CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
After everything that happened last night, with that fucker showing up at the club, then throwing a rock through the window at Zoe and Lexie’s place, it had taken me a while to fall asleep. Seeing her in an almost catatonic state when I’d returned to the apartment building not half an hour after I’d left Zoe there alone with Lexie. I knew I should have insisted she return to the clubhouse with me. But I didn’t want to push her.
Even showering together, and coming together, didn’t help with my insomnia. When I did finally fall asleep before dawn, I wasn’t expecting loud banging on the door to bring me out of the deep slumber I’d fallen into, my arms wrapped securely around Zoe. I groan as I slowly open my eyes. Voices suddenly penetrated my brain, and I could finally take in what the person was saying.
“The gym’s on fire. Get your ass up.” With those words, I was up and out of bed in seconds. Unfortunately, waking Zoe with my shaky movements.
“What happened?” she asks sleepily.
“Go back to sleep, baby.” I tell her and kiss her forehead tenderly, before quickly getting into my clothes. Thankfully, she turns on her side, her back facing me, and goes back to sleep. I don’t need her worrying any more over this fire than she already is with that asshole showing his face in Briar Creek. I would have preferred to have woken her gently with a good fucking, but that will have to wait for another time.
Sliding into my boots, I make my way downstairs to the common room, where all the brothers have congregated.
“What the fuck’s happened?” I demand. I can see Ky’s dark and stormy face; he looks about to explode.
“There was a fire at the fucking vet practice next door, and it reached the gym.”
“Shit man, is Sera, okay?” I ask, and Ky gives me a strange look.
“How the fuck should I know? And how do you know what her name is?” Ky demands, his jaw ticking angrily. Interesting.
“Zoe and I went to see the vet with Zoe’s new cat yesterday.” I explain, surprised at my patience.
“So, is this a readymade family?” Tiny pokes me in the side with his elbow. I roll my eyes, expecting the ribbing from my brothers when they discover my woman has found and is keeping the kitten. Damn thing is causing me untold problems.
“With all due respect, fuck off, brother.” I tell him, with a shit-eating grin. Tiny returns my grin and slaps me on the back.
“Let’s go, brothers, and see what’s going on at the site.” Kick calls out, leading us out to the parking lot. Throwing my leg over my sled, I rev the engine, waiting for Kick and Tiny to lead the formation. We left a few prospects behind to watch over the women, but I was still reticent about leaving Zoe here. Though I was confident, our security would stand up to anything that fucker throws at it.
I rode side by side with Ky, and I could see just how upset over what happened today he was. Hopefully, the damage is minimal, and we can continue business as usual.
When we arrived at the strip mall, we found the whole thing well alight, and the firefighters already on scene.
“Fuck!” Ky screamed, when he noticed just how badly damaged the gym was. I looked around, noticing Sera standing behind the firefighters, tears in her eyes, walking over, I placed a hand on her shoulder. She jumped and whirled around.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. How’s your clinic?” I ask.
Sera snorts and motions with her hand. “Look around, it’s all gone. But thankfully, we got the animals out before the whole thing went up.”
My eyes take in the crates and cages around her, and can’t help but smile when I see Mr Boots, looking none too worse for wear, from the excitement of the morning. My gaze flies to Kick standing next to the captain of the local firehouse. They greet each other as if they were long-lost friends, with a vigorous handshake. He’s on our payroll, so if anyone knows what happened here, he would.
I walk over, just as Tiny and Ky do. “What can you tell me about the fire?” Kick demands. The chief sighs tiredly, running a hand down his haggard face.
“Not much, I’m afraid. What I know is that the fire started in the vet clinic, and spread quickly. It’s a miracle they could get all the animals out in time. The damage to both your gym and the clinic, plus the cafe, is extensive. It’s just lucky that no one was hurt.”
A dark expression comes over Ky’s handsome face, his eyes raking over the pretty vet, who seems lost standing alone in the parking lot. Before I could stop him, he storms over.
“Can you tell if it was deliberately lit?” I ask. I can’t believe the innocent-looking vet would do such a thing on purpose, but you never know what someone is capable of. I absentmindedly watch as Sera and Ky engage in a heated exchange, their voices raised and their arms flailing about, until Ky leans down, whispers something to her, and returns in our direction, causing the woman”s face to display sheer terror.
“The investigation has just begun. I’ll let you know what I find out,” he tells us, before walking away to join his crew.
