14. Chapter 14
Glenda
My nerves were shot. After calling Sam, Allie called.
The irony. Bama’s sister was stuck at the clubhouse and was fighting to go back home and here I was trying to get back to the clubhouse.
But Hammer didn’t want to come alone, plus Linny was still with me.
Hammer had ridden over on his bike and Allie picked us up in her SUV.
She lived back in Georgia, but when everything went down with Linny’s ex, who happened to be a cop, Bama worried for her safety.
He and Hammer forced Allie to stay. She threw a fit, but when these guys tell you to do something, you may not like it, you may try to fight it, but ultimately you just do it.
Forcing Allie to stay close was for her safety.
And I was glad she was there for this. Most of the other bunnies were friendly, but Allie was different.
She was a lifer, even though she wasn’t an Old Lady…
yet, anyway. We all had our suspicions about Hammer wanting her.
When Bama was up the road, she’d visited a few times, and he checked in on her when he was up that way.
She’d even gone on some runs with us. Always said it was just him being a friend to an old friend.
Hammer joined the Royal Bastards when Bama was locked up and Jameson, the national president, helped him start this new chapter in Mobile.
Not long after that is when he recruited Bama, but he’d already recruited Leigh, Reggie, and most of the other officers by then.
Something happened between Hammer and Allie somewhere in the middle of him becoming president and Bama getting out of jail, because she stopped coming around and his visits to Georgia got fewer and farther between.
But that was none of my business. I figured if she wanted me to know, she would have told me.
That was the thing about Allie. She wasn’t necessarily the friend you could bare your soul to, but she’d always come if you needed her, no questions asked.
And she never pushed me to talk. Anytime she was around, she cracked open a beer and just sat, chatting about everything but nothing that mattered.
“Did we lose Hammer?” I asked as I looked in the side mirror.
She ashed her cigarette out the cracked window, her long dark ponytail whipping around from the wind. “He told me he was hanging back to talk to Leigh.”
“Probably for the best. He was in a weird mood this morning,” Linny said from the backseat.
I giggled, but covered my mouth to stifle it. I really had to learn to control that. But I wasn’t laughing because it was funny. It was always a nervous thing, it just sounded like I thought something was funny.
Linny added, “Okay, weird is not the best word choice.”
“Bama’s face was all fucked up. Not the worst I’ve seen it. Said they had a little disagreement,” Allie said with a grin. She and her brother had a strong bond, but they still ribbed each other, especially her.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said. Their argument was part of why I wanted to leave Leigh’s. What Dr. Stanley said made sense.
So why was my stomach in knots?
Linny had gathered my things for me, and the whole time I was shaking. But that was probably because I was nervous that Leigh would wake up. When we realized he had fallen asleep, it made sense to keep it that way. At least that’s what we thought.
Although, when we were trying to sneak out the front, and Bruce followed, I almost went to him.
Leigh had been lying in his recliner, lightly snoring.
There was a pull, like my body wanted to be in the chair with him.
Of course, thinking of his dark, intense gaze when he looked at me didn’t help, nor did the fact that he’s practically chiseled from stone and covered in tattoos.
But that was just my loneliness trying to run things.
Not only was it probably best for me to get away from him, but it would be best for him, too.
We weren’t anything to each other. He didn’t need to be serving me, constantly checking on me, and waiting up for me to have nightmares, only to come and get a shitty night’s sleep so that I could rest. It wasn’t fair to him.
Thinking of all he’d done for me the last week or so made my throat tighten. I fought the pressure that tried to fill my face. I rolled my window down, letting the cool air hit my face and tamper the heat that was trying to rise.
This was the right thing. I was just emotional. And of course I was. I was relapsing hard, still recovering from almost being beaten to death, and I’d been stuck with a man I hated.
I kept telling myself that as we rode back to the clubhouse.
When we finally turned down the path that led to the old, refurbished casino that the chapter had turned into their clubhouse, I waited for some sort of relief that never came.
Allie pulled into one of the parking spots in the weathered lot.
The blacktop was worn from storms, salty air, and time.
Cracks held weeds and the sandy dirt mix found around the clubhouse.
The casino was also worn and aged, but the old structure itself had held up during one of the worst storms the gulf had ever seen. The guys cleaned it up some, did some repairs inside, and got the HVAC running again before they set up shop.
Some of the members lived there, but some of the guys only stayed for parties or before and after runs.
Reggie said we’d get our own place eventually, but once he patched into Mobile, there was a lot of club business to handle and it made sense to be there with Hammer and the other officers.
