Conflicted Love

by Hamford, Kacey

  “This is Cooper.” I smiled.

  “Stef!” I glanced over my shoulder to see Lizzy walking in through the main door.

  “I’ll leave you to it. Enjoy your day,” he nodded at me.

  “Thanks for your help.” I turned back to Lizzy and gave her hug. “I hope you don’t mind me bringing Cooper.”

  “Of course not. I need the practice. Come on.” She grabbed the pushchair and pushed him into the restaurant where Becca, Lydia and Stacy were already seated.

  * * *

  Pup

  Prez slammed the gavel down and we all shut up and looked at him.

  “Agenda one. ‘Nudes’. There is a stag party attending there this weekend. Solar I want you to up the security. Also I want two of you to be there all night, I don’t care who, just sort it out.”

  “Prez.” Solar nodded.

  “Pup, you had something you wanted brought to our attention?” He waved his hand in the air telling me to talk.

  “Yeah, thanks Prez. I found out last night that Stef’s brother is the Prez of the Devil Angels MC. She said she has nothing to do with the club or go to their clubhouse and she very rarely sees her brother much anymore, especially now that she’s moved in with me. I just thought it needed to be brought to everyone’s attention.”

  “Thank you, Pup. It’s something that needs to be discussed,” Prez stated.

  “Can we trust her?” Specs asked. I shot to my feet and slammed my hands down on the table.

  “Of course we can trust her, she’s in love with me and Cooper. She has my son with her right now,” I boomed.

  “Geez. I was only asking.” He pushed his glasses back up his nose and started tapping away on his laptop.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  “A background check,” he stated.

  “Prez?” I couldn’t believe he was doing that.

  “I think it’s a good idea. Then we know what we’re dealing with.”

  “Dealing with?” I fumed. “We aren’t dealing with anything. Stefanie Masters is twenty five, five foot six, long dark hair, blue eyes, a bike mechanic, a shop she inherited when her dad died six years ago. She’s loving, loyal, has a dick of an ex who cheated on her and wants her back. Her brother Rave is the president of the Devil Angels MC, a club we have never even crossed paths with let alone have a problem with. Cooper loves her and calls her mum and most importantly I love her and want her to be my Old Lady. When she is ready to accept my patch.”

  “Wow, you’re fucked man,” Toes laughed. “Pussy whipped.”

  “I don’t give a flying fuck. She is my future.”

  “And the club?” Prez asked, sitting back in his seat and folding his arms over his chest.

  “The club is my family, my life. I’d be lost without it and without her. Please don’t make me choose between them,” I pleaded.

  Prez was quiet, he scratched his jaw with his hand before looking at me. He then turned to Toes and Specs.

  “I want a file on my desk by the end of the week. I want a back ground check done on Stef, her brother and the club.”

  “But?”

  “I’m sorry Pup, I have to think about every member in this club and their families. I have to protect everyone, including you and your family.” I deflated and sunk back down in my chair. Why did it feel like everyone was working against me?

  “Does she have to stay away from this club? The members?” Iron asked.

  “No, there is no point in alienating her. She’s made some good friends here.” He turned to me. “I like her, we all like her, it’s not a personal thing. As long as you aren’t discussing club business with her, we won’t have a problem.”

  “I haven’t broken any of the rules of this club and I never intend to.”

  Prez nodded at me before he slammed the gavel down. I shot to my feet and hurried out of the room. I needed to get out, it felt like everyone had turned on me.

  “Yo, Pup.” Solar called out to my back. I didn’t stop until I got to my bike, I flung my leg over the seat and grabbed my helmet. “Wait!” he shouted.

  “What?”

  “Don’t go off and ride angry, man. It’s nothing personal against you or Stef.”

  “It feels like it. I have always loved this club. But I feel like its stabbing me in the back right now. I can’t be here. Just call me if I’m needed for club shit.”

  “Alright, man. Be safe.” I shoved my head in my helmet, revved my bike and took off towards the gates.

