Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Josephine
“Scythe, come on,” I whine, wanting Scythe to come with me. “It’s only for the weekend.”
“It might be for the weekend, but you’re talking about me coming with you to a mud boggin’ event. One where you want to compete,” Scythe says snarkily. “There’s no way in hell you’re competing, Josephine.”
“I didn’t say I wanted to compete,” I protest, though I would love to be competing, but there’s no way I can. Not without chancing myself getting hurt. The risks that come with being out there are too great. Not with the news we received before leaving the hospital a week ago.
“Freckles, I know you. You’ll want to be out there on your dirt bike or four-wheeler. It’ll suck for you, and I don’t want you getting upset over it,” he explains, pulling me into his arms.
“I just want to watch the events from the sidelines.” I pout and bat my lashes.
“How about in a year from now?” he suggests, grinning.
I roll my eyes and shake my head. “Fine.”
“Good, and until then, I’ll make sure to keep your mind off the fact you’re not competing. We’ll even go to the lake for the weekend.”
“Really?” I ask, excitement bubbling inside me. I love it when we go to the lake, just the two of us.
“Yeah, but we’ll have some others with us,” he states. “I’m not about to take your safety for granted.”
I sigh and nod, understanding. He hasn’t told me everything, but he did explain threats, being made, and by who. I get the precaution and wouldn’t make a fuss about it, not after what went down with Porter.
Scythe explained to me after finding me in a hospital room what happened with Porter and that I didn’t need to worry about him anymore.
This was good, but it doesn’t mean I don’t have nightmares.
I do. They wake me in the middle of the night, fearing that I’m back in that fire.
Thankfully Scythe is always there when I have them and calms me down.
He holds me and tells me everything is okay. That I’m safe.
Sometimes he’ll just hold me after, other times he helps me in different ways. Really good ways that involve him being inside me.
When the doctor came in and told me before I left the hospital that I was pregnant, my pulse started racing, and I wanted to freak out, though I didn’t. This was because of the very man holding me. I thought he’d flip his shit, instead, he held me close and spoke sweet words to me.
“So going to the lake will suffice for going mud boggin’?” he questions, bringing me out of my thoughts.
“Yes,” I murmur and press my forehead to his chest. “Some time at the lake would be relaxing.”
“That it would. But if something starts to bother you,” he says, grabbing my wrists and holding them up. “If these start to bother you, you need to tell me so I can take care of you. I don’t want them to get infected.”
I nod in agreement. “I’ll let you know. I promise.”
He’s been on me about making sure all of my burns, especially my hands, are treated around the clock. I sometimes think the burns bother him, then he reassures me that it’s only the fact it happened in the first place. If not for Porter getting his hands on me, it wouldn’t have happened at all.
A thought pops in my head, and I can’t believe I forgot about her. Pulling away, I tilt my head back and meet Scythe’s gaze. “Did you guys get Slick?”
“Yeah, baby, we got her. She’s still locked away for the time being,” he answers.
I nod and swallow down my nerves as I make a decision, and I know he’s not going to like it. “I want to see her.”
“Why?” he asks cautiously.
“Because I have a few things I want to ask her myself.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why? Because she’s locked away? Because she was part of what happened?”
“What happened with Slick and you?” he cocks a brow. “What has you asking about her now?”
“You guys have her, but you haven’t questioned her yet?” I plant my hands on my hips and watch him closely.
“Ohm we’ve talked to her, well, Beast and Diablo have, but she’s ranting about how you ruined everything for her.”
“That’s because she wanted you and Styxx for herself.” I shrug and drop my arms to my sides. “She was mad over being kicked out and not having you and Styxx as hers. She came to the salon and decided to try and make a scene. Because of her, I escorted her out the back and right into Porter’s trap.”
Scythe narrows his eyes and stares at me for a brief moment. “You want to talk to her, then I’m there with you.”
