Chapter 9 – Everly
EVERLY
Pulling into the clubhouse parking lot, my stomach is in knots. I don’t know how this will go down. I don’t expect a warm welcome by any means, but I also hope they’ll at least give me a chance to apologize.
Grand gesture.
Mason’s words echo through my mind. What the hell kind of grand gesture does one give to a group of bikers and their women? I don’t own a Harley store, a bar, or have stocks in a leather clothing company.
When we walk inside, Kaylie is wedged between me and Mason, holding onto our legs with Winston bouncing off my calf.
She’s acting as if she’s never been here before.
My hackles are raised, wondering what has her behaving so shyly until I catch a glimpse of Sadie staring daggers at me from across the room next to a not so happy looking Hawk.
Kaylie may be small, but she understands anger and, unfortunately, she fears it.
Everyone is gathered in the common area of the clubhouse.
Some shooting pool, others hanging out by the bar having a drink.
A few of the ladies are sitting on the couches.
I’m about to suggest I take Kaylie upstairs when Mason shouts to the entire room, “Listen up! I have an announcement to make!” Everything goes silent.
Mason puts his arm around my shoulder and blurts out the news.
“Ever and I are married! We want you all to be the first to know,” he jokes, but the room stays silent.
No one reacts. No cheers. No applause. Not that I would expect anyone to be excited for us after the last conversation we had here, but the silence is very telling.
They don’t approve. They don’t want us here.
No. Me. They don’t want me here.
I’m two seconds from scooping Kaylie up and running out the door, but Sadie’s words have my feet frozen in place. “Are you pregnant? Did you knock her up, Mason?” she accuses, pointing toward my flat belly. “Is that why the sudden change of heart? Mason’s your baby daddy?”
“What? No. We haven’t even … you know what, that’s none of your business.” I don’t bother to tell her we haven’t had sex. That’s nobody’s business, although apparently around here there’s no such thing as nobody’s business.
“You get yourself into some kind of trouble? Picking up mommy’s old habits?” The accusations keep coming.
“No.” I grit.
“I know. You got spooked about someone destroying your little salon and you think marrying the biker, wearing his property patch, will keep people from fucking with you?”
“No! Jesus, Sadie. It’s not any of those things.” I start, but Mason steps in front of me, blocking my view.
“That’s enough, Sadie. I know you two have some things to work out, but Everly and I are married.
Our relationship is our business, not yours.
Not the clubs. Outside of the fact that we wanted to celebrate our union with everyone here, my brothers, my family.
But if you can’t support us and be happy for us, then get gone,” Mason says.
“But whether you approve or not, you will respect the fact that she’s my ol’ lady. ”
“So, you’ve suddenly had a change of heart, is that it?
Because not too long ago you stood right here in this room and basically told Mason you weren’t interested in him or his biker lifestyle.
Now you’re standing here again, and you’re hitched.
” Sadie throws her arms out in dramatic fashion.
“Color me confused. If you don’t love him, why are you marrying him? ”
I step out from behind Mason, staring Sadie down point-blank and argue, “I never said I didn’t love him.
” The truth is out, and I can’t take them back.
I never meant to admit that to anyone, let alone to a room full of people.
My cheeks heat. My eyes burn. The urge to run out of this room is overwhelming, but I don’t. I stand my ground.
Sadie throws her hands up, letting out a long sigh. “And that’s supposed to fix everything? Because you love him?” she snarls.
“What is your problem with me, Sadie? It isn’t that I insulted you or your lifestyle. You have thicker skin than that. So, what did I do to you exactly that made you hate me so badly?”
“You’re a fucking Devil!” she exclaims. “You’ve got Devil blood running through your veins.
The sworn fucking enemy of the Kings.” Sadie looks around the room.
“That’s right. She’s a Devil, and now they’re back in our town causing trouble.
She’s one of theirs, and now I think she’s the reason they’re here.
Why else would they risk coming back after what just happened?
Unless they left something or someone behind. ”
Curses and grumbling voices fill the air, but I can’t make out what they’re saying. My focus is on Sadie, trying to make sense of what she’s just said.
“Everly Greene is a fucking Devil. Her father is the same asshole my Papa put in the ground. After everything your family has done to ours, you should not only show your respect but your gratitude. God knows the less Devil blood running around on this Earth, the better off we’ll all be.”
