Chapter Twenty One
Clay
I walk into Drifter’s office, he called me, told me he had something urgent to tell me, my stomach’s in knots thinking that Brandy might have opened her fucking mouth and the whole plan would fall to shit. He’s got a shit eating grin, and I automatically know it’s good news.
“We got the fucker,” he beams. I fall on the sofa, relief flooding me that Brandy came good on her word, although I don’t know why I doubted it, it’s not as if she had much choice in the matter. The strip joint is the only work she’s even known.
I sigh. “Thank fuck for that.”
“Just had notification from Brandy. They turned up at his work, searching his car and found the stash under the seat.” His phone dances across his desk, and he picks up. “Yep. Okay. Sounds good, thanks.” He puts the phone down, and his grin widens even farther. “He’s been held at Euston Street.”
I rub my hands together. “Fuck, yes, when’s the time?”
“Well, our inside man isn’t on duty till this evening. He’ll call us, give us the heads up.”
Drifter has a copper on the inside, the club as a whole gets into some pretty shady shit, so between the bent copper and Gears’s sister, we manage to fly under the radar more often than not. My phone buzzes in my pocket, I pull it out and see that it’s Bella.
“Everything okay, beaut?”
“Yeah, I need a ride,” she sounds breathy.
“Beaut, why do you sound like you’ve just been riding my cock?” Drifter laughs in the background.
“Did you really say that in front of the brothers?” I can imagine her cheeks flushing that deep shade of red, like it always does when she’s embarrassed.
“Anyway, I’ve had a call from the social services.
They need me to go and collect the boys from school,” she rushes out, her voice a mix of exhilaration but also nerves.
“Shit, Clay, Liam’s being arrested. They turned up at his workplace and the house, and raided them at the same time.
Found class A drugs in both, apparently he made a right scene at the office when the police tried to arrest him.
” She doesn’t stop for air. “I didn’t even have a clue he was into drugs.
Apparently, the social worker said something about him being charged with ‘possession of a controlled drug with the intention to supply’.
The boys need collecting from school.” I cover the handset with my hand.
“Pres, can I borrow the car?” He nods and returns back to scrolling on his phone.
“Where are you?”
“Just walking back from work. I’ve left early. I can’t have the boys having no one there to collect them.”
“Go back to the cafe, I’ll pick you up in the car.” I cancel the call, grabbing the keys from the key box.
“All falling into place then?” he asks, grinning.
“Sure is. She’s had a call from social services, and she needs to go collect the boys.”
“I’ll get Rochelle to make up a room for them.”
“Cheers, Pres.”
We pull up outside the school. I hate this time of day, everyone rushing around, no one has any patience for each other.
She hasn’t stopped talking about Liam being arrested and although it fills me with complete joy, I keep my mouth shut about who is responsible for it.
She needs to know as little as possible so she can’t be dragged into the mess if it all goes wrong.
Although right now all I want is a call from our insider, giving us permission to go in and make sure the fucker doesn’t brandish our doors every again.
She steps out the car, bending over and peers back inside. “You coming?”
“You sure you want me there?”
She frowns. “Why wouldn’t I? You’re my husband.” She smiles at the word ‘husband’, and I get out of the driver’s side.
“I just didn’t want to scare all the teachers away.” I laugh, zipping up my kutte. “You know we don’t get accepted by many mums with the patch.”
She wafts her hand. “Fuck what they think, they always find something to whisper about anyway, why not give them something to talk about in the playground. Half of them are bored little housewives that secretly, deep down, just want a good shag.” She places her hand in mine, her heels clicking confidently on the pavement.
She’s walking in those school gates like she owns the place, she isn’t ashamed and certainly isn’t hiding.
We stand together, and I can feel the eyes burning us.
The mums whisper to each other as they walk past us.
“You sure you don’t want me to wait in the car?” I ask, suddenly feeling way out of place standing here.
“You do realise they’re more than likely all whispering about me, right?”
“I reckon it’s the leathers and the patch. They’re more than likely scared for their kids to be anywhere near me.”
“Nope, they haven’t seen me for months. They’ll be talking about how my husband brainwashed them into thinking I’m an unfit mother. I bet they’ve had some right fun with the Chinese whispers. I think there was one rumour that I was a crack head, sleeping with anything to get my next score.”
