Ruger (Raging Barons MC #18)

CHAPTER ONE

-:- RUGER -:-

Walking into the security company's front door, the first thing I see is Penny organizing the reception area. On the desk, she has a display of flowers of some kind on one end. No idea what they are, all just green things to me. I know roses mind you, as my momma liked roses.

“Did you get Punkin to Nyx and the oldies okay this morning?” I ask Penny as I step behind the reception desk ready to enter the main area of the building.

Penny smiles broadly. “Oh my, those ladies are so funny. They rushed to grab Arabella and then whisked her away before I could take an extra breath. Nyx is with them, so I am not worried at all.”

“I watched those old ladies and you know since Nyx, you and Punkin have been around they have a new purpose. I had an interesting conversation with Joan, and she told me how they had gotten lax in the garden, around the house, and were generally fed up with no goals to strive for.” Penny is listening intently as I continue, “But since Nyx started to work with them they have been shopping all over the place. Gardened, baked, cooked meals, and generally started getting out of bed in the morning with a purpose.”

“I never realized.” Penny has a tear in her eye, and I reach up and rub my thumb under her eye just as it starts to fall. “You know, Ruger, you shouldn’t be doing that.”

“Why not? You’re mine and I am yours. You just have to come to terms with the fact. Oh, I’ll be adopting Arabella once you stop running.” I kiss the top of her head and whistle as I walk away, leaving Penny with her mouth gaping in shock.

Stepping into the basement, I get my mind into the job at hand. It’s an enormous job but needs doing, so the business is secure and up to the standard Lincoln, Bones, and Arrow set.

I didn’t realize that having a server room required so many standards and environmental conditions. I knew they would have to be safeguarded from theft and hacking, but that was about it.

In the basement, which is the server room, we are fitting the best fingerprint and facial recognition biometrics. I thought we only needed one, but the guys were adamant that the place needed every protection we could put on it.

I’m amazed the server room is being monitored by Specs with the use of CCTV surveillance.

The office above is also monitoring the server room, but that office also has motion sensor surveillance.

I heard Arrow telling Hammer that they will hold certificates to show how secure and safe the servers are.

When we have finished, there will be intruder alarms in different areas of the building, plus smoke screens, which I’ve never installed before, but we learn all the time.

Once the company is up and running, Axel will have us build a site on the compound where off-site information from the servers will be located.

It’ll be underground and only a few will have the clearance to enter.

All that can be done to keep the security company secure is being done.

But, I have to admit, it’s an enormous job.

Half-way through the afternoon, I head upstairs to the van where Hammer has left a bag of tools he specifically needs. As I enter the reception area, I slow to a stop as I hear some asshole pushing Penny for a date.

“No, I’m not interested in having dinner with you. I’ve told you twice and you need to leave before I speak to my bosses,” Penny tells the asshole straight, but he’s not listening it seems.

“You heard the lady, back off before I make you,” I snarl, stepping closer to Penny, who is thankfully behind the reception area desk.

“I only asked her out to dinner. No harm in that.”

The asshole has the nerve to verbally push me. I’m sick of dicks like this fucker. They try to cover their disgusting attitudes. “I’m telling you now to get the fuck out of here before I make you get out.”

“I’m going, and I’m taking my business with me,” the asshole snarls.

What none of us realized was Bones had the camera working that covers the reception area, and he has entered behind us. “We don’t need or want business from dicks like you. Now, get the fuck out and stay out. Try shit and see what happens.”

He throws up his middle finger as he walks out, but both Bones and I relax.

Bones turns to speak to Penny. “Penny, you don’t put up with shit like that.

I’m going to have Hammer place a button under the reception desk, then if another fucker like that comes in, or you are threatened, you press it and whoever is in the office will be down here in no time.

I don’t care how small you think the threat is, you press the button. ”

Penny nods that she understands, but both myself and Bones can see she’s a little hesitant about it. “It’s a security company, Penny. You working here is a top priority and anyone working in this building should and will always feel safe,” Bones adds, making sure he gets the response he wants.

“Okay, I understand and when I train up a person to work the desk they will need to feel safe,” Penny nods, letting Bones know she is good with having this safety measure.

Outside, I grab the bag of tools that Hammer needs, and stop when my phone pings, telling me I have a message.

Rosemarie: When are you coming to see me?

I sigh loudly, because this woman will not go away. I admit I had sex with her a few times, but they were hookups and she knew that’s what they were. But she has to be a patch chaser or have a mental issue, as I’ve been clear with her all along that it would never be a relationship.

Ruger: I’m not coming around, and I’ve told you that. We are done. It was just hooking up, and you know that. Don’t contact me again

Rosemarie: Oh, you don’t mean that. I’ll give you good head when I see you

Ruger: Fuck off, I’m done with you

I block her number and hope that is the end of her. Trouble being, I have a feeling she’s going to be trouble. I may have to speak to some of the brothers and see how they deal with bitches like this.

