She smiled and flicked out her tongue to touch his bottom lip. “Lead on MacDuff.” She teased.
Hawk didn’t hesitate. But instead of sneaking he made his intentions very clear. Bending down he pushed his shoulder into her midriff, lifted her and marched out of the common room and up the stairs to their room. Howling and catcalls followed them up the stairs. His old lady grabbed hold of his ass cheeks and laughed as she squeezed.
He had no idea how he had been lucky enough to win the love of the woman over his shoulder, but he thanked the gods for it. Without her by his side his life would still have been the lonely wasteland it used to be.
With things settling down with the Syndicate and with Kid handling the shit going down in Cape Town he would finally have time to concentrate on his woman. On her and on making the baby they both wanted so damned badly. They had quietly gone from practicing making babies to the real thing. No luck just yet but they weren’t giving up.
Being inside his woman and knowing he was working on making a baby made sex more, so much more, than just sex. Now they just had to be patient and keep working at it.
Soon they would get the result they both wanted. His old lady pregnant with his baby.
He felt it, knew it, worked for it.
A baby.
Their baby.
He thought he had found the ultimate love when he fell for his little bird, but somewhere deep inside he knew his children with her were going to own a part of him no one else would ever touch.
It was a fucking scary thought.
CHAPTER TWO
Jagger
It was hard to believe Spider had been gone for two weeks already. Their brother had the knack of calming a situation down with a well-placed comment or a joke and he missed that. He missed his friend. He still hung out with Boots and Spook and sometimes they were joined by Wolf and Scar but without Spider’s joking and calming influence things just weren’t the same.
Not for him anyway. Spider had been his first real friend after he escaped the darkness he had been drawn into as a teenager. He was also the one who had brought him to the club when his past had tried to draw him back in. If not for Spider and the Iron Dogz MC he and his little brother would not be where they were today.
He shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if not for his friend.
Before Spider left for the mother city the two of them had sat down and had a long conversation about his reasons for leaving and his plans for the CT chapter. And honestly, Jagger didn’t blame him for wanting to leave. He knew how difficult it had been for his friend to live in the shadows of two great men like Bulldog and Ice. And Spider had dreams, big dreams that would not come to fruition if he stayed in Johannesburg.
Spider’s situation made him re-evaluate how Sam, or rather Crash, was seen by the club. He had made a conscious effort not to interfere in his brother’s life as a patched member. He tried not to overshadow him or act like an over protective older brother. Instead he kept an eye on him from afar. Crash would find his own way in the club like any other brother who joined. Like he had done.
But lately he had been feeling as if there was something missing in his life.
It was weird, seeing as he was so bloody busy he didn’t have a minute to miss anything.
Along with his usual security duties he was overseeing the construction of the cottages and the new fences being put up around the Bekker property. At the moment they were about three quarters done and he couldn’t wait for the contractors to finish so they could add more security. With the club’s okay he had gone ahead and started putting up guard posts along the fence line and had a wide road/fire break graded along the entirety of their property. Inside and outside the fences. It meant the patrols in the ATV’s didn’t have to go off roading while checking the existing and new fences. And they were fairly safe during grass fire season.
The club was expanding and he wanted to have permanent guard posts built to house the men on duty along the fence line. If Hawk kept buying up properties around them they were going to need more men to man the patrols. They might have to have a recruitment drive to bring in new blood, but he would be more inclined to vote for patching over the crumbling Flying Herons MC. It had been discussed during the last two officer’s meetings and they would be voting on it when Hawk called for church.
The Herons had lost their president and vice president during an ambush and shoot-out with a rival club over territory. Right now they were rudderless and the late president’s son, their SAA, had reached out to Hawk for help. One phone call from Hawk had had the encroaching club, Hell’s Vipers MC, backing off…but for how long? The men and their families were vulnerable without proper leadership or the protection of the Iron Dogz MC.
They would have to make a decision soon or it would be too damned late for the FHMC.
Shaking his head to get his mind back on track he concentrated on the meeting he had with Rider later. The meeting was to determine if there was enough money in the budget to install cameras along the newly extended fence line. He didn’t like the fact that they were so damned vulnerable to attack from the far ends of their properties. He had the compound, the houses and cottages, their offices, the truck and container depots, the strip clubs and The Thirsty Dog covered. But he wasn’t happy about the situation along their fences. He wanted cameras set on tall, very visible poles, covering every damned angle. Hopefully they had the money to do it, if not he would have to come up with another plan.
Early for his meeting Jagger walked into the kitchen to get some coffee. And walked into a kitchen filled with chattering women.
“Good afternoon ladies.” He greeted as he quickly moved to get himself some coffee and get out. He did not want to be cornered by Aunt Beryl and her matchmaking bullshit again.
Lately she had been targeting him and drawing Slim, his brother Buzz’s sister, into her shitty matchmaking efforts. The girl was damned pretty but not his type at all. Plus he was dating Celeste, their new Vet.
