by Erin Osborne
Running around the house, I see her in Kitty’s face. Kitty has a look of rage on her face and it looks as though she’s about to hit my daughter. Natasha runs up and pushes the bitch away from my daughter. Before Kitty can respond, Kora is yelling at her some more.
“Don’t you ever talk about Natasha or me again, you stupid bitch,” Kora yells.
“Honey, what’s goin’ on?” I ask, pulling my daughter back against me.
“I was out here with Beast so he could go to the bathroom and walk around. These two came around the house and were talking bad about Natasha and me. They blame us for you not wanting to have sex with them anymore. The one Natasha’s in front of was calling us all sorts of names and saying how it won’t be long before you’re back in bed with her,” Kora tells me, her body shaking with pent up emotions.
“Really? Well, you and Natasha go back with everyone else. I’ll take care of these two women,” I tell my daughter, never taking my eyes off Kitty and Nails.
I wait until everyone except for Grave, Bishop, and Psycho go back around the house. Now, these bitches are gonna learn some shit.
“First you come to my home after knowin’ you’re not allowed here. Then, you insult my child and woman. Who the fuck do you think you are?” I ask Kitty.
“Ren, you were gonna make me your ol’ lady. I know you were. At least until that bitch with a stick up her ass showed up,” Kitty whines taking a step closer to me.
She isn’t smart enough to recognize how pissed off I am and that she’s just adding fuel to the fire. Kitty’s nothing more than a hole I fucked a few times and somehow decided she was going to latch her claws into me because I’m the President of the club. Fuck her.
“Bishop, take these two back to the clubhouse. Lock them in separate rooms. I don’t want them let out until I say. For now, they won’t be fuckin’ or takin’ part in any of the shit they want to do. They’ll be cleanin’ when someone’s there to watch over them and if I hear of them fuckin’ around, they’re out on their fuckin’ ass. No one is goin’ to ruin my daughter’s day and they sure as fuck aren’t goin’ to place blame on a child or a woman with more class, smarts, and sexuality in her little fuckin’ finger than either one of them. Get them the fuck out of my sight!” I holler out.
Bishop takes the women by the arms and leads them away from my home. Kitty is yelling and screaming, trying to get away from the Prospect as he drags her away. He won’t lay a hand on her and she’s trying to take advantage of that as she lashes out. Psycho takes off at a run and I watch him grab his wife around the waist to keep her from getting to Kitty. Fuck!
This is not how today was supposed to go. Psycho is walking back with Hadliegh still in his arms. They stop next to me and I look at my sister-in-law.
“Had, calm down. I know these bitches crossed the line and I’m dealin’ with it. Let’s not ruin today any further for Kora. Calm down and let’s go have her open gifts,” I tell her.
At the mention of Kora, Hadliegh calms down. My daughter has a soft spot in Hadliegh’s heart and she won’t do anything to upset my girl. She takes a few deep breaths before looking at me.
“This isn’t over with, Ren,” she promises. “I’m gonna get my hands on the bitch and she’s gonna get an ass beatin’.”
“I know. Just not today,” I tell her as we walk back around the house.
Natasha and Kora are sitting next to the table with all of her gifts. They’re waiting for us to start. I pull an envelope from my pocket and hand it over to my daughter. She carefully opens it to see the flyer and registration form for a dance school in town. I’ve enrolled her in classes and she starts a week before school begins. Kora jumps up and runs to me.
“Thank you, Dad. How did you know?” she asks excitedly.
“I enrolled you the day I watched you dance in the kitchen with Natasha,” I answer.
Kora hugs me again and sits back down to finish opening her gifts. Each member of the club and ol’ lady bought my daughter something. Even if it’s just a gift card for a store at the mall, she’s got so many gifts. Beast never leaves her side as he lays in the grass next to her. His body is up against her leg to ensure he’s always touching her. He’s going to be a good dog for her. Even if he’s going to be huge by the time he’s done growing.
