Chapter Nine #2
Clarity gave me a sad smile. “She will be. It’s been quite a while, but she lost her baby.
Doctor told her she couldn’t have anymore, so she and Havoc adopted.
They have one daughter who’s their biological child.
I sometimes see her watching the new babies with a wistful expression and it breaks my heart.
Finding out Havoc could have stressed you to the point you lost your child… ”
“She’ll rake him over the coals for a while,” Meg added. “That was unforgiveable in her eyes, and he knows it.”
“Had Jordan been anyone else, things would have gone down a little different,” Clarity said.
“In front of the club, we show our men respect and obedience. Mostly. Every now and then, something sets one of us off and we unsheathe our claws. Our men make a big production of disciplining us, but at the end of the day, they love us and would do anything to make sure we’re safe and happy. ”
“Now spill it,” Meg said, leaning closer. “You and Charming? How did that even happen? I don’t recognize you from around town.”
“Well, he came into the bar where I was working and decided to rescue me.” I told them my story, about running from Specter and the marriage he’d arranged for me, about the handsy guys at the bar and how Charming went all caveman on them, and then I admitted I was in love with the man.
“So you’ve been hiding this entire time,” Meg said. “Alone? I mean, I get it. Charming is scared someone will hurt you. I understand why he didn’t want people to find out you were here. The club will get over it, eventually. And my Cinder visited with you?”
I nodded. “He wanted to tell you. I think Charming asked him not to. He worried you might accidentally tell someone else, and then the news would spread. He’s even been speaking to my brother on a burner from another state as an extra precaution.”
“I still can’t get over the fact you’re related to Specter. Does he realize Charming is closer to his age than yours?” Clarity asked. “I mean no offense. Scratch is more than twice my age and it’s never bothered me. But other people will make comments. Rude ones.”
“I’ve dealt with it too,” Meg said. “They think my relationship with Cinder is disgusting. There’s over thirty years between us.
Closer to forty if I’m being honest. What none of them understands is that men my age and younger hurt me.
They raped me. Beat me. Stole me from my family and took me to another country where they used me as a whore for an illegal fighting ring.
That man they think is so awful for being with me is the kindest, gentlest guy I’ve ever known. ”
Clarity laughed. “Only with you and Tanner. Cinder always intimidated everyone else, except maybe Jordan. That woman isn’t afraid of anyone.”
Meg nodded. “Which is why it ripped Havoc apart to see he made her cry. She doesn’t show emotion often, except anger and occasionally overexuberance. Like a puppy. She has a good heart and protects those she loves fiercely, which is what makes her perfect for Havoc.”
“You’ll meet the others later,” Clarity said.
“Janessa is with Irish. Darby and Renegade are together, and his sister Nikki is with Ashes. Josie was the first old lady with the club. She’s with Jackal.
There’s Grey and Samurai, Phantom and Charisma.
Samurai and Phantom are cousins, and when you meet Charisma, she’s deaf.
You have to speak where she can read your lips. ”
“Don’t forget Alora,” Meg said. “You’ll love her! She writes these super-steamy romances. She’s with Rooster.”
“That’s a lot of people to remember,” I murmured.
Clarity nodded. “It is, and don’t worry if you forget names. We won’t hold it against you. Especially since there’s a slew of kids around here too.”
I glanced down the hall toward Church and wondered what was going on behind those closed doors.
Anatoly caught my attention and gave me a slight head shake, saying without words that I needed to stay put.
I didn’t like it, but I’d listen. For now.
If I thought they were going to gang up on Charming, well… I made no promises.
“He’ll be fine,” Meg said. “If Cinder is in his corner, then the others will fall in line. He hurt them by keeping you a secret. Give them a little bit to realize it had nothing to do with his faith in them and everything to do with his feelings for you. Most of them have already fallen in love. They’ll get it. ”
“And the others will learn sooner or later,” Clarity said.
I hoped they were right. It would gut me to discover Charming’s club had turned against him, all because he wanted to protect me.
I knew life wasn’t fair, but did it really have to kick a man in the balls?
He needed their support now more than ever.
Maybe if he told them the Cartel was getting close, they’d rally around him.
My fingers were crossed. If push came to shove, I’d have him take me somewhere else.
Far from the Devil’s Boneyard. Or I’d call Specter and demand he get me out of here.
