Chapter Fifteen. #2
“We’ll eat outside,” Calamity bellowed, and a chorus of replies chorused back in agreement.
I was hanging around helping fetch and carry, with several of the old ladies offering teasing looks.
Ignoring them, I opened the kitchen door, which led into the area we used for parties and cookouts.
My brothers had already manned the grills.
The prospects were fetching a keg and the ice coolers from an external storage shed we kept.
We’d debated at length over where to place the swimming pool, considering the daycare site or a spot near the clubhouse.
The clubhouse won, simply because we were here more.
Keeping a close eye on the children were four of the prospects, watching the kids play happily.
In addition to them, Axel boomed instructions at them, encouraging their rowdiness.
A six-foot fence surrounded the entire yard, which was massive.
There was no gate; anyone coming here would have to arrive through the clubhouse.
Something the club had insisted on to keep our families safe.
There was a play area for them: climbing frames, swings, a sandpit, and other stuff.
This was a true party area, designed for what we wanted.
I smiled as I unlatched the hatch in the kitchen wall, which would open into an outdoor food counter with built-in heaters. Not something you’d expect to see at a motorbike club. But who the hell liked cold food? And why shouldn’t we have luxuries? We could afford them.
Klutz and Glitch carried over the two tables that were also used for serving and placed them next to the counter. Old ladies began flowing from the kitchen, carrying out covered bowls and platters.
I smiled. This was what being in an MC meant—being together and celebrating life.
Already insults were being exchanged between my club and Dad and Axel.
Calamity watched, amused, as Axel tore Texas a new one and then slapped him on the back.
Despite now being two different clubs, some bonds couldn’t be broken.
Texas had been the person to swing the vote Drake’s way when Drake challenged for Prez all those years ago.
If not for Texas, this version of Rage MC might not exist.
Texas had his faults, but that fact was something we all owed him. Sometimes it was hard to remember, but none of us would be here today without him. And screw telling him! Texas’s ego was already the size of Texas.
I smiled as I studied Axel. Grandpa looked older, a little smaller, and he often rubbed his paralysed leg.
I couldn’t imagine a world without Grandpa.
Axel was an extraordinary man, and I hoped he knew how much he was loved.
He had built something special with the other founders—Arrow, Norfolk, Spike, and Fury.
That was why Fury had fought so hard to take Rage back, and he failed because of what they’d all created. There’d been too much death and pain, but now we breathed and lived free because of what Ghost and everyone else had sacrificed. They’d be honoured as the years passed—deservedly so.
Myka’s laugh caught my attention, and I turned to her.
She was sitting by Axel in her wheelchair, which I knew was really starting to annoy her, but her body was still healing.
She should be able to get rid of the chair next week.
But with a broken foot, ribs, arm, and everything else, she was safer in that for now.
Myka stole my breath away. She was giving Axel a full-on, genuine smile, and her inner light shone.
Dad watched from the side, a small smirk on his lips as he nodded approvingly.
Dad already adored Myka and would protect her and Jayes.
Jayes was wary of my parents, as was Myka, but I knew that would fade in time.
Myka faced me with a grin, which faded as someone hit me face-first in the chest and slung their arms around my neck. Instinctively, I went to push them away, and then I smelled her perfume and returned her embrace. I lifted her up, laughing.
“Put me down, asshole!” Nova cried.
Instead, I turned and spun her in a circle. “Why are you here?”
“You’re conflicted, annoyed, and in love. You wouldn’t shut up internalising, so I flew home. Uncle Akemi and Grandpa came with me. We’re going to stay a week before returning to Japan.”
I wrapped an arm around her waist and bowed my head to hers. “Whoever harmed you better be prepared for a world of pain. Nova, you’re still in agony.”
“Yeah, but I beat the crap out of his mistress and took every medal away from her. I feel happier for that,” Nova taunted, but I felt her misery.
I glanced over to Myka and saw hurt, jealousy, and anguish on her face. “Oh, shit, come on.”
Nova let me drag her across to Myka, laughing at my panic. We’d both guessed what Myka was thinking, and as we approached, Myka’s face was blank. Before I could say anything, Axel beamed at Nova.
“Sweetness!” he boomed and swept her into a hug. “There’s my precious girl.”
Myka pasted a polite smile but shied away from my touch. Her eyes said everything, and I wasn’t going to let her think I was a cheating shit. “Myka, this is Nova.”
Myka’s expression remained neutral, and then understanding dawned. “Your twin? She’s gorgeous.”