Psycho brings out Kora’s cake once she’s done opening everything. He sets it on the table closest to her and pulls out his lighter to light the candles. We all sing happy birthday as she beams at each one of us. You can see the happiness, excitement, and appreciation shining from her eyes. I’m happy to see the look on her, and I’ll do anything in my power to keep the look on her face.
Chapter Sixteen
Natasha
TODAY IS MY first day at volunteering at the Domestic Violence compound. I’m meeting Cassidy at nine so I can fill out my paperwork and then make sure everything is set up for both of the classes I’m teaching.
This morning I’ll be working with the girls on cooking and baking. We’re going to prepare a simple meal of stuffed shells and garlic bread with an apple pie for dessert. The garlic bread won’t be homemade and neither will the pie. We just don’t have the ingredients for it. However, we’ll work on homemade things as the class goes on and I can see where everyone’s at. Cassidy is giving me free rein over both classes. As long as I’m teaching the women what they need to know, no one will interfere.
Excitement courses through me as I get out of the shower at Renegade’s house. They still haven’t found the men responsible for the robbery and my attach so I haven’t been allowed to go home yet. Part of me doesn’t want to go home honestly. Renegade and Kora have been working their way into my heart since coming here. I won’t tell him that though. It will give him more power than he already has over me.
“Tash, you almost ready to head out?” Renegade asks as I walk in the room brushing my hair.
“Yeah. I just need to throw my hair up and grab my purse,” I respond.
“I’m takin’ you in before goin’ to work. I don’t want you leavin’ until I come back to get you after you’re done with your last class. You’ll have lunch there with whatever you make in your cooking class,” he tells me.
“Okay, Ren,” I say, pulling him in for a quick kiss.
Renegade deepens the kiss and I lose all track of time, space, and anything that’s not either one of us. His kiss is potent and I want to have him ravish my body the way he did just hours ago. I’ll never get enough of Renegade, the way he can work his body in mine, or the way I feel when he’s inside me. He’s addictive and I know there’s no help for getting over him.
We break apart and our breathing is ragged. My heart beats wildly in my chest until it feels like it’s going to break apart. The same thing happens every time the man puts his mouth on me.
“Um, yeah, I think we need to leave now,” I say as Renegade laughs.
He knows exactly what he does to me.
Walking downstairs, we tell Kora goodbye as she eats her breakfast still half asleep. Bishop is already sitting outside on the porch as we straddle Renegade’s bike and take off.
Until I was staying at the clubhouse, I’d never been on the back of a bike before. They’ve always terrified me. Renegade took me out for a short ride one afternoon and I instantly fell in love. There’s a feeling of freedom as he guides the machine under us as if it’s an extension of his body down the road. The wind blows through your hair and whips around your body. I feel like I’m flying when we ride.
Before I know it, we’re pulling up to the compound. One of the Prospects opens the gate for us, and Renegade glides through to the small building at the head of the compound. There’s already two bikes sitting there and I know it’s Hawk and Chains. They don’t let Cass out of their sight until they absolutely have to. Especially since she brings the baby to work with her. It’s the club’s business so no one tells her she can’t. It’s awesome she gets to bring Sloane to work with her. When I’m not busy, it also means I get baby t
ime.
Renegade walks me in the building and leads me to Cass’s office. After a quick knock on the door, he opens it and ushers me inside. The men are sitting on a couch behind the desk while Cass sits at her desk with Sloane in her arms. I walk quickly over to her and look down at the little baby growing so much already.
“Can I?” I ask, holding out my hands to her.
“Yeah,” she says laughing as she lifts Sloane’s small body away from her so I can grab her.
After I have the baby girl in my arms, I walk around the desk and take a seat in front of her. Renegade has a strange look in his eyes. I’m not sure what’s going through his mind but he hasn’t taken his eyes off me yet. I can feel him watching me even when I turn to face Cassidy.
“You ready to start today?” she asks.