I thought the playground dynamics ended when you left school, but clearly, when your kids start back, they go back to being a pack of fucking vultures looking for the slightest weakness.
The kids begin piling out into the playground, and I can see the mothers hurrying their children out of the school gates away from us. Bella doesn’t seem phased by it, and it shows how far she’s come since the night I first met her.
“Clay,” Noah squeals, running over to us. I lift him in the air as he runs into my arms.
“How was school, bud?”
“Soooo good. I told all my friends about your motorcycle, they said I was lying. When you come again, can you bring your bike?” he smiles at me and then looks across to his mum, she’s watching our interaction with complete admiration in her eyes. She leans in and kisses him on the head.
“You’re staying at the clubhouse tonight. That okay?”
“Oh my god, yes,” he screams in delight.
His teacher comes over, and she looks sheepish.
“We heard the news,” she whispers, almost digging for more information.
“I’ll be collecting the boys from now on. Please remove Liam from their emergency contacts, he will be otherwise engaged for a little while.”
The teacher looks over to me and puts out her hand. “Mrs. Duggin.”
I move Noah on to my side and offer my hand. “Clay.”
“Please meet my husband, Clay, the boy’s stepfather.” I love the way she accentuates the words, husband and her eyes widen.
“No problem,” she smiles. “We’ll see you tomorrow, Noah.” He waves over his shoulder, more interested in my kutte. Mason rushes over.
“Where’s dad?” he asks, cautiously.
“Unfortunately, mate, there’s been an issue, the police need to talk to Dad, so you’ll be staying with me and Clay.” He smiles, and it’s infectious, he instantly relaxes. His eyes suddenly filling with tears, Bella kneels down to his level, placing her hand on his shoulder.
“You okay?” she asks, and he wraps his arms around her shoulders.
“I am now,” he whispers, she rubs his back lovingly.
“Let’s get you home.”
Bella took the kids up to their room some time ago and hasn’t appeared since.
I push the door open slightly, peeking my head round.
She’s lying on the bed with Noah, stroking his head.
Mason sits on his bed watching something on his phone with his headphones in.
She looks up and mouths ‘I’m sorry’, which gets my back up.
She should never be sorry for tending to her children, and it shows the level of control Liam must have held over her for her to apologise for taking her time with her boys.
I make my way over to Noah’s bed, and she scoots her legs over so I can sit on the edge.
“You okay, mate?” I ask, placing my hand on her thigh, hoping that the smallest touch will reassure her. He nods his head, yawning.
“Can’t sleep?” I add.
“I miss my things,” he grumbles, snuggling into his mum’s side. Mason sighs loudly and rolls his eyes.
“That’s understandable, this is a new place for you to sleep, but how about tomorrow, I get Slider to go get some of your things, and we can get him to decorate this room however you like?
” His eyes light up, and he nods his head excitedly.
I lean over and give Bella a kiss on the head, she smiles at me, mouthing a silent thank you.
“I need to run an errand for Drifter. I’ll be back soon.” She nods her head as I make my way to the door.
“Night, boys, I’ll see you in the morning.”
We all rustle through the fire exit of Euston Street Station, our insider holding the door open to let us in. She smiles at us as we all gather in the small corridor.
“Camera’s on the back’s been out for a few weeks now, maintenance issue.
And he’s smeared the one in his cell, dirty fucker,” she says, making her way along the dimly lit corridor, the light blaring through the doorway as it squeaks open.
“Fucking government funding, the whole place is falling to shit,” she complains, holding the door open for us to pass.
We enter to find each side lined with holding cells.
“How long we got?” Drifter asks.
“I’m not sure, make it quick, my colleagues on the call to his Mrs could be a while, but you never know. She’s found out he’s shagging the intern,” she rolls her eyes. “You fucking men can’t keep that shit in your pants.”
She unlocks the cell and stands back out of sight. Liam is lying on the cold slab bed, his arm draped over his eyes. He doesn’t even look up.
“Fuck off,” he shouts, but remains motionless on the bed. I rub my hands together. I’ve been waiting so long for this moment, and this arsehole can’t even see it coming. I stand over him.
“Well, look who we have here,” I sing.
He jolts upright, a look of sheer panic crossing his features as he scans the small cell.
“How the fu—” Before he even finishes, my fist crashes into his nose, and blood sprays from his nostrils. His hands come up, grasping his nose as blood pours through his fingers.