Chapter Seventeen – Meggie
“Do you want me to sweep the stairs?”
Kaia’s question broke through Meggie’s frantic worry at just after six the next morning.
She hadn’t slept a wink because Christopher, Diesel, CJ, and Bishop had been gone the entire night.
Hunting, or scooping up as Christopher called it, rarely took so long.
They’d get their target and bring them back to the meatshack.
He’d text her that they were on club grounds and she’d get a few hours’ sleep until he finished.
“Meggie?”
Shoving her fingers through her hair, she turned and wrapped her arms around her waist, trying to pull herself together. She’d planned to cook breakfast for Axel, Ryder, and Ransom and then bring them to school, until she remembered the school had been compromised.
“Meggie?” Kaia called again, concern in his voice.
“What are you doing up so early?”
His hours were from eight to five and Kaia rarely showed himself before then.
“Did I do something wrong?”
Hearing Kaia’s unease, Meggie forced herself to focus. Her worry wouldn’t abate until she saw Christopher and the boys. Falling apart helped nothing.
“You look exhausted, Kaia.”
He gave her a small smile. “So do you. CJ texted me last night and told me what happened. He wanted to make sure Rebel stayed in the house until he got the all-clear from Outlaw. I’ve been awake, checking the back hallway, listening for her.”
The back end of the club’s property, where the forest met with farmland, was at risk for intruders.
Christopher wanted to personally fund an iron fence not far from where the secret turnoff was, but he was vetoed, so he and Mortician had discussed going ahead with the idea anyway, but Johnnie convinced them that flaunting wealth and mixing club funds with personal assets wasn’t a good idea.
He hadn’t been such an idiot and the argument was valid.
More people were aware of the little used back path than the other security risk.
Christopher and his inner circle knew the farmland that bordered the club had been Logan’s property where that horrendous orchard contained as many bodies as apple trees.
Since Rack had once been such a vital part of the club, it made sense that his son would know the vulnerable locations.
“Do you want me to wake up the Triplets?” Kaia asked.
“They aren’t going to school today.”
“In-service?”
“Danger.”
He swallowed. “Right.”
“Do you prefer tea or coffee?”
“Whichever one you prefer.”
She waved toward the breakfast bar. “Have a seat.”
“Jesus, look at that ring,” he said in awe.
Meggie held out her hand and he walked closer, lifting her fingers and inspecting the blue diamond.
“Would…would Rebel expect jewelry like that?”
Reclaiming her hand, Meggie shrugged. “Probably.”
His shoulders slumped. “Right.”
Meggie wanted Christopher and the boys to walk through the door so badly she could barely concentrate on anything else. However, Kaia needed a pep talk, so she nodded to a stool. “Sit,” she said again.
This time he listened, so she sat next to him.
“What you do with the money I pay you is strictly up to you,” she started. “However, I hope you save some of it to build up reserves.”
Kaia flushed.
“I take it that isn’t the case.”
“I’ve only gotten one paycheck so far.”
“What else do you need?” she asked. “I thought I covered everything. Clothes, shelter, transportation, food, alcohol, and electronics. Not recreation so much.”
“Are you doing all of this for Rebel or for me?”
“Fair question,” she responded. “I’m doing it because I need help. I’ve done the same thing for Bishop. Instead of purchasing him clothes, I bought them for his sister’s baby. But Rebel cares about you and you seem to care about her. Judging by your, er, poetry.”
“Rebel gets my poetry even if no one else does,” he said defensively.
“I love the connection you two share.” Even if she didn’t love his poetry.
“Is that…is that a compliment?”
“It’s whatever you want it to be.”
“But—”
“I’m paying you money for you,” Meggie inserted, getting back to the matter at hand. “Whether you and Rebel have a future when she’s eighteen, we can’t know. I don’t think you want to spend the rest of your life working for me, love. You need to save some of the money for your future.”
“This is the best job I ever had, Meggie.” Kaia shifted uncomfortably.
“I once thought I’d have a career in the NFL.
One of my goals was to help my mother and father get out of debt and have an easier life.
My parents and my brother were the only ones in my family who didn’t turn their backs on me.
Whenever they went to family gatherings, especially at my aunt and uncle’s, I had to stay home. ”
“Why is that?”
“I survived when their son didn’t,” he mumbled, then explained about his cousin drowning because they’d snuck in the pool. “Mom and Dad told me it wasn’t my fault. They stood by me. Took me to counseling. The rest of the family hates my guts.”
