Electra Chapter 18
Rhodes came over to stand next to me. “What’s going on?”
“It seems Annette, who works at Wrath’s Recovery, is here insisting on speaking to Swerve. Since they’re in church, Darian informed me it’s my decision whether she’s allowed in. I don’t want to turn her away in case it’s important. Hopefully, she won’t be here long.”
“You don’t like her. Why?”
“She irritates me with the way she acts. She’s always acting so defenseless, and others have to protect her. You know how I hate that. And she’s constantly finding a reason to hang close to Swerve. I have no doubt she’s enamored with him.”
“Ah, so you don’t like her near your man,” Rho said with a twist of his mouth.
“True, but it’s more than that. I can’t explain it, but she rubs me the wrong way. I don’t think she’s sincere or as helpless as she pretends to be. The less time spent with her, the better.”
More conversation was halted by the front door opening.
In came Boden. I wasn’t sure how he got involved.
The last I knew, he was doing chores around the compound.
Right behind him was Annette. She was gawking with her mouth hanging open as she entered.
This behavior led me to believe that this was her first time at the compound, or at least inside the clubhouse.
She was so busy checking things out that Boden had brought her to me and stopped, causing her to pause as well. It was halting that had her focusing on what was directly ahead of her—me. Annette stumbled a step. Her surprise was quickly replaced by suspicion. Her gaze narrowed on me.
“What are you doing here?” she snapped.
“Well, hello to you, too, Annette. As for why I’m here, that’s not any of your business. Darian said that you wanted to see Swerve. I’m afraid he’s in an important meeting that can’t be disturbed for just anything. What brings you here?” I made sure to sound nice.
“You were fired. I was told that. Why in the world would they allow you here after they fired you? There’s no way I’m telling you anything. Get Swerve. I need to speak to him alone,” she demanded.
“Wow, you sure seemed to have grown a pair, Annette—no more sickening sweet, poor-little-defenseless-me routine. Thank God. It was making me ill. However, you can demand all you want, but until I hear a good reason, you won’t be seeing Swerve.
He’s in church with his club, and they have a lot to discuss. They’ll be in there for hours.”
“Get out of my way, Electra. I’m here to see Swerve, not you. How dare you speak for him or deny me access to him?” Annette snapped.
“I have every right to question you and keep you from disturbing church. Whatever it is, you can tell me, and I’ll pass it along to him when he’s free. Or you can wait here, which could take hours. I promise to tell him exactly what you said.”
Annette turned her head and addressed the prospects. They were standing there silently, taking it all in. They appeared solemn, but I bet this entertained them to some degree.
“I demand that you get Swerve for me. I have information I believe he’ll find very interesting. He needs to hear it right away.”
“Ma’am, I’m sorry, but Electra is correct. We can’t interrupt church for something so vague. Tell Electra what it is, and then we can decide if it warrants knocking on the door. You don’t want to disturb them for a stupid reason. Our president won’t take kindly to that,” Boden informed her.
Annette scowled at him, then looked at Darian. Before she said anything, he spoke up. “Don’t look at me. I’m gonna say the same thing Boden and Electra said. We’re not barging in on church. My future patch means something to me. I’m not endangering it for stupid shit. Tell Electra.”
Outrage filled her face. Her hands came up to rest on her hips.
“I can’t tell her! This is something she can’t know, you idiots!
I hope you’re ready to face the consequences after Swerve hears what I have to say.
I’d kiss that patch or whatever you’re talking about goodbye.
” She gave them a smug smile, then sniffed.
The urge to plant my fist in her face was growing. Dozer must’ve felt my tension because he pressed tighter to my leg and looked up at me. I smiled as I lowered my hand to pet him. The movement drew her attention to him.
“What are you doing out here, Dozer? You should be with your master, not with her. Come here,” she said, patting her thigh.
Typically, Dozer was nice to everyone unless they gave him a reason not to be. Annette often brought him treats, so his response to her request surprised me. He remained plastered to my leg, and he stared her down.
“Come here, Dozer,” she said louder and got the same response.
“What the hell did you do to him?” she snipped.
