Devin
Jasper had told her he’d go radio silent until he was an hour from home. She understood it, he needed to get in the zone to do what he needed to.
She’d spent enough time around the clubhouse to grasp that. While they didn’t share information with the women, it wasn’t like they didn’t all have eyes.
So, she’d seen the difference between Jasper and Sasquatch multiple times.
Initially, she’d wanted to go home, but the further they drove from Omaha, she longed to be close to Jasper. So, Scott encouraged her to go to the clubhouse. She could sleep in his room and talk to Lucas.
It had been her plan to do that, she’d missed the relationship she had with her brother. She wanted to tell him everything.
However, Zombie called her into his office as soon as she arrived.
He motioned for her to sit on the couch at the far end of the room, past their sacred table. He sat on the coffee table in front of her.
“How are you holding up… with everything?”
“Better than I expected, honestly. I thought I’d be freaking out, but I’m still just numb, even after sixteen hours in a car.”
“If that changes, you come to me, okay? The club has resources, people, doctors, you name it. We take care of our own.”
“Thanks, and understood.”
She knew his concern was genuine. Zombie did take care of his club and the people attached to it, fiercely. However, there was also a bit of self and club preservation in what he wasn’t saying. Between the lines was don’t tell your therapist, if you need to talk, talk to ours.
“First thing I want to do is talk to Lucas. He deserves to know what she’s done. I hid so much from him for too long and it’s caused a divide between us, among other things.”
“I agree that he does need to know, and that you two get back to being annoying brother and sister.” He chuckled a little. “He’s been unbearable, and even his singing has suffered much to the dismay of the females of Provo.”
Devin smiled. A bit at his fair and accurate assessment and a bit at Zombie himself.
Heidi was good for him and the club. Even if they hadn’t noticed the changes, the women sure had.
The club was still scary as fuck and took no prisoners, but when those doors were closed and it was just family, it was a place of sanctuary.
“On that note.” Zombie had slipped back on the president mask.
“Wait to have that convo with him until Squatch texts you. I don’t need him going off half-cocked and trying to get to Omaha thinking he can arrive in time to handle it himself, he can’t.
And seeing the aftermath won’t do him any good.
Besides, it’s Squatch’s right to handle it. ”
Her breath caught when his words sank in. thinking he can arrive in time to handle it himself, he can’t. It was done; her mother was dead.
She felt nothing but relief.
The mental focus on her mother was short-lived. There was something else she needed to do.
“I also want to apologize to you and the rest of the club. I not only caused disharmony with my attitude, but I could’ve put people in danger by not being straight when they showed up at Thom’s.
That was made abundantly clear to me. I chose myself and a woman’s wishes over the club and I don’t know if I can ever make up for that.
I’d like the chance to apologize to the Omaha guys too. ”
Zombie’s smile was genuine. “I appreciate your words. I’ll pass them on to Irish.
But for the record, you made the choice on the spot with the information you had, no one faults you for that.
The disharmony, well, I’d say the fact that you’ve recognized that for yourself speaks volumes. We’re level.”
Zombie studied her for long enough she started to squirm and replay their conversation. She’d been so focused on the fact that her mom was dead, that she missed the… besides, it’s Squatch’s right to handle it.
That bothered her. The club was all about rules and hierarchy and claims. She’d never read any of these rules, but she’d been around enough to see them abided by.
“About my… Jana, why is it Jasper’s right to handle it and not Lucas?”
“Nobody fucks with our ol’ ladies, and since she was answering to what she’d done to you, Squatch…”
Zombie could’ve still been speaking or maybe he trailed off for all she knew, she was in her head.
She’d heard one of the guys in Omaha mention ol’ lady, but that was in the aftermath, and she was in a bit of shock so she’d honestly kinda forgotten it.
But then the president said it.
“I’m not really his ol’ lady.” It was more of a realization or question or, shit she didn’t know, but Zombie’s voice finally pulled her back to the present.
“Yeah, you are. He made it official… oh fuck. He didn’t tell you yet. Shit, I’m sorry. I assumed he’d told you since you came back here and waited for him. And of course, that.” He’d motioned to her neck where there was clear evidence of the night in Nebraska.
It was the yet that stuck in her craw, indicating a passage of time.
“When. When did he do that?”
“I think you should hear that from him; I’ve already stepped in it.”
