by Erin Osborne
“Shy girl, we’ll follow you back to the clubhouse. Take your aunt in our room if she needs to be alone. We’re gonna have church before we do anythin’ else,” Slim says, planting a kiss on me before helping me in the car. “Love you, angel.”
“I love you, Slim. More than you know.”
Slim shuts the door behind me and I watch as Maddie comforts my aunt. I’m glad that she’s been turning to the women and members of the club in the time she’s been here. I always thought I had to hide this part of my life from my only two blood family members. Not because I was ashamed of the way I was living. I did it because I didn’t want them to know that I was living in a clubhouse full of men and fucking one of them. My aunt is old school and I thought she wouldn’t like the life I was living. Instead, she’s happy that I have a group of people to lean on when things get tough.
“I’m gonna go see the baby for a while. You guys eat and have a good time tonight,” my aunt says. “I don’t feel up to being around anyone else right now.”
“Oh, I can go with you,” I say.
“No. I want you to be with Slim and your family. You’ve been at the hospital since the day everything happened. You’ve barely left other than when Slim makes you. Relax and be with them. You won’t get the chance when Kinsliegh comes home.”
Looking from Maddie to my aunt, I nod my head in shock. She’s got a look on her face that lets me know she won’t be changing her mind anytime soon. So, I’ll make sure one of the guys drives her to the hospital while I help everyone else out with the food and making sure everything is ready to go when the guys get out of church.
Chapter Eighteen
Slim
AS SOON AS we’re all in the common room of the clubhouse, everyone else is sent away. The ol’ ladies and house bunnies all disappear out back where the tables are waiting to be set up. Alex and Ian will put them where they want them before making sure the grill is set up.
“Alright, I don’t know what you guys have been dealin’ with, Renegade, but I’m over this shit. It ends now! Grim, you guys haven’t heard anythin’ and no one’s fuckin’ with you. I want to keep it that way. If you want to head out now, I’ve got no problem with that,” I say, looking around the room.
“Not goin’ anywhere. You need us, we’re here. You’ve had our backs more times than I can count. And, you’re family,” Grim answers, looking around at the members of his club. “Gage sends his regards and wants you to know he feels the same way. They got their own shit goin’ on or he’d be here.”
“Appreciate that. Now, I’ve got no doubt it’s the Snakes bitches. We’ve been gettin’ pictures of the women and kids dropped off and we’ve got an ex-house bunny that’s gone rogue. Can’t catch a break on gettin’ that skank either. She’s been runnin’ a long time and knows how to get away from us. Renegade, you been gettin’ anythin’ like that?”
“Yep. Just got pictures of Hadliegh, Callie, and the kids dropped off. It started a week or so ago. Not sure what we’re gonna do when we can’t find the fuckin’ pussies. Been out lookin’ all over and called in all sorts of favors. They just keep fuckin’ disappearin’.”
“I know the feelin’. We can’t even figure out who’s droppin’ the shit off at our front fuckin’ gates. Crazy and the cartel been called in yet?” I ask.
“Yep. Called Crazy a few days ago and my contact with the cartel got a hold of me on the way here. No one knows anythin’ but they’re gonna help us out.”
Nodding my head, I take a moment to collect my thoughts. “Startin’ tonight, I want my guys on a schedule. You’ll be ridin’ out around the town with a low profile. I want you in cages and to leave no stone un-fuckin’-turned. I’ll be on the schedule, but I got a new baby girl comin’ home tomorrow at the latest. Shy’s gonna need some help with that. Hell, we don’t even have what we need for her and I don’t want to taint her with the shit that was at the house. Shy doesn’t need that fuckin’ reminder.”
“Maddie and I are stayin’ a few days. She’ll be here with your woman while I’m out with the guys. I want on the schedule,” Tank says.
“You good with that, Grim?” I ask my friend.
“Yep. You need me to leave any more guys, let me know.”
“When are my grandsons comin’ down?” I ask Tank.
“Be here tomorrow.”
