CHAPTER FIVE
– HEART –
The party is still going strong when we step inside the clubhouse. Kepner, Lumos, and Remus are standing in front of church, talking to Sevrin.
I notice Norie sitting on the couch and point at her while I tell Lina, “Norie is my president’s old lady. She’s also related to Sevrin, Karev’s president. Norie is smart as fuck and does the books for the club, and the business we own. She also likes pink in case you haven’t noticed.”
Lina snickers. “Understatement. The way she’s dressed no one would guess she’s a biker chick.”
I shrug. “True, but she’s not just a biker chick. She’s the president’s old lady. Basically, the woman is in a league of her own.”
“Like the vice president’s old lady?” Lina gives me her full attention and places her hands on her hips when she adds in a firm voice, “We still need to discuss this little fact.”
Refraining from shrugging again, because I’ve been crystal clear about the fact she now belongs to me, I tell her, “You’re mine, and I protect what’s mine.
Now, let me talk to my brothers while you chat with Norie.
She can hold her breath under water for fuck knows how long.
Unexplainable, like you can’t feel pain.
Something you two can discuss, and make sure you tell her you’re my old lady, along with the rest of what happened tonight. ”
Lina looks confused. Normally I wouldn’t explain shit to a woman, but this situation is different.
Lina is different. She’s my responsibility, and I owe her more than simply ordering her around.
Besides, she’s not trying to fake her way into my life or my bed.
She’s bluntly honest, intrigues me, and has a smart mouth along with it.
The woman will be in my life from here on out, which is why I can give her some private information about the president’s old lady.
“Norie was kidnapped by one of our brothers who betrayed us. He locked her in a crate and dumped her in the water. We barely managed to find her in time. Sevrin managed to get the crate out of the water while no one could see where the fuck it was. Unnatural the way she was still alive, but she was. Something about her mother being Sevrin’s sister. ”
“Great, she’s hard to drown and I can die without pain. I guess we both have a fucked-up trick up our sleeve.” Lina winces and steps closer and whispers, “But I was kinda wondering if I can tell her everything...as in the dead bodies in the woods part? Or does she also have a shovel within reach?”
I’ve seen her wince a few times tonight. For a woman who can’t feel pain she seems extremely sensitive.
Deciding not to comment about the dying part, I simply tell her, “Yeah, all good. Fatal shares club business with his old lady.”
“Okay.” She gives me a small smile and stalks in the direction of Norie.
I watch for a moment how Norie glances at Lina and smiles, patting the seat next to her to invite my woman to sit down. When they start talking I walk over to my brothers.
“Church,” I rumble and stalk inside.
They follow me inside and I wait for Remus to close the door before I rumble, “Lina is Karev’s half-sister, and my old lady.”
“Damn, you work fast, brother.” Remus shakes his head. “Here I thought I might be able to ask the hot redhead out...”
I narrow my eyes and cut the idiot off, “You don’t date, and brother or not? I’m going to rip out your tongue if you so much as say something along those lines to her now, get me?”
“Touchy, touchy.” Remus grins.
Red clouds my vision and with my next breath I have the fucker by the throat, and snarl, “Touching her will end your fucking life.”
“Heart, fucking hell, back off, man,” Fatal grits and shoves me back.
I glare at them both when Kepner says, “Let’s all sit down and talk. I assume Karev knows you claimed her?”
We all walk to the table and take a seat.
The corner of my mouth twitches when I remember how Lina became mine. “I believe his exact words were ‘you’re going to claim Lina as your old lady.’ He did mention I should respect and treat her the way Prez handles Norie.”
Fatal grins at me and I give him a nod, knowing he appreciates the mention. Especially since he claimed Norie to keep her here so Sevrin couldn’t take her with him.
I continue with the fact, “Claiming her also means the shit she’s wrapped in is mine to deal with. Karev buried one body; you guys handled the other. There were a few guys who ran off and one of them was Digby Lancer, you know, the fucker’s father owns the Lancer’s pawn shop one town over.”
“Digby,” Fatal muses. “Didn’t that fucker come by the clubhouse last year asking to prospect?”