The rest of the afternoon, I work alongside Hammer and the team he contracts when we have a lot of work to cover. My mind keeps going back to the fucker trying to hit on Penny. It has me thinking I have to lock her down, and fast, before someone else takes a liking to her.

Hammer instructs me to go upstairs and let them know we are done down here for today, but will be back early in the morning.

He has a date with Tilly and is leaving Quinn with Paisley and TwoCents, so he’s rushing to get ready.

I know they won’t be having more kids, but they still take time for just the two of them, although they both dote on Quinn.

In the office, Arrow and Bones are hanging monitors on the wall, grabbing their attention when I speak. “Just letting you know we are done for the day.”

“Oh, okay, Ruger. We’ll lock up the building once Penny has left as we are bunking down here, for now at least,” Bones says as he pushes another monitor towards Arrow and they continue fixing it to the wall.

I leave them to it and head down to check on Penny. What I don’t expect is to see Rosemarie here, shouting at Penny. I rush into the reception area and I have to hold my temper. If Rosemarie was a male, I’d deck him without a second thought.

“I told you Ruger is my man, and I want to see him now!” Rosemarie is screeching.

Grabbing hold of Penny, to show the stupid slut that I’m with someone else I growl, “I’m not your anything.

This is my woman, she’s my everything. Now get the fuck out of here before I make you.

You don’t want me to make you leave. Stop stalking me, stop even thinking my name, or I’m going to slap a restraining order on you, or you will disappear never to be seen again. ”

“This isn’t over…” Rosemarie screeches again, but she has the sense to run out of the building.

“Who the heck is she?” Penny asks, giving me a nasty look to go along with the question.

I swallow hard because I really don’t want to admit it, but I think truthfulness has to be a priority in a relationship, so I grit my teeth and spill. “She was a hookup I had, but she won’t go away. I’m going to have to speak to Forest about her.”

“A hookup?” Now, Penny shoves me away from her, giving me another dirty look before stepping even further away from me. “You stuck your dick in her, and she comes here threatening me to stay away from you? Well, be sure I’ll stay away from you.”

Before I can grab hold, or say more, Penny storms out the front door, leaving me rubbing my hands down my face thinking how the fuck am I going to mend this shit?

Lincoln steps into the room to lock the door, securing the building for the night. He must have heard some of what happened, and he gives me a look that tells me I’m up the creek without a paddle.

“You’ve got your work cut out for you now, Ruger.

I’m not sure how you are going to fix it.

” Cringing at his own words, Lincoln continues.

“Why don’t you work for the security company instead of construction?

That way, we can have you around the place and in Penny’s proximity.

Then she can’t ignore you because she’ll be in the workplace. She is our core person, after all.”

Rubbing my chin, I reckon he has hit the nail on the head. If I’m around her a lot, she can’t just ignore me. I can continue pursuing her, and I can keep seeing Punkin when she is here. I’m going to make sure I have contact with Punkin, and take her out to places. This could be fun!

“By core you mean she does all your organizing, administration, HR and the rest?” I chuckle.

“Well, yeah, she’s a dynamo, and we gave her carte blanche.

We are getting on with all the technical shit, and she’s doing the rest. But if you want to join the team, Colton will be your boss, and I’ll put it to Pres and then Hammer.

” Lincoln is smirking and I can’t help the matching one that appears on my face.

“Yeah, let’s do it. Let me know when I need to switch roles.”

Lincoln laughs, slaps my shoulder and locks the door as I leave. Now I know I’m going to be in her face on a regular basis, and I can fuck off any admirers that try it with her.

-:- Penny -:-

Men. They are totally disgusting creatures.

That woman came into the building wanting an interview for the reception job, and then for some unknown reason started screaming about women that steal other women’s men.

Then turned that into me stealing her man and she’s been in a relationship with him a long time.

She’s going to be his Ol’ Lady. Well, I say let her be his, because if that’s the sort of women he’s into, literally I’m thinking.

Then he can have her and I’ll keep to myself, which is what I intended to do, anyway.

Lincoln gave me a Kia to get to and from work, and made sure it had the fixed seat for Arabella. It’s not a new one, of course, but it’s been well maintained and as a company vehicle I’ll make sure I look after it.

I can’t believe how lucky I have been. Making a friend of Nyx has to have been the best thing that ever happened to me. She is like a sister and I love her dearly. Arabella, of course, holds her arms out to Nyx every time she sees her.

That’s where I’m headed, to pick up Arabella and go back to my house.

It’s starting to feel like home, and I love it.

I really enjoy being able to go home at the end of the day, close the door and enjoy my daughter time.

Arabella is spending a lot of time now with the ladies and Nyx.

I hope as she grows she doesn’t resent the fact I had to work and not be with her all day.

Now, I’m going to keep Ruger at arm’s length, even though he makes my heart race and other areas tingle.

I can’t afford to get involved with someone who has a clinger.

She could cause trouble for me, and Arabella is my first concern.

If she tried to hurt my daughter, I’d do jail time happily to protect Arabella, and think nothing of it.