Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
Astrid
The lavender oil warms between my palms as I work it into Mrs. Henderson's shoulders.
She's been coming to me for two years now, always requesting the same Swedish massage, always falling asleep halfway through.
Today's no different—her breathing has already deepened, soft snores escaping as I work a knot near her shoulder blade.
My body moves through the familiar motions, but my mind keeps drifting to this morning.
Geirolf makes me happier than I’ve ever been, and I can’t stop thinking about this morning.
His hands on my skin in the shower, the way he looked at me like I was something precious, and even his promise to pick me up from work.
I still can't believe everyone knows now.
There’s no more hiding, no more sneaking around.
"Everything all right, dear?" Mrs. Henderson's voice startles me.
I realize I've stopped moving, hands resting on her back.
I lie right through my teeth, resuming the massage. "Sorry, just working out a particularly stubborn knot."
She hums contentedly and drifts off again.
Through the door, I can hear Mom and Fern chatting at the reception desk.
It's been a slow morning—just three clients between us. Not unusual for a Monday.
My phone vibrates on the side table.
I glance over—text from Geirolf:
Thinking about you. Stay safe, Princess.
Warmth spreads through my chest.
This man who would terrify a random stranger on the street, sends me sweet texts in the middle of the day.
Mrs. Henderson's hour is almost up and she’s back to snoring again when I hear Mom's phone ring.
The walls are thin enough that I catch her greeting. "Hey Gwen, what's?—"
Silence. Then: "What? When?"
The fear in her voice makes my hands still.
Mrs. Henderson stirs but doesn't wake.
"Are they—" Mom's voice cracks. "Okay. We're coming. Now."
I'm already moving toward the door when it opens.
Mom's face is pale, her usual composure cracked. "Astrid." Just my name, but the way she says it makes my stomach drop.
"What happened?"
She glances at Mrs. Henderson, still snoring away.. "There's been an explosion. At Kraken and Magnolia's house."
The words don't compute at first. Explosion. House. Kraken—one of Dad's closest brothers. Magnolia—who taught me how to French braid when I was twelve.
"Were they..." I can't finish the sentence.
"We don't know. We need to go to the clubhouse. Now."
Fern appears behind her, already grabbing coats. "I'll handle Mrs. Henderson. Tell her we've got a gas leak, need to evacuate immediately."
I nod numbly, gently waking my client. "Mrs. Henderson? I'm so sorry, but we've just been notified of a gas leak in the building. We need to evacuate."
She blinks groggily. "Oh my. Is it serious?"
"Just a precaution," Mom says smoothly, helping her sit up. "But we need everyone out now. We'll comp today's session and reschedule."
Mrs. Henderson’s session was almost up anyway, but it is nice of Mom to offer another one.
It takes ten minutes to get her out safely, and thank goodness she’s the only client in the building.
Mom's hands shake slightly as she locks up, the only sign of how scared she is.
The drive to the clubhouse is tense.
Fern's in the passenger seat, phone pressed to her ear as she fields calls.
Mom's knuckles are white on the steering wheel.
"What exactly happened?" I ask from the backseat.
"Gwen didn't have details. Just that there was an explosion at their house this morning. The men are at the scene now."
My phone buzzes.
Geirolf:
On scene at explosion. Stay with the others.
The knot in my stomach tightens.
If he's there, it's serious.
"This is the Patriot," Fern says grimly, ending another call. "Has to be. First the overdoses, now this."
"But why Kraken?" I ask. "Why target him specifically?"
Mom meets my eyes in the rearview mirror. "Because terror isn't about logic, honey. It's about fear. He couldn’t get Tindra, so he’s trying something else."
I’m pissed as all hell. "But he killed Flora. When will enough be enough?"
Fern glances back at me, "To men like him, enough will never be enough."
When we arrive at the club, it’s pure and utter craziness.
Cars fill the lot, women and children streaming inside.
The prospects on guard duty look focused as all hell, hands hovering near their barely concealed guns.
Inside, the main room is already crowded.
Gwen's organizing something in the kitchen with Starla.
Dasha's bouncing baby Cali, trying to soothe her cries.
"Thank God," Meghan says when she sees us. "Any word?"
Mom shakes her head. "Just that the men are at the scene."
I spot Vail near the door, car keys in hand.
She looks frazzled, which is really unusual for her. She works at the fire department with Gwen.
"I'm getting the kids from school," she announces. "The principal agreed to early release for them, given my reason on why I needed to pull them."
"I'll make sandwiches," Starla says briskly. "We might be here awhile."
Everyone’s moving around, trying to keep busy.
This isn’t the first club emergency we’ve ever had and it won’t be the last.
I help where I can, setting up a play area for the younger kids, fetching water bottles, getting them snacks, and just trying to distract them from what’s actually going on.
Twenty minutes later, Vail returns with a carload of kids.
Ingrid practically falls out of the car, followed by Tindra and Njal—one of Kraken's sons.
"Astrid!" Ingrid rushes to me, and I catch the fear in her eyes before she blinks it away.
"Hey," I murmur, pulling her into a hug.
Neither of us mentions that both our boyfriends could be in danger.
