Chapter 14 #2
Before I could respond, the line went dead. I jerkily pressed the end button on my end before dropping onto the stool next to me at the island.
“Elle, are you okay? Here, let me get your drink of water.” Jonas said cautiously, as if he was afraid I’d implode. He grabbed my glass of water off the counter and carried it over to me. Automatically, I cradled it.
“I’m fine,” I said automatically. My voice sounded weak to me.
“No disrespect, but like hell you are. I messaged the brothers. Whoever is home will be here soon, and Shadow will be here as fast as he can.” His voice was calm.
I shook my head as I examined him. His face was cast in a resolute mask. Then, there was a brisk rap on the front door. I didn’t get turned around before it opened, and in walked Spawn, Reaper, Sandman, and Maniac. They gathered around me. Sandman’s hand came down on my shoulder.
“Take a deep breath,” he instructed.
“Jonas, finish bringing in the bags, then you can go. Thanks for alerting us,” Reaper told him.
“Thank you again, Jonas,” I said.
“Anytime, Elle. Don’t forget, we have that assignment due by Friday.”
I thought he said it to take my mind off the call. It diverted me for a few seconds, which helped me snap out of the headspace I had gone into.
“I won’t,” I replied.
As soon as he left, the guys asked me what had been said. I repeated it word-for-word. When I was done, Reaper nodded.
“Okay, we have our date and time. We know our starting point, your former home. And I know you said that you have no clue where they hold these fights. Spawn, check for whispers. You’re dialed into that secret group online, aren’t you?”
That was the first I’d heard of a secret online group.
“I am. I’ve been quietly reading their posts. No one has any clue I’m in it. There has been a buzz of anticipation for an upcoming fight. No one knew an exact date, but maybe now, they’ll let the location slip,” the club’s resident tech genius said.
“Not until the day of. Dad never lets anyone know the location until then. He claims it helps to keep people from plotting anything dangerous,” I told them.
There was a bit of back-and-forth with questions. I worked to stay focused, but as soon as I heard a motorcycle approaching our house, I hopped off the stool and rushed to the door, which stood between me and the garage.
I wrenched it open as Shadow rode his bike inside it. I raced over to stand impatiently next to him and the bike. He came off it, tearing off his helmet, which was already unbuckled. His arms wrapped around me, bringing me against him.
“Are you okay?” he asked gruffly.
“I am now that you’re home. I’m sorry for overreacting. I’m fine. I was talking to Jonas when the call came. I didn’t even look to see who it was, so I was startled, even though we’ve been waiting for the call.”
I felt stupid reacting like such a baby. I tried to step out of his hold, but Shadow refused to let me go.
“Stay here,” he demanded before kissing me. I welcomed it. By the time he let go of my lips, I was somewhat relaxed. His brothers stood with us in the garage.
“If you’re done mauling that poor woman, we’ll fill you in on what we know,” Reaper said, but he sounded amused.
My old man led me inside. He didn’t bother taking off his cut or boots.
Knowing them, they’d be having church at the clubhouse as soon as others made it home.
Glancing at the clock, I noticed it was four o’clock in the afternoon.
I was placed back on the stool I’d been sitting on before, while the guys stood and repeated everything to Shadow.
He frowned as he nodded. When they were through, he appeared resolved.
“We’ve got this. We’ve got tonight and Saturday after my parents and sister leave to prepare. I don’t want them knowing anything about this,” Shadow said.
“I don’t want them to know either. But if you need more time or whatever, I’ll keep them occupied,” I volunteered.
“Nah, we should be good. But if we find we’re not, then the other women and kids will distract them. Cheyenne is ready to do it,” Reaper informed us.
“Lark will help,” Maniac stated.
“So will Kimera,” Spawn added.
I felt a rush of love for this family I’d found. I knew no matter what, they had our backs.
???
It was the Fourth, and the compound was buzzing.
The entire club, with their old ladies and kids, plus extended family and friends, was there.
In addition to Shadow’s sister and parents, there was Davis.
He was originally a friend of Lark’s, but the entire club now accepted him despite his job as a police officer.
Annie and Gareth were there—Becca, the club’s trusted babysitter, whom I’d met on other occasions.
There was a young guy I hadn’t seen before. He was around Jonas’s age. When we were introduced, I learned his name was Benji and that he was another former kid from the Fortress of Bravery. He was home from college for the summer.
The kids were having a blast. Between the tricked-out playground, which contained every imaginable item, and the clubhouse were kiddie and adult-sized pools.
Not far from the pools was the barbecue area, where grills and smokers were ready to cook a variety of meats and grilled corn when the time came.
Inside the clubhouse, the huge industrial-sized kitchen was full of so many side dishes and desserts that it was insane.
I’d never seen so much food in my life. It was more than before, when I was here, and those had been crazy for me.
Yesterday, after Blythe, Meredith, and Barrett arrived, the three of us ladies worked on our contributions to the feast while the guys fetched, taste-tested, and talked. The house was full of laughter.
The ladies admired my property cut and teased Shadow about his nickname for me. When it was time for dinner, we decided to bring in pizza since we would be stuffed the following day.
At the moment, I knew it would be a while before the food was ready to be served, so I slipped away with Blythe Marie. We changed into bathing suits to enjoy the sun and the pool. Meredith was content to sit in a lounge chair on the deck.
When we came out, we found that a game of water volleyball was about to begin. We watched the game. When it was over, the winners played the next group. That’s when Shadow took my hand and tugged me toward the deeper water. I’d been relaxing against the side of the pool, half floating.