Lumos barks out a laugh. “I remember. We were standing in the parking lot and Prez told him to pick up the fallen leaves one by one to show how much he wanted to become a prospect. Fucker ran back to his cage as if his ass was on fire and drove away as fast as he could.”
I chuckle, remembering the moment as well.
The parking lot was filled with a thick layer of fallen leaves.
We ran a check on the fucker and discovered he works at his father’s business and spends the rest of his time hanging out with his friends.
Works being a big word since the fucker doesn’t do shit and wouldn’t even lift a finger to help someone.
“I heard you killed two fuckers? Do you know why they were after her?” Fatal asks.
Shaking my head, I correct him, “Nah, I didn’t kill anyone. Those fuckers killed Lina’s friend, and while I was fighting off three idiots who thought they could take her from me...Lina took out one with a knife I gave her. Oh, and for the record? Make sure no one gives my old lady a knife.”
“Why not?” Remus asks, intrigued.
Fucker.
I sigh and rub a hand over my face. “It was the first thing Karev told me when he asked for a favor. Apparently, he’s right because she doesn’t blink twice before using it.”
“So, Karev asked you a favor and you ended up with an old lady?” Remus snickers. “Remind me not to do the Lexmore Beach chapter a favor. For fucking sure I don’t want to end up with an old lady anytime soon.”
“Stay focused,” Fatal grunts. “I ask again, why were they after her?”
I shrug. “That’s what she’d like to know as well. I do know she owns a vintage shop.”
Fatal leans back in his chair. “Sounds like she obtained something the Lancer’s wanted. Something valuable.”
“Something worth killing for,” Kepner grits.
We all fall silent for a few heartbeats, until Fatal gets up, stalks to the door and bellows, “Norie, get your sweet ass in here and bring your new friend.”
Kepner leans in and whispers, “I wonder if this is the way Karev means treat with respect like Prez handles Norie.”
“Excuse you,” Norie snaps and goes toe-to-toe with Fatal. “Don’t yell at me.”
He leans in so their noses almost touch. “I said sweet ass, didn’t I?”
Norie purses her lips. “Still. Yelling isn’t nice, and I should...”
Fatal cuts her off with a grin and the words, “I threw out your stun gun.”
She huffs. “Great. I have to buy another one.”
Now I’m the one stating, “Stay focused,” and wave Lina over to come closer.
She comes to a stop next to me and looks a bit nervous.
I take her hand and rub my thumb over the back of her hand.
My gaze lands on our joined hands and I notice the tiny cuts from handling the knife already look good, as if they started to heal.
I pull her hand closer and check the other one as well.
Lina shifts uneasily and whispers, “Not feeling any pain luckily comes with healing better than anyone else. I guess it’s a good side effect, right?”
There’s no time to give her a reply when Fatal asks, “Lina, do you know what they were after? Jewelry, paintings, expensive furniture? Any large or rare items you purchased for your shop recently? Any abandoned storage units you won the winning bid on for the content? Anything that they might have any interest in? Something they said?”
Her voice sounds annoyed when she says, “I don’t know.
I’ve been going over and over it in my mind, but I can’t think of anything.
Those assholes hit me over the head when I was working in the back of the store.
I didn’t see it coming and I woke up in the middle of the woods.
They were kicking Rob and not paying any attention to me.
Not until one of them mentioned they should cut Rob into pieces to get rid of his body.
I freaked and managed to pull out my phone and messaged Karev, then I made a run for it.
So, I didn’t hear them ask questions, and they didn’t have the time to question me.
All I can do is check the store, which they trashed by the way, and check my paperwork.
If something is missing from a bulk order I bought...
it might give us a lead what they were after. ”
Fatal bobs his head. “Then that’s what we’ll do first thing come morning. Heart, make sure your old lady has anything she needs. We’ll check your store bright and early with a few brothers, and we’ll go from there.”
“We’ll also help with cleaning the store,” Norie adds, and I nod in thanks.
Lina smiles at Norie. “I would really appreciate it. Even if I have to stay closed for a few days...I’d rather have things in order so I can get the store up and running again soon.”
“We’ll see,” I grunt, not liking the thought of Lina alone in her store, especially after what happened a mere few hours ago.