Chapter 20
TWENTY
THEA
Seriously, the Russians?
“So what’s the deal with work tomorrow?” I ask Viper as I move to stand beside him at the bar where he’s drinking and talking to Hulk and a couple of the bikers from the new MC that have arrived. I haven’t missed the 1%er patch on their cuts, or the rough around the edges vibes they give off, but if they’re here they must be okay. Still, I’m not liking the ideas floating in my head on what is going on around here. And I wasn’t able to cleverly get any of my questions answered when I asked Rose or any of the other women. And I know Rose knew exactly what I was doing by the look in her eyes and the smile on her face, but still, none of them gave anything up. Not even a hint.
It’s frustrating, but I can respect that she doesn’t want to betray any confidences that she shouldn’t. Especially considering I have no station or position here. But I don’t like being left in the dark, and I’ll be pushing Sniper for answers the moment we’re alone. I’m not foolish enough to think I can get the information from one of the other men in the club, or even the new ones that are here.
“Now why would a pretty thing like you need to worry about work?” one of the new guys asks, his tone smooth, and considering his cut calls him Whiskey, and I can see why. His eyes are the color of his name, bright and warm as they watch me, but there’s no missing that he’s a biker through and through. His hair is heading toward unkempt, and I’m not sure he’s brushed the light brown locks, with silver throughout, in a while. His dark boots are scuffed, and he’s got tattoos on every piece of skin I can see. Not to mention the ZZ-Top vibe he’s got going with his beard. “If you were my woman, you’d never have to work a day in your life, honey. That Sniper’s been mistreating you? Don’t you worry your pretty head, because I’ll set him straight.”
There’s a few snickers from the others in his group, but I ignore it. Instead, I say with a cool smile, “I’m no one’s woman, and I’m happy to stay that way. But thank you for your concern.” I look back at Viper. “I’m assuming you want me at work tomorrow?”
“Not sure what’s going on tomorrow,” Viper tells me. “We don’t have major anything to do other than some security installs, but that’s Cryos’s territory.”
“And, what, I’m supposed to twiddle my thumbs?” I ask, irritated.
“No, we’ll have something for you to do,” Viper assures me. “I just don’t know what until we’re in the office. I imagine Sniper will bring you in, but you can talk to him about that.”
I want to snap that Sniper is not responsible for me and I can drive my damn self, but I can also feel the eyes of the other club guys on me and I have a feeling that won’t go over well. So instead, I nod, turn on my heel and walk away back toward where Rose is sitting talking to Izzy, Syn, Sage, Eden, and Sadie. Quinn already went up to bed with Macy, clearly worn out. Though I can’t imagine carrying twins is easy work.
“Feeling restless, huh?” Rose says with a knowing look.
“I’m not used to being kept in one spot,” I tell her with a sigh.
“It’s something you get used to after a while,” Syn drawls, leaning down to pet one of the dogs by her feet. Two dogs that were watching the new comers very closely. Not aggressively, but more out of curiosity. The one she pets, Loki, licks her hand before returning to scan the crowd. “And now that I’m pregnant, Stone never wants to let me go anywhere or do anything.” She glances at Rose. “Your son might be bunking with you if he gets too overbearing.”
Rose laughs. “And if that happens, you let me know he’s on his way and I’ll make sure he sees the errors of his ways. But Bullet was like that too for a while, especially with Stone, so you might have to grin and bear it for a little bit. Not saying you don’t slap him upside the head though if he gets out of line,” she adds with a wicked grin.
“Or a chomp on the ass.” Sage snickers, giving Ebony, the other dog, an affectionate pat. “Personally that would be my go-to. Nothing like smartening a man up with some pain. And, if he complains, just tell him what you’re going to go through while giving birth as graphically as possible, so he can suck it up,” she adds cheerfully.
Syn arches a brow at her. “You really do love talking about the whole birth thing, don’t you? Maybe I should make it that you’re there with me, hmm? Give you a taste of it too.”
“I’m good,” Sage replies cheerfully when Izzy and Eden snicker. “I love you, sis, but we’re not that kind of close. Besides, we both know that you want Stone and Rose there so you can scream at him, and have Rose there to back you up. I’d just laugh and enjoy myself too much. Besides, remember that time I had to help Brady with the woman in the back of the cruiser? Yeah, no, never again.”
“It was your own fault you got yourself arrested,” Syn points out with a smirk. “And I still remember Brady being green, but mostly from the vomit you blew all over his shoes than the woman having a kid in the back of his seat.”