“For now, I want everyone to be on the lookout. Killer and Fox, you work out a schedule and make sure every man stayin’ here is on it. I want Alex, Ian, and Clayton on it too. The women and kids are on lockdown. I want you to let them know while we’re here. This attack on Patience was meant for Shy and none of you fuckers will tell me any different. I want them here until further notice.”
Slamming my hand on the nearest table, I dismiss everyone. Killer and Fox make their way down the back hallway while I wait for Grim and Renegade to come over to me. We’ll sit down as Presidents and see if there’s something we’re missing with the information we have.
I lead the two men into our meeting room and we take our seats at the scarred table. We sit in silence for a minute, Renegade and me lighting up smokes while Grim sits back and waits for us to talk. He doesn’t know much about the situation so for now there’s really no input he can give us.
“I want these fuckin’ pussies put to ground. Now!” I finally say, slamming my hand on the table in front of me. “Fox can’t find anythin’ out about them. They all seem to blend into the fuckin’ background when they want to.”
“Especially when they’re attackin’ us at the same time. It makes no sense since we’re not right next to one another. The only thing I can figure out is it’s two crews. It might be the same club, but they’ve got it broken up into groups or some shit,” Renegade says. “We just need to figure out where the fuck they are. My guys can’t find shit on them either.”
“If you put guys out, ridin’ around, you don’t think that’s gonna scare them off? I know you want them in cages, but your clubs are still known to them. What about Blaze’s club?” Grim asks, bringing a new idea to the table. “We’re the main ones that have ever been seen with you. Blaze and his guys are usually on the road and not around here.”
“Who’s Blaze?” Renegade asks.
“Wild Kings Nomad President,” Grim answers. “Dependin’ on where they’re at, they could probably be here within the next two or three days. We can stay here long enough for that to help you guys out.”
Renegade looks at me to see if I trust these guys. He’s going in blind here because today’s the first day he’s met the Wild Kings, and Blaze is an unknown to him. I’d expect nothing less than for him to turn to me and get an answer.
“I trust him. He’s got a crew of about six guys or so. We don’t necessarily need them all here. But, if they all come, we might be able to split them up between the two clubs if Blaze doesn’t have a problem with that. And if you’re comfortable with that arrangement. They can go out, without their cuts on, and search the town. No one will know who the fuck they are. Right now, it’s perfect if they come in with all the new faces because of the funeral. I know we’re bein’ watched to see what’s gonna happen,” I say to the two men with me.
“How we gonna get them out of here?” Renegade asks.
“We’ll send a few of them out in one of the vans. Maybe if the pussies think we’re goin’ out on a run, they’ll attack. They won’t be able to plan for it, so it’ll be sloppy,” I say.
“Not a bad idea. I’ll go make the call and find out when they can be here. Summer might come down this way if she knows Dozer’s here. You good with that?” Grim asks.
“I’m good with it.”
Grim leaves the room and makes the call to Blaze. Knowing that we need to get back out there, I stand from my seat and watch Renegade follow me out of the room. I lock the door behind me and look around the common room for Shy. She’s been out here and I need to check in with her. This is going to be a lot for her to take in and she’s going to crack. She hasn’t been able to
yet and I know it’s eating at her.
I find her in the corner at a table with the rest of the ol’ ladies. The girls that came down here from Dander Falls are with them. It’s good to see my woman sitting with the rest of the ol’ ladies and not staying by herself. She’s beginning to come out of her shell and I’m glad that I’m a part of it.
Alex brings me a beer before making his way back behind the bar. He’s been stepping up with his brother still out of commission and I know we’re gonna have to patch him in sooner rather than later. With my beer in hand, I walk over to the girls.
“How you doin’, Shy girl?” I ask, resting my hand on her shoulder.
“I’m okay. I’ll start settin’ the food up,” she says, trying to get up.
“Not why I’m here. You rest and we’ll figure shit out. I’m goin’ out back if you want to come out so we can talk.”
