Olivia
WE TOUCHED DOWN in Portland and I swear I couldn’t get off the plane fast enough. It had been a rough flight and I’d made friends with my barf bag pretty early in the trip.
“Okay, sweetness, final push,” Doc encouraged. “I’ll grab our bags.”
I nodded and walked down the aisle and off the plane. The second I stepped onto the famous carpet, I felt better and was able to muster up a smile as Doc rolled our bags off behind me.
“Let’s get you to the club and into bed.”
I nodded, biting back a yawn. “Getting up at the ass-crack of dawn isn’t really my style anymore.”
“Anymore?”
“Since meeting you, I haven’t gotten up before ten,” I said. “You know this.”
“You rarely got up before ten, then,” he pointed out with a grin. “But I’m glad I’ve been a good influence on you.”
I yawned again.
“But now you need to sleep.”
“Yes.” I settled my hands on my stomach. “And I need to pick up some maternity clothes at some point as well, apparently.” I’d woken up this morning to find that none of my jeans fit. My belly seemed to have popped out overnight, and I was officially showing.
Doc beamed. “Yeah, we can do that tomorrow for sure.”
“Well, let’s see Sweet Pea first,” I countered. “I have enough yoga pants to last a few days.”
Doc pulled his phone out of his pocket and smiled. “Hatch is circling the airport.”
“Really? We don’t have to grab a car?”
“Apparently not,” he said. “Let’s head downstairs.”
We made our way downstairs and outside just as a large SUV pulled to the curb and Hatch Wallace climbed out. Lordy, he was gorgeous. He seemed to just get better looking with age. Long, dark hair, a full beard, and his blue eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled.
“Hey, brother,” Doc said, hugging him.
“How was the flight?” he asked, hugging me gently.
“Liv’s not feelin’ so hot, so it was rough for her.”
“I’m okay,” I rushed to say. “Just tired.”
“Let’s get you back to the house,” Hatch said, opening the back hatch. “Maisie’s made the spare room up.”
“We’re not staying at the club?” I asked.
Hatch grinned as he and Doc set our bags in the back of the truck. “If I let you stay at the compound, my woman would murder me.”
“We appreciate the hospitality,” Doc said.
“Yes,” I agreed. “Thank you.”
Hatch grinned and we climbed into the truck. As the men talked shop in the front, I closed my eyes and let the gentle sway of the car rock me to sleep.
“Hey, baby,” Doc whispered, kissing my cheek. “We’re here.”
I blinked my eyes open and found Doc’s face directly in front of me. “Hi.”
“Let’s get you inside and into bed. I’m gonna head to the club for a bit, if you’re okay with that.”
“I’m fine with anything if I get to sleep.”
He grinned. “I figured. Come on, sleepyhead, our bags are already inside.”
I nodded and followed him inside.
Maisie met us at the door, pulling me in for a gentle hug. “You must be shattered, love. Come on upstairs and I’ll show you your room,” she said in her sweet, British accent.
“You good, sweetness?” Doc asked. “I’m gonna head to the club.”
I smiled, kissing him quickly. “I’m fine, honey. I’ll see you later.”
I followed Maisie up the stairs and into a huge bedroom with its own bathroom, and she showed me where everything was. “You have fresh towels in the cupboard, but if you run out, just let me know. There’s also shampoo and conditioner, along with toothpaste and personal items, but if you need anything, please let me know.”
“We were happy to stay at the compound, but I have to say, this is better.”
“Nonsense, love. You’re expecting. You need a comfortable bed and a quiet place to rest. With all the crap going on with these nasty Spiders, it’s better and safer you’re here. If anything happens, our basement can be locked down in less than a minute.”
“You have your own panic room?”
She nodded. “A huge panic room, stocked with a week’s worth of food and water.”
“Wow.”
“But we won’t need it,” she assured. “So for now, take a shower, take a nap, just rest. There are cold, bottled waters in the mini fridge in the closet and Doc mentioned you’re a Sprite girl, so there are some of those in there as well. I’ve popped some saltines on the dresser, should you need them, and of course, if you want to come downstairs and hang out, I’m just doing a little catch up until the boys get home from school, so make yourself at home.”
“Would you find me rude if I took a nap?”
“Not at all. Whatever you need.”
I nodded.
“I’ll leave you now. Give me a shout if you need me.”
“I will. Thanks.”
Maisie left me and I climbed into bed and immediately fell asleep.
* * *
Doc
“Sweet Pea’s accident wasn’t an accident,” Hatch said as we drove to the club.
“Jesus,” I hissed. “Spiders?”
“Yeah. Minus, Clutch, and Ropes are meeting us for an officer’s meeting. Maisie’s got orders to lock everyone down if anything feels off, so Olivia’s covered.”
“I appreciate that,” I said.
We pulled into the compound lot and parked. I followed Hatch inside to find brothers in the form of Dogs and Saints.
Minus pulled me in for a bear hug and grinned. “Jesus, brother, you went and got some grey hairs.”
I chuckled. “That happens when you find out your woman’s havin’ twins.”
Minus raised an eyebrow. “No shit?”