Even Leigh stayed for a while but he eventually got the house he’s at now.
I was a little sad that Bruce went with him, but he was his dog.
Flashes whizzed in my head again. Me hugging Bruce’s thick neck, digging my face in as I tried to play off the tears as if they were only for him.
Reggie laughing, then promising we could visit the dog.
Leigh looking back with thinned lips and slits for eyes.
His body moving like he was about to double back to where we stood, but then tugging on the leash as the two of them climbed into his truck.
“Glenda? Hey, you with me?” Linny’s voice was urgent.
Allie wasn’t in the driver’s seat, but instead leaning against the front end. Linny was standing next to me with my door open. Hammer was by the front door of the clubhouse, staring in our direction and smoking a cigarette.
“When did he get here?” I asked.
Linny gave a wobbly smile. “Not too long ago. Ready to go inside?”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
As we got closer, Hammer’s face looked like he’d been in a fight with a few bruises and small cuts. He blew a plume of smoke out and smiled. “You good?”
“Yeah. Thanks for your help.”
“Sam said no cooking and cleaning for now. Doctor’s orders.” He cupped my shoulder with his big hand and I noticed the bruising there, too. “And president’s orders. Take it easy, okay?”
Smiling up, I said, “Okay. Promise.”
“He told me no driving or riding for now, too. So I’m holding onto your keys but you know the drill. If you need anything, just let me or Rogers know, and you got it.”
“Thanks, Hammer.” He opened the front door so we filed in. I headed to my room.
Once we made it to the door, I sighed as we walked in but still didn’t feel the tension settle like I expected once I got back.
Linny headed for the bathroom, and I poked my head in.
She was unpacking my toiletries and putting them back in the shower or on the counter.
That was the nice thing about the clubhouse.
It used to be a casino. While the rooms were a little cramped, they had enough space to retreat every night, comfy beds, soundproofed rooms, and private bathrooms. As a kid, we had one bathroom in the house to share, and then in the military, I had no privacy at all.
“Hey,” Allie said from the doorway. “Wanna grab a bite?”
“I’m good. We had some pizza like right before you got there.”
She nodded, then smacked the doorjamb. “Well, I’m starving. You all set?”
“Yep. Go. Get some food.”
“I’ll see you in a bit,” she said then walked away.
Pulling the curtains open, I looked down at the pool. “So sad.”
“The chairs are still out there if you want to go sit,” Linny called from the bathroom.
She came out with the bag and started pulling clothes out. “We need to do some laundry.”
“I’ll worry about that later. You don’t need to keep doing everything. I’m really better.” Physically, anyway.
“Glenda!” Sofie squealed as she ran into my room and flung herself at me.
“Oof,” I grunted as I caught her, leaning back on the wall to steady myself.
“Sweet girl! You can’t jump on Glenda right now,” Linny said.
“It’s okay,” I told her, smiling at her sweet face. “I’m excited to see you, too.”
“Are you staying here now? We’re still having a sleepover here. Which is fine, but my swing set is at home and they closed the pool,” Sofie said as she poked her lip out.
Giggling and admiring her little dimples, I said, “Well, since the pool is closed anyway, maybe we can take the chalk out there and you can make me a big, pretty picture.”
She laid her head on my shoulder and squeezed me. “I’m so glad we can play. Wait!” She pulled back and her blue eyes sparkled up at me. “Did you bring Bruce?”
Linny cut in before I could answer. “He needed to stay at Leigh’s, but maybe sometime soon he can come play.”
“Or we can go see him,” Sofie said, matter-of-factly.
Bama’s deep voice broke up the tension. “We’ll see. Let’s give Miss Glenda some breathing room.”
She squeezed me then wiggled free, so I put her down.
“She darted up here when I mentioned you were here,” he said as he held his hand out for her.
The sight of him with Sofie tugged at my heart. It was sweet, but a constant reminder of what could have been. The life I’d thought I’d have.
“I’m actually a little tired, guys,” I told them.
Linny put the overnight bag in the wardrobe and came to hug me. “Get some rest. We’ll be around. You good?”
“Yeah. Just a lot of excitement for one day.”
“See you for dinner in a bit?” she asked as she pulled away.
“For sure. I’m just gonna rest a little and charge my phone.”
After they left, I plugged in my phone then sat on the bed.
“Back to normal.”
Looking around, something felt off. But everything was how I left it. Falling to the bed, I sighed. It was mine, but it felt off, too.
“Just tired.”
I closed my eyes, hoping to rest and reset now that I was finally back at the clubhouse. Where I should be.