Chapter Thirty-Four
Morgan
I was sitting at the table peeling apples when four women I didn’t know walked in behind Grace. Two of them were holding babies. I quickly stood and gave my sister-in-law a hug.
“How are you feeling?”
“Tired. The morning sickness has finally waned.”
“Bitch,” one of the other women grumbled, and Grace laughed.
“Please forgive Beck. She had hyperemesis.”
“What’s that?” I asked, looking at Beck.
“It’s complete and total torture,” she said. “Nonstop throwing up. I couldn’t eat anything but dry turkey and cheese on bread. No mayo, no oil, no freaking lettuce or tomato. Nothing. Until my amazing stepmother made me a smoothie. I swear I would have died without her.”
The other woman holding the baby, whom I assumed was Maureen, laughed and said, “She’s being a bit dramatic.”
I smiled. “I haven’t had any morning sickness.”
“Bitch!” Beck growled, and Grace and Maureen and the other young woman all laughed.
“I’m Colleen, Maureen’s daughter.”
“And my niece,” Freyja said.
Colleen rolled her eyes. “Yes, technically Freyja is my aunt, but seeing as she’s not really that much older than me, I just call her Freyja.”
“You could just call her the witch; that’s what her brother calls her.”
Colleen laughed, and Freyja groaned.
“I’m Maureen.”
“You’re Declan’s wife? I haven’t met him yet.”
“He’s excited to meet you,” Maureen said.
“You’re meeting all kinds of family today,” Aunt Caity said as she took the baby from Maureen. “Hello, nephew.”
“I’m Beck. Declan’s daughter. I guess that makes us cousins.”
“Yeah,” I said with a smile. “You’re Blade’s old lady? And he’s my cousin too?”
Beck groaned. “Yeah, but I swear Micah and I are not related.”
I smiled, knowing she must get that a lot. Blade was my father’s nephew through his half-brother, Eduardo, who died. Beck was my father’s niece through his brother Declan. But Declan and Eduardo weren’t related to each other.
I turned to the fourth woman. “And you are?”
“Um, I’m Darcy.”
My mother gasped and my knees almost buckled under me. I blinked at the woman, not believing she was standing here. I bit my lip and looked at my mother. There was a strange look in her eyes, pain, but surprise as well, and I wondered about it.
“You’re King’s mom,” I said.
“Yeah,” Darcy answered, her eyes on the floor. “I wanted to stay home, but Maureen insisted.” She looked at my aunt. “Hi, Caity.”
My aunt Caity had tears running down her cheeks, but she didn’t say hello. She handed Maureen’s baby to my mother, who was closest to her, and walked out of the room, ignoring Darcy completely.
Darcy sighed. “I told you I shouldn’t have come.”
“Nonsense,” my mother said once the shock had worn off. She handed the baby to me and pulled Darcy into her arms. “Family is always welcome.”
That was my mother, the sweetest person on the planet. She made everyone feel welcome and never held a grudge. Not even with the woman who my father never got over.
“We have pies to bake and food to prepare for tomorrow,” my mother said, stepping away from Darcy. “Who wants to do what?”
The tension didn’t disappear, but it did lessen as we all got to work. Aunt Caity never came back, and I wondered if I should go look for her. When I caught my mother’s eye, she shook her head, telling me to leave it alone. I wondered if she knew more than she had told me.
We’d been in the kitchen for hours, my mother talking to Darcy as if she was an old friend. Once again, I was reminded how wonderful my mother was. Grace didn’t talk to Darcy, and I decided to pull her aside later and find out what the story was.
I’d seen her with my father at the clubhouse in Rosewood, and she clearly loved him. But Darcy she ignored.
“Grace, honey, when are you due?” my mother asked.
“May,” she said quietly, and I saw Colleen reach over and squeeze her hand. I knew it was still hard for her to talk about the baby. She was excited to be a mother, and even happier the baby was King’s but the trauma surrounding her pregnancy was hard to deal with.
“Just before Morgan,” my mother said with a smile.
“Morgan,” Beck said. “What are your plans for after the baby comes? Will you stay here in Little Rock? Or go back to Rosewood?”
“Um,” I looked at Freyja, who only smiled. “My plan is to go back to Rosewood.”
The words felt hollow. Like I didn’t mean them. I looked around at the women and expected judgment, or disappointment that I wasn’t staying with Jude. All I saw was understanding. Acceptance.
Grace reached over and squeezed my hand the same way Colleen had done for her. And I squeezed it back.
“Maybe I’ll visit Nebraska.”
“We would love that,” Grace said.
“Freyja, why are you even here?” Beck asked. “Are you planning on having the baby here?” she added with a snicker.
“Nope, Lucille said it was fine.”
I waited for the questions and snickers, but none came.
“Is Lucille your doctor?” Darcy asked.
“No, Lucille Ball.”
Darcy’s head snapped up, and she looked at Freyja, who I just realized was her sister-in-law.
“The actress?” Darcy asked.
“Duncan didn’t tell you?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head lightly. I caught the pain as she quickly blinked it away.
“She’s my spirit guide.”
Darcy smiled. “I bet Duncan loves that.” She had a guilty look when she said, “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
Grace snorted next to me, and I tapped her ankle lightly with my foot.
“It’s just that Duncan never believed the Irish stories about leprechauns, fairies, and banshees. He was always too literal.”