He was thankful neither one of them was in the kitchen. Instead it was Leo, Chris, Genna, Gail and Harmony sitting around the table drinking coffee. Usually Penny was with them but he knew she had gone into the city this morning because Rider had asked him to allocate a security detail to her. He didn’t ask what she was going to do in the city because it was none of his business.
Dropping a quick kiss on Chris’s hair he got out of the kitchen before Aunt Beryl discovered him. He got a lucky break, and heaved a sigh of relief as he walked down to Rider’s office.
They were deep into the financial implications of his idea when his phone buzzed insistently.
“Sorry, brother, I have to take this just in case there are problems at one of the construction sites.” He apologised as he answered his phone.
He should have checked the damned caller ID.
“Jagger, I have a situation with one of those crazy rescued dogs. You have to come and sort it out, right now.” Celeste didn’t ask, she demanded.
What the hell?
“Sorry, Celeste, I can’t. I’m in an important meeting. I’ll swing by later and take a look. I’m not sure what time that will be because I’m slammed with work today.” He explained trying to placate her.
Even though they hadn’t been together long he already knew she didn’t like not getting her way. And today was no different.
“You’re a biker! How busy can you be driving around on your bike and drinking beer? It’s not like you have a real job anyway.” She bit out sarcastically.
Jesus. Why the hell did he put up with this bitch and her snotty attitude?
Drawing air in through his nose he counted silently in his head to keep calm. No matter how many times he explained that he had a job at the club she didn’t believe him. She assumed they were like those fucking TV shows she’s watched. It was so far from the reality that was his life.
“I have two construction teams to oversee and plenty other shit going on, Celeste. I don’t have t
ime to come out and take care of your shit. Get your assistants to sort the problem until I can get there later today.”
With that he shut his phone down and threw it on the papers scattered over the desk. Rider quietly watched him with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Sorry, brother, let’s get back to it.”
Rider tipped his head to the side and just stared at him before he spoke.
“You know that shit is only going to escalate, right? She thinks you’re one of those TV bikers riding around selling drugs and guns. Are you sure you want to be with this woman, brother? She doesn’t sound like she’s the one for you.”
Giving a quick nod in agreement he tried to explain. “I know she’s an opinionated bitch and highly judgemental but I’m not with her for her personality, she’s a great lay. I’m well aware that she’s not the one, brother. She’s just a way to pass the time.”
Nodding Rider pushed his phone towards him and off the paperwork they were discussing and went back to work without another word about Celeste.
If only it had been that easy for him. Her demand to drop whatever he was doing wasn’t the first since they started…dating. That’s what she called it…dating. He didn’t date, have never dated. If he liked a woman he made sure she knew it was casual, nothing serious. They fucked and when he was done he moved on.
Now there was this. Dating.
It sounded far too serious and he wasn’t serious about her, not at all.
When he dropped in at the clinic he would make sure she understood. They weren’t dating, it wasn’t a relationship, and she had to understand and accept that there was an expiration date on their affair.
And he would eventually move on, he knew it, felt it in his gut.
Celeste Brent was not the one.
They were deep into planning the financial implications of the new security set ups when there was a soft knock on the door and it slowly opened. Penny stuck her head around the edge of the door with a wide grin.
“Sorry to interrupt but can I come in for a second?” She asked in that sweet soft voice of hers.
The man across the desk immediately smiled, pushed his chair back and held a hand out to his girl. She barrelled into the room and grabbed onto his hand with both of hers.
“What did she say?” Rider asked as he slid his free arm around Penny’s waist and drew her to stand right next to him.
“It’s a yes.” Penny flushed bright red as she glanced at Jagger then back at her man.
The next moment Rider was out of his chair with his woman up in his arms swinging her around while giving a wild howl. He stopped then slowly slid her down his body, keeping her in the circle of his arms. They stood smiling into each other’s eyes and then Rider dipped his head and rested his forehead against hers. His brother just stood there, silently staring into his girl’s eyes.
Jagger cleared his throat and stood. “I’ll get out of here and give you guys some space.”
But Rider lifted his head and waved a hand at him while still holding Penny to him.
“I just got the best news, brother. My old lady is pregnant.” He was smiling so wide and his eyes were so bright Jagger couldn’t help but smile with him.
“That’s great news, brother. Congratulations to both of you. Hopefully it’s a boy so he can watch over his sister, that girl is growing up to be a looker just like her Mamma.” Jagger teased.
“It’s the best news, brother. It’s unexpected, just like Delene, but it’s the best news ever. I want a houseful of rugrats.” When Penny gasped he laughed and dropped his head, sealing his mouth over hers.
It was a sign for Jagger to get his ass out of the office, quickly.
“I’ll get out of here and leave you and your girl to do whatever you want to do to celebrate. I’ll do you a favour and tell Prez there’s another club rugrat on the way. And just a head’s up, brother, our Prez wants your patch on your girl and you had better see to that as soon as you can.”
Rider lifted his head and gave him a wink and a smile while Penny gasped. “Planning on it, Jag, planning on it. I’ll talk to Hawk later today.”