  Pup

  “Do you not have to be at the club today?” Stef asked as she walked back into the living room after putting Cooper down for his afternoon nap. She began to tidy up his toys and I felt bad for sitting here and not helping.

  “Na. Come and sit with me.” I grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto the sofa. She yelped in surprise and dropped everything that was in her arms.

  “Ty, what’s going on? You haven’t been to the club for nearly a week.”

  “Nothing. It’s quiet, that’s all.” I shrugged my shoulders.

  “Can I ask something?”

  “Babe, seriously, nothing is wrong. It’s just quiet.”

  “No, not about that.” She shook her head.

  “What do you wanna ask?” She angled her body so she was facing me. Why did I get the feeling I wasn’t about to like this?

  “I want to know about Coopers mum. Who is she? Where is she? Why did she leave? Do you think she will come back?”

  “That’s a lot of questions.” I cleared my throat. “Um… I have no idea where she is. Or why she left, so I’d be very surprised if she ever came back.”

  “Have you tried getting in contact with her?”

  “Yeah, after she left I called her mobile phone several times a day for about a week. No answer, no calls back, nothing.”

  “Did you love her?”

  “At one point I did, yeah. But not for a long time now.”

  “Does Cooper look like her?”

  “He’s my double, babe,” I chuckled. “Um… Tanya had blonde hair and blue eyes too.”

  “T… Tanya?” I sat up straight and cupped her face in my hands.

  “Why does it look like you’ve seen a ghost? You’ve gone pale.”

  “I… I just remembered Lizzy has her final dress fitting today. I’m meant to be there, she’s going to kill me. I’ve gotta go.” Stef shot off the sofa and scrambled around the apartment searching for her phone and keys, before slipping her feet into her boots.

  “Do you wanna take the car?”

  “No. You might need it. I’ll see you later.” She reached for the door handle and I cleared my throat. “Shit, sorry.” She ran over to me, placed a quick kiss on my lips before she disappeared out of the door, slamming it behind her. I glanced down the hallway when I heard a whimper come from Cooper’s room, I was hoping he’d settle himself back down, but within seconds he was crying.

  “I’m coming dude,” I called out as I sauntered towards his room.

  * * *

  Stef

  I rode towards the Devil Angels MC clubhouse, the prospect on the gate must have recognised me as he opened up the gate as soon as he saw me. Normally I’d have to stop and remove my helmet.

  As soon as I parked my bike, I took a deep breath and stormed inside. The bar was empty and I prayed that didn’t mean they were in a church meeting. I headed around the corner to the Prez’s office. The door was shut tight and normally I would barge right in, but from past experience I knew that wasn’t always a good idea. I took a deep breath and knocked.

  “Yeah,” Evan called out. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. “Stef,” he smiled. I gazed around the room to see that we were alone.

  “Evan,” I said his name sternly.

  “Everything ok? It’s unusual to see you here. I didn’t think you’d be stepping into this place again now you have a crusaders boyfriend.”

  “Where’s T?”

  “Uh, she’s upstairs, asleep. Is this what this i
s about? Did you hear?”

  “Hear what?” I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for his answer. He climbed to his feet and rounded his desk until he was leaning back against it.

  “About the wedding and the baby?”

  “Who’s wedding and baby?” I frowned.

  “Mine and Tan’s.”

  “Tan? As in Tanya?”

  “Yeah, why are you looking at me like that?”

  “Because every time I’ve seen you together, you’ve always called her T!”

  “Which is short for Tanya.”

  “Shit!” I swore as I began pacing.

  “What the hell is going on, Stef?”

  “Uh, I think Tanya is the mother to Pups son, Cooper.”

  “I wondered how long it would take for him to tell you,” he smirked.

  “What? You knew?”

  “Of course I knew, we don’t have secrets. Now tell me, does Pup know that she is now my wife?”

  “How would he know? I didn’t even know. He said he hasn’t spoken to her in months.” I threw my arms up in the air in frustration. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “We needed you to get close to him first? To love him.” What the hell was he going on about? “We now need your help in getting Cooper back to his mum.”

