Oh, I’m gonna let Rogue have a large piece of my mind when he gets home. “No, that important detail must’ve slipped his mind. Shit, I’m so sorry, Sledge,” I tell him through a loud sigh. I approach him and immediately shift gears into mom-mode. “Are you sure you’re okay?” I grab his hand and check for an injury.
“I’m fine. Now, I have a call to make. But first, I’d like to take a look around here just to be sure,” he tells me as he begins to walk around my house, opening closet doors and even the pantry.
“Mommy?” Harmony’s sleepy voice quickly grabs my attention. I see her standing in the hallway, rubbing her eyes as I approach her.
Kneeling down to her eye level, I run my fingers through her hair. “I’m sorry, sweet girl. I didn’t mean to wake you. Are you okay?” I ask her, placing a kiss on her forehead.
She shakes her head before she answers, “No. I had a nightmare about a scary man. He took me from Daddy and then another scary man came and told me he was taking me back to Daddy. But I put up a fight with him too. The same way my uncles do sometimes when they’ve been drinking their grown-up juice.”
I pull her close as my heart sinks from her declaration before I realize how wonderful of an example we’re doing as parents. Scrubbing my face with my palms I let out a gentle sigh before attempting to soothe my daughter. “It was just a bad dream, sweetie. Nobody is big and bad enough to take you from your daddy. Besides, you’re a tough girl, right?”
She nods. “I’m Outlaw, like Daddy calls me,” she proudly proclaims.
“That’s right,” I say through a proud smile. “Now, let me get you tucked back into bed,” I finish, rubbing her back.
“What’s Uncle Sledge doing here?” she asks, unimpressed by his presence.
“Hey there, kiddo,” Sledge begins as he walks toward us. “Your daddy had me come by here to um…” he pauses, looking at me dumbfounded, struggling to find a reason.
“Since Daddy can’t be here tonight, he wanted to have Uncle Sledge double check on us. Once he knows we’re back to sleep, Daddy won’t worry. You know how much he loves us. Like you said, you’re his Outlaw,” I reply, answering for Sledge since he was fumbling to find the right words. These men are used to talking to boys, and raising them up to be ruthless men like themselves. Harmony has always been out of their comfort zone when it comes to dealing with her, even though most days she’s as tough as their boys.
Harmony grins at me after I answer. “And you’re his babe,” she announces, glaring in Sledge’s direction.
Sledge and I both burst out in laughter. “Yes, my sweet girl. I’m Daddy’s babe. Now, let’s get you back to bed,” I say as I usher her back to her room to tuck her in. She digs her feet in a little looking over her shoulder. She doesn't seem to like Sledge being here without her Daddy here to be a buffer. Not sure what that’s all about, but it’s something to ponder and discuss at a later time. I eventually get her squared away and sigh a breath of relief. This night feels like it’s never ending, and I’m personally ready to see the fresh rays shine through my windows of a new day.
Chapter Three
Rogue
I wake up to children’s laughter outside, I nearly forget that the club is in trouble as I hear my daughter playing with her friends. Fuck! Rubbing my eyes, I rapidly blink them as I look over at my alarm clock and notice that I’ve slept for five, not four hours. I forgot to set an alarm.
Scrambling out of bed, I race to the shower where I hastily rinse away the clouded thoughts pertaining to the information learned yesterday. After some shut eye and this shower, I am definitely feeling more focused. Today had better be the day that we find out who the traitor amongst us is and I will decide his fate, although nothing about it will be quick or easy.
Stepping into a fresh pair of jeans, I hear the children and Aurora make their way into the house. I can hear her offering them all snacks and refreshments. Not only was my woman born to stand beside me through this crazy life I’ve thrown her into, being a mother and mothering comes so natural to her. Sometimes I do find myself plagued with guilt and sadness that we haven’t been able to conceive another child; even though she swears Harmony is more than enough. And, while I believe that to be mostly true, I watched her eyes for two years each month as she got her period and the reality of not having another child slowly beat her down. There was also a point in time that I found myself coming to my own realization that the possibility of me having a son to carry on my last name wasn’t in the cards.
