Chapter Fifteen
Bella
My knee bounces nervously as I wait in the bar area for Gears’s sister. Drifter asked her to come in and advise on how I could get access to my boys again. Rock places his hand on my knee, stopping the bounce.
“Calm down. It will be okay,” he reassures.
I offer him a weak smile, but my stomach turns in knots, and my mouth is dry as I go to talk.
“What if there’s nothing she can do?” I croak. “What if I can never see them again, Clay?” A lump forms in my throat, and my eyes fill with unshed tears. “Oh my god, Clay, I might never see them again.”
A tear rolls down my cheek as a small sob escapes my lips. Clay swipes away the tears with his thumb and grabs my chin to look at him.
“Stop,” he whispers, bowing his head slightly to make sure he has my attention.
“We’re going to work this out. There is no way you’re never seeing those boys again, over my dead body.
” I nod gently as a petite woman approaches us with Gears.
She’s dressed in a pleated suit and looks completely out of place in this rustic bar filled with bikers.
Her loose brunette curls frame her face as she smiles at me and offers her hand.
“Morning, Bella. I’m Misty.”
Her mild-mannered tone puts me at ease instantly as I stand up and shake her hand.
“My sister’s the best of the best. There’s no way she’ll not get the job done,” Gears offers, placing a loving arm around his sister’s shoulder.
She pushes him away playfully, brushing the shoulder of her suit jacket.
“Oi, you’re gonna crease the suit, and I gotta be in court this afternoon,” she laughs, and Gears rolls his eyes as he pecks her on the cheek and makes his way to the bar.
I realise I’m still standing when Clay grabs hold of my hand and pulls me down to sit next to him.
“Nice to see you smiling, Clay,” Misty greets, lowering herself into the seat opposite us. She takes a notepad out of her bag. Clay nods in response and grips my hand tightly in an attempt to calm my nerves.
“So, Drifter has told me a little about your situation, but let’s go over it together.
” She pulls out a pen from her suit jacket and begins scribbling my name at the top of the notepad.
I look at Clay nervously, and he nods, giving my hand a little squeeze.
“Do you want me to leave so you can talk?” he asks, and I shake my head vigorously.
“Whatever makes you comfortable, Bella,” Misty says as she reaches over the table and grabs hold of my other hand. I let out a long, drawn-out breath and pull my hands away from both Clay and Misty.
“I don’t even know where to start,” I say, rubbing my clammy hands along my jeans.
“Let’s start right at the beginning.”
“I’ve been married to Liam for a number of years. He was my childhood sweetheart.” I glance over at Clay before continuing. “He had an affair with Imogen, although she’s also Brandy.” I waft my hand around, suddenly realising how crazy this all sounds.
“Our Brandy?” Misty asks as she looks across at Clay. He gives her a nod, and she scribbles it on her paper. “Are you divorced?”
“Yeah. He told me if I didn’t sign the papers and leave our home, he wouldn’t allow me to see the kids, not that it mattered because he stopped me anyway.”
She continues to scribble on the notepad, nodding her head.
“What reasons has he given for you not to have contact with the children?” she asks clearly, now in official mode.
“He claimed I’m an unfit mother, citing the use of drugs and alcohol, and that I was no longer capable of caring for my children. At the time, I didn’t have a job, nowhere to live,” I rush out, panicked that she’s going to pass judgement on me.
“Okay,” she says slowly, continuing to scribble notes before looking up at me. “I am sorry, but I have to ask, did you use drugs or alcohol?”
I shake my head, and she reaches her hand over again.
“Bella, he has a court order, so he must’ve had some kind of proof?” she asks, her eyes laced with sympathy. I continue to shake my head, and Clay rests his hand on the small of my back.
“I was sleeping on a park bench. He’d kicked me out. I had nothing.” I swipe angrily at the tears, reliving the trauma Liam had put me through.
“He sent his goons to take photos of me. I was asleep, and they’d placed empty bottles around me.
I mean, I was taking sleeping pills. It was hard to sleep rough, you know?
” I take a moment to look at Clay, and his jaw twitches angrily.
“I can take any drug tests. Honestly, I’m more than happy if it means I see my children. ”
“Good,” she says, continuing to take notes. “I can use that to offer the judge. And where are you currently living?”
“She’s here,” Clay interjects before I even get a chance to answer.
“Okay, this is good,” she says, smiling. “We have to prove with evidence that you have your life together, that you’re settled and can provide a safe space for the boys.”