He wouldn’t like it, but he’d do it. Besides, my brother owed me. Huge.
* * *
Charming
“Be pissed at me all you want, but don’t you dare make Dakota feel like she doesn’t belong here.” I glared at the men around the table, except Cinder and Shade, who I knew had my back.
“You could have trusted us to keep her safe,” Ripper said. “Haven’t we proven often enough that we can protect the women and children here?”
“You have, and it had nothing to do with trusting you. I…” I sighed and hung my head a moment.
“I’m so out of my element right now. I never wanted an old lady or a family.
I’m over fifty and thought I was content to remain a bachelor forever.
Until I met Dakota. The day I found out she’d gone missing, I felt terror unlike anything I’d experienced before.
I just knew something bad had happened.”
“Why didn’t you tell us about her before?” Havoc asked. “If she meant so much to you, why did we never hear her name?”
“It was only a fling. At least, that’s what we’d agreed to. Two days of fun with no expectations of more.”
Scratch leaned back in his chair, making the leather crack. “The extended trip into northern Georgia. You texted that you were taking some time to relax before you came back. You spent it with her.”
I nodded. “Yes, I did. And apparently, knocked her up while I was there. I didn’t realize she was Specter’s sister until I came home.
I put things together a little too slow.
He’s threatened to kick my ass whenever he makes an appearance.
If he makes one. Fucker has had months to work this shit out, and he hasn’t. ”
“If anyone could explain Specter’s way of thinking, it would be Casper VanHorne. We could call him,” Cinder said.
“I could be way off here, but if I were in Specter’s shoes and found out my baby sister had married the President of a motorcycle club, I might hang back and see how he resolved the issue of her being in danger.
” Scratch folded his arms. “Maybe he’s not come to help or made a move because he’s waiting to see what you do. ”
I fisted my hands and ground my teeth together.
If Dakota had been in trouble this entire time because the motherfucker was testing me, we were going to have words whenever he showed his face.
This was my family he was fucking with. Although, as much as he seemed to care about his sister, I had a feeling he’d step in if necessary.
“Well, he’s about to get his wish. The Cartel will be here any day now. It’s part of what Anatoly came to tell me. We don’t have enough manpower to take them on by ourselves, and I’m not sure if we have enough time to get reinforcements here.”
“I could call Torch,” Cinder offered.
“Wire said the Dixie Reapers were on standby. Go ahead and call. They should have some volunteers ready and waiting,” I said.
“Maybe get Scratch to call Beast. If you called Titan, that would get three clubs here, and all of us making calls at the same time would make it happen faster,” Cinder said.
“I can reach out to the Broken Bastards,” Havoc offered.
“I’ll reach out to Outlaw and the Devil’s Fury,” Shade said.
“Let’s do it,” I said. “Everyone else sit tight. Once we know how many are coming, I can check with Anatoly and see if he has some men to lend for the fight. We can make a plan afterward.”
It took a good thirty minutes to make all the calls and get things set up, and I’d still have to figure out where everyone would stay, but we had more than enough help arriving anywhere from a few hours to half a day. I only hoped they all arrived before the Cartel.
“Reapers are sending Bull, Tempest, and Slayer,” Cinder said.
“Outlaw spoke with Badger. The Devil’s Fury are sending Dagger, Hot Shot, and Smuggler,” Shade said.
Scratch leaned forward and braced his forearms on the table. “Kings are sending Wrangler and Copper. Drifter is already here.”
“Broken Bastards said Throttle, Chains, and Discord would head out within the next thirty minutes.” Havoc tapped the table. “That’s an extra twelve men.”
“Titan is sending Smoke, Philly, and Gravel.” I scanned the men at the table.
“So fifteen plus however many guys from the Bratva. I don’t know where we’ll house all these people.
They’ll need a place to sleep at the very least because I have a feeling they’ll be here at least a night or maybe even three.
The Cartel will most likely hit us hard and fast. They’ve probably sent someone ahead to scout us, which means our numbers were already reported. ”
“We’ll have the element of surprise when our reinforcements get here,” Havoc said.
“And when they realize Anatoly is on our side and not theirs.” I smiled. “Sometimes it’s good to have friends. Other times, they’re a pain in your ass.”
“Well, the clubhouse has five empty bedrooms.” I shook my head at Havoc. “Six?”