“I’ve packed you some food to take in case you find yourself facing another long night,” Rora offers as she steps into the bathroom, wrapping her arms around my waist, giving me a tight squeeze. “Just make sure you at least eat and don’t solely try to make decisions based on a diet of booze and nicotine,” she murmurs against the flesh of my chest.
I plant a kiss on the top of her soft blonde locks. “How did I get so lucky?”
Pulling back, her gaze calls for mine in return. “Some days I ask myself the same question,” she playfully banters as she pats my abdomen before letting out a giggle that causes me to chuckle in rebuttal.
Slapping her on the cheek of her ass, I grab a handful and squeeze as she lets out a yelp. “Keep it up woman, and I’ll have you screaming out my name until you take it back.” The interruption of my pager sounding off is annoying at best, but with everything going on, I need to check it. I can hear the disappointing sigh from my woman and I hate it. But I promise that once this business is handled, I’m taking my family on a much-needed vacation; just the three of us. Fuck, it’s Coder. “I’m sorry, babe.” I kiss her lips before hastily dressing the rest of my body. “I’ve got to get back to the club.” Putting on my cut before I place my pistol in the back of my jeans, I finish by telling her, “If by some chance I do have to stay late again tonight, Sledge will be outside monitoring this house. Try not to kill the poor fucker, would ya?”
“At this rate you’re in more danger of that reality than he is,” she pouts and I grab her shoulders taking this opportunity to smother those beautiful lips of hers.
“Love you, Rora,” I declare before turning around to leave.
“Love you, too. Oh, Rogue, don’t forget to tell your daughter bye on your way out.”
“I would never,” I holler back over my shoulder.
Aurora
After Rogue leaves, I make sure the kiddos are all cleaned up to take over to Harlow’s for a little while. Her baby shower is coming up and I still have some things I would like to get for the impending bundle of joy. I know she must be getting miserable at this stage of her pregnancy, but she certainly doesn’t let that slow her down, including taking on these three rambunctious children.
Shopping for all these baby clothes and necessities has stirred up feelings of nostalgia and emotions I wasn’t quite prepared for. I keep finding myself warding off tears at every cute little sock or onesie. Mentally, I chastise myself to get a grip. I am so grateful and lucky to have Harmony and most days that’s what gets me through the threat of my own little pity party.
As I enter the lane to checkout, the cashier begins to scan each item. “New bundle on the way, huh?” the teenage girl asks, and I stop fumbling through my purse having finally located my wallet and smash it down on the counter.
I know she’s young, but she can’t be serious. “Are you joking with me? Do I look like I’m expecting to you?”
Her eyes grow wide and I watch as she gulps and her eyes become watery. “W-well no, ma’am. I just meant in general. Perhaps someone you know? You’re quite thin in fact.”
“So now I’m a bag of bones? Wow, since when did manners become a thing of the past? How about just ring the items up and cut the small talk?” I snap at her before suddenly my emotions crash over me like a tidal wave and I completely break down. Oh wonderful, now I’ve created a full-on scene in the middle of the store and I can feel wandering eyes as their focus shifts to me.
The young cashier offers me a ti
ssue. “Ma’am, I do apologize for anything I said that might’ve been insulting,” she hesitantly says to me.