“I’ll do anything,” I plead.
“It will look better to the judge if you’re married. You’ll be deemed as in a stable relationship.” She looks across at Clay, gauging his reaction.
“Done” is all he says, and I look between them.
“Wait, what?”
“Looks like we’re getting married, wifey,” Clay laughs as he wraps his arm around my shoulder and drags me closer to him. My eyes widen. I’d only just got used to being his ol’ lady in the eyes of the club, and now, we were to get married?
“Is there no other way?” I look across at Misty.
“Well, there is, but this would be the easiest way to show that you have your life in order. It would satisfy the judge, and we could move things along quickly.”
I look up at Clay, his eyes pleading with me not to close down again. I bite my bottom lip, deep in thought.
“Don’t overthink it, beaut,” he says, rubbing his hand up and down my arm.
“But—”
“Remember why we’re doing this,” he interrupts, and I contemplate the enormity of it.
I nod my head in defeat. I really would do anything to be able to hold my boys in my arms. “If you think it will work,” I whisper.
“Perfect. I’ll get Drifter to book the priest ASAP and get the ball rolling.
Once we have the paperwork, I’ll submit the files to the judge,” she says, closing her notepad and placing her pen in her breast pocket.
“We’ll have to attend court for his judgment, though, and you will have to face your ex-husband. ”
She looks across at Clay sternly. “On your best fucking behaviour. You do not show me up in court.”
He puts his hands up. “You know me better than that, Misty. I take up my personal shit outside the courtroom.”
“Well, until she has those kids back home, it’s better to stay clear of any trouble. Do you hear me? Do not give him any ammunition,” she says, standing, placing her bag over her shoulder. I follow her lead and stand, offering my hand. She grabs it, leading me around the table and into her embrace.
“Welcome to the family,” she whispers, hugging me. “Good luck with that one,” she adds, releasing me and winking.
“Bye, fuckwit,” she shouts at Gears as she makes her way out of the bar. He rolls his eyes, flipping her the bird.
I let out a sigh, relieved that I finally have a plan and that I’m one step closer. Clay comes up behind me, wrapping his large arms around me.
“How’s my wifey?” he whispers playfully in my ear. “It’s got a nice ring to it,” he adds.
“Thank you,” I reply as I grip hold of his arm. “You know you don’t have to do this, right?”
“Beaut, when are you going to get the picture? You’re mine now, and there is nothing I won’t do for you.”
Clay
I watch Bella through the mirror as she applies her makeup—not that she needs it because she’s naturally beautiful. She really is perfect. I love the way her eyes light up when she catches me watching her. Her lips curl into a smile as I throw her a wink, then she turns around to face me.
“You’re putting me off.” She grins.
“Why don’t you come back to bed?”
“No, I’ve got to head into work, and you’re distracting me.”
“I’m just admiring my wifey.” I laugh, and she rolls her eyes at me. “I think you could totally be a kept woman. Maybe you could just stay home and tend to your husband’s needs,” I suggest, and she throws her head back and laughs.
“We aren’t living in the nineteen sixties, you know,” she retorts, turning back to the mirror and applying her lip gloss. I put my bottom lip out, pouting like a petulant child who couldn’t have his cookies before dinner.
“Who’s going to keep me company?”
“I’m sure Drifter will have some jobs for you. I mean, you have spent the last few days moping around.”
“I wasn’t moping.”
“Yes, you were,” she says, placing her makeup back in the bag. “You spent the last few days sulking because I wasn’t speaking to you.” She stands and walks towards the bed.
“Nah, the VP doesn’t sulk over a woman.” I wink at her, and she grabs her phone off the bedside table.
I grab her wrist, pulling her onto the bed, and I straddle her.
She lets out a little squeal as I pin her arms above her head, tracing my tongue lightly up the side of her neck. I feel her heart racing under my palms.
“Do you really need to go to work?” I whisper in her ear, and her arms break out in goosebumps.
“Mmhmm.”
I nibble on her ear, and she makes a humming noise that causes my cock to strain painfully against my jeans.
“But wouldn’t you like to come all over my face?” Her cheeks flush as she licks her lips.
There’s a knock on the door, and I groan in frustration as I roll off her. She stands abruptly, straightening her shirt out and running her fingers through her hair. Rochelle pops her head around the door.
“Drifter wants you in his office,” she mumbles and smirks, taking in the flushed look on Bella’s face.
“I’ll be down in a minute.” I stand from the bed, wrapping my arms around her.