Sage shudders and I can’t help but grin. “Dare I ask why you got yourself arrested? And who is Brady?”
“Brady is an asshole.” Sage sniffs. “But if things don’t work out with you and Sniper, he’s definitely your type. Growly and handsome and all that, but he’s also a cop back in our hometown. And as for arresting me, he was always doing that to piss me off. He’d make up bogus charges just for fun!”
“Bogus?” Syn scoffs. “That time he arrested you for breaking and entering because you broke in to your ex’s house. He just happened to catch you because he was taking the medic call across the street. You’re the stupid one for doing it in front of him.”
“And how was I supposed to know he was going to be there? I mean, it’s not like I saw him and decided to try my luck while he was distracted. And it was Carter’s fault for seeing me in the first place, not Brady. If he had just kept his big mouth shut, it would have been fine.”
“Why were you breaking into your ex’s house?” Izzy asks.
“Because he stole my favorite camera lens to get back at me. All I was doing was retrieving it, and if he hadn’t changed the locks, I would have been able to get in with my key. Anyway, it was fine. Brady delivered the baby, I vomited on his shoes, and all was right since my ex didn’t press charges when I pointed out he took the lens. Which would have been a felony with the amount of money it cost if I had pressed charges on him.”
“I see why King calls you Crazy.” Izzy laughs. Yeah, I could see that too.
“What I want to know is what is going on with you and Sniper,” Eden says with a wide grin pointed my way. “And I want to know if he’s as good in bed as I suspect he is.”
“You have your own man, bitch.” Sadie laughs. “But yes, I want to know too. Especially because I thought about taking a run at him myself, but I realized he’s too dominant for me.”
“What the hell do you mean too dominant?” Eden demands incredulously. “You’re the queen of weird-ass kinky shit and that bothers you?”
“Exactly, I’m the Queen .” Sadie grins. “And that means that I’m the one running the show. I don’t bow down to a man. Ever.”
“Yes, you go, girl!” Sage yells with a whooping laugh, high-fiving Sadie across the table. “Wait, does that mean you’re the one leading the men around by leashes and stuff?” Sadie just grins. “Oh, I need to know everything, because I bet there are lots of authors who need something like that for one of their books. I wonder if I can get King to?—”
“Not a fucking chance, Crazy,” King tells her as he makes his way over, Torque and Stone right behind him.
Sage grins wickedly at him. “But just imagine all the fun we could have,” she purrs. “I bet Syn would let us use one of Loki’s collars for you.” Syn’s eyes are bright with laughter, and I barely manage to contain my own. “And if you’re lucky, I’d even wear some leather for you,” she adds with a seductive look.
King’s eyes flare, but he still manages to keep his wits about him and shakes his head. “Not a chance. Now get your ass up so we can get to bed.”
“Make me,” she taunts, then lets out a squeal when he manages to haul her chair back, and get her over his shoulder in what looks like a practiced move. Sage is grinning like an idiot as he carries her out, much to the delight of the Misfits, who catcall and shout out suggestions.
“Twenty bucks that she has King in a leash and collar by end of the month for a photo.” Izzy snickers.
“I’ll take that bet.” Syn grins. “King’s a lot of things, but he will not be up for that, no matter how much Sage tries. If anything, it’ll be her wearing the collar and leash. Maybe Sadie can give her some pointers.”
Sadie’s grin is wide and wicked. “I definitely can. Now, back to Thea and Sniper. So what’s the deal? Pretty sure I heard a scream earlier when I was coming out of my room and it wasn’t one of pain or fear.”
I don’t bother blushing, unashamed. I learned a long time ago that nothing stays too secret for long when it comes to relationships or hookups, no matter how much people try, or deflect when asked about it. I don’t even look at Torque or Stone who I can see are smirking at me. “He insisted I stay with him, and we hooked up. But I’m not sure that it’s going to be more than that, so don’t be getting your hopes up. Honestly, half the time we don’t even like each other.”
“You don’t have to like each other to spend time in bed together,” Sadie reminds me. “And honestly, hate sex is the best.” She gives a dreamy sigh. “And the best part is if it doesn’t work into anything else, then nothing has to change.”
“I think the issue is that he likes her a little too much,” Eden disagrees. “And honestly, you’re here, so why not see what happens without too much pressure?”
I just shrug. “We’ll see. Honestly, there’s too much going on right now for me to worry about it. And besides, he’s older than me, and apparently that bothers him a bit too much.”