Nova turned and grinned. “I like you. Gotta say you’re stunning too. My twin’s a lucky asshole.”
“Yeah, he is,” Myka said boldly, and I gaped before smiling. Myka was growing in confidence, and I loved that.
“Cunt!” someone snarled, making all jump.
“Hell no! Where did the fuckin’ Hillbillies come from?” Axel boomed.
Damn good question, I decided, seeing at least fifteen Beauregards, all male and with Wanda-Faye in front of them.
“Where’s my prospects? Because there’s no way they’ve let you inside the gates,” Calamity snarled, standing.
“They got taught how to speak to a lady,” Wanda-Faye simpered.
“Elijah, Mark, go,” I ordered. Fuck. Rafe and Shelby had been guarding the gate.
“Don’t see no lady, do see a dirty cunt,” Axel boomed, his lips curled into a spear.
“Shut it, old man,” Wanda-Faye snapped and then shrieked as Axel threw a blade at her feet.
“Watch your mouth,” he ordered.
Calamity stepped up front as the MC crowded around him. Out of the corner of my eye, Dad and some of the prospects moved to protect the kids. Old ladies had grabbed babies and headed in that direction too.
“Who knocked them out?” Calamity snapped.
“Unclear which blow did that. There were so many.” JimBob grinned.
“We ain’t here for trouble. Just want our girl back; the family misses her,” Wanda-Faye cooed, waggling her fingers at Myka.
“You dumb or what? I already told you, Myka belongs to the club now,” Calamity said, stepping forward.
“You got some mighty fine women here.” Hoyt smirked in the direction of the old ladies. It made me feel sick; the clear lust evident in most of the men’s eyes. After seeing what passed for women amongst them, I bet ours looked like fuckin’ wet dreams.
“Then you need to pay for her… what, don’t wanna?” Wanda-Faye sneered, recapturing my attention.
“Look, boys…” JimBob began with a smarmy grin, and Calamity’s fist took him in his chin and knocked him on his ass
“What the fuck was that?” Harlan, his son, yelled.
“You beat my prospects. Now we’re gonna kick your ass.” Calamity swung again, knocking Harlan back.
“Says it all. Rawson killed his cousin, but you’re here to start shit. Ain’t your son dead?” I asked, staring at JimBob.
“Ain’t Merle.”
We exchanged confused looks. Cates had identified Merle.
“Have you seen the corpse?” Calamity demanded.
“No, don’t need to. Rawson wouldn’t harm family,” Bobby-Joe denied.
“They’ve not even gone to ID the body. Holy fuck, what is the problem with these people?” Priest asked, shocked.
“They’re hicks, backwards, that’s what. Move them out,” Calamity ordered.
“Who ya calling backward? No need for insults; we got off on the wrong foot. We ain’t going nowhere without Myka. And if you want her, then compensate us for our loss,” Wanda-Faye stated. The surrounding men nodded.
“Slave labour has long been abolished. You can’t legally sell a human,” Luca growled out.
“But compensating for their loss of skills is. Myka cleaned house, cooked meals, looked after the kids. Now we gotta pay someone for that, so you give us money,” Wanda-Faye demanded.
“Is it me, or is she regressing?” I asked idly. “She’ll be spitting single words soon and grunting.”
“Yeah, but I don’t know to what to. There ain’t much lower than her,” Calamity quipped as we kept moving forward and chasing them back into the clubhouse.
We stalked them as they moved backwards, still confident in their strength and reputation. They hadn’t realised they’d just unleashed a monster. They’d invaded our land, our families’ safe space. Now they were going to get a lesson.
As soon as they were outside. Calamity pounced on JimBob.
The older man squealed as we all piled in.
Wanda-Faye screamed and cussed and threw punches, which Ghost reacted to when she grabbed his balls hard.
His fist knocked her five feet backward, and she began running for the gates, making threats.
One by one they fell as Wanda-Faye screeched her displeasure. To my joy, Mom appeared, cackling gleefully and dealt with her. Finally, after a few minutes, they lay in a heap on the floor. Calamity turned to the grinning prospects.
“They beat two of yours. Throw them off the property,” he ordered.
The prospects grinned as they grabbed the unconscious Beauregards and started dragging them to the gates, not caring if their heads bounced off the ground or not. Calamity cracked his knuckles.
“Damn, I needed that. I can’t remember the last time I had a knockdown fight; you lot treat me with kid gloves,” he whined as we headed back to the cookout.
“Sure, Prez, sure,” I replied, smiling, slapping him on the back.
Calamity’s grin said it all.