Meggie thought about his tragic story, and immediately knew what he was doing. “Take the day off and–”
“The house doesn’t need sweeping?”
She had to break his obsession with sweeping. “The rooms along the West Hall has to be dusted and vacuumed, but you can do that tomorrow. Today, I want you to give me an itemized estimate of your parents’ expenses.”
Kaia’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “I don’t know all their bills and I didn’t tell you that so you’d give them money. They probably wouldn’t accept it. They have a lot of pride. Besides, Rebel and I might not end up together. Diesel hates me.”
Unpacking his words, Meggie decided to start backwards, especially since Diesel was the most pressing issue.
As long as he was safe and in one piece and walked through the door with Christopher, CJ, and Bishop, soon, everything else could be worked out.
“I won’t lie to you and say Diesel isn’t an issue,” she said, swallowing her fear.
“It isn’t fair to you. Your well-being is important to me too.
Rebel has fancied herself in love with him for so long, she may not know how to think differently. ”
“I can’t compete with Diesel’s swagger. Or his money. His Mercedes. His Harley.”
“You can’t compete because you’re not arrogant, Kaia,” Meggie said gently. “You’re kind and caring.”
“And Diesel isn’t?”
“Not in the least,” she said without hesitation.
“Let me rephrase that. He is as much as he can be with his family. With anyone else? He doesn’t care.
You cannot compete with that type of man because that isn’t you.
As for his money? Diesel earns a salary.
He does jobs for the club. The most I can do for you is to pay your salary and give you money so you can help your parents.
It’ll be up to you to “compete” with Diesel. Or waste it on my daughter.”
“W-waste it?”
Meggie drummed her fingers on the table.
“Look around you, sweetheart. You don’t have to compete with Diesel to give Rebel anything because he doesn’t do it.
Rebel gets whatever she wants and that will never change whether she’s married to you, a garbage collector, or a CEO.
Instead of worrying about what she wants, you need to focus on having the money to provide what she needs.
A house, for instance. A car. Food. Vacations. Flowers. Special nights out.”
“Is that what Diesel does for Jana?”
“I don’t know what—” God. Jana. Security gates surrounded the mansion, but a determined little man would find a way in.
If he came from the direction of the forest and clambered up the fence or slipped through the spaces between the spires, the treehouse could be breached first. She jumped to her feet.
“I have to call her. Rats! I don’t have her cell phone number. Stay here. I’ll go to the treehouse—”
“No, Meggie. I’ll get her and bring her here. It’s the least I can do.”
“Do you know how to shoot?”
Kaia shook his head.
Well, a weapon from the gun room was out.
“Just be careful.”
“I will. I’ll be back in ten minutes tops,” he swore, almost running over Bunny as she walked in. “Hey, Bunny,” he said, and sprinted off.
“Where’s he off to?”
“To get Jana.”
“No word from Outlaw?”
“From no one.” Meggie pasted a smile on her face. “They’re fine. Probably busy.
“I just left Mark and he’s worried sick himself. He said it’s never taken this long.”
Not wanting to dwell on why that might be, Meggie took in Bunny’s sadness.
Digger had betrayed Bunny’s trust as much as he had Meggie’s.
If it hurt her and they were just friends, she knew his wife was devastated because his deception to her was so much worse.
He’d lied to Bunny and stolen from her, too. “How is he doing?”
“He’s healing.”
“Still at the clubhouse.”
“I-I thought about letting him come home. The house is so empty without him. But I’m still so angry with him. And allowing him back after what he did to you would seem like I’m okay with how he misused your trust. Like I’ve chosen him over you.”
Meggie walked to Bunny and hugged her. “Oh, my dear, dear friend. He’s your husband. He did something very stupid, but I’d never hold it against you for standing by him. If you want him back home, then by all means welcome him.”
“In a guest room,” Bunny grumbled, returning Meggie’s hug before straightening and biting her lip. “Are you sure?” she said finally.
“Positive. Just don’t tell him we talked about it.”
“Fuck him,” she said crossly. “If he can’t accept our friendship, then I don’t know where that leaves him and me. I’ve had to accept whoever he’s around. I refuse to allow him to come between me and one of my best friends.”
The idiot needed a lesson on respect, but Meggie kept that thought to herself.
“I’m going up to the nursery. Gunner is probably just waking up.”
“I’ll start breakfast,” Meggie said.
“After the food is prepared, I’ll call my boys. Mark JB is watching Cove for me, since he was still asleep when I headed here.”