Chapter 3 – Everly #3
“No, just everyone I love and care about. Every person in that club who—by the way—has stood by and done everything they can to help you when you came back into town.” She shrugs.
“You didn’t say it directly to me, which probably would’ve been better for you, honestly.
Because I’m not the only one who’s pissed, and the Kings’ women do petty like no others, I can assure you. ”
Would she have shut off the alarm so someone could attack my shop as payback?
No, Mason would never allow that.
“I assume you all are here because someone managed to shut off the security system.” I keep my tone even, fighting the need to apologize again. Sadie’s got a vengeance streak that even scares the Kings.
This is what you wanted. If they’re all mad at you, they’ll leave you alone, and so will Mason.
But somehow none of this feels right. I miss him. Miss all of them. I had gotten close to the women for a while.
“We figured out how that shit happened before we got here. Shocker, I know, that simple bikers could be so smart,” she taunts. “It was hacked.” She shrugs like it’s the simplest explanation in the world and one that I should’ve already realized.
“How? Why?” Sadie doesn’t answer, and Mason shakes his head, still not speaking. “Do we know anything at all? My life is literally sitting here in shambles and the people who I would expect to have answers know nothing?”
“You’re expecting a lot from a group of bikers, aren’t you?” Sadie tilts her head.
“I never said bikers were stupid. I said I didn’t want to date one.
It wasn’t an insult to their intelligence.
It was an insult to their need to fuck anything with tits and a sweet smile,” I snap back.
Sadie smirks. Sadie stands with her arms crossed over her chest. “I don’t want to be just another whore like—”
“Your mother?” Sadie’s words hit their target. “Only she was paid for spreading her legs for biker trash, right? And not just bikers, from what I hear. So, she wasn’t your typical club whore. She was a hooker. Paid for her services. Turned a pretty penny if the rumors are true.”
Memories flood my mind, reopening old wounds with a freshly sharpened knife.
It’s been years since anyone has thrown my mother in my face.
Even when she overdosed and I came to take care of Kaylie, no one said a word about my mother’s occupation.
Only condolences and love for me and Kaylie.
But with one well-timed jab, Sadie has brought back all the shame, the disgust, and the pain of my fucked-up childhood.
“Sadie!” Mason barks. “That’s enough!” His anger grabs Hawk’s attention, and he storms his way back over to us.
“What?” Sadie barks back. “You two act like no one knows who she is or where she came from. But having shit parents doesn’t give you the right to treat everyone with a cut like they’re beneath you. The fact is biker blood runs through your veins just like mine.”
I flinch at her words. Mason stands a little closer to me now, furiously staring Sadie down.
Hawk steps up, placing his arm around Sadie’s shoulder. “Sapphire, that’s enough. We shouldn’t be talking about this shit here.”
Turning until I’m face to face with Mason, my temper flares. “You told her.” I grit out on a rough whisper. Rage like nothing I’ve ever felt before burns throughout my body at Mason’s obvious betrayal. My hands are balled into fists at my sides, my body trembling with fury.
“I didn’t tell her shit. Sadie’s just nosy as fuck and doesn’t know how to mind her own goddamn business,” Mason growls. “I’ll deal with her shit later.”
“Yo!” Hawk snaps, shaking his head at Mason, which he ignores. “You’ll do no such thing, or I’ll put your ass in the ground. You handle yours. I’ll handle mine. Got me?”
Mason gives a curt nod of acknowledgement, never taking his eyes off mine.
“I had every fucking right,” Sadie retorts, jumping back into the conversation.
“Baby,” Hawk admonishes.
“No,” Sadie argues. “She was talking shit about Mason, this club, my man, our family. Of course, I went digging. I wanted to know why she was so bitter toward everyone. All she’s done these past couple of months is talk shit and cut us all down.
Even at Avery’s wedding. When we welcomed her and Kaylie to stay with us during the storm, she bitched about club girls and our way of life.
All the while, knowing her mom was worse than a club girl.
She was one of their money-making prostitutes.
While we kept her and Kaylie fed and warm, and you and Vincenzo played fucking Santa Claus to the entire club including her sister, she’s hated us. ”
Sadie stalks toward Mason, jabbing her finger on his chest. Hawk grips her hips from behind, halting any further advancement.
“What thanks did you get, Mason? Has she ever said thank you or defended you to anyone around here? No, she’s been using you.
This whole fucking time, and you don’t see it because you’ve wanted her for so long you’ll take any scrap of attention Everly will give you.
Meanwhile, she spits on you behind your back and disrespects everyone associated with that patch you’re wearing.
The patch my family literally died for and all because her father was a heartless bastard who wanted us all wiped out.
” Her words hit like a punch to the gut.
Sadie steps back, pressing her back into Hawk’s chest. He quietly shushes her in her ear, soothingly. Her eyes bounce between me and Mason. “So, yeah, I went digging. Then I heard you were planning on claiming her at the table, which means the club is going to have to step in shit to save her.”
“Claiming me?” I ask, confused. “What the hell does that mean, Mason? Claiming me, how?”
“That’s all you took from that?” Mason huffs, scrubbing a hand down his face.
His smile is one of frustration and disbelief.
I can see his body vibrating physically.
He’s as angry as I am, only I’m not sure if it’s with Sadie for digging into my family’s past or the information she just blurted out.
“Miss Greene,” the deputy calls for me to join him by his car.
“Coming.” I don’t waste another second trying to sort through the bomb Sadie’s just dropped in my lap.
I turn toward the deputy and walk away as fast as I can, knowing Mason will follow.
“Stop following me, Mason. I don’t know what Sadie’s talking about, but this claiming nonsense, if it’s what I think it is, you can forget it. I’m no man’s property.”
He eats up the distance between us, walking beside me now.
“Let’s get this shit with your shop figured out then we’ll talk.
” Mason grips my shoulder, guiding me toward the deputy.
I try to open my mouth to deny him, but Mason shakes his head.
“Don’t say anther word, Sprite, or I swear to all that is holy, I’ll show you exactly what she meant about me claiming you and afterwards you won’t sit for a fucking week. ”
What the hell does he mean by that? And why does he sound so hot when I’m supposed to hate him right now?