CHAPTER SEVEN
– MEAVE –
For the first time in months I’m wearing a smile big enough to warm my insides. Finally a day where I don’t wake up worried about everything going wrong in my life. A day where I can enjoy and feel confident about who I am, pregnancy and all.
Damn, my ex sure kicked my self-esteem, and not just by letting me walk in to see him cheating with my so-called best friend, or letting me think getting pregnant was my fault alone, calling me a selfish cunt for not terminating the pregnancy. But it’s the sex with Reef giving me the wake-up call I needed to indefinitely put Beau behind me, along with most of the accusations and blame.
I say most of the accusation and blame, because I can put things in perspective. We were both in that relationship which means each of us had our own flaws. End of the line? Good riddance to a guy I thought could handle going through good and bad times. Like Reef said, Beau isn’t a man.
The way Reef spoke about me yesterday in front of my mother and put things out there loud and clear, then the sex, the fierce protector flaring up with the peeping Tom, claiming me officially? Yeah, Reef shows potential and makes me feel damn good about myself.
Not to mention, orgasms. Plural. Just the memories of his dominating ways during the magnificent sex we had is enough to make me want to jump his bones again, and again, and…he’s seriously addictive. It might also be the load of piercings. All the romance stories I’ve read about piercings giving an extra dimension to sex? All true.
I took a shower late last night and then I fell asleep on the couch, leaning against Reef while we were watching a movie. I took another shower just now and am walking in the direction of the kitchen where the lovely scent of coffee greets me.
“Morning,” Reef rumbles and places a mug on the counter next to me. “Black, only half a mug, right?”
My smile ticks up another notch. “Yes. My stomach can only handle a few sips these days. Thanks.”
“How’s Leon doing?” I wonder.
Reef checked up on him twice during the night, both times he was fast asleep .
“Better, but he’s staying in bed. I brought him some tea along with a few biscuits.” Reef opens the fridge. “Would you like some breakfast? Bacon, eggs, pancakes?”
“Pancakes sound good.” My stomach rumbles in agreement.
Reef chuckles and takes out the milk and eggs to start the batter. I move toward the window and smile at the sight of a thick blanket of snow covering everything.
“Wow, it sure kept going all night,” I muse.
“The weather channel mentioned there’s more coming later today,” Reef states.
I keep my gaze on the sight before me. “I love snow. Always have. Sadly, I’ve not seen much over the past few years. My ex always liked the warmer climate, going away to sunny vacations and such. I should have known the two of us weren’t a good match. Looking back there are so many other things which annoyed me, but never made a big deal of. Why is it that people stay together while if you think rationally you’d be better off being alone than miserable together?”
“For some loneliness is a deathtrap. They can’t see past the change and would rather stick with what they know instead of muddling through the unknown,” Reef easily supplies while the man stays busy in the kitchen.
Turning, I take a moment to enjoy the scene in front of me. The man is confident and completely in his element while making us breakfast. He’s wearing black sweatpants along with a black t-shirt with Razing Muck MC in bold white letters on the front.
His arms are filled with colorful tattoos and it makes me realize we had sex, but didn’t exactly get naked.
Which makes me blurt out the words, “We should get naked.”
Reef looks at me over his shoulder. “As in right now? Sorry, darlin’, can’t let you get naked when there are cameras all over the place. Later, though? In the shower or bedroom? Yeah, we definitely should get naked so I can lick every inch of your body.”
I shrug as if his words didn’t just light a fire of desire inside my veins. “Okay then.”
He winks and reaches for a pan to put on the stove when the sound of an ambulance becomes more prominent with each breath I take. I start to walk toward the living room to look out the window just in time to see the ambulance slowly coming to a stop in the middle of the street.
“Ambulances have automated snow chains, right?” I muse. “They only have to press a button to get instant traction and don’t have to leave the warm cab to put on snow chains. At least, that’s what I read in an article. Safety first and…oh, no. Something must have happened to Humphrey with Stuart waving the EMTs over, and I don’t see Gertrude anywhere, do you? ”
“No,” Reef rumbles as he steps closer to me to peer through the window.
“I feel weird watching someone else’s worst day.” I turn and Reef follows me back into the kitchen.
I’ve set the table, and Reef is making the last pancake, when Leon barges into the kitchen. “Did you guys see all the ambulances and cops outside? There’s also a coroner’s office vehicle.”
His eyes are wide and there’s more color to his cheeks than there was yesterday.
I blink a few times to process what he just said, but Reef is more up to speed when he says, “The coroner is here? Damn. Wait. Did you say cops?”
“Yeah, I saw Sebastian Dent get out of his patrol car,” Leon supplies.
Reef nods and I wonder why they know the cop by name.
The frown on my face must have caught Reef’s attention because he tells me, “It’s the cop who was on the case when the shit with Leon’s mom went down. Zale and him go way back.”
“Oh,” I mutter.
Reef turns off the stove and all three of us walk to the window in the living room.