  “I’m his mum now!” I screamed in his face.

  “No, you’re not!” He sneered in my face as he pushed me back into the wall by my chest. The impact of the shove surprised me and I cried out when a pain shot through my lower back. “You’re going to go and get that kid and bring him here.” I shook my head as tears began to flow down my cheeks. The thought of taking Cooper away from Tyler devastated me. He loved that little boy with everything that he had. Cooper didn’t even know Tanya, he’d be unsettled with someone else.

  “You will do it.”

  “No! I won’t.”

  “Oh, I think you will,” he chuckled, stepping back from me and returning to his desk. I glanced at the door, wondering if I could make a run for it. “Don’t even think about trying to run from me. I’ll hunt you down, you know I will.”

  “Evan, I’m your sister. Your flesh and blood.”

  “This is why you’re going to help me.” He pushed a piece of paper towards the edge of the desk and I picked it up and read what it said.

  “No,” I choked on a sob that was crawling up my throat.

  “You have one week to make your decision, Stefanie.” I held on tight to the piece of paper and started backing out of the room. “Don’t keep a child from its mother any longer than you already have.”

  Once I was clear of the room I turned around and bolted out of the door, towards my bike. I folded the piece of paper and shoved it in my jacket pocket, before mounting my bike and getting the hell out of there. I would never return to this god awful place ever again.

  Stef

  I hadn’t spoken to my brother since I left his clubhouse nearly a week ago and it made me nervous. Was he about to come and find me? How would I ever tell Tyler about what my brother wants me to do? I needed to tell him.

  “Hey, you were away with the fairies.” Becca laughed as she nudged me with her knee. We were sitting by the side of the pool at the Whitsand Bay Hotel as Lizzy relaxed on a lounger and Lydia and Stacy swam in the pool.

  “Sorry.” I smiled.

  “Are you ok?” I saw her eyes shift as she looked at my back. I was wearing my black and red bikini.

  “Yeah, of course I am. Why?”

  “That’s some bruise on your back. Is Pup hurting you? You can tell me. We can send Sam over to get your stuff. You won’t have to see him again.”

  “Oh, god no. Tyler would never hurt me. I slipped over one of Coopers toys and landed against the kitchen worktop. You know I’ve always bruised easily. Also I don’t want your brother anywhere near me, he was the one that hurt me last time.”

  “What are you talking about?” I glanced over my shoulder to see that Lizzy was engrossed in the book she was reading.

  “When I went on a night out with the ladies from the club. Your brother was out, he wanted me to dance with him and when I said no, he grabbed my arm so tight that he left bruises. He’s lucky that I managed to calm Tyler down enough not to go after him.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us?”

  “I didn’t want to upset Lizzy. Sam just needs to stay away from me.” Becca nodded her head before she jumped into the pool and started swimming laps. I climbed to my feet and sat on a lounger next to Lizzy.

  “So, Lizzy. What treatments do you want doing today?”

  “Not much, maybe just a facial, manicure, pedicure and oh, lunch.” Her face lit up when she thought about food. She found out last week that she was ten weeks pregnant. She had the smallest of bumps and you could only notice as she was so slim.

  “Let’s get our manicures and pedicures done first, then lunch. How does that sound?”

  “Like a great plan. Thanks for helping me out with all of this. Do you think I’ll be as good as mum as you are?”

  “I’m not a good mum, I hardly know what I’m doing and technically Cooper isn’t even mine.”

  “He is yours. It was so cute last week when he was mumbling mamamama at you.”

  “He is great. I love him to bits. You’re going to be an amazing mum, don’t ever doubt yourself.”

  “Thanks Stef. I love you lots.”

  “I love you too.” I reached over and gave her a hug before we were up and moving to the treatment room.

  Pup

  We were back in church, it was deadly quiet as Prez looked through the files again that Specs and Toes had left out for him.

  “Why is there nothing in here about Stef’s brother? Her family?”

  “Her mum and dad are dead,” I added.

