Chapter 23 Mackenzie
MACKENZIE
“So he’s been in jail since yesterday, but you can’t tell me exactly what happened?” I repeat, taking a deep breath.
They said they solved the problem with the Bloody Scorpions. I can only imagine what that entailed.
“Yeah, let’s just say it involves a marker with a man by the name of Ghost that we never want to owe, and then the clubhouse got raided, and Chance got arrested,” Lust explains, opening my refrigerator and scanning the contents before pulling out a juice box.
“A certain city councilman tipped off the cops. Our club lawyer is on it, though.”
Ah, Paul, Everett’s dad.
“Okay, that still doesn’t explain why you are here.”
They all stare at me.
“He wanted to be here, and when he couldn’t, he at least wanted us here,” Cash says, clearing his throat. “Although he’s going to lose his mind when he hears about the ex showing up.”
“Shotgun not telling him,” Lust pipes up, sipping on his apple juice like he lives here.
I don’t think they understand. I couldn’t give two shits about what Chance wants right now. I’m glad everyone is safe, but it doesn’t have anything to do with me anymore.
I tell them as much. They don’t take the hint and make themselves comfortable.
Sighing, I leave them alone and take a shower.
I don’t unpack my suitcase. Knowing me, I’ll leave it there for a few days before I get to it.
Only psychopaths unpack straightaway. I take my time, hoping that when I come out, everyone except Freya will be gone.
I’m not so lucky.
But Freya is lying on my bed, scrolling on her phone. “I’m ordering some pizza.”
“Thanks,” I say, sitting down on the bed in my towel. “Can you get rid of them?”
“Even Cash?”
“No, he can stay. Order a pepperoni with jalapenos… it’s his favorite.”
“I can’t believe Jesse showed up here. Did he think a half-ass apology would make you forget his whole affair?” She huffs, wrinkling her nose.
“I know, and how did he even find me? He must have seen something that the high school posted.” Standing up, I grab my clothes and head into the bathroom to change. When I come back out, Freya is gone, and I find her in a heated conversation in the kitchen with Gunner.
“You both need to get out of here. She doesn’t want to see any of the Royal Bastards right now, and I think that’s fair,” she tells him in a whisper-yell.
Gunner shakes his head. “Chance doesn’t want us to leave her, just in case there’s any backlash. They’ve all left town, but we need to be on guard for the next few weeks.”
“What is Chance being held for?”
“Possession of marijuana,” he admits, wincing. “But we have contacts, so he’ll be out in a few days. I’m only telling you this shit because Chance said to hide nothing from Kenzie and you. We’re trusting you to keep this all to yourself.”
“Of course, we’re not stupid. So you guys killed people, and he’s in there for a little weed?”
Tegan mentioned there was a rumor that the RBMC sold marijuana. I didn’t ask Chance, nor did I see anything while I was ever at the clubhouse. I don’t want to know. I’m a teacher and could lose my job for being connected to any of this.
And even that wasn’t a deal-breaker for me.
I am an idiot.
“We were lucky they didn’t find the rest of it,” he replies, running a hand over his bald head.
“And who said we killed anyone? I definitely didn’t.
” But he sounds amused. They totally did.
“It’s still a good outcome. Only Warden got shot, but the bullet went right through.
He’ll be out of the hospital tomorrow. Ghost took out the Bloody Scorpions president…
it will take a while for them to recover. ”
“Who is Ghost?” Freya asks.
“A hitman. But he’ll only help you if he likes you or wants your marker. So now we owe him, but it was worth it. You know if women could join the Royal Bastards, you’d get my vote,” he flirts.
“Maybe I’ll start my own female motorcycle club,” she fires back, smirking. “Shirtless men serving drinks, club men. I can see it now.”
I roll my eyes. Those two just need to fuck and get it over with.
“You can come out now, Kenzie,” Gunner calls out, amusement in his tone.
Stepping into the room, I pull out a chair and flop down on it. “Where’s Cash?”
“He went to do a perimeter check with Lust.” Gunner studies me closely, his onyx eyes missing nothing. “You need us to do anything around here?”
“Leave?” I say, smiling widely.
He lowers his face to kiss the top of my head. “I’m sorry you got hurt, Kenzie.”
“It’s okay, I’d rather know what I was getting into sooner rather than later,” I reply with a shrug. “But it’s harder being around all of you when I just want to move on.”
“We don’t want you to move on,” he replies, sharing a look with Freya. His phone takes that moment to ring, and he quickly hands it to me. “Talk to him, please. He’s been calling nonstop. He tried calling your phone first.”
I take it because I want to tell him to leave me alone.
“Hello?”
“Baby,” he says with so much emotion that my eyes flutter closed.
“Tell Lust and Gunner they can leave, Chance.”
“They’ll protect you until I get home. Listen to me, Siren. What you saw wasn’t what it seemed. I didn’t fuck her.”
“Just like you didn’t touch any other woman, the day you saw me again? I guess that the blow job Gia gave you when you got back to the clubhouse doesn’t count.”
His breath hitches, and he goes silent.
“Yeah, she told me about that. You lied to me. And then seeing you with that woman. I can’t do this with you, Chance. Let me go.”
“I didn’t sleep with her. I didn’t kiss her, nothing. As soon as you left, I pushed her off me. I swear, baby. I just needed you to be safe, so I could do what I needed to do,” he rasps. “And yes, Gia sucked me off. One time. That was it. I never fucked anyone else.”
“Nice of you to be honest about it now, but it’s a little too late,” I say, and I hear him mutter a curse.
“We’ll talk when I get out of here.”
“I think I’m done here, Chance.”
I end the call before he can say anything else.
And then I paste on a smile and turn to face Gunner and Freya, who are watching me closely. “How long until the pizza gets here?”