Chapter 9 - Beast
I watch Jenny lead Eli toward the kitchen, my eyes lingering on the sway of her ass in that tight dress.
Even after what we just did upstairs, I'm already thinking about when I can have her again.
The animal part of my brain wants to follow her, bend her over the kitchen counter, and fuck her until she screams my name loud enough for the whole clubhouse to hear.
"You might want to wipe that look off your face before Tank gets back," Rage says, breaking into my thoughts.
I turn to find him watching me with a knowing smirk. Rage isn't the club's most observant member, but he's not blind either.
"What look?" I ask, moving to the security monitors to check the perimeter cameras.
Rage snorts. "The 'I just fucked someone I shouldn't have' look. Plus, this whole place reeks of sex." He lowers his voice, glancing toward the kitchen. "You do realize that's Tank's little sister, right? The one he'd kill anyone for touching?"
I straighten, turning to face him fully. There's no point denying it. The evidence is written all over both of us, and Rage isn't a man who appreciates bullshit.
"I know exactly who she is," I say evenly.
"And you're okay with Tank wanting to rip your head off when he finds out you fucked her? Because he will find out. Shit like this always comes to light."
I shrug, checking the ammunition in my sidearm. "If Tank has a problem with it, he can take it up with me directly."
"You'd fight Tank over this?" Rage asks, genuine surprise coloring his tone.
"If necessary."
Rage shakes his head, then lets out a low whistle. "You're a fucking madman, Beast. Tank's not just your brother in the club. He's the VP."
"And Jenny's not just some woman I'm fucking. She's—" I stop, realizing I'm about to say more than I intended.
"She's what?" Rage presses, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his massive chest.
I consider deflecting but decide on honesty. "She's special."
Rage's eyebrows shoot up. "Holy shit. You're actually serious about her."
"Yeah," I admit, the single word carrying more weight than a thousand others could.
A slow smile spreads across his face. "Well, I'll be damned. Never thought I'd see the day Beast got tamed." He claps me on the shoulder. "If you're happy, I'm happy for you, brother. Just be prepared for the shitstorm when Tank finds out."
"I can handle Tank," I say confidently, though in truth, I'm not looking forward to that confrontation, “Besides, he already knows we’re together. Does he expect us to be celibate?”
"Sure you can," Rage agrees, but there's a hint of doubt in his voice. He moves to check his own weapon, falling silent for a moment before speaking again. "Just be sure she's worth the trouble because he might be okay with you together, but knowing you’re fucking under his roof? That’s crazy."
"She is worth all the trouble," I say without hesitation, "Your time will come too, you know," I tell him after a pause. "Finding someone."
"Not interested. After Eli's mom walked out on us, the last thing I want is another woman in my life. Don't need anyone else disappointing my kid."
I nod, understanding his position. When Eli was just three, his mother decided club life wasn't for her and disappeared, leaving Rage to raise their son alone.
"Besides," Rage continues, glancing toward the kitchen where we can hear Jenny talking softly to Eli, "this life we lead?
It's dangerous enough for us. Bringing women and children into it just puts targets on their backs too.
" His voice drops. "I already worry about Eli every day. Don't need anyone else to worry about."
His words hit home, reminding me of the risk I'm taking not just with my position in the club, but with Jenny's safety. The Iron Eagles wouldn't hesitate to use her against us if they discovered what she means to me and Tank.
"I get that," I acknowledge. "But now that I've found Jenny... I've got an extra reason to make it home alive. To protect what's mine."
Rage considers this, then nods slowly. "Fair enough. Just remember… When shit hits the fan, and it always does, she's going to be looking to you for protection. You ready for that responsibility?"
Before I can answer, my phone buzzes with an incoming message from King: *Eagles neutralized. All targets down. Heading back.*
"They got them," I tell Rage, relief washing through me. "All targets down."
"Good," Rage says grimly. "Hope they made those fuckers suffer."
I type a quick response, confirming our status at the clubhouse, then check the time. Nearly midnight.
"We should get everyone back to the safe room until they return," I suggest. "Just in case."
Rage nods in agreement, and we move toward the kitchen to collect Jenny and Eli. As we enter, I find them sitting at the table, Eli munching on cookies while Jenny tells him a story that has him giggling despite the circumstances.
Our eyes meet across the room, and the connection between us is almost tangible. In that moment, I know Rage is right.
I'm in deep shit with Tank, and the club, and possibly the Iron Eagles.
But looking at Jenny's smile, I can't bring myself to regret a single thing.
Four days later - Wednesday evening
"You're sure this is a good idea?" Jenny asks as we pull up to my mother's house. "Having dinner with your mom right now?"
I cut the engine on my Harley and help her dismount.
After four days of relative quiet from the Iron Eagles, King finally authorized normal activities to resume, though with heightened security.
The attack on the machine shop had been devastatingly effective.
All seven Eagles present, including Vincent Kemp, were eliminated.
We expected immediate retaliation, but so far, nothing.
That silence is more unsettling than gunfire would be. We've installed cameras at all major road entrances to town, giving us early warning if a convoy of bikers approaches, but the waiting has everyone on edge.
"Ma's been worried," I explain, taking Jenny's hand as we walk up the path to the front door. "Calling twice a day since the attack. Figured seeing us in person would ease her mind."
The truth is, I also want to come clean to my mother about how our relationship started. The lie has been eating at me, especially now that what Jenny and I have is real.
Since that night in her room, we've been fully open about our relationship at the clubhouse.
The morning after the attack, Tank cornered me in the chapel while the others were cleaning up the damage.