“Let’s show them real skill,” he said.
“How do you know I can play worth a damn? I might end up drowning you and losing the game for your team,” I told him.
He chuckled, then leaned closer. “Dazzler, if having you perched on my shoulders, with your sweet ass and pussy pressed into me, requires me to drown, I’ll gladly do it,” he whispered, then he kissed me.
We were torn apart by the impatient jeering of others who wanted to get on with the game.
The way the Punishers played was for the women to perch on men’s shoulders.
When Blythe came to our side of the net, paired with Ruckus, Shadow narrowed his gaze on him and pointed from his eyes to Ruckus’s, then back, signaling he was watching him.
“Behave,” his sister told Shadow, slapping his arm.
“If he gets handsy, I’m chopping them off,” my man warned.
“Oh my God, I’m not a teenager anymore. And you have to stop threatening guys. If you ever want nieces or nephews, you’d better let me speak to guys.”
“It’s not speaking that has me worried,” he grumbled back.
I dragged him away from them. The referee, who was Maniac for this game, called everyone to take their places, which we did.
I’d never had the opportunity to play volleyball outside of gym class in school.
And I sure never sat on a guy’s shoulders.
Shadow kept his hands firmly on my legs, helping me to balance.
The guys kept the other women steady and did the hard work of powering through the water, dashing after the ball when it was served over the net.
They got a helluva leg workout. My arms were tired by the time we were done.
Our team squeaked out the win, so we stayed in the water while the next set of challengers got situated.
Later, after I was done in the pool. I sat with some of the other women and chatted while we kept an eye on the kids in and out of the pool. I found Meredith snuggled with Ryan.
“You look happy,” I remarked.
“Oh, I am. I’ve been waiting to be a grandma. Now that my son has you, you two will need to think about giving me one,” she exclaimed, grinning.
“Mom, stop,” Blythe chided.
“Why? You’re not giving me any yet. We have to figure out how to tranquilize your brother and dad first before that happens,” her mom jokes.
“God, don’t I know it. I thought by now they’d be better. Well, Dad is, but not Shadow. I’ll die an old lady at the rate I’m going,” Blythe complained.
“What’re you ladies talking about?” Barrett asked. He walked up with his son.
“About how I’m never going to give you and Mom grandkids because you and my brother won’t stop running off the guys,” Blythe told him.
“And I was agreeing with her, and that means the onus falls to our son and Aubrielle. I told her I want one soon,” Meredith said breezily.
“Mom, I’m all for knocking Ellie up, but could you wait until I get a ring on her finger? I’m trying to do it in traditional order,” Shadow stated.
As I sat there, with my mouth hanging open, his mom waved away his suggestion.
“You’ve never been a traditional person, Shadow. Why start now? Besides, you told us long ago that an old lady was a wife in the biker world. That means you’re married, so all you need to do is get the ring. And who says the ring and baby can’t overlap?” Meredith’s expression was smug.
“Whoa, hang on. I need to chime in here. Yes, I’m his wife in this world. And I do want children as your son does. However, there’s no need to give me a ring. And I need to finish my degree and figure out a job before I get pregnant,” I explained.
Shadow placed his hands on my shoulders and began massaging them.
“Mom, Ellie is right. Her degree is her priority, and she’ll have that by the end of December.
She’s working on the job situation with Troian's help. As for no need for a ring, Dazzler, there is every reason for one. You deserve it, and I need that, which is why I want us to get married for real. So, you’ve been put on notice.
I’ll be asking. When I do, please say yes.
And Mom, you’ll be the first to know when we’re pregnant. We both have to be ready for that.”
I was too choked up to reply verbally, so I took his hand off my shoulder and brought it to my lips. I kissed it. That led him to bend over so our mouths could meet. I heard his mom sigh happily. His sister giggled. And his dad whistled.
When we were finished kissing, we chatted with his family, then broke off to circulate. I got to know Benji and Davis. Both were interesting men to talk to. Benji claimed that the Fortress, Lark, and the Punishers were the reason he was able to fulfill his dream of attending college.
He hadn’t expanded, but later, Shadow told me about Benji’s abusive, criminal dad and his mom, who was too scared to leave her husband or stand up for her son.
The Punishers had removed the obstacle posed by his dad, which allowed Benji to thrive.
His mom was a lost soul who had quietly faded away once Benji was eighteen.
I felt like a kindred spirit and vowed to befriend Benji.
At meal time, the chaos increased, but it made everyone laugh.
After helping get all the food out to the serving tables, I jumped in to serve the children first. After that, I was gathered up by Shadow and put in line.
This phenomenon was something I’d never observed before I met the club.
There was no way children or women were allowed to eat after the men had eaten.
In my dad’s circle, the women waited on the men, and only after they were through would the kids and women be allowed to eat.
While the guys waited, they fetched for their old ladies or helped the kids, since some were small and needed assistance eating. It was heartwarming to watch. And it wasn’t just the dads who looked after the kids. All the Punishers did.
Once we were all full and complaining about it, the food was sorted. The cold stuff stayed cold, and the rest was kept in the kitchen to keep bugs off the food.
The rest of the evening and night passed in a pleasurable celebration.
At the end, before the kids were put to bed, they topped it off with a fireworks show that rivaled and, in some cases, beat the professional ones I’d seen.
Lily, Arya, Flynn, Esme, Rico, Hadrian, and Ransom all clapped and cheered.
The three young ones: Ryan, Moon, and Shaw stared in confusion with tiny noise-canceling earphones on.
It was the perfect end to an incredible day. Today was what family really should be.