Shy nods her head and excuses herself from the girls. Maddie gives me a smile and I can tell that she’s up to something just from the look on her face. I’ll have to get with my daughter before too long to find out what’s going on.
“Everything okay?” Shy asks as soon as we walk through the back door.
“Yeah, babe. Grim is gonna have the Nomads come in to help us. No one knows them and they’ll be able to find these assholes that killed your cousin. So, they’ll be stayin’ here or with Renegade’s club. We’ll get the assholes that did this, Shy,” I say, pulling her into my arms.
“Okay. I’ll make sure the rooms are ready for them. And I’ll make sure that we make a run to the store for extra food and things,” she says.
“Not your job anymore, Shy girl. You’re my woman and we have others to do that now. It’ll take time for you to realize that you’re the Queen of the Phantom Bastards. There’s no more hidin’ for you. You gonna be okay with that?” I ask, wanting to know what she thinks about her new role in the club. “You’ll be over the house bunnies too. If they’re not doin’ their job, you handle it the way you see fit.”
Shy takes a deep breath as I pull her down onto my lap. I’ve taken a seat in my usual chair around one of the fire pits while Ian and Clayton man the grills. They’ll leave us alone and I know most of our other guests are still hanging out inside or around the front while they wait for the food to come out.
“It’s gonna take time. My priority right now is Kinsliegh. Slim, I can’t do anything to lose her. She’s the last piece I have of my cousin,” she says, letting a stray tear fall down her cheek.
“I know. And I’ll be there as much as I can. When we go home in a little bit, we’ll figure out everythin’ we’re gonna need to get her first thing in the mornin’. I’m sure she won’t be released until late mornin’. So, we’ll have to get up early.”
Shy burrows into me and I just hold her in comfortable silence. I can hear the music from inside muffled with the doors closed. Instead of worrying about what’s going on inside or with Snake’s Revenge, my mind is firmly on the woman cuddled into me. And on the way our life is about to change with bringing Kinsliegh home.
We’ve all eaten and now we’re relaxing around a few fires out back. Shy has been by my side the entire night. She’s just gone inside when I stand to make my way over to my daughter and Tank. They’re talking with Grim and I know that it’s now or never to find out what Maddie’s little smile was about earlier.
“Maddie, got a minute?” I ask, interrupting the trio.
“What’s going on, Dad?” she asks, trying to keep her innocent routine in place.
“Want to know what that look was about earlier.”
“Daddy, it’s nothing. We’re just gonna help out with Kinsliegh,” she says.
“What do you mean?”
“Why do you think hardly any of the girls are here? They’re out gettin’ what you guys will need for the baby to come home. By the time they get back, you guys won’t need hardly anything,” my daughter answers.
I stand there speechless for a minute as the realization that the women are doing this for my woman sets in. She’s going to cry her eyes out when she realizes she’s firmly been accepted with the ol’ ladies of the clubs we surround ourselves with. The little that I’ve known about Shy, no one other than her aunt’s ever been there for her. She isn’t going to know what to do with multiple clubs full of ol’ ladies that want to help her.
“Thank you, baby girl. How did I get so lucky with a daughter like you?”
“You were born lucky,” she says, laughing.
“Love you, kiddo. I’m gonna go check on Shy and see where her head’s at.”
Walking away from my daughter, I look all over the backyard for Shy. When I don’t see her anywhere, I head inside the clubhouse and look in the common room and kitchen with no luck. Alex is still behind the bar as I walk up to him.
“You seen Shy?” I ask him, taking the beer he’s holding out for me.
“I think she went back to the rooms. She looked upset when she took off,” he says, wiping down the top of the bar.
Making my way back to the rooms, I stand outside of my door for a minute. I can hear Shy crying, so I go in to find her curled up on our bed. She’s wrapped her arms around her legs and I feel horrible for not checking on her sooner.
Moving over to the bed, I strip out of my cut, shirt, jeans, and boots before climbing in beside Shy. She doesn’t move or make a sound as I pull her into my body. All she does is continue to cry. I run my hand down her hair in a calming move until I feel her sobs start to subside.
