by Mallory Funk
“It’s okay. I knew not to take her seriously. My dad seemed to take care of it pretty well.” I run my finger around his abs.
When I look up at him, his eyes are dark and hooded. I could see how much I affected him. It was probably the same way he affected me.
We lay there looking into each other’s eyes, searching for something in them. I knew fear was holding me back. I already lost one man I loved, and I couldn’t let myself fall for another one so soon; but here in this moment, I felt the desire to kiss him. It felt stronger than anything I had ever felt. I wanted him, and I didn’t know if I was strong enough to admit it. How could I get close to someone and risk having them taken away from me? I don’t think my heart could handle any more heartbreak. Looking at Damien is intense, and scares me in a way that if something were to happen to him I’m not sure that I could take it. I know that he means more to me than just a man whose sperm I used, but was I ready to admit it to myself?
Luckily, I didn’t have to answer or risk it all by kissing him because there was a loud knock on his door that made me jump.
“Yo, VP! Church, Now!” someone calls on the other side, and I know I didn’t know much about the MC life, but I knew by the way he said it that it was important.
“Fuck,” Damien grumbles, and I reluctantly roll off of him to get up myself since I am seriously hungry right now.
“Babe, go get yourself some breakfast. I can hear your stomach from here,” Damien says with a smirk on his face. I blush and look down as a loud grumble comes from my stomach.
I hear him leave with the door closing behind him. I sigh and walk over to my bag to get some pants on. A smile comes to my face thinking about what I could eat.
Damien
I walk into church, and I know that I’m already the last brother here. A few of them smirk at me. All I can do is shake my head at them. I take my seat beside Prez and wait for him to start the meeting.
Once I sit down, Prez starts the meeting.
“Now, let’s start off with the run, how did everything go?” He looks at Crash, Trapper, and me.
“Everything went smoothly as planned. No run-ins with the Devil’s Souls MC.” The Devil’s Souls MC is our rival club. They have been trying for years to take our territory. They deal in drugs, guns, and sex in their club. In our club, we don’t deal with anything sexual, drugs or guns. The old ladies and club whores are here because they want to be, and no one is ever forced to do anything they don’t want to do. We have been trying to catch them in the act for years, but they are sneaky fuckers who know how to cover their tracks.
We used to deal with drugs years ago, but stopped since Prez decided he wanted his club clean. Some of the brothers disagreed and had left the club for The Devil Souls MC, but we didn’t want people who were okay with the shit that went on in their club anyway.
For the most part, we have our strip clubs, tattoo shop, diner, and some of the old ladies opened a salon under the club. From time to time we deal with weapons which was what we did the last few days, but it’s not something that is done regularly.
The Devil’s Souls MC President, Demon, had it out for our Prez. It has been that way for years, before I even joined. I’m not sure what the full story is there, and I don’t think that even Prez knows himself, but we are always aware and cautious because we never know if he’s going to attack.
“Alright, boys, you know who is on watch duty, and you switch out every eight hours. Someone is to be with the Princess at all times. We can’t risk anyone using her against the club. It’s become common knowledge out there now that we have a princess, and that she’s pregnant with VP’s kid. That paints a big target on her back,” Prez tells us looking at everyone in the eye one by one. I can tell how much his girl means to him. Fuck, if I’m being honest, she means a lot to me too.
I know that I’ve got to take whatever this is between us fucking slow because she only just lost her husband, but I still haven’t fucked anyone or looked at any club pussy since I had met her. Something tells me that she will be worth the fucking wait.
We discuss a few more things that are club business, and Prez calls the meeting to an end. Everyone gets up and walks out of the room to a banging sound in the kitchen. We all make quick steps to check out what the fuck is going on, only to see Ella standing at the fridge banging her fucking head on the door and mumbling to herself.
“Ella, what the fuck are you doing? You’re going to hurt yourself,” Prez says walking up to her. She turns around, and unshed tears are in her eyes.
