Chapter Nine
Dakota
I couldn’t remember ever being this terrified. After Charming had left, I’d changed my clothes and taken out the property cut he’d given me. I couldn’t fasten it, thanks to the baby growing inside me, but wearing it made me feel a little like I had on armor.
I looped my arm through Anatoly’s as we entered the clubhouse. I saw Hunter behind the bar and gave him a slight nod, while ignoring the mostly naked women standing nearby. Anatoly led me down the hall and to the double doors at the end. He pushed them open and ushered me inside.
The men glaring at Charming made me want to flee the room, but I forced myself to walk to his side.
He stood and laced our fingers together.
I hoped he didn’t feel me trembling. The anger coming off everyone honestly scared me.
He’d said the club would be upset with him for hiding me away, and Cinder had mentioned there being potential issues.
Until this very moment, I hadn’t considered they might physically harm Charming for what he’d done.
“Please don’t hurt him,” I murmured, my gaze landing on the one who seemed the most pissed. His cut read Havoc -- Sgt. at Arms. He happened to also be the largest man at the table. If he wanted to break Charming in half, I didn’t think it would take much effort on his part.
“Shit,” someone muttered.
I shifted closer, my cut sliding open more. I heard a gasp and turned to face the nearest man. Scratch, according to his cut. And Charming’s VP.
“She’s pregnant,” Scratch said.
I looked up at Charming. “You didn’t tell them?”
He shook his head. “Not yet. They were furious when I told them about you. I’d hoped meeting you might cool them off. If that hadn’t happened, Anatoly had instructions to get you the hell out of here and somewhere safe.”
I eyed the men around the table. “I understand why you’re upset. In your position, I’d probably feel like he didn’t trust me. He’s agonized over this for months. My brother asked him to keep my presence a secret.”
“And who the fuck is your brother?” another man asked. Renegade. “Last I checked, the Pres is the one in charge of what happens in the club. Not some outsider.”
I licked my lips and hoped I wasn’t about to make things even worse. “Specter.”
“Oh, fuck.” I turned to see who’d spoken. I’d need to learn the names sooner or later. Unless they made us leave. Or made me leave. Gator.
“You’re Specter’s sister?” Scratch asked.
“Yes. My brother killed someone and took the man’s wife with him.
She’d been abused. Beaten nearly to death.
He can’t give her back, but that’s what the Cartel wants.
If they don’t get her, they want me.” I looked up at Charming and noticed his jaw was tight with a muscle jumping.
“Charming was trying to honor my brother’s wishes, while also keeping me safe.
If the Cartel gets me, they’re going to make me suffer.
Most likely, they’ll kill me when they’re done. ”
“She shouldn’t have that cut,” Havoc said. “None of us voted her in. Knocking up some bitch doesn’t make her your old lady.”
Tears pricked my eyes, but I shrugged the cut off and placed it on the table.
His words were harsh, and they hurt. Didn’t make them any less true.
If a vote was how this typically was handled, then Charming had broken the rules by giving the cut to me.
They were angry enough already. I’d gladly give the cut back if it meant they’d stop hating him. I didn’t need it.
“Tell them the rest,” Cinder said. “They need to know her full name.”
“You fucking knew about this?” Havoc asked, his voice full of menace.
Cinder shrugged. “Someone had to watch over her when Charming couldn’t be around.
She’s innocent in all this, Havoc. What did you want me to do?
Toss her out of the gates and let the Cartel have her?
Let them turn her into a whore, or worse…
torture, rape, and kill her? That’s not how this club works. ”
Charming sighed. “Her name is Dakota Strayer. She’s my wife.”
The room went silent. I was too scared to look at any of them and buried my face against Charming. He tightened his hold on me and I felt his lips brush the top of my head. He leaned down and murmured in my ear. “Everything’s all right, sweetheart. They just need time.”
I dared to peek at the men in the room. I wasn’t so sure I believed him.
Especially with the biggest one, Havoc, glaring at him with murder in his eyes.
I couldn’t hold back my tears and did my best to hide them.
Didn’t matter. I couldn’t stop my body from shaking.
Everyone in the room knew I was bawling like a damn baby.
Specter would be so disappointed right now.
“When your woman hears you bullied Charming’s pregnant wife until she cried, she’s going to have your balls,” someone said. I thought it might be Gator, but I wasn’t certain. “Fucking hell, Havoc.”