Devin narrowed her eyes at Zombie and nodded. She’d let it go; it wasn’t his fault that Jasper was a grade A chode. How dare he claim her without her even knowing?
While she was pissed at the caveman act of laying a claim and everyone just accepting it without asking her a damn thing, a part of her, that fucking muscle in her chest, filled up with love. He had chosen her, and that was a huge deal to him because he himself never felt chosen.
Sadly, pissed was winning at the moment.
Zombie dismissed her and she ran right into a woman she hadn’t met before as soon as she exited the office.
“Oh, you’re Devin.”
She didn’t ask, she told, then pulled her into a hug.
The woman only had maybe ten years on Devin.
She was dressed like Stevie Nicks and smelled like incense, but there was something about her hug.
It was comforting. While hugs were not for Devin as a rule—except from Jasper and her brother, who gave the best hugs—she hated them.
They were generally awkward and weird. Like where do the tits go, where does the nose go, but Devin found herself sinking into this lady’s hug.
The woman finally pulled back and studied her. “You are absolutely perfect. Look at you.” Devin highly doubted perfect was the right word. She’d just come off a road trip where she alternated between sleeping in the passenger seat and eating Cheetos nonstop when she was awake for hours on end.
All she wanted was to go to Jasper’s room to sleep after a long hot shower.
“Your aura complements his perfectly.”
Ah, this was Jasper’s Aunt Phoebe, had to be.
“Phoebe. It’s nice to meet you, Jasper’s told me a lot about you.”
He’d left out how stunning she was. She was radiant. There was a resemblance to Jasper she could see. It was the eyes and the nose. She could only assume his birth mother and her sister favored each other.
“I can’t wait for us to sit down and get to know each other. I’d also love to do a reading, but you must be exhausted. I’ll walk you to his room so you can rest.”
At Jasper’s door, she turned to tell Phoebe bye, and his aunt pulled one of her multiple necklaces off and slipped it over Devin’s head. “It’ll keep any nightmares away. Sleep well, Devin.”
After stumbling into his room she didn’t even shower, just shucked her pants and bra and climbed into his bed. She buried her face in his pillow and fell asleep with his scent surrounding her.
She woke the next day rested, but still a little worse for wear. She’d logged so many miles in a four-day span that ten and a half hours of sleep—according to the old-school clock radio on his bedside table—didn’t make up for them.
A knock on Jasper’s door drew her attention as she was headed for a shower. It was Phoebe.
“I brought tea, fancy a chat?”
“Of course.” She motioned for her to come in. Thank God she’d worn Jasper’s sweats and a tee to bed. Even if she hadn’t, she wouldn’t turn down tea with Jasper’s aunt.
They had an amazing talk, she blushed, laughed, and cried. She felt an instant connection to Phoebe like she did with Jasper.
After Phoebe left, she showered and dressed, deciding it was time to head out to forage for food. She’d literally lived on cheesy chips and caffeine for days. She needed some damn protein. Jasper should be home soon, and she wanted to not be hangry when he arrived.
When she walked through the common room heading for the kitchen, she saw Gwen and the new candy striper, Diamond, downstairs and dressed to party.
That was unusual for the middle of the day since the rules had changed after a couple of the guys got hitched, and after Heidi had an incident with Sherry.
Sherry was also in the common room, but dressed like your average college student and studying. That was allowed under the new rules. However, it wasn’t up to Devin to call them out. Besides, she and Gwen were friends from when she’d stayed there in the clubhouse.
“Hey, how’s it going?” Instead of the usual bubbly response from her friend, she was met with a sneer and snark.
“Fine. Now leave,” Gwen snapped at her.
What the fuck.
She noticed Sherry shooting her gaze between Gwen and herself, eyes wide.
“Gwen,” Sherry said softly as if warning her friend not to mess with family or it would be bad. Sherry would know. Devin noticed Sherry’s gaze travel off to the side as if to tell Gwen to look, but she ignored it and so did Devin.
Gwen turned her venom on Sherry. “Oh, you’re all high and mighty now that you’re going to college and Heidi is your friend.”
Devin wouldn’t go so far as to say Heidi and Sherry were friends. However, Sherry had paid for purposely coming between Zombie and Heidi. Zombie would’ve kicked her out, but Heidi kept her around. Gave her a redemption arc, and a little payback, but Sherry ran with it.