take inside with us. I’m still leery about going somewhere unarmed, even if we will be at another clubhouse.
“Ready, Darlin’?”
I jump, not having heard Anthony come upstairs. Normally I’d tease him for sneaking up on me—he knows I hate when he does that—but I’m too excited to care right now.
“Yup. I just need to take these downstairs and grab some drinks for the ride.”
The guys, as well as my family and friends, all tease me about that but if I’m going somewhere that’s more than a couple hours away, I always pack snacks and drinks from home so that we don’t have to stop as often or have to pay an arm and a leg at the gas stations.
His eyes sparkle and I’m just sure he’s going to tease me again about that, but then my brain short circuits when he pulls me in close and kisses me. I’m not sure what’s going on lately, but I’ve been craving him like crazy. Something he’s been all too happy with.
He nips my lip and I whimper before playfully swatting his arm. “No fair—it’s not nice to rile me up before a long drive.”
Anthony grins as he nips my lip again before pulling back. “I think you’ll forgive me when you see my surprise downstairs.”
I narrow my eyes at him, confused.
What surprise?
He treated me like a queen for Christmas with all the presents he got me.
Not to mention all the guys and Mama Astrid, too.
Though, he did set a high bar for next year since he got me the handgun I’d been eying, some knives to keep concealed on me, a hunting knife, plus some wood carving tools and supplies.
He even surprised me by setting up a portion of our basement into a woodworking and carving area.
Sure, I like jewelry and gadgets as much as the next person, but the way to this woman’s heart is through weapons, wood carving, and beer making supplies.
As for my beer making, I’d already planned to ask him if I could build an outbuilding back near the tree line.
I had thought about having a space downstairs as well, but it’d get too hard to keep the wood dust out of everything.
Smirking at me, he picks up my suitcase and hands me my travel bag before snagging my hand and leading me downstairs.
A moment later, I let out a very girlie like shriek of surprise and I dart down the rest of the stairs and into the living room, throwing my arms around Miracle.
She laughs and hugs me back, just as fiercely.
Thankfully, all my injuries from the car accident have healed, but Anthony still hovers a lot.
Not that I blame him. After seeing things from his side, I let almost all of it slide, only letting him know when he’s really stepping over the line.
“What are you doing here?”
Miracle laughs again. “Reaper invited me. Apparently, Mae reached out to him and asked him if I’d be able to come as well.”
I hug her again and she laughs.
Damn, now I really need to thank Mae for this.
Even with talking with the ladies quite a bit, I’m still nervous to meet them in person.
When Mary joined the Old Lady club, I told them all a bit more about M and that we consider each other sisters, or as Levi calls it, found family.
And since Loki adopted me, he also got Miracle as a sister.
When she was here after my accident, the three of us spent a lot of time together getting to know each other before she had to head back home.
“Alright. Igor and Void are over at Devil’s house. Bags, including yours, Miracle, are in the truck and you ladies are riding with me and Loki. The others are splitting up and will follow us. Ready to go?”
“Yes,” we both say in unison and Anthony shakes his head as we hurry out the door in giggles, just like old times when our families would go on vacations together.
I twist my fingers as Reaper turns onto the road that my phone’s map says will lead us to the clubhouse gates.
“Hey, it’s okay. They’re going to love you,” M says as she leans over, resting her head on my shoulder while grasping one of my hands in hers.
I pull my bottom lip in between my teeth as I nod, not trusting my voice. I know we all get a long when we talk on the phone… but this is in person. And we’re staying for a long weekend before heading home on Tuesday.
Four days.
Four days that we’ll have to be around them if things go wrong.
Reaper’s gaze catches mine in the rear-view mirror and he nods.
“She’s right, Darlin’. They’re going to love you.
None of the Old Ladies are like those bitches who show one side to your face and then talk behind your back when you’re gone.
They are unapologetically ‘what you see is what you get’ with them. You’ll see.”
He pulls up to the gate, stopping until it fully opens.
“Damn, this is nice,” I mutter as I look around.
There’s a large three-story building that looks like it’s their clubhouse.
