Chapter 10
JEANIE
The men come out of church in a rush, with Bolt leading the pack, carrying a white box that goes flying as Coal tackles him.
“What the feck,” I growl as I stand only to have Maggie pat my leg.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. That’s brothers messing around, not club brothers fighting. Bolt must have said something to set Coal off. Look, they’re laughing.”
Sitting back down on the couch, I take a longer look and realise that she’s right.
The two of them are messing around much like I’d seen my brothers do.
The rest of the brothers crowd around, jeering and teasing.
There may have been money exchanging hands, but I’m not a hundred percent sure as it all disappears when Bolt calls uncle.
He lasts longer than I thought he would, with how rough he’s been feeling.
Once they are lying on the floor catching their breath, Shea toddles over to them and uses them as jungle gyms. The rest of the brothers find seats to relax in, someone switches on the TV and others wander into the kitchen, where Maggie has set up coffee and snacks for those who want something to eat.
All in all, it’s relaxed, with a family feel to it, and I wonder if this is how it is most weekends.
Bolt pulls himself up off the floor when Shea moves from him to Coal. Picking up the white box from under the Christmas tree, he turns and crooks his finger at me. “Come here, sweetness.”
Standing from the couch, I do as he asks and walk over to him, wondering what he needs.
“What’s up, mo ghrá?” I want to know.
Bolt clears his throat, and I realise that the entire room has gone quiet, and everyone’s attention is focused on us. It’s a little unnerving.
“Sweetness,” Bolt says, and my attention diverts back to him, forgetting about everyone watching. Especially when I get a look at the expression on his face.
It’s a look that tells me exactly how he feels about me.
It’s written across his face as clear as day.
He’s told me he loves me, and he’s told me he’ll treat me like a queen, but until this moment, it hadn’t quite sunk in.
That he means it. Every word. Although, the fact that he and Dad had beaten the living daylights out of each other should have made that clear to me.
Now that he has my full attention, Bolt continues, “Jeanie, I know I asked you yesterday, and you agreed. But today I’m asking you in front of my family and club brothers. Will you be my old lady?”
My heart is racing, and I can’t tell if it’s from nerves or pure excitement. I know what it means to be an old lady from my years around the Crow MC. Although, they are a bit different from most clubs.
From what I’ve seen, Bolt’s club is a bit more traditional, but I’m confident I’ll make a good old lady. I also have skills they could use if it ever came to that. I’ll have to speak to Bolt about that.
“I’d be honoured,” I reply with a smile. “I’ll try my hardest to be the best old lady to you. Thank you for asking me.”
“I have no doubt about that, sweetness,” Bolt assures me and removes the lid from the box.
“Hang on a second, Bolt,” Coals says. He gets up from the floor, lifts Shea into his arms, and hands her to Thea. Then he takes the box from Bolt so that Bolt can hold up my cut so I can see the back. A thrill runs through me when I spot my name stitched above the Property patch.
Some women might think I’m crazy for being happy about that, but for someone like me—someone who grew up the way I did—I know exactly what it means and the protection it offers.
I’ll take that any day, because unlike some, I know what it’s like to be alone, afraid, and without backup.
Although that hasn’t been true since I became an O’Shea, but the memory lingers from when I wasn’t.
Smiling wide, I turn and give Bolt my back when he says, “Turn for me Jeanie.”
I slip my arm through my cut. I’m not sure I can describe the feeling that thrums through me as that heavy leather settles on my shoulders—or when I see my name embroidered on the front.
When I turn back, Bolt’s arms wrap around me, and I tilt my head up to meet the kiss I know is coming.
The moment his lips touch mine, I sink into it, all my worries melting away as our kiss deepens.
By the time we pull apart, I’m smiling wide.
I’m so happy I feel like I’m walking on air.
That smile doesn’t fade all day. And hours later when my dad, mum, Sam, and Ally arrive, I’m still wearing it.
I’m happy to see that Dad is also feeling a little worse for wear. But as I expected now that they’d beaten the shit out of each other, Bolt and he are fine.
All of us women pile into the massive kitchen at the clubhouse and put together a meal.
Because there are so many of us, we decide lasagne, garlic bread, and salad would be the easiest. It also gives us time to find out more about Maggie, Thea, and Opal.
I like them all, and it becomes clear as the day progresses that while Maggie and Opal are softer and have been sheltered from the harsher side of club life.
Thea, on the other hand, has a different perspective of what life is like.
I’ll have to speak to Bolt about keeping up training and Opal having a few lessons in self-defence.
But that is a worry for the new year. We’ve been filling the Queens Wraiths ladies in about the list of Christmas festivities coming up that we think Thea could take Shea to.
“Sam’s brother Ben organises a gift giving every year.
We have a list of kids who will come so we know how many gifts to buy.
They do a movie, snacks, and then Father Christmas arrives and gives out presents.
It’s a huge hit with the village kids, and I think Shea will love it,” Ally is explaining to Thea.
We can see Thea thinking it over, and I know she’s going to decline when she wrinkles her nose and says, “That sounds great, but she’s pretty young, and I don’t want her causing chaos while the older kids are trying to watch a movie.”
Ally waves her hand like it’s not a big deal, and really it isn’t.
Kids of all ages come, and somehow, we make it through with little to no interruptions.
Ally and I got roped in to help the first year we arrived, and we’ve helped every year since then.
“Don’t worry about it. We’ve handled all sorts over the years.
Shea will be fine, and it will give you a chance to meet some of the Crow old ladies. Maggie already knows most of them.”