“Sadie Jay,” Liz’s warning is loud across the room as she stands tall against Caleb’s chest. Her face is etched in fury. “You shouldn’t speak about things you know nothing about.”
“Oh, but I do know. I found her birth certificate. Her father was Viper. The same asshole, Papa—”
“Sadie,” Caleb interjects, shaking his head and scrubbing a hand through his beard. The men in the room are visibly angry and frustrated. The air is vibrating with tension.
“Not another word, Sadie Jay,” Liz warns. “What your papa did or didn’t do is not open for discussion. You know better than anyone not to talk about things that concern this club but don’t concern you.”
“Don’t concern me? He’s the whole fucking reason this family fell apart!
His crew is still running drugs and selling women and children to sick fucks across the United States, or have we all forgotten where I just came from?
Where we just rescued Hawk’s sister from?
How about Nora? You remember the little girl we saved? Any of this ringing any bells?”
The chatter gets louder, but none of it registers with me. The pounding of my heart is all I hear until a loud, ear-splitting whistle rents the air. Everyone falls silent again.
My heart is still pounding. My eyes sting. My hands are shaking. My head is spinning. I have no idea what she’s talking about, yet I feel like I should.
Did my mother know the man she laid with was so evil and vile? And what about Kaylie? Was her father one of those people who hurt children?
I feel like I’m going to pass out or throw up, maybe both. Then a tiny hand grips my thigh and pinches me. Kaylie’s little face is pressed into me as she tries to make herself small and invisible against my body. I place my hand on top of Kaylie’s head and hold her to me.
“That’s enough!” Gabe shouts out over the room.
His loud voice jolts Kaylie. She lets go of my leg, and Winston is forgotten on the ground as she runs to Mason, clawing and whimpering at him to pick her up, which he does.
I watch in awe as she buries her face in his neck as he holds her, rubbing her back and whispering soothing words to her.
When the room finally goes quiet, I hear her ask, “You promise, Mason?”
“You have my word, Squirt.” Whatever promise he just made seems to console her a bit, but she’s not letting him go. When his eyes meet mine, they’re full of fury and something else I don’t recognize.
“Pres,” Mason calls. When Gabe sees Kaylie trembling in Mason’s arms, he sighs, then nods. A silent conversation takes place, and I don’t understand but am quick to catch on to. “Hey, Carter. Could you do me a favor?”
I didn’t know he was even here. But why wouldn’t he be? Everyone is here, even Skyler’s oldest Lilah, and her baby Emily. They weren’t kidding when they said they do everything as a family. Even argue and trash each other apparently.
Carter runs over to where Mason stands. “Would you go into my closet in my room? You know which one is mine?”
“I do,” Carter nods.
“Good. Go into my closet and find one of my hoodies, one like the one you’ve got on, and bring it out here to me.” Carter takes off to do Mason’s bidding. He takes less than two minutes to come back with the hoodie in question.
“Thanks, kid. I need one more favor. Hang on.” Mason lowers himself to the ground, getting on his knees as he stands Kaylie up in front of him. Her head is down, her shoulders up to her ears. The kid is terrified.
Mason unfolds the hoodie, showing it to Kaylie. Then he unzips her jacket, removes it, handing it to Carter.
“You see this hoodie? You see what it says on the back.” Kaylie shrugs.
“It says Property of the Kings of Fury MC. Do you know what that means?” She shakes her head, still not speaking.
“It means you’re one of us. You’re family.
My family. No one will hurt you while you wear this.
Not here, not anywhere. And Carter here is a Prospect in training, isn’t that right?
” Carter nods enthusiastically. “He’s not quite old enough to be a true prospect, but I have faith in him.
He’s going to go with you to the playroom and make sure that no one bothers you or upsets you anymore.
” Mason glares across the room at Sadie. She looks momentarily chastised.
He turns back to Carter. “I’m trusting you with my little sister here. It’s a big responsibility. She’s scared. She doesn’t feel safe. It’s your job to make her feel comfortable and take care of her until I get done talking with Pres. You think you can handle the job?”
I watch on as Mason looks past Carter to Declan, who grunts, nods, and smirks. I don’t know how to interpret all these facial tics and silent conversations.
There’s got to be a book on how to speak grunts and glares, right?
Note to self: Google biker grunts and facial tics.