“I haven’t done a thing to Dozer,” I defended.
“Like hell you haven’t. If you hadn’t, then he’d come to me. I’m his favorite.”
Darian cleared his throat. “I know why,” he said deeply.
“And what would that be?” Annette replied.
“Swerve gave his dog instructions not to leave Electra’s side. He wants her safe. That’s what bikers do with someone like her.”
“Someone like her? You mean a liar and a thief! I can see him having Dozer be her guard, but she should be caged up or with the police.”
“What the hell are you talking about, Annette?” I asked.
“Don’t act innocent. You know what I mean. You were fired. And while they wouldn’t tell me why, I figured it out. You’ve been stealing from the club. You thought you were smart, but I found the proof.” She spoke with a smug tone.
“I don’t know what you found, but I can guarantee you it had nothing to do with me stealing anything. And I’m not going to be caged or turned over to the police.”
“You think not, well, I wouldn’t bet on it, honey. You’ve been trying to fool Swerve this entire time, but I haven’t trusted you from the start. I knew you were up to no good. Once I prove it to Swerve, we’ll see where you end up,” she sneered.
If she wasn’t talking sense, then I was done with her. Not saying a word, I turned and headed back to the table. The whole time, Rhodes had been a silent spectator. He came with me, along with Dozer.
“Don’t walk away from me!” Annette partially yelled.
I refused to give her the satisfaction of turning to look at her. If she wanted to play a game, she’d do it by herself. The warning I got that told me something wasn’t right was when I heard rustling and then one of the prospects swore, “Fuck.”
Whirling around, I found that Darian was between me and Annette. He had hold of her wrists, holding them away from himself. She was glaring at him.
“You better let go of me,” Annette hissed.
“If you think I’m letting you go so you can lay hands on Electra, you’re crazy. That’s not allowed. You do that, and we let you, Swerve will lose his mind, and we’ll be out. Even if he wouldn’t, we’re not letting you attack her from behind. That’s dirty,” Darian explained.
Ah, so she was trying to fight dirty, was she?
“You don’t touch an old lady without permission,” Boden added.
“Old lady! She’s not anyone’s old lady. Is that what she told you to get herself through the gate?
You can tell me, Electra. You’ve been here screwing everyone you can.
Well, I don’t care who you sleep with or whatever they have you doing.
It won’t get you Swerve, so have some dignity and leave before he comes back and learns what I know.
If you leave, you might be able to get out of town before the club comes after you,” she said smugly.
God, the urge to hit her in the face, breaking her nose, and then knocking out a few teeth was overwhelming. Rhodes reached over and gripped my fist. He squeezed it.
“Ignore her. She wants to fight,” he whispered, so only I heard him.
“I’m afraid you’re the one who is wrong. The club is in there as we speak, voting on Electra becoming Swerve’s old lady. I have no doubt they’ll make it official if they already haven’t,” Boden informed her.
His words seemed to electrify Annette. Her face turned white, then changed to red.
Her fists curled, and she yelled, “I can’t believe this!
And after months of me doing everything I could to attract his attention.
I brought his damn dog treats and made over the monster.
I listened to him ramble about his work.
Boring doesn’t begin to describe them. I fetched him coffee every day and made sure things ran smoothly for him.
And how does he repay me? By making me his girlfriend?
No, by tossing me aside like I don’t matter, but a worthless person like you does!
I think not. I’m entitled to be his old lady, not you! ” Annette bellowed.
Annette attempted to lunge between the prospects.
Rhodes was moving to place himself between me and her, but I shook my head no.
I could handle whatever she brought. She was making frustrated growling sounds.
God, she was beginning to make me believe she was unhinged.
I knew she was into Swerve, but this was too much for mere desire.
“Get out of my way! I’ll show this whore who Swerve should be with. It’s not her, I can promise you that. He’s supposed to be mine. I hate you!” Annette babbled. The two prospects had her by the arms as she struggled to get away from them and to me. She was kicking them.
“Stop kicking them right this minute, or so help me, I’ll make you. They don’t deserve this,” I snarled as I came closer to her.