Njal seems oddly unconcerned as he joins the other kids. "Bjorn's gonna be in so much trouble," he laughs. "Told him Mom would find out he was faking sick."
My blood runs cold. "Bjorn stayed home?"
"Yeah, said his stomach hurt." Njal rolls his eyes. "But he was totally faking. Saw him playing video games when I left. I’m sure he wasn’t even in the fuckin’ house, prolly went to go get high with one of his buddies or something."
Oh God. If Bjorn was home when the explosion happened…
I hope he wasn’t home, I hope he’s out smoking pot with some friends.
"Astrid?" Mom touches my arm. "You okay?"
"Yeah," I say automatically, then realize it's true. "Yeah, I am."
She studies my face, and I wonder if she can see the truth there.
That I'm not the same girl who would have been horrified by what’s happened today.
When I was younger, I hated all of this, but now I accept it.
The next hour crawls by.
Information trickles in through phone calls and texts, but it’s not anything good.
The sound of a car engine makes everyone freeze.
Through the window, I see a familiar SUV pulling up to the gate—Kraken's.
"They're here!" someone shouts, and we surge toward the door.
Kraken and Magnolia climb out, looking confused but unharmed.
Magnolia smooths her dress, brow furrowed at the crowd gathered on the porch.
"What's going on?" she asks. "Why is everyone here?"
The silence that follows is deafening.
How do you tell someone their home is gone?
Fern steps forward, ever the matriarch. "Honey, there's been... Your house..."
Kraken demands an answer. "What about our house?"
"There was an explosion," Fern says gently. "This morning. Your house is... it's gone."
The words hit Magnolia and she staggers.
Luckily, Kraken catches her arm. "My kids," she breathes. "Oh God, where are my kids?"
"Mom!" Njal pushes through the crowd, and she grabs him like a lifeline.
"Njal, baby, you're okay." She's scanning faces frantically. "Where's Bjorn? Where's Everly?"
The panic in her voice is contagious.
Kraken's already on his phone, dialing.
Once. Twice. His face goes gray.
"Neither of them are answering," he says.
"Bjorn stayed home sick," Njal offers. "And Everly's car was in the driveway when I left."
Magnolia's knees buckle. "No. No, no, no..."
A sound of a bike comes from the distance, quickly coming closer to the club.
It’s Rati, and Bodul lets him in through the gate.
Rati doesn’t waste any time getting off his bike, coming right up to Kraken and Magnolia.
He looks between the both of them, "We found them. They're being transported to County General."
"Are they..." Kraken can't finish.
"Alive," Rati confirms. "Everly's got some cuts and scrapes, but she's conscious. Bjorn..."
He pauses, and I feel Ingrid's hand slip into mine.
"He was thrown by the blast. Hit a tree. Fractured legs, burns across his back and arms. They're taking him straight to surgery. Medics said it’s a possibility he could lose a leg, or both of them… but they’re not the surgeons."
The sound Magnolia makes is inhuman—pure maternal anguish.
She clutches Njal tighter, as if she might lose him too.
"We need to go," Kraken says. "Now."
"I'll drive," Fern offers, keys in her hand.
Within minutes, they’re gone—Magnolia, Kraken, Njal and Fern.
"I want to go," Ingrid whispers beside me. "Bjorn... we're..."
"I know," I murmur. "But it's only immediate family right now. We'll go later, okay?"
She nods, tears sliding down her cheeks.
Sixteen years old and she’s facing this, witnessing how horrible loving someone in this life can be.
I know exactly how she feels.
"You two, come help me in the kitchen," Mom says, and I follow gratefully.
It’s better for us to stay busy.
We work in silence for a while, making sandwiches no one will eat, brewing coffee that'll go cold.
Yet the ritual of it is soothing.
I don’t know how much time passes before the hum of bikes pass through the gate.
I'm moving before I think, drawn to the door like a magnet.
He's there, swinging off his bike, and even across the room I can see the darkness in his eyes.
There's still blood under his fingernails.
I know without asking whose it is.
Our eyes meet, and he mouths:
Need to talk.
Something's wrong.
I can see it in the set of his shoulders, the grim line of his mouth.
Runes' voice booms across the room: " Kirkja . All patches. Now!"
The men file toward the meeting room, faces serious.
This is it—the war we've all been feeling coming.
Things were serious with Tindra almost being kidnapped, and then with Flora’s death, but now… now things are on an entirely different level.
I watch Geirolf disappear through the door, feeling the magnitude of what’s happening here.
Last night I declared myself publicly.
Today, I became a true ol' lady—waiting while my man handles club business, holding down the fort with the other ladies.
Watching Magnolia's world shatter, I finally understand: loving these men means accepting any day could bring heartache.
And, even though I’m terrified, I’m in this with him.
I love Geirolf, and I’ll be here with him no matter what.
The chapel door slams shut, leaving us women to wait once more.
But this time, I'm not just the VP's daughter watching from the sidelines.
I'm Geirolf's woman.
I’m part of this family in a way I never was before.
And whatever comes next, whatever this war brings to our doorstep, I'll face it along with him because this is who I am now, who I choose to be.
The Patriot has added fuel to the fire, but now the club is going to burn down his entire world.