Chapter 9
Chapter nine
Tarzan
After Keely and I showered, we puttered around in her tiny kitchen, making breakfast. I hadn’t paid any attention to her apartment layout last night, but now I realized just how cramped it was.
There wasn’t enough space in her bathroom for two people, and when we sat down to eat, we couldn’t open the refrigerator without moving our chairs aside.
“I swear it doesn’t feel this crowded when I’m here alone,” Keely said around a mouthful of toast and jam. She waved her jam-covered knife in the air. “It just seems like I live in a matchbox because of how big you are.”
I huffed with amusement and held out my arms, touching either side of her kitchen walls.
“Sweetheart, this place is practically a closet.”
“It’s charming,” she insisted.
“Hey, I’m not complaining,” I replied. “I’m bunking with my brother. At least you have a place of your own.”
Keely swallowed her food and brushed the crumbs off her hands.
“Have you heard anything about Teddy this morning?”
I nodded. “Lila texted when you were in the shower. He’s still a little groggy, but he had a good appetite and ate a full breakfast.”
Keely smiled. “That’s a relief. I was thinking maybe I could drop off some pie later. Do you know what flavor he would like?”
Jealousy prickled up my spine.
“As a matter of fact, I do,” I replied.
Reaching over, I grabbed the leg of her chair and slid her closer, just like I did on our interrupted first date. Keely flushed and bit her lip, but she couldn’t hide the faint giggle that escaped her. I slid my hand inside her bathrobe, caressing her soft, thick thighs.
“He likes cherry, same as me,” I said. “And that little bastard is not getting any pie from you. Is that clear?”
She laughed as I nuzzled into her neck, nipping and biting at her skin.
***
While Keely got dressed for work, I called Ironside and talked him into assigning a biker to her for protection. Since I was the original target for the Filthy Rebels, there was a very good chance they already had eyes on her, too.
Thankfully, Ironside wasted no time in fulfilling my request. By the time I dropped Keely off at the diner for her shift, Recoil was already waiting in a corner of the parking lot. He briefly lifted his hand in acknowledgement as I pulled to a stop near the diner’s front door.
“That guy over there,” I said, pointing at Recoil. “He will be your personal bodyguard as long as I’m not around to do it myself. It’s just a precaution. If you get any bad vibes from anyone, you go straight to him. Or you call me. Got it?”
Keely nodded solemnly. I brushed my knuckles against her cheek. Then I cupped her chin and pulled her close for a reassuring kiss. If it was up to me, I would keep Keely in bed all day, wrapped up in my arms, so nothing and no one could ever get near her, let alone touch her.
But I couldn’t do that. If the Filthy Rebels retaliated, this conflict would be just getting started. Keely needed to be able to live her life. I didn’t want her cowering in fear, afraid. I wanted her confident in the knowledge that I would ensure she was safe.
“Say hi to Teddy for me,” Keely chirped as she jumped out of my truck. “Love you!”
I watched her disappear into the diner with an ache in my chest. She said those two little words so easily, but they meant the fucking world to me.
It took every ounce of willpower to tear myself away from her side, driving to the clubhouse. When I stepped inside, I found Teddy at the bar, flicking pretzels like miniature footballs down the length of the counter, while Psycho held up his fingers in a field goal.
“You’re clearly feeling better, little brother,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder.
He sent a pretzel careening down the bar, whizzing through Psycho’s makeshift field goal. He cheered at his victory, then winced and swore softly, clutching his side.
“Never mind,” I said. “I spoke too soon.”
“It’s no big deal,” Teddy said. “I’ve had worse. Besides, I hate just sitting around. Makes me squirrely.”
“I’m surprised you’re not milking this for all it’s worth. You could be holding it over my head. Playing the invalid. Insisting that I have to give you fucking footrubs or some shit. You’re passing up a prime opportunity, you know.”
Teddy smirked. “That’s a good point. I should change my tune. Fetch me coffee and a donut, big brother. With extra sprinkles and chocolate cream filling. And it better be fresh. No stale, day-old, discounted donuts either.”
I snorted. “When pigs fly, kid. Get your own damn donuts.”
He laughed. “Hey. A little sympathy here. I took a bullet for you!”
My reply died on my lips when the front door opened and a biker stepped in. With a Filthy Rebel patch on his chest.
And missing a finger.
For a split second, silence filled the clubhouse.
My smile dropped. A red haze blurred my vision. Before I realized what I was doing, I started forward. Teddy and Psycho scrambled to grab my arms and hold me back.
“Get out,” Psycho barked at the Rebel. “Get out or we let the big guy rip you to fucking pieces. Your call.”
Another biker stepped in behind him, older, with a President patch on his chest and a firm voice.
“We came to talk.”
Twenty minutes later, Hillbilly and Ironside were called in, sitting across the table from the Rebel’s President.
Psycho leaned against the bar, his keen eyes sharp and watchful, but saying nothing.
I stood off to one side with Teddy, arms crossed and jaw clenched.
“I hate this,” I grumbled.
“Me too, brother,” Teddy replied.