Sadie and Eden scoff. “He’s, what, ten to twelve years older than you? It’s not like he’s robbing the cradle,” Sadie points out. I nod. She waves that away. “Call him Daddy a few times in bed and you’ll be just fine. Guys love that shit. Ask this one,” she adds with a jerk of her thumb at Eden.
Eden glares at her, but doesn’t deny it. Interesting. “Bitch,” Eden growls at her.
“Oh, come on. It’s hot and you know it, nothing to be embarrassed over.”
“Babe, you’re running your mouth again and going to get yourself in trouble,” Bowie remarks as he comes over. “How about you and I find something to do to keep you quiet?” he suggests as he reaches down and hauls her up out of the chair. Sadie lets out a soft cry, but then she wraps her arms and legs around him, a smile on her face as he walks away.
No one says a word, but I can see the shock and surprise on everyone’s faces, including Torque and Stone’s. “Wait, those two are a thing?” Stone asks.
“Not that I know of,” Eden says absently, watching as Bowie carries a now laughing Sadie into the kitchen.
“She just said Sniper was too dominant for her, but Sniper is tame compared to that boy,” Rose muses. “Him and Frost both.”
“Or they’re just having fun and it’s nothing serious,” I suggest. “I mean, he took her into the kitchen, not to bed.” No one looks convinced, so I just shrug and finish off my drink.
“Thea!” a voice calls, and I turn my head to see Viper waving to me and indicating for me to follow him outside. I stand and head that way, curious. I feel the eyes of everyone in the room on me as I head toward the front door, but I ignore it. What could he want?
When I get outside, I see Theo standing there with a bag, and my eyes narrow. Besides Viper, I also see Hulk and Medic milling around not far away, as well as a couple of the Misfits, though none of them are looking our way, so I bite my tongue as best I can as I walk down the steps. “You went to my apartment?” I ask carefully as he holds out the bag to me.
He winces, knowing how pissed I am. “Sniper told me to go and grab you some things once I was relieved on the gate,” he explains.
“And why would he have told you that?”
Theo glances at Viper, who says nothing, before looking back at me. He tries his reasonable tone that he likes to use when he thinks I’m about to overreact to something. “I think he wanted you to have your own clothes to wear, Thea. It’s nothing nefarious. I mean, don’t you want to wear your own stuff and be comfortable? And I promise I didn’t snoop or anything. I just grabbed handfuls of stuff, your phone chargers, and a bunch of stuff from your bathroom that I figured you might need. But if I missed anything, I’m sure someone can buy it for you.”
Oh, my stupid, stupid brother. Sometimes I forget that he really doesn’t understand the female mind, or what not to say to one that is already pissed off. If he ever has a steady girlfriend, I’m going to have to warn her. “What I want,” I say between clenched teeth, “is for people to stop making decisions for me. What I want is to come and go as I please. What I want is to be able to be in my own bed and apartment, where my clothes and things are where they should be and not in a bag that you went searching for. And I’m sick of being stuck here with no reason why other than what happened at the bar. I’m not a part of the MC, I’m not an Old Lady or a club girl. I’m an employee of one of the businesses. But once business hours are over, no one gets to tell me shit.” I include Viper in my statement of that, not that he seems to care.
I snatch the bag from Theo, turn on my heel and head back for the steps.
“Seems to me that someone is being an ungrateful bitch,” someone behind me says just loud enough for me to hear. I stop and turn slowly on my heel to look at one of the Misfits watching me with barely veiled disgust. In the low light from the porch, I can just make out that he goes by Crook, and he certainly gives off the vibe that he’s done some things that I’m better off not knowing. He’s shaved his head, wearing a soul patch goatee, and covered in tattoos from his neck down. His nose is crooked from having been broken a few times, and if I’m not mistaken, he’s missing one of his fingers on his left hand.
“An ungrateful bitch?” I repeat calmly.
“You heard me well enough,” he drawls, a southern accent thickening his voice. “Seems to me you should be showing some more respect to the people that are helping you out and keeping you safe instead of whining and bitching. Or do you want to be the next one dead because of a Russian’s bullet?”
“Crook, shut the fuck up,” Viper snaps, glaring at him.
The other Misfits exchange a wary glance. I can’t see their names, but clearly they realize what Crook has just revealed. Not only to me, but also to Theo, who doesn’t hide his shock at that statement. Instead of replying, I look at Theo. “When you were snooping through my shit, did you at least pack my essentials?” I ask him, knowing he’s going to get at what I mean, and considering what Crook just revealed, sounds like I might need them. Theo looks back at me and gives one quick nod. “Good. Oh, and next time you do that, I’m going to kick your ass, got it?”