Maggie pats Thea’s arm. “I do know most of them, and I do business with Molly and Avy. You’ll like them, Thea, and it will be good for Shea to meet other children.”
Thea still looks a little uncertain, so I step in. “Shea will be fine, Thea, I promise. Plus, I’ll be there, and it’s my job to keep young minds busy.”
“What do you do, Jeanie?” Thea asks curiously.
“I’m a trained nursery school teacher, and for the last few years I’ve been nannying while going to uni. I’ve applied at the Crow nursery, but with this one on the way, I’m unsure if they’ll be able to accommodate me.”
I’m a little gutted about that, if I’m honest with myself. I’ve been looking forward to working at the nursery the Crows own.
“No shit,” Thea exclaims, mouth open in shock. She and Maggie share a look, and I’m wondering what the hell it’s about when Thea mutters under her breath, “Fate really knows what she’s doing.”
Turning her attention to me, she demands, “Do Coal and Bolt know what you do?”
“Um...” I shake my head. “Not as far as I’m aware. Bolt and I touched on what I did back in November, but I’m not sure he remembers that. Why?”
Maggie and Thea hesitate for a minute, then Thea says, “I can’t say yet, but you need to speak to Coal about what you do.”
“Okay,” I agree with a small shrug, understanding that this more than likely is club business, and I don’t know all the rules of this club yet.
“I’ll give him a nudge,” Thea says with a smile. “It’s all good, though. Now tell me more about this Christmas gift giving thing the Crows do. Can we help in anyway?”
“I’m not sure if they need help, but I’ll ask Ben,” Ally replies before explaining everything that the Crow MC does for their village and how it all started.
“I wish Father Christmas could arrive on a sleigh one year,” I muse dreamily. “I’ve always wanted to ride in a sleigh, but we don’t have enough snow for that.”
“Oh, that would be nice,” Maggie agrees just as dreamily. “We had plenty of snow in the States, but we also never did anything like the Crows do for the community. Maybe I should speak to Stacey and Lizzie, see if they can start something. I mean, they do toy drives but that’s it.”
“We could do a poker run,” I say. “The Crows don’t do anything like that, and Southampton is too big to do a Christmas gift giving, but we could do a charity run instead. We could choose a different charity every year and donate to that. At least that way people get to know you.”
“We could do that,” Maggie agrees. “We could start at the roadhouse and finish there.” She looks at Ally. “Do you think the Crows would agree to us using some of their businesses as stop off points?”
Ally nods. “For sure.”
“And you can use the O’Shea businesses too,” my Mum volunteers.
“Fantastic. I’ll start putting together some information, and we ladies will arrange a get-together,” Maggie states with a decisive nod.
“What are you ladies plotting,” Tinman asks, walking into the kitchen and straight to Maggie.
Pulling her up from her seat, he sits and then guides her onto his lap.
I love that Bolt’s family is so much like mine when it comes to their women.
Tinman is followed into the kitchen by Coal and Bolt, who follow Tinman’s lead, and Thea and I are soon sitting on their laps.
“Plotting? Absolutely nothing.” Maggie informs him. “Planning absolutely. The Crow old ladies, the O’Shea ladies, and the Queens Wraiths old ladies are planning.”
“Ah, fuck me.” Coal groans, tilting his head back. “Reaper, Liam, and I are going to regret you ladies banding together, aren’t we?”
We all burst out laughing at his aggrieved tone. He’s more than likely right. We all know it even as Maggie tries to reassure her son, “You won’t. At least, I don’t think so. You’ll have to wait and see,” she smirks at her Coal.
“Sam,” Coal shouts out. Sam walks into the kitchen with the rest of the brothers following. Cross has Shea, and she’s fast asleep on his shoulder. It makes my heart happy that these tough men are marshmallows when it comes to her.
“You called?” Sam comments, tugging Ally up from her seat. Sitting down, he guides her onto his lap; she bugs her eyes out at me, and I have to bury my head in Bolt’s neck to hide my laughter, my shoulders shaking.
I’m even more amused when Dad walks in and does the same thing with Mum.
We really do have a type.
“You need to get Beau to open a separate account for the Crows, O’Sheas, and Queens Wraiths to put money in every month. Our ladies are collaborating, and we may need bail money,” Coal gravely informs him.
Sam laughs. “Way ahead of you, brother. We’ve had an account like that for years, ever since Molly became an old lady. I’ll have Beau contact you.”
Ally and I gape at Sam, but Mum and Dad nod as if they already knew.
“No way.” Ally looks both intrigued and horrified. Well, I’m assuming that’s the look on her face because that’s what I’m feeling.
“Way,” Sam chuckles. “You have met Molly?”
“I can see that,” Maggie snorts with laughter.
“We began adding to it when Sera and her squad arrived,” my Dad admits.
“Holy fuck,” Coal groans, his head thumping onto Thea’s back for a minute before he lifts it and glares at his men. “The rest of you better pick nice, easy-going women; do you hear me. No more kickass ladies. Maybe a sweet and gentle nursery school teacher,” he orders with a decisive nod.
“Fuck me, pres, you’ve done it now,” Blue mutters, shaking his head sadly. “You’ve jinxed us.”
“I’m not sure it works that way, son,” Maggie snickers, pointing at me. “Our Jeanie’s a nursery school teacher; just saying.”
Coal’s horrified gaze meets mine for a minute before his eyes close, and he swears. “We’re so fucked.”
But he’s laughing when he says it, so I don’t take it to heart. I’m sure he’ll come around.
Maybe.
We’ll have to see who the other brothers end up with.
Whowee, I for see some exciting times ahead.