“I am. I’m so excited,” I answer.
“Great! We’ll get your paperwork taken care of and then I’ll show you around the building so you get used to the layout. Hawk will be here for part of the afternoon. He’s got some work to do before coming back to teach the computer class. Then you’ll come in for the finance class. Sound good?” she asks.
“Yeah.”
“Okay. Guys, head out and do your thing. We’ll be fine here,” Cass says, dismissing the guys before us.
I can tell each of them want to say something to her, but this is her domain. Cassidy has taken the compound over and she runs it the way she wants. That includes not letting any of the bikers run over her with their ideas or plans. The only plans here are the ones Cassidy wants to have in place. It also means the men don’t get to stick around whenever they want. Other than the Prospect at the gate, none of the men are here. I don’t think so anyway.
“Tash, you know what I said earlier,” Renegade reminds me.
“Yep. I won’t forget,” I assure him.
“You need somethin’, let Shane know and he’ll get it or let one of us know,” he responds before bending down for a kiss.
After a few minutes, the men leave us alone. Cassidy becomes professional as she hands me the paperwork I need to fill out. I hand her daughter back and get to work. It doesn’t take me long to fill everything out and slide it across the desk back to her. She looks it all over before standing up and putting the baby in her stroller. We head out of her office and she walks me down a long hall.
Several closed doors are lining the hallway and she lets me know those belong to the counselors that work here. They all do it voluntarily so they’re not here regularly. Usually one or two are here during the day while most of them come into work in the evening. It’s nice to know someone’s always here for the women and children of the compound.
“Do you have any questions?” Cassidy asks as we head out and into the large building in the center of the compound.
“Who do I let know if I want to cook a certain thing and need groceries?” I ask.
“Give me a list and I’ll make sure one of the Prospects get everything you need. Don’t worry about the cost or anything, we have an expense account from the club especially for here. They make sure when the funds get low to have a run or other charity event to add more money to the compound,” she answers.
“Okay. I’ll talk to the women and see what kinds of things they want to learn to make.”
Cassidy shows me into a large kitchen like area in the building. There’s several workstations all facing the front of the room and several stoves placed along a wall. I walk along the cupboards and see everything we’ll need today except one thing. There’s not enough pans to place the stuffed shells in.
“I’m going to see Shane. We need more cake pans to fill with the shells. Let me double-check to make sure there is enough sauce and other ingredients for today,” I say, walking through the room again and taking stock of everything.
“Okay. I’ll let you get settled in. Just go to the gate when you’re done looking and Shane will make sure someone brings you what you need in the next hour before your class starts,” Cassidy says, walking out of the building.
I walk through the room once more and make sure there’s enough of everything to go around. Once I have a small list for the cake pans, pie tins, and some more mozzarella cheese, I head out of the building. As soon as I’m done giving the list to Shane, I’ll set out the ingredients on everyone’s station. Well, everything except for the refrigerator items. They’ll wait until the class members arrive.
Walking outside, I enjoy the warmth of the sun of my skin. I’m not paying attention as I walk closer to the gate. It’s not until too late that I realize Tanner is standing at the gate, arguing with Shane. I don’t know how he even knows I’m here unless he’s following me.
Before I can turn around, he sees me.
“Natasha, don’t you fucking move,” he yells out.
I take in his appearance and I’m shocked to see him looking so rumpled and haggard. His hair is longer than I’ve ever seen it and it looks as though he’s been running his hands through it repeatedly. The clothes he’s wearing look as if he’s been in them for several days. They’re wrinkled and sitting askew on his body. His face is covered in facial hair, something I’ve never seen as he’s always been clean-shaven. But it’s his eyes that hold me captive.
They’re wild and prove to me he’s high on something. I’m not sure what he’s using, but it’s making him reckless and dangerous. My only concern right now is getting him away from the compound. There’s women and kids here and I’ll never forgive myself if something were to happen to them.