“He doesn’t believe in Lucille either, but he believes in me, or so he says.”
“Anyone seeing the two of you together would know that man is head over heels for you,” Maureen said. “I’m so happy you found each other.”
“Me too. He’s everything,” Freyja said with a dreamy look on her face.
I looked down at the apple I was peeling. Freyja looked like I felt whenever Jude was in the room. It was something I tried my hardest not to let show. If he knew how I still felt about him, he’d never let me go.
The kitchen door opened, and Jenna walked in. I tried my best to hide my groan, but Grace and Colleen both heard it.
“What are you doing?” Jenna asked.
“We’re working on dinner for tomorrow. Would you like to help?”
“No,” she sneered.
“Then maybe you should leave,” Beck said.
“You can’t tell me what to do.”
I let out a heavy sigh and stood. “But I can. If you don’t want to help, Jenna, then leave.”
Jenna glared at me, and I saw her consider talking back, but Falcon walked in and grabbed her arm. “Get the fuck out of here.” He shoved her through the door and then turned apologetic eyes on me. “I’m sorry, Morgan. I’ll keep her out of here.”
“Thank you, Falcon.”
The door swung shut, and I dropped back into my chair.
“What the fuck was that? Chasm let’s club whores disrespect you?” Beck asked.
Freyja watched me as I answered, “Not when he sees it happen.”
“And when he doesn’t?” Maureen asked.
“If the men see it, they take care of it. But Jude and I are not together. I am here until the baby is born, then I’m going back to Rosewood.” I figured if I said it out loud enough, I might start to believe it.
“What about you, Benny?” Freyja asked my mother, who only shrugged. The club whores didn’t bother her. She was too sweet, and Smokey had made it clear that she was off-limits. Chasm had done the same as far as I knew, but for whatever reason, Jenna wouldn’t listen.
I wasn’t sure why she was even still here.
She did everything she could to try to get his attention, and he still hadn’t kicked her out.
“He can’t,” Freyja said quietly.
“What?”
“He can’t kick her out.”
My mouth dropped open. “Did I say that out loud?”
“No, but I could read it in your eyes.”
“Why can’t he kick her out?” Beck said. Grace was quiet as she waited for Freyja to answer.
“I don’t know. All I know is that she has to be here. For now.”
“Lucille sure likes to play it close to the vest,” my mother said, causing everyone to laugh.
We worked for another two hours before we finally finished. Jude had the prospects run and grab takeout, and I went upstairs to relax a little before the food came.
I needed a few minutes to myself.
It was a lot, having everyone here.
The stairs felt like they took forever, and I passed Nathan, one of the prospects, on the way to my room.
“Are you okay?”
I smiled at him. “Just tired. I’m going to lie down for a little bit if anyone asks.”
“Do you need anything?”
“No, but thank you.”
I continued on up the stairs to my room. When I unlocked the door and walked in, my shoulders dropped along with my mouth. My clothes were all over the room, in pieces. Someone had shredded everything.
I opened the closet door and found my cut, hanging where I left it. The only part not cut into tatters was the shoulders keeping it on the hanger.
I dropped down onto the bed and held my face in my hands. Jenna had done it again. She had gotten into my room and destroyed my things. There was nothing left.
“Morgan?”
I heard my mother’s voice before I saw her. When she walked into the room, she gasped.
“What happened?”
“Jenna,” I answered with a weary sigh.
“Did she get everything?”
I nodded and stared at the leather hanging in my closet. My mother sat down beside me and pulled me against her.
“Morgan, you have to tell him.”
“I can’t. You heard Freyja; she needs to be here.”
“But she doesn’t have to have free rein of the clubhouse. Morgan, you can’t let her get away with this shit.”
What was the point? Maybe I should just go home now. Jude could come to Virginia when it was closer to the due date.
“I’ll run to my room and grab you something to wear. And we’ll go shopping the day after Thanksgiving.” She looked around at the mess. “On second thought, come to my room. We’ll keep the clothes in there for now.”
“I don’t think I can do this, Mom. I don’t think I can stay,” I admitted when we stepped into my mother’s room.
She led me to the bed, where I sat down. She sat down beside me and said, “If you want to go home, we’ll go home.”
“I don’t want to go home,” I said quietly.
“I know, sweetheart, but he can’t fix anything if you don’t tell him what’s going on. Smashing some bowls and jars is one thing. But to take scissors or a knife to your clothing after breaking into your room. Morgan, she’s escalating.”
“I know.”
“What if you had been in there sleeping when she broke in?”
I knew my mother was right. I didn’t know what Jenna’s story was, but I believed Freyja when she said she needed to be here for now. If Jude kicked her out and something happened to her, I’d never forgive myself.
But if something happened to the baby, I’d never forgive myself either. I’d never be able to live with the guilt.
“Okay, I’ll tell him. But not until after Thanksgiving. I don’t want anyone to know while Dad and King are here.”
“Morgan—”
“I mean it, Mom. It can wait a couple of days.”
“I don’t like this.”
“Neither do I.” I looked up at her with tears in my eyes. “He never should have come back.”
“You don’t mean that.”
I didn’t mean it, not really. However, I couldn’t help but think about all the problems I’d had since he returned from the dead. But then I also wouldn’t have this baby.
“I think I do,” I lied.