I motion with my hand because I am unable to speak just yet. After a few seconds, I regain some of my composure as I realize how utterly ridiculous and out of character I just acted. “Sweetie, I am so, so sorry for the way I made assumptions and how I treated you based off them. I am the one who needs to be apologizing here. I am so very sorry.” She nods, graciously accepting my apology before I pay and get the hell out of there. Once in my car, I try to make some sense out of my meltdown. The last time my emotions were this out of whack, was when I was pregnant with Harmony. I feel my eyes grow wide and my heart begin to hammer away inside my chest. Could it be? After all these years of trying with no success, is it even a possibility? Mentally, I begin to calculate dates and days of the month. Years of no success while trying to get pregnant left me eventually not keeping track of my cycle. It dawns on me that I am in fact due, or possibly even past due for my monthly cycle. But, I’ll be damned if I torture myself peeing and waiting on multiple sticks to decide my fate.
Someway, somehow, Rogue has managed to get us the VIP treatment with Doctor Reynold’s, a family physician in town. I will just drive over there and have them let me know. I trust their word over anything.
Rogue
Aurora is out and about today, with Marx on detail duty for her. All the while Harlow is on kid duty with Napoleon watching over her. I’m not sure how she manages to do so with her belly swollen. Yet somehow she seems to still enjoy it. She looks like she’s ready to pop that kid out any day now. Bane has been a bundle of nerves constantly driving everyone crazy with his endless rantings and pacing. Some days he tests my patience more than others. I try to be there for my friend and brother, but today happens to be the day that I work hard not to wrap my hands around his neck and squeeze hard.
“Bane, swear to God, if you don’t sit your ass down and stop that damn pacing, I’m gonna tie you to the motherfucking chair.” Stopping mid-pace, he shoots me a surprised look.
“You can’t be serious? Surely you remember how it was when Aurora was pregnant with Outlaw, right? Pres, between club business, middle of the night runs to grab ice cream, rubbing Harlow’s achy back, and the general bitching about being uncomfortable; I am past the point of exhaustion. If she doesn’t pop that baby out soon, I might find myself on the psychiatric floor of the hospital.” He grabs the bottle of bourbon from my desk, taking a swig directly from it before he begins that annoying pacing of his again.
Running my fingers through the tip of my short beard repetitiously, my eyes follow him. “Yes, I vividly remember all of those things. You’re not the first man to suffer through their woman’s pregnancy and you won’t be the last. I still came to this clubhouse every day, and kept my head straight.”
Stopping mid-stride, he turns his head in my direction and tilts it to the side. While he contemplates what he’s gonna say to me his look turns into one of disbelief. “You have got to be shitting me. Am I on some sort of hallucinogenic here? That is not the way I recall things, Pres. I remember you tossing back a bottle of booze on a daily basis. Ranting and raving about Rora and her crazy hormonal imbalances. You’d be cussing us all out if we so much as walked the wrong way through the clubhouse. One day, I remember like it was yesterday, you came storming in here like the hounds of hell were on your heels. Oh yeah, why was that again? Yeah, it’s because Rora changed the color she wanted painted in the baby’s room. You threw a damn temper-tantrum better than any two-year-old I’ve ever encountered.”
Taking to my feet, I place my palms on the desk in front of me, leaning forward. “Is that so? Tell me, brother, exactly how many times have you had to change the color of paint on your child’s nursery walls?” His eyes glare at me and I can see his lips thin. “Rora changed her mind not once, not twice, but three times. If Harmony hadn’t been born a few days after the last time, I’m sure that number would be much higher. Taping, bedding, and painting ain’t no easy chore.”
“Exactly, I rest my case. You were just as exhausted and ready for the whole thing to be over with, same as I.” He places his hands on the opposite side of the desk, mirroring my stance; almost as if to challenge me.
Barreling through the door, both of our eyes quickly shift to see who’s entered. “What in the hell is going on in here? Sounds like two women bickering and bitching at each other,” Sledge implies, his hand still on the doorknob.
“And when did knocking become a thing of the past?” I inquire, but making sure to keep my tone even as I do not want to prove him right.
“Who says we were bickering?” Bane’s tone is as calm as I attempted to make mine.