With that Jagger left them in the office and strolled down to his Prez’s door. Closed, as usual. He knocked and waited.
“Come in!”
Opening the door he walked into what was obviously a meeting between Bulldog, Ice and Hawk.
“If you’re busy I’ll come back later, Boss.”
But Hawk waved him in and he walked in and up to the desk. He stayed standing as he wasn’t planning on staying long.
“I’ve been with Rider, going over financing for the guard posts and extra security on our perimeter fencing, but that’s not why I’m here. His girl just walked in and told him she’s pregnant. It looks like we’re going to have another married brother soon and a new old lady to add to the mix.”
Wide grins appeared on the men’s faces but Jagger noticed Hawk’s wasn’t as quick. What did that mean? Wasn’t his prez happy for their brother? Or was something else going on?
“It’s about time he claimed that girl and gave her his patch, and he can have his ink put on her after the baby is born. Penny is a good girl and a great mother.” Ice said.
“It’s great news. I’m happy to see our Iron Dogz family growing as the new generation is being born. Our job is to see to it that they have a healthy club to inherit when the time comes. For a very long time this club wasn’t a good place for a child to be born into, but over the years, and with a lot of hard work, it has changed. Your children and my grandchildren will be inheriting a strong, healthy and vibrant club.” Bulldog said with a look on his face that Jagger couldn’t place. Almost as if he was happy and uncertain at the same time.
“It is very good news. I’ll call Rider later, I’m sure the man is busy celebrating the news with his woman right now.” Hawk said with a wink and a grin.
“I know not everyone is going to find an old lady and start having kids but I can hope.” Bulldog teased.
“Let’s not get the brothers all uptight and running from you, Bulldog. You know we have a lot of very young patches, now’s not the time for them to get their heads filled with muis neste (a head filled with girls and sex). We need their heads in the game and watchful.” Hawk warned.
Jagger decided to get out before this discussion veered in a direction he didn’t want. Towards him.
“I’ve got something I have to take care of. I’ll be back in an hour or so, Boss.”
With a last nod at Ice and Bulldog he left and not too soon either, because as he closed the door he heard Bulldog starting to quiz Hawk about his plans for having a family.
Shit. His prez was going to get pissed off and then they would be bearing the brunt of his anger because he wouldn’t say a word to Bulldog. The man was like a second father to him, actually to a lot of them.
Walking through the common room he beckoned Dollar and Kite to follow him outside. Shortly afterward he rode out through the gates with the two men at his back as they made their way to the veterinary clinic. He groaned internally because he knew Celeste was going to be throwing a bitch fit the moment he got there. Shoving the thought away he concentrated on the road. He’d have to face her bullshit soon enough so right now he was going to enjoy the ride.
He had scarcely parked his bike when she came stomping out the door. And like the first time he saw her he was struck by her beauty. She was damned beautiful, but unfortunately she knew it and used it when she wanted something. To him it was damned unattractive.
“I needed you here an hour ago.” She snarled as she stood with her hands on her hips, the one hip cocked with a foot in a sky high heel tapping impatiently. He knew for a fact she stood like that because it showed off her gorgeous long legs.
She was dressed up in a short black skirt and a pale pink blousy shirt that dipped in front to show off her ample cleavage. He could clearly see her bright pink bra. Strangely he knew his brothers had the same view of her and it didn’t piss him
off…and that was something to think about. He wasn’t possessive of her, at all.
Jagger sighed internally as he made his way over. “You said you have a problem with a dog. Where is it?”
“You took too long. I’m having it put down.” She snapped nastily as she whirled around. She was about to storm back inside when he grabbed her arm and pulled her around to face him.
The bitch had just pushed a button she shouldn’t have.
“Lynn and I have a deal.” Jagger snarled right in her face. “No dogs are put down until I’ve had a look at them. You better start praying your assistants haven’t done as you ordered. I will be on the phone to Lynn so fast it will make your head will spin.”
Roughly pushing her out of the way he stalked inside.
The fighting dog rescue programme was something he and Dr Lynn Versveldt had started working on together. They only euthanised when the animal was too far gone to be saved.
He didn’t wait for her as he stalked into the building, past reception where the poor girl sat watching him with wide eyes. He found Phineas, Lynn’s most trusted veterinary assistant sitting on the floor outside one of the big cages next to the surgery.
“What the fuck is going on, Phin?” He growled as he saw the state of the poor animal.
He had obviously been in a fight and had lacerations all over his body. His front leg was broken and had been chewed on but hadn’t been treated.
“Hey, Jag. She’s scared of the dog. Wants me to put him down.” Phin growled angrily. “He isn’t hurt that badly, she can fix him, she just won’t.”
“When did he come in?”
“The cops brought him to us in the early hours of this morning. I was on duty and did what I could for him but he needs x-rays and an ultra sound to check for internal injuries. Waited for her but she only came in at ten this morning, then she refused treatment and insisted on him being euthanised.”
“That’s bullshit. Let’s get him out of the cage and into the surgery so we ease his pain and get him fixed.” Jagger growled.
A Touch Of Grey Page 2