Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
NOVA
I watch as they file out of the room one by one. I wondered what it is they were talking about. I don’t know, but something tells me I’m involved somehow.
Ghost stands in the doorway. “Nova, a word,” he calls.
I nod back, not missing the way that Star, Maggie, and Queenie all exchange a curious look. Walking over, I can feel the burning gazes from the brothers of the club. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and as my eyes flicker to the left, they land on Spider’s. The anger and hatred that is usually in his eyes is no longer there, but instead his eyes are reflecting pain and pity.
Confused, I walk into the room and see Ghost sat at the head of a big table, watching me. “Close the door,” he orders.
I do as he says, nervously shutting the door behind me. “I would have never had guessed you were all like King Arthur and the knights of the round table,” I nervously joke.
Ghost doesn’t laugh. “The table is rectangle,” he states, like I’m stupid.
I clear my throat and nod. “Right, silly me,” I mutter.
“Sit down,” he demands.
I grab the first seat and sit down quickly. He raises his brow at me. “Okay, I meant closer, but no problem,” he states before he gets out of his chair and walks down to me. He doesn’t sit, but instead he perches on the edge of the table next to me. He places a file down on the table and my eyes drop to it, wondering what he has in it. “Look, I’m sorry to say that your bakery was trashed,” he states.
“What?” I say, looking up at him.
He flips open the folder and hands me some pictures. The bakery I had worked so hard to grow, the only thing in my entire life that I loved, now destroyed.
I wipe away my tears. “Sorry, it’s just... I worked so hard for that place.” I sniff.
“No need to apologise,” he states. “There is one thing I need you to answer though.”
I look up at him. “Sure.” I nod.
“This happened the day after you arrived. The building is in your name, and the police would have contacted you by now. Have you had any calls?” he asks. I shake my head no, when in reality, I haven’t even dared to switch on my phone. “Any reason why someone would do this?” he asks.
I bite down on my bottom lip and look down. Do I come clean? Do they already know?
Ghost stands and opens the door, letting out a whistle. It is then that all the brothers of the club file in one by one. My eyes go wide as I feel the panic start to rise.
“What is going on?” I ask, my voice breaking.
“I wanted my brothers, the club that has put you up these past few days, the ones who have welcomed you into their lives, our family’s lives, to hear exactly what you have to say,” Ghost states, crossing his arms.
I swallow, my lip quivering as I fight back the tears. “A guy is after me,” I confess. No one says anything and I don’t look up either. I keep my focus on my lap. “He is a bad guy. He got me on drugs, and when I couldn’t pay for them, he made me pay for them in other ways,” I continue. “I haven’t touched drugs in 4 years, 7 months and 1 day,” I affirm, looking up at them so they can see I’m not lying.
“You were drinking at the wedding,” Scar points out.
I shake my head. “I didn’t drink it. I just held it.” I pause. “I’ve drank little alcohol before. Not hard liquor, just a beer, but usually I don’t touch any of it. I was never a junkie. I never injected. I just smoked, swallowed, or sniffed. I was never on them out of choice. It was mostly used to black out the days that...” I pause, trying to fight back the memories. “There were days I never wanted to remember what happened, so I took what I could. I was young. I had nowhere to go, no family. I was trapped. Until, until a day came. I saw my opportunity and I ran.”
“What was your opportunity?” Cash asks.
“I stole 50 grand from him,” I confess.
“Fucking hell,” Hawk sighs.
“I know, I know. But I moved away. I hid for a year in a small flat. He never knew my real name. I was desperate to get out. Once I realised I was safe and that he wasn’t going to come and find me, I rented out the shop and started my bakery.” I smile a sad smile.
“How did he find you?” Rage asks.
“Social media.” I sigh. “The bakery took off, people liked my cakes, so people from all over the world would end up coming in. They would post it on their pages, which would then bring more people in. Which was great. Business was amazing, until someone took a picture of me.”
“And now he’s found you, he will stop at nothing to get his money,” Ghost states.
“He doesn’t want the money. It’s nothing to him. It’s the principle. I gave the other girls ideas. He wants me, because he owns me. He wants to use me to remind the other girls what happens when you steal from him,” I admit.