I expected a fight, but instead got a tense conversation where he made it clear he wasn't happy about us being together but would give it a shot for Jenny's sake.
His parting words still echo in my head: "If you hurt her, Beast, we're going to have problems. And those problems will end with one of us in the ground. "
It wasn't exactly a blessing, but it was better than the alternative.
"But are you going to tell her the truth?" Jenny presses. "About how we started?"
I nod, squeezing her hand. "I don't like lying to her. But I also want her to know that what we have now is real."
Jenny smiles up at me, that sweet smile that makes my chest tighten in ways I never thought possible. "It definitely is real," she agrees, stretching up to press a kiss to my bearded cheek.
Before I can knock, the door swings open to reveal my mother, beaming at us.
"There you are!" she exclaims, pulling Jenny into a hug first, then me. "I was getting worried when you were late."
"Sorry, Ma," I say, following her inside. "Club business ran longer than expected."
Her expression sobers slightly. "Is everything... safe now?"
I exchange a glance with Jenny. My mother knows the basics of what happened, that there was an attack on the clubhouse, that people were hurt, but not the details of our retaliation.
"We're handling it," I assure her. "But let's not talk about that tonight."
She nods, understanding my reluctance to discuss club violence at her dinner table. "Well, I made pot roast again since you both seemed to enjoy it last time. And I bought that wine you mentioned liking, Jenny."
Jenny looks surprised that my mother remembered such a detail from our previous conversation. "That's so thoughtful, thank you."
Dinner goes smoothly, with conversation flowing easily, and as we're finishing dessert—apple crumble this time—I decide it's time for the truth.
"Ma, there's something I need to tell you," I begin, setting down my fork.
Jenny tenses beside me but gives me an encouraging nod.
"What is it, dear?" my mother asks, looking between us with concern.
"When Jenny and I came for dinner last Friday... we weren't actually dating then." The words come out in a rush. "I asked her to pretend to be my girlfriend because I was tired of you trying to set me up with women."
I brace for disappointment or anger, but to my surprise, my mother laughs.
"Oh, Derek," she says, shaking her head. "I knew that."
"You... knew?" Jenny asks, clearly as shocked as I am.
"Of course I knew," my mother says with a wave of her hand. "I raised this boy. I know when he's lying to me. You both were trying too hard. All those little glances to check if the other was going along with the story."
I stare at her, dumbfounded. "Why didn't you say anything?"
She smiles knowingly. "Because I also know my son well enough to see there was real interest there, even if you weren't admitting it to yourselves yet." She reaches across the table to pat Jenny's hand. "The way he looked at you when you weren't watching, that wasn't fake."
Jenny turns to me, a blush coloring her cheeks. "Is that true?"
"Yeah," I admit, feeling my own face heat. "I was attracted to you from the moment you arrived with Amelia. You were already on my mind. That's why I asked you instead of anyone else."
My mother looks triumphant. "And now? Is it still pretend?"
"No," I say firmly, taking Jenny's hand. "It's very real."
"Well then," my mother says, clearly pleased with herself, "my matchmaking worked after all, didn't it? Just not the way I expected."
Jenny laughs, the sound warming me from the inside. "I guess it did."
"And how is your brother taking it?" my mother asks Jenny directly, never one to dance around sensitive topics.
Jenny's smile turns wry. "He's... adjusting. He wasn't thrilled at first, but he's giving us a chance. He told Beast that if he hurt me, there would be consequences."
My mother nods approvingly. "As a good brother should. Though I raised my son better than to hurt someone he cares about."
"Yes, you did," I agree, feeling oddly touched by her confidence in me.
"Beast?" my mother repeats, catching Jenny's use of my road name. "That’s what they call you at the club, right?"
I nod, somewhat sheepishly. "Road name. Everyone has one."
"And why 'Beast'?" she asks.
Jenny looks at me with mischief in her eyes. "Yes, Derek, why do they call you Beast?"
I clear my throat, knowing I can't tell my mother the full truth—that I earned the name in underground fighting rings for my brutal efficiency, or that it later took on additional connotations among the club for my bedroom reputation.
"Because I'm big," I say simply. "And not very talkative."
My mother looks at me for a moment, then nods as if accepting this explanation. "Well, I prefer Derek. Always have."
The conversation shifts to safer topics after that, but as we're helping clear the table, my mother pulls me aside while Jenny takes dishes to the kitchen.
"I'm happy for you," she says softly. "She's a good woman. Strong. She'll keep you on your toes."
"She already does," I admit.
"I'm glad her brother is giving you a chance," she continues. "Family is important, Derek. It would be a shame if this came between them."
"Tank's protective," I explain. "But he cares about Jenny's happiness. And despite what he thinks of me, he knows I'm loyal to the club and to those I care about."
My mother smiles knowingly. "Is that what this is? Caring?"
I glance toward the kitchen where Jenny is humming as she rinses plates, looking perfectly at home in my mother's house. The sight does something to me, stirs feelings I've never allowed myself to experience before.
"It's more than that," I say quietly. "A lot more."
My mother's eyes widen slightly before her face breaks into a warm smile. "That's all I've ever wanted for you, son. Someone who makes you feel that way."
As we drive back to the clubhouse later that night, Jenny's arms wrapped around my waist, I can't help but think about how much has changed in just one week. From a fake relationship to something so real it terrifies me with its intensity.
The Iron Eagles are still out there, and Tank is watching our relationship with wary eyes, but for the first time in my life, I feel something that might be close to peace.
As Jenny presses closer against my back, her warmth seeping through my cut, I know one thing for certain: I'll do whatever it takes to protect what we've found together.