“It’s all gone,” she says quietly, pulling open the fridge wide enough so that we all see what’s inside. Her apple juice. Fuck, shouldn’t everyone know by now to make sure that shit doesn’t go empty.
Prez wraps his arms around her in a hug, looks at us over her head, and rolls his eyes. We are all trying to hold in our laughter since that will make it worse. This girl gets seriously hormonal when she’s hungry or thirsty.
I am just about to send someone out when Kid comes running in with grocery bags. He’s the youngest member to be patched in. He came in when he was sixteen as a runaway, but remained a prospect until he was eighteen. He’s only twenty-one now. My guess is that he was on Ella duty this morning by the amount of apple juice I see in the bags.
“I’m sorry, princess. I tried to run and get someone before you woke up, but I see that I didn’t make it in time.” He looks at me curiously when he sees that she’s on the verge of tears. All I can do is shake my head.
He hands her a bottle out of the bag. “Here, this one was from the cooler, so it should be cold still. I will stick the others in the fridge for you.”
Ella takes the juice from his hand with a big smile on her face. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Wow, she is acting like he had bought her a diamond necklace or some shit. Ella doesn’t waste anytime chugging the apple juice down. I don’t think she is aware that most of us are still watching her with amused expressions.
Once she is done drinking her apple juice, she looks at everyone and smiles shyly.
“So, how’s my house going? When can I move back in? Not that I don’t love it here, I do… but I miss my bed,” she says on a sigh. Complete change in hormones. She’s going to give us whiplash.
“It’s almost done, baby girl. We want to make sure we get all the paint fumes out so that you don’t inhale anything. Just humour us, okay?” Prez says to her. I don’t miss her lips twitching before she nods. I know that she has no clue how important to us she really is.
“Okay, well I’m hungry. Where’s Cook?” she asks looking through everyone still standing in the kitchen.
“Here, Princess. I’m right here. What are you craving this morning?” he asks her as he is grabbing his apron. Most of the brothers leave now since there isn’t any hormonal entertainment going on anymore.
“Umm… I think I want an omelet… but with spinach, cheese, sausage and bacon… OH! Maybe some peppers too!” she says excitedly while clapping her hands. I can’t help but chuckle at her. If someone mentions food, she gets a smile on her face if it’s something she’s craving.
I don’t miss the way Cook’s eyes widen a little bit before he turns his back to her. That is a big fucking omelet. I sure hope that she can eat all of that. If not, I will sure as fuck help her with it. That sounds delicious, actually. Cook narrows his eyes at me like he knows what I’m thinking. I just smirk and nod my head at him. Prez stands there taking in the silent exchange shaking his head.
Just then, Lily comes in and automatically goes to Prez. “What are you making there, Cook?” she looks at the pan with interest.
“He’s making my omelet. Spinach, cheese, bacon, sausage and peppers,” Ella tells her and claps her hands with excitement.
“Wow, that’s a big omelet,” Lily says with laughter in her voice.
“I know, but it sounds soooo good right now. I can almost taste it,” Ella says back. I swear she goes into her own little world when it comes to her
cravings. She doesn’t care what she says, how she says it, or who is listening; she just says what she means. I really fucking like that about her. I‘ve never had to guess how she felt because she would tell me, or I could see it in her eyes. There’s no need to question if she’s playing mind games with me, or if she is saying what she is really thinking.
Everyone just chuckles at her. Cook makes enough for everyone who wanted one, which was most of the brothers that were in the clubhouse. Ella had ate half of it and said she was full, but she had also drank more apple juice during the meal. I ended up finishing hers like I thought I would. It was a really good combination of food. I can’t help but think that the next time it’s not going to be so tasty.
Chapter Eleven
Ella
I end up spending the morning with Damien. I knew I missed him when he was gone, but I didn’t think I would miss him this much. We just catch up on everything he might have missed, even though I’m sure one of his brothers kept him informed about me.