Ghost sighs and rubs his face. “So, it wasn’t about finding Acid?” he asks.
“Not entirely. I have been looking for him for years and got nowhere. Then a girl came into the bakery saying about this club. She was showing her friend pictures of a party here. She had one of Nash, and I recognised him immediately.” I smile. “I was planning to come and visit him and then I got a text. I knew it was Dean. I wasn’t going to stay and risk him dragging me back to that life. So I ran,” I explain.
“I think we need to find this Dean and end his fucking life now,” Rage fumes.
“Fucking easy, Rage. We ain’t going on no rampage. For now, anyway. He doesn’t know she’s here, so we’ve just got to keep it that way,” Ghost tells him before he turns to me. “There is one thing I won’t fucking tolerate in my club, and that is lying. If you had come to us with the truth, we would have still offered you protection and taken you in, but I understand the circumstances as to why you felt you had to lie. Star often reminds me I have a face that scares the shit out of most people on a daily basis. I’m well aware that we don’t exactly look like the fucking brady bunch. So from here on out, be fucking honest, and you are not to go anywhere alone until we have sorted this shit out,” Ghost warns.
I nod, a feeling of relief washing over me. “Thank you,” I say, choking on my emotions.
Ghost lifts his chin. “You can go,” he says, dismissing me.
I nod and stand to leave. A few of the brothers give me a soft smile, and as I reach the door, I pause when I see Spider standing there, opening the door for me. “Thanks,” I say softly as I squeeze myself past him.
I’m barely sat back down with the others when Star moves to sit next to me. “So come on then, what was that all about?” she bluntly asks.
I raise my brow. “I guess there isn’t such thing as privacy here?” I smirk.
“If it’s privacy you want my girl, you are most certainly in the wrong place.” Queenie laughs.
I sigh and explain everything to them. When I’m finished, I am expecting judgment and questions, but I get none of that. Instead, Star tells me a little about her life before she met Ghost.
“So, you guys aren’t mad that I didn’t tell the truth?” I ask.
“Pfft, please.” Maggie snorts. “Do you think all those guys have told each other everything?” She laughs. “Everyone has a past, secrets. It’s your choice whether you choose to share them or not.” She shrugs.
“She’s right you know, and it’s for the best that you’ve come clean now and told them. You’re in safe hands. And now the air is clear, maybe you and Spider can start f-u-c-k-i-n-g,” Star suggests, spelling out the last word. I raise my brow. “I’m trying to be a better mom and not swear so much in front of Enzo,” she explains. “But fuck me, it’s hard.” She sighs.
I can’t help but laugh. Maggie rolls her eyes and Queenie smiles. “He is the son of a biker, and not just any biker, but the President of the Black Hearts MC. Do you really think he isn’t going to have a foul mouth at some point?” Queenie points out.
Star looks down at Enzo on her lap and places a kiss on his head. “I know, but if he turns into a swearing biker, then I can say it was his dad’s fault and nothing to do with me.” She beams. Unaware that the conversation is about him, Enzo just shakes his toy before putting it in his mouth and dribbling everywhere.
I look up and see Spider walk outside. “I will be back in a minute,” I say as I jump to my feet and run after him, feeling like I need to clear the air with him. I run through the door and into the parking lot, catching Spider lighting a cigarette while sat on his bike. “Spider,” I call out. He looks up, placing the lighter back in his jean pocket, his brows furrowed in confusion as I jog across to him.
“What is it? Does Ghost need me?” he asks.
I shake my head no. “No, it’s nothing really. I just thought with what happened in there earlier that it would be good if I cleared the air with you. You had every right to doubt me. I get that you and my brother are close, and that you were just trying to protect him,” I state. He doesn’t say anything. He just continues to stare at me. “Er, yeah anyway. You were right. I was hiding something and I’m sorry for that, truly. So that ends our little game of who will break first.” I smile softly. “You win, so maybe now we can move on and be friends?” I suggest, holding out my hand for him to shake.
His eyes flicker to my hand, then back to my face before starting up his bike. He looks straight ahead, revving the throttle before riding off. My hand drops to my side as I stand there feeling deflated.