At first I wanted to respect the neighbors’ business, but holy shit, “Looks more like a crime scene than an accident or whatever.”
“Right?” Leon states.
Reef takes out his phone. “I’m going to call Zale and ask if he can reach out to Sebastian. ”
He steps back to make the call while I see one of the coroners leaving the house.
I tug on Leon’s shirt. “Come on, kiddo. Let’s get some breakfast and wait on Reef to get us some information. Spying to catch a glimpse of whatever tragedy is going on behind the curtains isn’t very classy.”
His shoulders slightly sag. “You’re right, Maeve.”
Leon rubs his hands and grins at me when he sees the huge stack of pancakes Reef made. “Damn. I thought I wasn’t hungry.”
I grab an extra plate from the cabinet and place it in front of him. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
“Yeah, must have been those weird tasting muffins Stoner brought with him. After I ate one of those I felt sick to my stomach,” Leon grumbles.
I wrinkle my nose. “Someone named Stoner brought muffins, and you ate one? Dude, they could have been spiked with whatever Stoner likes to use to get…you know.”
I wave my hand and Leon blinks at me, then starts to laugh.
Though, it’s cut short when Reef snaps, “There were muffins? You ate one, and you’re sure Stoner’s the one who made them?”
Leon’s eyes go wide and he instantly gives a tight nod while stammering, “Y…yes, VP. I…shouldn’t I have? I thought it was just a funny nickname because Stoner always does stupid stuff. Dad would never allow any drugs in the clubhouse. Alcohol, yeah, even after Vera’s addiction, but drugs? Well shit.”
“We’re not saints, Leon. Some do smoke a joint on occasion, it’s their choice. Though, what we don’t want is anything illegal in or around the clubhouse because of our work. We don’t want to taint our reputation while we run a legal security business.” Reef rubs a hand over his face. “Prez is gonna flip his shit when he hears this.”
“So, let me get this straight. This Stoner brought muffins with some drugs thrown into them to the party last night?” I ask and then blanch then I remember seeing them. “Oh shit. They were at the table near the fruit punch that didn’t have a lot of fruit but all booze in it, right?”
“Motherfucker,” Reef roars and is suddenly cupping the back of my neck to gently push my chin up with his thumb to make our gaze collide. “Please tell me you didn’t have one. Was it the reason why you needed to go outside?”
“I wanted a muffin, and I did grab one,” I admit. “But the smell was off and I was craving a pickle instead of something sweet.”
“Thank fuck,” Reef sighs in relief and leans in to kiss me.
My eyes fall shut for a brief moment in time to sink into his warmth and affection. Life hitting pause and only making room for pleasure and happiness; it’s what Reef is able to ignite inside me with a single kiss.
“You two are together?” Leon remarks .
Reef breaks our kiss, shoots me a wink and turns to Leon. “Maeve is my old lady.”
Leon grins. “Does my dad know?”
Reef narrows his eyes. “You mean, did that fucker bust my balls to make sure I don’t fuck shit up between him and his old lady? Then, yeah, he knows.”
We chuckle while Reef’s phone starts to ring.
He takes the call and listens for a few heartbeats until he finally says, “Okay, drive safe.”
“What did Dad say?” Leon asks the question that was going through my mind as well.
“He’s coming over. Sebastian told him off the record that Gertrude and Humphrey are both dead. There will be an investigation due to the circumstances. He’ll explain when he gets here.” Reef shoves his phone back into the pocket of his sweatpants.
“Do you think Stuart killed them?” I wonder, and then remember what happened last night. “Or maybe Humphrey didn’t come back right from his walk and went a little crazy on his wife.”
“What?” both Reef and Leon ask in sync.
I turn to Reef and explain. “Remember when we got home last night how I went to grab some stuff from home before coming here?”
“Yeah.” He shoves a chair back and takes a seat next to me.
“Well, Stuart was at the door asking if I saw his father. He told me Humphrey always takes a walk after dinner but he comes home after a half hour or so. Anyway, he didn’t and Stuart was worried. He also mentioned his father seemed more confused and disorientated or something like that. While we were talking Humphrey came home and Stuart left to go check on his dad.”
“Cops might want to know,” Leon muses.
“Yeah,” Reef agrees. “I’m sure Sebastian will swing over once Zale gets here, you can tell him then.”
“Who knows what happened,” I muse and reach out to put a few pancakes on my plate. “It’s sad, though. Gertrude might have been slightly annoying with her gossip and interfering with everything, but if something bad happened? She surely didn’t deserve it.”
“Did they arrest Stuart?” Leon questions.
“Don’t know, kid.” Reef points a fork in the direction of Leon’s plate. “Eat. I’m sure it’s going to be a long day and you need your strength ’cause we’re also gonna have a little chat about what happened last night when your dad gets here.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Leon grumbles and starts to eat.
A comfortable silence falls upon us while we’re all absorbed into our own thoughts while we finish the most important meal of the day.