“I’ll fucking do whatever I want. What’re they gonna do about it?”
“Probably nothing, but I can. They’re not men who raise a hand to a woman except in extreme situations. On the other hand, I have no problem putting my hands on you and making you calm down and stop the nonsense,” I threatened.
“She means it,” Rhodes told her.
“Who the hell are you? Another one of her lovers? She has no shame in bringing you here. You should find a different woman. This one is poison. I need Swerve to know the kind of person she is.”
“Electra is a wonderful woman, and she’s a sister to me. I don’t know where you get off saying those things about her, but they’re untrue. And she didn’t steal anything from Wrath’s Recovery. We know that is the truth. However, keep it up and you’ll reap what you’ve sown.”
“Fuck you. Fuck all of you bastards! You’ve all fallen for her lies, and she uses her body to ensnare everyone.”
We were so involved in arguing with Annette that none of us paid attention to our surroundings.
“Will someone explain to me why there’s yelling in my clubhouse!? Darian? Boden? Electra?”
Diablo’s fierce voice froze Annette. I was even wary myself. Glancing off to the right, I saw that the club was filling the archway from the far hallway. Diablo, Swerve, and Scorpion were in front.
“I’m sorry, Diablo. It’s not the prospects’ fault.
I told them to allow her inside. She claimed to have urgent information for Swerve.
She wanted you to be interrupted in church, and we were explaining that it wasn’t done.
I asked her to tell me what she wanted to tell Swerve, and I’d know whether you should be disturbed.
She refused.” I hurriedly explained the highlights.
Diablo nodded, then looked at the prospects. “Darian?”
“It’s exactly as Electra said. We told this one that, as Swerve’s woman, she would take the message. This one, Annette, insisted that Electra shouldn’t be here, said some nasty things to her, and accused Electra of stealing from Recovery.”
“As Electra was walking away, Annette attempted to grab her from behind. We were preventing that,” Boden added.
Diablo’s gaze bounced over to Swerve. He gave my man a chin lift. This move signaled that Swerve was taking over, and he pushed his chair closer to us. He was scanning me from head to toe. I smiled and winked at him, so he’d know I was fine. I noted the tension leaving his shoulders.
“Annette, what is the meaning of this? Why are you here?”
“Oh, Swerve, I’m so glad to see you. I’ve been trying to get them to let me speak to you, but they kept saying no. I even told them it was urgent. Please, I need to speak to you now,” she said softly, using that voice she liked to use with him.
“Then say it. Tell me why you came out to the compound.”
“It would be best if we met in private. Some things aren’t for everyone’s ears.” She glanced out of the corner of her eye in my direction. I rolled mine.
“Anything you have to tell me, you can say in front of everyone here. It’s been a long day, and we still have things to go over. Either tell me why you’re here or leave,” Swerve demanded.
His hard tone left no doubt he’d kick her out if she didn’t. Giving up on a private word with him, she launched into her explanation. She did so as she brought a stack of papers out of the bag she was carrying.
“I know you fired her, and it had to be for a good reason, so I went digging. I searched her office. It took a while, but eventually, I found these hidden in a book on her bookshelf. These papers are lists and information showing that since she started at Recovery, there have been large amounts of money stolen from Recovery. I knew that you’d want to know and have the proof.
I never expected she’d be here. Why isn’t she in jail or at least gone? ”
“What gives you the right to question how we handle things?”
Swerve’s acidic tone caught her attention, and her eyes widened.
“I…uhm, I’m not questioning you, Swerve, or the club.
I thought the reason you fired her was because of this.
I also wanted to ensure you had proof to show the police.
I knew there was something shady about her from the start.
As for these guys, they clearly don’t have a clue what they’re talking about.
” She gave the prospects dismissive looks.
Deciding to fuck with her, I held out my arms. “Go ahead, arrest me. Since I’ve been pulling the wool over your eyes all along and she’s got proof of my crime, cuff me and take me away.
” I said it in the shakiest tone I could.
I saw the flash of glee cross Annette’s face before she hid it.
I waited to see what my man would do or say.