“That’s fine with me.” Not that I would have a problem with him being there. I don’t want to face her without him. I also don’t want to look weak either.
“You sure about this?” Styxx asks, standing in front of the doors with Reaper, Angel, and Tombstone.
Hellhound already went inside ahead of us, along with Daemon.
I straighten and look directly at Styxx, feeling Scythe curl his arm around me. “Yes, I’m sure about this.”
Styxx looks to Scythe and then back to me. No one else but the three of us knows I’m pregnant except for the doctor who told me and Scythe. The only reason Styxx knows is Scythe couldn’t keep the news from him.
“Fine, but you need to stay out of her reach,” Styxx grumbles, and I cock my brow up at Scythe.
“Hate to say it, but you’re not just stuck with an overprotective man, baby, but a future brother-in-law as well,” Scythe murmurs not so quietly.
“Let me take a guess, Jos is pregnant,” Angel quips and looks to Tombstone, holding out his hand. “Pay up fucker. I called it.”
“Fucker,” Tombstone grumbles and reaches into his pocket.
Reaper chuckles and shakes his head. “Let’s get this over with then.”
Taking a breath, I move forward and into the cabin, feeling Scythe right behind me. His heat surrounding me, making me feel safe.
“Let me go,” Slick screeches and yanks on the bars drawing my attention straight to her. “You can’t do this to me. You have no right.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” I speak up, getting her focus.
“You stupid bitch,” she snaps.
“Ugh, sorry, Slick, but that would be you that’s the stupid bitch.” I remark, not wanting to deal with this bullshit and get right to it. “Did you mean to help Porter?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she lies, and I know it from the way she snaps it so quickly.
“Yes, you do. Now answer me.”
“I told you Scythe and Styxx were mine,” she snaps.
“No, they’re not. You can’t own a person or put a claim on someone unless they agree to it,” I explain, and considering Scythe is telling me that Styxx is my future brother-in-law, it means Scythe is mine in more ways than one.
“Now, simply answer the question. Yes or no, did you mean to help Porter?”
“Yes,” she sneers, crossing her arms over her breast smooshing them upward. “I wanted you out of the way, and he paid me two grand to help him.”
“And was the money worth it?” I ask. “Was it worth going against the club?” I step toward the bars and lean in. “Are you happy knowing you nearly got me killed?”
“If only you’d have actually died.” Slick spits.
“Right, and that’s why I hope whatever the club decides to do with you is worth every second of you getting what you deserve.”
“Oh, I have something in mind,” Beast speaks ups. “You don’t have to worry about it. She’ll be sticking around for just a few more weeks. I’ve got a buddy going to be coming for her.”
I turn my attention to Beast and eye him curiously, then look to my man. “What’s going to happen?”
“She’s going to a place in Virginia called Fairies of Healing Institution,” Beast answers.
“You’re going to send her to a mental hospital? Seriously?”
Several of the men chuckle, but it’s Scythe who answers. “Freckles, she’s not going to a hospital. She’s going where she can suffer for years to come for what she’s done in what’s pretty much an underground prison.”
“Oh,” I whisper. “Well, that should work for her.”
“Don’t worry, she won’t be getting away from the warden. They don’t call him King of the Underworld for nothing. Dude seriously looks like a skeleton. Fuck, she’ll probably die of fear at seeing him before trying to escape,” Styxx snorts.
“Well then,” I shake my head and curl into Scythe, “knowing that, I think I’m done here. She’ll be in good hands, and we can go to the lake, where I can relax.”
“Good.” Scythe tilts his head down, rests his forehead against mine, and smiles. “I’ll get you nice and relaxed, then we’ll relax in other ways. Including me loving you the way I want to.”
My heart soars at hearing him say those words. He’s not a man to talk about his feelings, and hearing him speak of loving me in any way always makes me happy he didn’t let me get away from him. Even when I gave up, he grasped hold of me and didn’t let me go.