Meanwhile, Carter beams. He salutes Mason like a soldier would his superior and smiles wide.
“I can do it. I’ll take good care of her, Mason.
Promise.” Mason gives a curt nod. Carter turns to look over his shoulder at Declan for approval.
His little chest is puffed and his face is full of pride.
Declan winks at his son, acknowledging what appears to be a big moment in Carter’s life.
He’s protecting his family.
I’ve never had this kind of loyalty or felt this kind of pride in my family.
My mother was the town junkie and a prostitute.
What pride could be found in that? The men she brought into our home never cared about us or our safety.
Hell, they couldn’t be bothered to fix a leaky roof.
They only cared about sex, drugs, and money.
And apparently, selling women and children.
Fuck me.
I can’t imagine mama would’ve been a part of any of that, as hard as she fought to keep me away from her men.
“Okay, Squirt.” Mason’s voice brings me out of my thoughts. “Take Winston and go upstairs with Carter. Remember what I told you to do if you get scared?”
Kaylie’s voice is soft, barely above a whisper. “Find a safe place to hide and wait there until you come to find me.”
When did he tell her that?
Mason nods, kissing her on the forehead. “Good girl. I’ll be up soon. You stay there until me or Sissy comes to get you. Got me?”
“Got you.” Carter reaches over, taking Kaylie’s hand, guiding her out of the room and toward the stairs. I watch them walk away, feeling emotionally torn.
On the one hand, I want to take Kaylie and run far away from Oakridge, never looking back.
Putting our mother and our past behind us and starting over somewhere fresh.
But there’s a part of me that feels like we’re right where we need to be, in the safest place possible.
Here, with Mason, my husband, and the Kings.
“All right!” Gabe bellows. “Now that the kids are out of earshot, let’s get a few things settled. One. Sadie, you and Everly will apologize and work your shit out. Whatever you think you know about club business, you will keep it to yourself. Do I make myself clear?”
Sadie gives a curt nod, though the way she’s biting the corner of her mouth lets me know she’s not okay with it. Gabe and Hawk exchange a look. Hawk nods. “Got it, Pres,” he states loudly, his tone leaving no room for argument, then turns to Sadie and whispers something in her ear.
“Two,” Gabe starts again. “Mason has already officially claimed Everly and Kaylie at the table, so the wedding was just a formality. One that we will all be happy,” he cuts a glare at Sadie again.
“To celebrate. You ladies will plan the party while the men head into church to talk business. Linzie?” Gabe calls for his ol’ lady.
She walks up to his side, placing her hand on his chest. His arm comes over the top of her shoulders as he plants a kiss on her temple.
“I want you to oversee the plans for Everly. Yeah?”
“Sure. We just did one of these not too long ago. I’m sure we could pull off a second one,” she says sarcastically, smiling up at him.
“Three. No one leaves this clubhouse until I give the okay.” That gets everyone’s brows furrowed, even mine. “Let’s go, boys. We’ve got shit to discuss. I’m calling church!”
Mason’s hands find my waist as he pulls me close, looking me dead in the eyes.
He’s searching for something. He pushes a loose strand of hair behind my ear with his finger.
“Are you going to be okay out here? You can always go upstairs with Kaylie, and we can sort this stuff after I’m done in there. ”
“And let them see me cower?” I tease. Mason chuckles. “Did you know about my dad? About Caleb?”
Mason doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t look away. It’s all the answer I need.
“There’s a lot you don’t know, and until now, I couldn’t tell you.” Mason’s voice softens. “I know none of this makes a whole lot of sense right now, and I promise I will tell you what I can when I’m done in there, but I need you to hang tight just a little while longer for me. Can you do that?”
“What did you promise Kaylie?” My sudden change of topic catches him off guard, but I have this sudden urge to know.
He smiles. “I promised her to always keep you two safe no matter what. I promised to never let anyone hurt either of you ever again.” Mason pauses. “I promised to love you both forever and never leave your side.”
“Oh.” It’s all I can say.
“You said you love me.” His smile widens.
I nod, a single tear dripping down my cheek.
Everything is so overwhelming. “I love you too, Sprite. Always have. Always will.” Mason kisses my lips, then my forehead.
“Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.” And then he’s gone, and I’m left standing in the middle of the room, reeling from the whirlwind that is our life.