“The fucking echoes of you two could be heard throughout the entire clubhouse. Hell, Inferno grabbed a glass and was about to sit outside the door with it glued to his ear so he could hear more clearly. I mean, even though we all know exactly how many times Rora wanted to repaint Outlaw’s room now,” he says through a sly grin as if he’s got something to hold over my head now. Rat bastard.
I gesture for Bane to hand me the bottle grasped tightly in his hand and he complies. After taking a swallow, I respond, “Sledge…” I pause, hoping Bane will look my way and he does as I encourage him with my expressions to go along with my explanation. “Bane and I weren’t arguing. We were simply… having a spirited conversation is all.”
Bane nods before turning to Sledge. “Precisely. You know Pres and myself are loud by nature. It’s why we are the leaders of this club, because our tone alone demands everyone’s attention.”
Mentally I fist bump Bane. “Yes, now unless this has to do with any new information from Coder, please see yourself out.”
“As you wish. I’ll let you two girls continue,” he taunts as he pulls the door closed.
I grab a pen from my desk and launch it over Bane’s head and watch it shatter into pieces after making contact with the door.
“You showed him,” Bane harasses.
“Oh, fuck off. I’m done sparring with your ass.” I take back my seat and prop my feet up on the desk. “This thing with the mole within our club has got us all on edge. We need to stick together now more than ever. A broken club only invites the potential for more bullshit; and quite frankly, I’m ready to find the fucker and make this a distant memory.”
Bane takes a seat in a chair across from me. “You’re right, Pres. Me, too.” He reaches across, takes the bourbon and a nice long swig before putting the cap back on and placing it back on my desk.
“Pres!” Coder comes blasting through my door, once again bringing both Bane and me to our feet. “I think I might have something.”
“Well, goddammit, get the fuck over here and tell us for fuck’s sake! But close the door first.” He shoves the door closed with the heel of his boot. “I traced the money back to an IP address from a couple of towns over. Now, here’s where things get a bit tricky. The trace led me to a deceased man of over two years now. I’m thinking it might be a family member of his? I need more time to do a thorough search on each one of the man’s last known relatives, though.”
Chapter Four
Rogue
The silence within the walls of this clubhouse are deafening, and it’s gonna drive me to the point of no return if something isn’t found out soon. I miss my girls, and I know my brothers who have old ladies and kiddos miss theirs too.
While I’ve spent hours thumbing through the paper documents, Coder has been searching digitally. Thank fuck for the advancements in technology these days. My frustration is growing by the minute. There has simply got to be something we’re missing here. And yet, no matter how many times I go back through my records, nothing. How in the hell is this even possible?
“Had some pizza delivered.” Bane barges in, advising me as he chomps obnoxiously on a slice of pizza. I can feel myself becoming angered once again, but I stop myself from lashing out at my brother and VP; reminding myself that if it weren’t fo
r him, I wouldn’t even be aware. We’ve never had such an infiltration of this magnitude. But it is teaching me a lot. About myself and how not only I react, but how my actions during a time like this affect the club as a whole.
Even though I’m not alone in this room, I feel as if the walls of loneliness are closing in on me, trapping me inside of an endless loop of despair. I need to spend some quality time with my little girl. I can see the sadness in her eyes each day that I leave and don’t come home until after she’s closed them for the night. “I’m thinking that since our rat isn’t necessarily inside of the club, or so it’s beginning to look like, I should spend some time with Harmony. A day of fishing and sunshine is calling my name. I need some time to decompress and see the smile shining from my daughter's eyes.”
“Yeah. Coder seemed confident that it isn’t someone working from the inside out, at least that’s the way it sounded. I don’t think a day away from the club is going to hurt anything, Rogue.”
“Then I’m gonna head home, grab my poles and some bait then grab the kids from your house.”
“You should take a couple of men just in case,” Bane advises me as a look of forewarning passes over his face.
“Are you worried about something happening in my absence?” I ask him, wondering if he’s aware of something I’m not.
Rogue's Retribution: Twisted Iron MC Page 4