In the afternoon, I tell him that I want to go shopping for some new clothes since mine are getting too small because of the baby. He agrees, and sends a couple brothers with me since shopping isn’t his thing.
The brothers, Bear and Pyro, don’t bother coming into the stores with me, which is fine. I wouldn’t want them watching everything I pick out. Especially the underwear. They stand outside the doors though making sure that they see everyone who comes in the store. Sometimes I think that they are being dramatic, but my dad told me that I don’t know how important being a princess to the club is. I agree. I don’t know the first thing about it. I may think that they are overreacting, but then if I think about the reasons they aren’t, I will get scared, so I just let it linger in the back of my mind.
We are at the last store since I have too many bags now. I walk into the change room to try on a couple of shirts, but before I can try any on, the door opens. Thinking it was the sales woman, I tell her that I’m not ready yet, but the deep voice that speaks has me stopping cold.
“You sure look ready to me doll, or should I call you princess?” the man says, and slowly I turn around and look at who is in the room with me.
“Who are you? What do you want?” I ask trying to keep my voice from shaking. Just stay calm, Ella, you can do this. By looking at him, I can already tell he’s a biker, but from a different club. The patch on his cut is different, and I have never seen him before.
“I heard the Vicious Snakes had their princess come home. The thing is, I never knew they had a princess, but now that I see you, I know why. You look just like your mother,” the man tells me. I narrow my eyes at him at the mention of my mother.
“I’m nothing like my mother,” I tell him in a cold, hard tone. I still haven’t forgiven my mother for running away with me.
“No, I can see that you’re not, but I can see that I will have fun breaking you,” the guy replies threateningly. Ok, now I am definitely shaking. I just hope that the brothers realize I have been in here too long, and come to check on me.
“What do you want?” I ask him calmly. Don’t let your nerves show.
He chuckles. A dark chuckle that would have me running if he wasn’t blocking my only way out.
“Isn’t it obvious? I want you. I’m going to have you. The second that bastard child is out of you, YOU.ARE.MINE,” he tells me with such hatred in his eyes that it’s enough to make my eyes well up with tears.
“I’m not yours. I belong to the Vicious Snakes MC,” I tell him confidently. That may have been the wrong move because there is now anger in his eyes mixed with the hatred I had seen.
“You do not belong to those fuckers. They are a sad excuse for a club. Didn’t you know? Your mother sold you to me when she was pregnant with you. I helped her escape and, in exchange, I could have her baby as mine. The thing is that the bitch lied to me. She told me that you fucking died when she gave birth to you, and took off. I didn’t waste my time trying to find her since she was nothing but a club whore. Now I know, you look just like that fucking slut, and I can’t wait till I can break you. Because, princess, I will break you.” With that, he walks out of the change room like he didn’t just completely change my world. I looked at the back of his club vest when he leaves, and it says Devil’s Souls MC, President.
I try hard to keep my emotions in check before I leave the store. I buy whatever is in my hands, and run out to the brothers. As soon as they see the look on my face, they have worry and concern in their eyes.
“What’s wrong, princess?”
“Did something happen?”
They ask me at the same time. I shake my head and whisper. “Take me to Damien.” They nod their heads, quickly grab my bags, and get me quickly into the SUV.
Bear wastes no time getting to the clubhouse, and I already know that Pyro is on his phone texting, probably either Damien, or my dad, or both.
Once we stop outside the club house, I walk inside like a zombie. I don’t greet or look at anyone. It isn’t until Damien is in front of me that I snap out of it.
“Ella, baby, what’s wrong? You got to tell us what the fuck happened!” Damien says to me lightly shaking my shoulders.
“I met the Devil’s Souls MC president,” I tell him on a whisper.
He goes still, and the clubhouse goes quiet. You could hear a pin drop.
“What the fuck do you mean you met the president? We were with you the whole time,” Bear growls stepping closer to me.