Ironside spoke first. “Start talking. Keep it short and simple.”
“I’m Redstar,” the Rebel President said. “And this fuck-up is Beagle,” he added, shoving the other biker with the missing finger. “We’re here to apologize.”
“Like hell you are,” I put in.
Ironside directed a scathing look in my direction for speaking out of turn. A Prospect was supposed to be seen and not heard. I bit my tongue until I tasted the bitterness of blood.
“You boys will have to set the record straight for me,” Hillbilly said.
“Twenty-four hours ago, you took a shot at one of us. And we had advance notice that you were planning the hit in the first place. So, this isn’t some oopsie-daisy accident.
You set these wheels in motion intentionally.
But now, you’re apologizing? You must think we’re dumb as shit to buy that hogwash. ”
Redstar sighed. “I was not aware the plan was set in motion.”
I scoffed. “Do you really expect us to buy that?”
“Prospect,” Ironside snapped. “This is your second warning. If I have to tell you a third time to shut your mouth, the duration of your Prospecting days will be extended another six months.”
Teddy thumped me in the shoulder. “Dude. Stop talking.”
I stifled a growl and pressed my lips together.
Redstar continued. “You’re right. We were planning the hit. We liked the idea of expanding our territory. But our intention was to injure a Prospect to spook you. Not a fully patched member, which would be taken as a declaration of war.”
“You don’t get our territory without war either way,” Hillbilly pointed out.
Redstar nodded. “We thought you might take that stance. So, we voted.” He paused. “And it failed. We didn’t want to put our brothers at risk. We did not vote for this.”
Silence settled over the clubhouse as that sank in.
“Are you saying you didn’t shoot me?” Teddy protested. “Because I have the bullet wound to prove otherwise.”
“I’m saying,” Redstar replied. “Beagle and two other members went rogue. They decided to pursue the plan of their own accord, even after the club voted against it.”
“How do we know you’re telling the truth?” I demanded. “And how do we know that more of your men won’t go rogue and decide to come after us?”
This time, Ironside didn’t scold me for speaking up when I was supposed to stay silent and observe as a Prospect. Instead, he waited for Redstar’s answer, just like everyone else did.
He spread his hands. “I have nothing to offer you except my word. This behavior will be punished properly. And if a Rebel does cause harm to any of you again, it was not sanctioned by me or my club.”
That’s cold comfort, I thought.
After a few moments of deliberation, Hillbilly gestured to me.
“Get us some whiskey, Prospect,” he said. “We’ll drink on it.”
I released a breath of irritation, but I did what I was told without comment or objection. When I returned, I set the glasses down on the table a little too hard, showing just how much I didn’t approve of this arrangement.
“I think your Prospect has a few choice words he’d like me to hear,” Redstar said.
“Trust me, talking is the last thing he wants to do right now,” Ironside replied. “Breaking a few bones to make you pay for what you did to his blood brother is more likely on his agenda.”
Redstar hummed and craned his neck to look up at me. Rising to his feet, he extended his hand to me—a gesture of equality and respect that wasn’t typically exchanged between President and Prospect.
“I sincerely regret the actions of my men,” he said. “And I hope one day, you might consider calling on us if you ever need a friend to fight by your side.”
I hesitated, glancing at Hillbilly and Ironside. Accepting Redstar’s handshake wasn’t a gesture that I had the authority to make as a lowly Prospect. But Hillbilly and Ironside offered no objections, their expressions neutral and unreadable.
I turned to Teddy but he just shrugged. Whatever decision I made, he would back me up as always.
In the end, I shook Redstar’s hand, accepting his apology and sealing the peace between us.
After the Rebels were gone, Teddy followed me into the kitchen where I deposited the dirty glasses in the sink and began to scrub them.
“So, we should celebrate,” he said. “I survived getting shot. The Rebels backed down, which means we don’t have to be bracing for an attack every waking moment of the day.
” Teddy paused and crossed his arms with a smirk.
“And you have sweet, curvy Cherry. I’ve noticed your grumpy edges are already softer when she’s around. She makes you happy.”
I paused with my soapy hands braced on the edges of the sink.
Call me wife. Call me sweetheart. Call me whatever you want as long as I’m yours.
“She’s the one, Teddy,” I replied. “I can’t really explain it. But I can feel it.”
A small smile of understanding touched Teddy’s lips.
“It’s been a long time comin’, brother. I’m glad you two finally found each other.” Then he added with a grin, “I couldn’t stand seeing your sorry ass moping around anymore.”
I flicked soap suds at him, splattering his shirt.
“What about you?” I said. “I haven’t heard you mention any lovely ladies you’re interested in lately.”
Teddy snorted and shook his head. “No way. I’m never getting tied down.”
I hummed and resumed washing the shot glasses. Teddy had been saying that since we were kids. Watching our parents’ relationship fall apart, the fighting, and the ensuing ugly divorce had damaged us both in different ways.
I wanted a love our parents never had.
But Teddy wanted nothing to do with love at all.
If he changed his mind one day, I would be here to listen when he was ready to talk about it. For now, he would be busy getting to know his future sister-in-law.