  “Yes, her mother and father are deceased,” Specs said. “And her brother Evan Masters, he’s hidden well. We’re having more difficulty pulling anything up on him.”

  “Work harder, I want this info and quick,” Prez demanded.

  “Just a couple more days Prez and we’ll have all the info,” Toes promised.

  Prez slammed down the gavel and once again I was left in limbo, not knowing whether I was going to be made to end my relationship with the woman I had fallen madly in love with. Love at first sight, I never believed it existed before I saw her.

  As I left the room and headed towards where Cooper and Harley were crawling about together my phone started ringing. I pulled it out of my pocket and froze when I saw the number displayed. ‘Whitsand Bay Hotel’. Were my mum and dad finally reaching out to me? To mend our feud? To be a family again? I hesitated before answering it.

  “Hello?” I cautiously answered. I hadn’t spoken to my mum and dad in a long time.

  “Pup?”

  “Yeah, who’s this?”

  “It’s Becca, Lizzy’s sister and Stef’s friend. Sorry. Um, Stef had a fall. She’s ok, she got light headed, but had a soft landing. Lizzy insisted I called you. She said you’d be angry if you found out about it later and we hadn’t called you.”

  “Becca, I’m on my way.” I hung up the phone, shoved it in my leather jacket before scooping Cooper off the floor. “I gotta go. See you all later.” I shouted out as I ran for the main doors.

  It didn’t take me long to get to the hotel. I abandoned the car outside the entrance, grabbed Cooper from his seat and ran up the steps. Becca was waiting for me in the reception.

  “Where is she?”

  “She’s in the staff room, around the back. I’ll show you.”

  “I know where it is.” I stormed around the front desk and down the corridor until I reached the open door. Stef was sitting on the small leather sofa and her leg was propped up on the coffee table under some cushions, with an ice pack covering her ankle.

  “Babe?” I sighed in relief to see that she was still smiling.

  “Mamamamamama.” Cooper started chanting, wiggling in my arms to get to her.

  “I know buddy. Bu
t mummy has hurt herself.”

  “I’m ok. They didn’t need to call you.” She held her arms out for Cooper and I passed him over to her. Making sure to give her a kiss too.

  “You’re not ok if you’ve got ice on your ankle. Why haven’t you been taken to the hospital?”

  “It’s just twisted. I promise, I’m ok.”

  “Tyler?” A female voice from behind me quivered.

  “Hi, mum,” I sighed as I turned towards her.

  “Oh, Tyler.” She threw her arms around me and held onto me. I didn’t move as my body froze from shock. “Where have you been? We’ve missed you.”

  “We’ll leave you to it.” Lizzy said as Becca, Stacy and Lydia left the room, showing that it was my dad that was sitting next to Stef on the small sofa. He didn’t look at me or speak to me.

  The air was filled with tension as no one spoke a single word. Cooper pulled himself to his feet on Stef’s lap and started bouncing up and down.

  “Hey buddy. Go steady with mummy, she’s poorly.” I told him as I grabbed him off of Stef and showed him her foot.

  “Dadadadadadada,” he giggled as he slapped his wet hand on my face, causing me to laugh.

  “We should go,” I said to Stef. “Can you walk?” She nodded.

  “She should wait for the swelling to die down,” Dad stated.

  “Don’t worry, dad. We aren’t going to sue you.”

  “Tyler, please?” Mum pleaded. I turned back to her. “So, this is your son?” I nodded. “What happened to yours and Tanya’s baby?”

  “This is him. The same one I called and asked for help with when she upped and left me alone with him.”

  “Wait, called and asked for help?” She looked confused.

  “Yeah. I don’t have time to get into this now. I need to get Stef home.” I held out my hand for her and she placed hers into it.

  “Tyler, please. I don’t know what you’re talking about. You left that day, the day we argued about you taking over this place. You said you were going over to see Tanya and then I never saw or heard from you again, except to tell us that you were joining that biker club. That must have been oven fifteen months ago. I didn’t know whether you were alive or dead.”