“He came into the change room,” I tell him, and I can see Bear shaking his head in the corner of my eye, but I can’t take my eyes off Damien. He looks pissed - murderous even. I have never seen that look on his face before.
“Club whores out. Old ladies, take the children out of here. We need to have a meeting with Ella,” I hear my dad yell from behind Damien.
“Baby girl, you need to tell us what happened,” my dad says as soon as the brothers are the only ones in the common area.
I clear my throat. I can’t concentrate with how nervous I am having so many eyes on me, but they need to know, and I’m smart enough to know that I’m in more danger if I don’t tell them.
“He came into the changing room right after I entered it. I thought it was the sale’s person, so before I turned around I said that I wasn’t ready. Then he said that I looked ready to him. I asked him who he was and what he wanted. He said that he wanted me. He told me that my mom had sold me to him so that he could hide her from you guys; but then she had me, told him that I died in child birth, and then took off. He never bothered to look for her since there wasn’t a baby. Then he heard about the Vicious Snakes princess, and said that I looked like my mother, so he knew that she had lied to him. He told me that once I have the bastard baby, he’s going to take me and enjoy breaking me because I’m his.”
When I finish telling everyone, I look around the room and everyone looks murderous. I haven’t seen anyone this angry before. I thought I had seen angry faces when I told them what my mom said about my dad, but this is different. They look like they are ready to kill right here and now.
“No one is going to take you, baby, you hear me?” Damien says, still holding onto my shoulders. I nod my head before I pull him closer and bury my face in his chest.
“We need to have Church, NOW” I hear my dad yell. He and Damien walk me back to Damien’s room, and tell me to relax. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I fall asleep. I know that if it wasn’t for the baby and shopping all afternoon, I wouldn’t have fallen asleep at all.
Damien
I can’t believe that mother fucker thinks he can come in and take Ella from us. I don’t give a shit what deal her mother made with him when she was pregnant. If she took off and lied, it’s obvious that she knew that what she did was a mistake. It still doesn’t make up for what she did, however. If she wasn’t already dead, I would want to kill her myself. She went to the wrong fucking guy. She actually made a deal with the devil to get away from us.
Now her daughter’s life is in danger because of this shit. I know those assholes don’t treat their woman like they’re anything. They are known for some tough and kinky shit.
Prez and I walk back to the meeting room for church. This is some serious shit. We knew eventually that we would have threats against Ella, but we didn’t expect this. This shit is more serious and more dangerous than I could have imagined. I already know that Demon is not going to give up on Ella. We have to make a plan to keep her safe from him. Not just after the baby is born, but now. I know that he will be watching her every move, so I’ve got to make sure that we are watching his.
“First, tell us how the fuck Demon got so fucking close to my baby girl without either of you knowing,” Prez says glaring at Bear and Pyro.
“We waited outside the stores and made sure that we saw everyone who came in and out of it. I swear, we even checked out the place before we let her step in it. I don’t know how the fuck he got in without us seeing,” Bear states.
“The back doors,” Steal says. “It had to have been in the back since you both were up front watching the doors, and didn’t see him come in or out of there. This shit is fucked up.”
“We just fucking found her. There is no way we are going to let him take her. She is going to have to be on watch all the fucking time. No matter where she goes; if she isn’t in this clubhouse, she is with a brother. That brother is to not take his eyes off of her, or any potential danger surrounding her. She is just over half way into her pregnancy. We all know that he is going to be watching her, and trying to find a way to get her. We will keep her protected until we come up with a plan of attack. The Devil’s Souls MC has always been one of our biggest rivals, but now this means that we are going to war. We need to make a plan,” Prez tells everyone.
We spend the next couple hours going over everything and anything we can do to keep our princess safe. I tell some of the brothers to move my shit into her place as there is no way that I’m going to leave her alone. I will protect her at night. Being a brother, we had to learn to always be alert because you never know what the fuck could happen.