“I think we need to bring in the old ladies,” Scratch said. “Or at least a few of them. See how they feel about all this.”
“Shit,” Havoc said. “Go ahead and call Jordan. You think she’s going to be pissed at me? Hell no. It’s Charming she’ll tear apart for this bullshit. Watch and see.”
I tuned them out and felt another presence come up behind me, then heard Anatoly’s voice. “Do you want me to take her out of here?”
“Not yet,” Charming said. “Let’s see what happens. But if the club turns on me, get her somewhere safe. Do whatever it takes to keep her alive and out of the Cartel’s hands. Anything. Understood?”
“Got it,” Anatoly said, sounding resigned.
I heard women’s voices and a moment later, the doors were thrown open.
“What the hell?” one of them asked.
“Ladies, meet Charming’s wife. Dakota,” Scratch said.
“Motherfucker gave her a property cut, without any one of us even knowing she existed,” Havoc said.
“Well, that explains why he keeps running home and won’t let anyone in his house,” one of the ladies said. She came closer and lightly touched my arm. “I’m Clarity. You okay?”
I lifted my head, knowing my cheeks were still wet from my tears and my eyes were probably red and puffy. Clarity narrowed her eyes and looked at the men around the table. “Which one of you bastards made her cry?”
“That would be Havoc,” Gator said, grinning at another woman.
The other lady growled and stomped over to Havoc, then leaned down. “I hope you like the color blue, Havoc, because your balls are about to turn that color. It will be a cold day in hell before you touch me. Did you seriously make her cry?”
“And she’s pregnant,” Gator supplied helpfully, his smile widening.
The woman’s eyes narrowed to slits and her fists balled up. “She’s pregnant? Do you honestly think Charming would lock her away without reason? What’s the entire story?”
“The Cartel is after her,” Charming said. “She’s Specter’s little sister. He pissed them off and now they want to use her in retaliation. I won’t let them have her.”
The woman straightened. “Of course, you won’t! And you shouldn’t.”
“That’s Jordan,” Clarity said. “And Meg is the one standing by Cinder. There’s more of us, but the others are taking care of the kids.”
Jordan’s face went so red I worried she might blow. Before I knew what she was doing, she launched herself at Havoc and started swinging.
“You motherfucking asshole! How could you do that? How? Do you have any idea what I’d give…
” The fight slowly drained from her. “She’s carrying Charming’s child, Havoc.
A sweet, innocent baby. You scared a pregnant woman.
You know damn well what stress can do, especially early in a pregnancy.
Is that what you wanted? For her to lose her baby the way we lost ours? ”
I gasped, my eyes going wide. My heart hurt for her.
I couldn’t even imagine the horror of losing a child.
Clarity went to Jordan and placed a hand on her shoulder, tugging her off Havoc.
The man looked wrecked, and I could tell he hated that he’d upset his woman so much.
At least he had a heart buried under all that hatred. I’d wondered.
“I’m going to get rid of the… um, ladies… I think we need to go sit and talk,” Meg said. “Let the men sort their crap out on their own.”
Meg walked out, and I assumed she meant she was sending the club whores packing.
The last thing I wanted was for those women to see me like this.
I’d learned enough about them to think they’d consider me weak, which meant they’d try even harder to get into Charming’s pants.
I couldn’t deal with the drama right now.
“Anatoly, stay with Dakota,” Charming said. “Don’t let her leave your sight.”
He nodded. “Of course. I’ll protect her like she’s my own.”
“Who the fuck is this asshole?” Havoc muttered.
“Anatoly is with the Los Angeles Bratva. Actually, he’s the head of it,” Charming said. “And he’s my best friend.”
Charming kissed me and smoothed my hair back from my face.
I held onto him a moment longer, scared to let go.
Anatoly pried me loose and led me from the room.
When we reached the main area, those other women were gone, and Meg and Clarity were sitting at a table with three glasses of what looked like sweet tea. I didn’t see Jordan anywhere.
“Come visit and tell us how you met Charming,” Clarity said. “And don’t worry about your man. He’ll be fine. The club will get over it, once they have time to think it all through and realize they might have done the exact same thing in his situation.”
I hoped they were right. I knew how much the club meant to Charming, and it would kill me to be the reason he lost it all. I’d never let that happen. Whether he liked it or not, I’d leave before his club stripped his colors, or he walked because of me.
“What about Jordan?” I asked, looking around again. “Is she all right?”