“You don’t get to talk to him like that, woman,” one of the other Misfits snaps, stepping forward. Now that he’s more into the light, I can make out the name Trix on his cut. I put him in his early forties, with reddish brown hair in this light that he’s styled in a James Dean fashion, dark green eyes, and a large scar down the left side of his face. He’s still handsome in a rugged way, I suppose, but there is no missing the dangerous vibe from him. “He might be a Prospect, but you better be showing him some respect. And that means you don’t get to touch him or threaten to.”
Viper lets out an aggravated sound, even as I give Trix a cool smile. “Enough,” Viper barks, clearly fed up. “I don’t know what the hell is up with everyone, but I’m going to blame it on the stress of the situation and the fact that you all are probably running on no sleep. Trix, you don’t speak to Thea. She’s our employee, and she’s also our Prospect’s sister. And unless you want Sniper coming down on your ass, or any of your asses when he hears about this shit, then I suggest you start keeping your mouths shut when it comes to how we run our club.”
Trix and Crook share a look and nod, while the third man just watches the situation with interest on his face, clearly happy not to be lumped into whatever is going on. Theo doesn’t respond, looks at me questioningly, and I shoot him a discreet hand signal that I’m fine. I see the tension in his shoulders relax and then he turns away and heads back toward the gate, no doubt happy to be away from the situation.
“Trix, Crook, Ace, all of you get to work on your rotations,” a deep voice behind me says, making me turn back and see Arson and Bullet standing there, hard looks on their faces. Bullet glances at me, but doesn’t say anything, just waits as the three bikers walk away without another word. “I’ll apologize for their disrespect, Thea,” Arson says finally after a moment. Then he looks at Bullet. “And I’ll have a word with Crook about his big mouth,” he adds with a grim set to his mouth.
Bullet gives one quick nod, accepting that. When Arson looks at me, I just nod as well, because what else can I do? “I think that it’s been a long-ass day,” Bullet remarks. “Everyone has their schedules, and tomorrow, we’ll work on next steps.” Arson nods and heads down the steps after his men.
Once he’s out of earshot, Viper makes his way back up the steps and says to me in a surprisingly gentle voice, “I know you’re not familiar with this life, and Sniper will explain it better when he’s back, but for now, I need you to remember that Theo is our Prospect, and when he is on these grounds, or in the presence of us or another club, you can’t be his sister. You need to be Sniper’s woman, or someone close to the club, but that’s it. He’s trying to prove he wants to be here, that he belongs here, and he can’t do that if you undermine him, even unintentionally. And I know that’s probably a thing you do, and honestly any other time most of us wouldn’t give a shit and never think anything of it, but right now, we need this, okay? And he was only acting on Sniper’s request, who is a patched brother and our VP, so while I know you’re pissed, you can’t yell at him for following orders.”
A flash of guilt hits me at that. “Did I screw up anything for him because I did?” I ask softly.
“No,” Bullet replies. “Theo’s barely been with us a week, and this situation is nothing normal, so we won’t hold anything like this against him.”
I nod, relieved. “I’ll remember that and try not to do anything like that again,” I assure them both. I might not be convinced, but I also don’t want to screw anything up for him because of my own issues.
“I know,” Bullet answers with a slight quirk of his lips. “Now, I’m going to find my woman and head to bed. Tomorrow will be a busy day.”
“Me too,” Viper agrees. Then he smiles at me. “You able to find your way back to your room?”
“Oh, do I get a room of my own now?” I ask pointedly.
Viper holds up his hands. “Thea, I like you, but not enough to come between you and a man who can kill me in my sleep. You can fight with Sniper when he gets back.”
“From what I hear, Eden could kill you in your sleep too,” I remind him with a sly smile. “So I don’t know if you need to worry about Sniper so much.”
Viper gives me a salacious grin. “Then it’s a good thing I know exactly how to wear her out so that she doesn’t even have the energy to try, isn’t it?”
I laugh, unable to help myself. “You keep thinking that, big guy,” I respond tauntingly. “You piss her off enough, and sex isn’t going to stop her.” That has his grin dimming a little bit and it’s my turn to grin as I head inside.
“That girl is going to be trouble.” I hear Bullet sigh. “And this one is trained to make sure we might never find out whatever shit she starts. I’m hiding all the weapons now.”
I grin to myself as I make my way through the common room and up the stairs. Probably not the best time to mention I’m also very well trained in concealing weapons as well, is it? And that I’ll happily teach the other women.