“It’s gonna be okay, angel. I’ll make sure we get these bastards and make them pay for what they’ve done to your family. To my family,” I promise her.
For a while, Shy remains still in my arms. I’m sure she’s fallen asleep until I feel her move her head from my chest. Looking up at me, I take in her red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks. Before she says a word, I know what she’s going to say. There’s pain, anguish, and guilt plain as day shining back at me.
“Did I do this to her? Should I have made sure that she came to your house with me? Why didn’t I fight harder for her to leave the house?” she questions.
“I don’t know, angel. You’re not the one to blame for this though. The only ones to blame are the men that took her from you. I get why you didn’t want to bring her to the clubhouse with all the men she didn’t know. If there had been anythin’ else, we would’ve done it. Patience was just gettin’ her feet under her and wouldn’t have come with us to our house because she wanted to be independent,” I tell her, placing a soft kiss on her lips.
Shy sniffles and buries her head back into my chest. Even though the clubhouse is full of people right now, there’s nowhere I’d rather be. I pull the blanket up over us and close my eyes. Shy’s hand running up and down my side lulls me to sleep.
Chapter Nineteen
Shy
TODAY’S THE DAY we get to bring Kinsliegh home. I get up really early so I can get ready and make sure we have plenty of time to get the things we need for her to come home with us today. Now, it’s time for Slim to get up.
Walking back in the room, I watch as Slim walks out of his bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. My mouth waters and I want to lick the water droplets sliding down his chest and shoulders. Looking up to his face, I see the smirk I love to hate in place. He knows what I’m thinking right now. Especially when he drops the towel.
My eyes immediately drop down to his hard cock. I lick my lips and the groan coming from him causes a tremor to run through my body. Before I can move, Slim’s standing in front of me and pulling me into his body.
I close my eyes as he drops his lips to mine. From the second our lips touch, Slim dominates the kiss. He licks my bottom lip until I open for him. His tongue swipes into my mouth and tangles with mine.
“Gonna be quick,” he murmurs with his lips still against mine.
Raising my hands in the air, I let him take my shirt off before he unclasps my bra and pushes it down my arms. Slim bends down and
goes for the leggings that I’m wearing at the same time he pulls a nipple into his mouth.
I throw my head back as I let the tremors run through my body. Once Slim has my clothes gone, he turns me around. Placing my hands on the bed, Slim slides up behind me and runs his fingers through my folds to make sure that I’m ready for him.
Before I can utter a word, his hard length is sliding into me in one move. The breath leaves my body when he doesn’t give me a minute to adjust to him. He continues to slide out before slamming back into me.
Just as I get used to the punishing pace he’s setting, he wraps a hand in my hair. My neck arches as he pulls on it so I’m looking at him from the side. Slim leans down over my body, kissing and nipping at my neck— the way he knows I love.
I reach below my body and rub my clit because I can see the wild look in Slim’s face. It’s not that he’s not going to make sure I get off, but he’s chasing his release and I know it’s not going to be long before he finds it. Plus, it drives him crazy when I play with myself as he fucks me.
“Fuck!” he groans out. “Your pussy feels so good.”
His movements become erratic as my body clenches down around him.
“Tony!” I yell out as wave after wave of my orgasm crashes over me.
Slim continues for another minute before I feel him shudder behind me. He completely stills and digs his hands into my hips as his release fills me. Neither one of us moves for a minute.
My legs feel like jelly while the rest of my body is sated and covered in a fine sheen of sweat. Our breathing is ragged as we try to get it back under control. Slim slides out of me and helps me get in bed so we can finish getting our bearings.
He runs his hands up and down my side and back as I nestle into his hard body. I’ve never felt more content in my life after the tragedy we just suffered at the hands of an unknown entity.
“Got somethin’ to show you before we go get Kinsliegh,” Slim says.
“We don’t have time. I have to get so much before we can even think of bringing her home. Sharon’s going to be to the house in a few days to check on everything. We don’t have anything for her,” I say, turning to face him.