“Natasha, you’re coming with me,” Tanner says, reaching into his back and pulling a gun out.
He points it at Shane who shakes his head slightly at me. He’s letting me know not to go with the crazed man standing before us. Tanner slams the butt of the gun into Shane’s head. I watch in horror as the man guarding us slumps to the ground. There’s no movement from him as Tanner makes his way to the panel a code must be put into to open the gate.
Tanner is becoming frustrated as he tries to get the gate to open. I’m standing still, locked in place from shock and horror at what he’s going to do next. At the same time, I’m praying no one comes outside to get sucked into this madman and whatever plans he has. Whatever they are, I know it’s not going to end well for me.
After a few minutes, Tanner looks at me. His eyes are even wilder than before and he raises the gun toward me. Tanner fires a shot, but it misses me. It also kicks my ass into gear as I turn to run from the man and let someone know what the hell’s going on out here.
“You stop running, you fucking bitch!” he yells out. “If you take one more step, I’ll put a fucking bullet in his head.”
Knowing he’s talking about Shane, I immediately stop and turn to face him. Tanner’s now pointing the gun at Shane’s head. I make my way closer to the gate, but I don’t get close enough for him to grab through the bars. I’m not going to make this easy on the fucker.
The only thing going through my mind is hoping Renegade can catch Tanner and the rest of the men who are after me. Even if I’m not here to see it happen. I also hope Kora and he knows how much I’ve come to care about them. They’re burrowing their way into my heart and it’s going to be horrible not being able to see them or spend time with them. To watch Renegade open himself up to others around him and see how Kora blooms into the amazingly special young woman she’s becoming.
Chapter Seventeen
Renegade
I’M AT THE clubhouse talking to a few of the guys about the situation with Natasha. We can’t find the men responsible for the attack on her and we’re not prepared to go after her boss just yet. He’s a lawyer and has made himself a very public person. If we go after him with no proof of his involvement, we’ll look like assholes and he’ll get away with whatever he’s got going on. I’m not interested in having that happen.
We’re just getting up from my office when we all get an alert on our phone. Something is going on at the Domestic Violence compound. The silent alarm’s b
een triggered from outside the gate and from the inside. We all look at one another and take off.
More men pile outside from the clubhouse as their alerts went off too. I don’t wait for anyone to get on their bike or to follow me there— I gun my bike out of the clubhouse parking lot. Gravel and other debris are sprayed around as I peel out. I’m not worried about anything other than getting to Natasha and making sure everyone’s okay.
As we get closer to the compound, I see a car parked haphazardly at the gate. The driver’s side door is open. Shane isn’t anywhere I can see him. What the fuck is going on?
Stopping my bike, I see Natasha standing close to the gate. A madman is pointing a gun at her and yelling from his body language. My woman is frozen in terror and I want to rip this man to shreds. I know who it is— Tanner fucking McClain, her boss. He just signed his death warrant and I’m going to be the motherfucking executioner.
“Who the fuck are you?” the man asks, turning his attention toward me.
“I’m Natasha’s man. Who the fuck are you?” he asks.
“She doesn’t have a man. No one wants that bitch. Well, no one except for someone I know,” he answers. “And you won’t have to see her anymore. Because she’s leaving here with me. Open the fucking gate. Now!”
He’s becoming more frantic as more of my brothers show up. They’re all standing behind me, waiting for me to give them a sign of what to do. We need to get this asshole away from Natasha and remove the gun from his hand. I’m not sure how exactly to do that without the gun going off and accidentally hitting someone.
“Tanner, do you think you’re gettin’ out of here in one piece?” I ask, trying to keep his attention on me.
“I’m getting out of here. Natasha is going to ensure I get out of here in one piece and alive,” he answers.
“She’s not goin’ anywhere with you. I told you, she’s my woman and that means I protect her with my life,” I respond, keeping calm.
“I can arrange for you to not be alive,” Tanner answers, pointing the gun at me.