Chapter 44
Rachel
Dante dropped me off at the clubhouse, but was immediately called away on club business. Apparently, there had been an issue with gun crime in the city centre. Since it was on his territory, he was the one to go and deal with it.
I decided against knowing the details. I could imagine the type of sick punishment he and Vienna would deal out, and I was happy to fill in the blanks myself.
Bee was at school, and Axel was with Heather feeding the ducks, so I had a few hours to myself. And all I wanted to do was lie in the bath and soak away my troubles. But first, I needed to at least show my face at the bar and thank the men who had helped grant me my freedom.
So imagine my surprise when I entered the bar through the archway that led to the house, and saw Vicky sitting on one of the stools, looking completely at home.
“Rachel,” she grinned when she saw me. “What a pleasure to see you again.”
“Vicky,” I said pleasantly, quickly accepting the hug that Shark offered me.
“Don’t react to her,” he murmured down my ear. “Remember the contract and take the high road. She’s here to cause trouble. Don’t give her the satisfaction.”
“I’ll be on my best behaviour,” I replied as I pulled back from him, giving him a wide smile. He grinned and shook his head, stepping away slightly to the corner of the bar so he could keep an eye on the situation.
“Do you need a drink or are you okay?” I asked Vicky as I pulled a pint glass from the shelf and placed it under the tap.
“You can be quiet,” I grinned at Doc. “I’ve already got you covered with a Rachel’s finest,” I tilted the glass, slowly straightening it so the drink wasn’t filled with foam and slid it across the bar top in Doc’s direction.
“You’re a good girl, Rachel. You know how to keep your men happy.”
“That I do.” I winked at him and turned my attention back to the blonde who was scowling at me. “And you?”
“I’m good,” she replied, tipping her glass in my direction. “I’m happy with my lemon juice… It’s nice of Dante to put you to work already. Bet it makes you feel useful.”
“That it does,” I replied, not wanting to rise to it. “Beer for you too, Tools?”
“Aye, darlin’,” he called over. I reached back for another glass, knowing Vicky was watching my every move.
“It’s just a surprise, that’s all. He never let me lift a finger.”
“I like to make myself useful.”
“I guess he just respected our differences.”
“That he did,” I said politely, raising Tools’ pint in the air so he could see I was finished.
Respect our differences, my ass.
Dante didn’t give a shit about our differences.
“I mean… He treated me like a complete princess. Nothing was too much trouble for him. I wonder why he doesn’t do that for you.”
Did this woman think I was a fucking moron? Treated her like a princess? Aye, course he did, sweetheart.
A princess that resides over the pits of hell, I thought to myself, but amazingly managed to keep it to myself.
“I don’t know what to tell you, Vicky.”
“It’s very different from the Dante I knew. He was just so obsessed with me.”
I sighed heavily. “Well, there’s only so many times I can let the guy eat my pussy before I’m all orgasmed out.
Can I just serve the drinks in peace now?
” I asked, ignoring the snicker from Shark behind me.
Vicky scowled at me. I quickly grabbed a glass and poured a vodka, sliding it in her direction.
“On the house. There’s no need for us to be enemies, Vicky.
I’m sorry my return spelled the end of your relationship with Dante, but I’m far too old to be participating in other woman drama.
If you want to dislike me, that’s fine. You can join a long, long list of other people who wouldn’t piss on me if I were on fire.
But I make a good friend if you’d like to try being civil,” I finished, tipping my head in the direction of the drink I gave her.
“I’m not drinking at the minute.”
“Fine. I am,” I said, snatching the glass up and throwing the vodka back, cringing at the burn. I turned my back on her to throw the glass in the wash bucket and caught eyes with Shark. He raised an eyebrow at me, and I blew my lips at him in return. He grinned and then Vicky spoke up once more.
“Do you have any idea when Dante will be back?”
“When he feels like it.”
“Could you let him know I’m here? It’s really important.”
“If it’s that important, couldn’t you just ring him?” I sighed.
“I didn’t realise you’d let me,” she said with fake, wide-eyed innocence.
“I just told you to. Honestly, Vicky, I don’t care. I trust Dante. If you want to be texting buddies with him, go right on ahead.”
“It’s just… this is a delicate situation. I feel like it would be better said face to face.”
“He’ll be back later on this evening,” Shark said. “He’ll talk to you then. Not before.”
She scowled at him, and then her lips twisted in an evil grin.
“Oh… Well, maybe you could pass a message on for me?”
“Sure,” I said, giving her a tight-lipped smile.
“I suppose everyone is going to find out sooner rather than later. So if you could just let him know the happy news, that would be great.”
“As soon as you tell me the happy news, I’ll be sure to pass it on,” I said, doing my best not to snap at her. I already knew where this was going. She couldn’t have made it any more fucking obvious, and I was not going to give her the reaction she was so desperately seeking.
“I’m pregnant. And I’m keeping it.” A deadly silence fell over the bar as everyone looked in my direction, waiting for my reaction.
Well, colour me surprised.
The words hit like a slap, but I didn’t flinch. Not in front of her.
“Anything else?” I asked, keeping my tone neutral and my face blank.
Her eyes flickered with surprise. “He’s the daddy, just in case that wasn’t perfectly obvious.”
“It was obvious,” I smirked. “And I’ll pass the message on if he doesn’t come back before you leave.”
“You’re not going to ask me to leave?”
“Are you going to cause any trouble?” I asked.
“I—No.”
“Then you’re welcome to stay. Now, who else wants a drink?” I raised my voice to the rest of the bar. Shark gave me a sympathetic smirk and a small thumbs up.
You can keep that fucking thumbs up to yourself, pal.
Over my dead body was that bitch having my children’s half sibling. It would be a cold day in fucking hell before I subjected them to a lifetime of that hell.
But for now, I would pour the drinks, and I’d do it with a fucking smile on my face.