Down and to the left, there are some condos and further back from them are some houses.
It’s a lot like our setup in fact, though it seems like they have a lot more cinderblock fencing than we do.
Reaper stops on the paved path, since I really wouldn’t call it a road, that leads toward the townhouses and puts the truck in park. The front doors open and four people wearing Prospect cuts come out—one of them being a woman who must be Sasha.
Speaking of, the woman walks over to Reaper’s door and he rolls down the window. She smiles when she spots us in the back and waves before turning her attention back to Reaper.
“Thor said those that want to can stay in the condos—you all know which ones are already in use—and the others are welcome to rooms in the clubhouse. However, I’m assuming you’re going to want a condo, Reaper.”
“We’re taking a condo, just let us know which one you put our stuff in.” Reaper nods and then looks over at Loki. “How about you?”
Loki shakes his head. “I’ll bunk here at the clubhouse and save some room at the condos for Odin and Mama Astrid’s crew. I know they’ll all want the condos. My bag is tagged, Sasha. Can you take that up to one of the rooms and just let me know where I’m bunking?”
Sasha nods and then Reaper and Loki get out of truck. I grab my cut and bag before climbing out. Miracle follows after me.
Sasha steps forward, hugging me and then Miracle. She winks at my stunned look and tilts her head toward the clubhouse. “I’ll meet you guys inside in a bit.”
She hops behind the wheel and then heads down the path toward the condos.
Shaking my head, I slip on my cut and pick up my bag again. Reaper wraps an arm around my waist and leads me toward the porch leading up to the front door.
“You’re perfect and they’re going to love you,” he whispers in my ear, and I take a deep breath, nodding as I square my shoulders. “That’s my girl.”
I shiver as his breath tickles my ear but I don’t get a chance to respond. He opens the thick oak doors and almost immediately, six kids barrel into us and I laugh.
A little girl comes up to me and it’s then that I realize that all of the kids are wearing little cuts.
Her cut has the name ‘Angel’ patched onto hers.
She looks up at me in question for a moment before she holds up her arms, silently asking to be picked up.
My chest feels tight as I bend down, obliging her and I settle her onto my hip.
Realizing that we’re still standing in the doorway, I step aside so that we’re out of the way.
“Hello, I’m Lark. What’s your name?”
“Cassie, but Mommy and Daddy also call me ‘Angel’. Are you here with Uncle Reaper since he had his arm around you? Are you here for Auntie MaeMae’s party?”
I glance around, spotting Mary and I smile at her and focus back on Cassie as I nod.
“Yes, I am here with Reaper, I’m his Old Lady and yes I’m here for Mae’s baby shower.
I also brought my friend, Miracle with me,” I tell her as I tug Miracle closer to me who is trying not to have a deer in the headlights look as she takes in everything.
I get it—I would probably be doing the same since their club is so much bigger than ours.
Like she did with me, Cassie observes Miracle for a moment before she holds her arms out to her. I can’t stop my smile as Miracle makes an ‘aw’ sound in her throat and takes Cassie from me.
“Well, aren’t you a sweetheart.”
My muscles tense when I hear a very girlie shriek and I try to hide my wince. My ears are still a bit sensitive to extremely high-pitched sounds. Reaper’s head whips to mine in concern and I tilt my head, letting him know I’m okay.
A moment later, I laugh as Mae pushes her way through the crowd and hugs me. “You’re here!”
I return her hug, grateful that Mae really does seem like she had on the video chats.
She pulls back and turns to Miracle and waves. “I’m assuming you’re Miracle from what Lark and Reaper have told me. Thanks for coming. I’m Mae and my Old Man is Timber,” she says as she points him out.
Miracle smiles and puts down Cassie when she wiggles to be set down. “I am and thanks for inviting me. Lark’s told me a lot about you guys and your club, so it’s nice to finally put faces to names.”
Mae snags both of our hands and pulls us over toward the couches. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to the other ladies.”
When we get to the couches, Miracle and I sit down toward one end of the couch and Mae sits next to me.