“What did you say to the poor woman?” I ask with a chuckle.
“Just that if I find out she’s responsible, she won’t enjoy the punishment I intend to mete out to her.”
“Harsh.” Tiny mumbles.
“What if it’s not her? What if it’s the fucker, Caleb?” I suggest.
They all stare at me for a beat, before Kick points a finger into Ky’s chest. “I want you to be all over the good vet like white on rye. If she’s had something to do with the fire, she’ll likely slip up, and we can nab her.” He looks at me when he next speaks. “We’ll also look into the asshole cop.”
Ky nods, his brown eyes so like his father’s—twinkling at the thought of spending time with the pretty veterinarian. Although his earlier words said he couldn’t stand the woman.
“I’m going to get Zoe’s cat. Let me know when you want me to come and help clean up the gym. You’ll need a full reconstruction by the looks of things.” I fling over my shoulder.
Sera casts her eyes at me when she sees me striding towards her.
“You’re not here to threaten me too, are you?” She grits out.
I can’t help but chuckle. “No, but I am here to pick up my woman’s cat. I also want to apologize for anything Ky might have said to you. He’s just upset about the gym, that’s all.”
“Oh? So, he goes around threatening bodily harm to defenseless women, does he, when he’s upset?”
“Only when he has a reason to.” I respond, becoming annoyed with the woman, the look in my eyes letting her know I wouldn’t take her shit about any of my brothers. I hope she had nothing to do with setting the fire, but by the way she won’t meet my eyes, I have my doubts.
“If you did nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get Mr Boots.”
She bends down and picks up the cage with Mr Boots inside.
“Here, take him,” she swallows nervously. “On the house, My apologies to you and your club. I’m just a little upset over the fire. Now I have to call the insurance company and hope they’re willing to pay out for the renovations that will need to be done.” She explains. I instantly regret the way I’d spoken to her and relax my stance.
An idea pops into my head, and my gaze takes in Ky, who’s watching us with a narrowed stare. If he wasn’t gonna do anything about the pretty little vet, then I would be the one to push it along a bit.
“Talk to Ky, he’ll be in charge of the renovations to the gym. Maybe you two can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.”
The woman licks her lips nervously when she looks over at my brother, and I can see the obvious interest she has for him in her eyes. But he’s set things back by threatening her.
“I don’t think he’ll want anything to do with me now. Not after throwing around baseless threats. Maybe it’s best if we just stay out of each other”s way.”
I nod my head. “As you wish.” I tell her, “I’m sure I’ll see you around. my ol’lady has taken a shine to you, and I doubt she’ll let anyone else look after the cat now.” I chuckle, and she laughs again, attracting Ky’s eyes on her. Walking to my sled; I retrieve the kitten, tuck him into my cut, and dump the cage in the trash. Throwing my leg over the sled, I start and rev the engine, hoping that Zoe was still asleep so that I can wake her slowly, needing to have my cock buried deep inside her, as thoughts of the previous night’s goings on come over me. Fucking her with my tongue and fingers wasn’t barely enough, and now that she knows how much I wanted her, I intend to take her in every way possible.
Arriving back at the clubhouse, I walk through the door, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the dark room, and groan when I see Sin coming towards me, wearing a miniscule leather skirt with a barely there top. Her blonde hair hanging loose down to her ass.
“Hey baby, lookin’ good.” She purrs, attempting to put her hands on me, but I move back. She pouts at my reaction, but I don’t give a fuck. I wasn’t gonna ruin what I was building with Zoe for a meaningless fuck with this club slut.
“What’s crawled up your ass? You had no problems with me last time we fucked.” She spins on her five-inch fuck me heels and attempts to walk away. But I grab her wrist in a tight hold, spinning her towards me again, and I get in her face.
“Talk to me like that again, you”ll be in for a world of hurt.” I ground out through a clenched jaw.
“Don’t worry Chains, Nothing happened that day in your room. We didn’t fuck. Not that I didn’t want to, but you were so out of it you couldn’t even get it up.” She hisses nastily, too cocky for her own good; before a smug smile appears on her face, licking her lips almost triumphantly as a movement catches the corner of my eye. I turn my head to see Zoe standing there, wearing my T-shirt with the DCMC insignia emblazoned on the front, pairing it with a pair of daisy dukes that lovingly cup her lush ass. A look of disappointment on her beautiful make up free face. Oh, fuck me.