“No shit.”
He grinned. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks.”
I reconnected with Clutch and Ropes, Sweet Pea’s biological brother, then got a few minutes to say hi to Booker, Portland’s VP, and Flea, the club’s new Sgt. at Arms. A few of the other men were already back in the conference room, so we headed back there, and Hatch called the meeting to order.
“Thank you all for being here tonight. It’s good to see so many friendly faces. Minus asked for this meeting so I’m gonna turn the floor over to him.”
“I appreciate everyone’s condolences about Doozer and your concern for Sweet Pea. I want to especially thank Doc for coming all the way out from Savannah to help with Pea’s rehab. The Dogs and the Saints first crossed paths in Georgia and we’ve held a close connection ever since.”
“How is he?” Hatch asked.
“You all know Sweet Pea. He’s as tough as they come. He’s determined to hit his recovery as hard as he wants to hit back at the Spiders,” Minus said, to nods all around.
“What’s the word on the Spiders?” Hatch asked.
“That’s why we’re here,” Minus said. “I can’t go into specific details, but I want you all to know that a plan is in place, and if all goes well, Wolf should be neutralized very soon.”
Hatch furrowed his brow. “What does that mean, exactly?”
“I can’t say exactly,” Minus replied.
“That sure clears things up, thanks for the update,” Hatch said.
“I’m sorry. I wish I could say more, but you’re just gonna have to trust me and the Saints for now.”
Hatch paused briefly before saying, “We may not always see eye to eye, but you’ve always been straight with me. What can we do?”
“If our plan goes down the way we think it will, the Gresham Spiders will be paralyzed. At the very least, temporarily. My fear is the Savannah chapter, which has been growing in numbers and strength, will retaliate against our clubs in the south.”
“Thanks for the head’s up,” I said. “I’ll make sure we double up our security right away.”
“What’s plan B if whatever you’ve got cooking doesn’t pan out?” Hatch asked Minus.
“The B would stand for body bags, and I’m trying my best to keep that from happening,” Minus said.
Olivia
I WOKE UP and was a little confused as to where I was at first. I sat up and glanced at my phone, realizing I’d slept for almost three hours. I felt a hell of a lot better than I had this morning. I climbed out of bed and headed to the shower, taking time to let the grossness of the plane wash off me.
It took a little extra effort to get dressed, considering everything was tight on me, even my yoga pants, so I made a mental note to drag Doc out for clothes as soon as possible.
Making my way downstairs, I heard laughter coming from the kitchen, so I headed toward the sound.
“There’s no way in hell,” Flash said, just as I walked in, and he grinned. “Oh, hey, Liv.”
“Hey, Flash.”
“Did we wake you?” Maisie asked, closing the oven, and facing me.
“No, not at all,” I said. “It’s super quiet upstairs.”
“Oh, good,” she said. “I’m making mac and cheese. I hope that works.”
“Mom’s being modest. She’s actually making crack and cheese,” Jamie, her other son, corrected.
I laughed. “I’ve heard your mother’s a phenomenal cook. I can’t wait to try it.”
“Well, please don’t get too used to it,” Maisie warned. “Hatch still does most of the cooking, but I do have my specialties I break out for special occasions.”
“Is my woman cooking?” Hatch bellowed from somewhere in the house, and Maisie rolled her eyes.
Hatch walked in and made his way to Maisie, pulling her against him and giving her a kiss that bordered on pornographic. Doc slid his arm around me and gave me a much more virginal one.
“Jeez, Dad,” Flash ground out. “Can you get a room?”
Hatch pulled his lips away from Maisie’s long enough to glare at his child. “This whole fuckin’ house is our room. Should I desire to fuck your mother on that table, I will and if you don’t like it, you can walk your ass out.”
“Connor,” Maisie admonished just as Jamie said, “Gross.”
“I have, you know,” Hatch added.
“Have what?” Jamie asked.
“Fucked your mom on that table.”
Jamie stood, shoving his chair back. “And now we need to burn the table.”
I dropped my head to Doc’s shoulder to keep myself from totally losing myself in laughter. Holy crap, I couldn’t wait to torture our kids.
“Okay, I’m gonna go puke,” Flash said. “You folks have fun.”
Jamie followed Flash out of the room and Hatch kissed Maisie again before opening the fridge. “Beer, Doc?”
“Yeah, man, that’d be great.”
“You want wine, baby?” he asked Maisie after he handed Doc a beer and me a bottled water.
“I’ll wait a bit, love, thanks.” She sprinkled more cheese on the ‘crack’ and slid it back in the oven. “How was the meeting?”
“It was a meeting,” Hatch said, wrapping an arm around her.
“Right.” Maisie gave him a quick nod. “No questions. Got it.”
I smiled and asked Doc, “Are you sorted with the clinic set up?”
“About that…”
“What?”
“Gina’s hoping I can meet with her tomorrow.”
“Which means, no shopping,” I deduced.
“I can take you shopping,” Maisie offered. “In fact, I bet a few of the girls would be in as well.”
“You’ll need to tell me how many, Sunshine, so I can cover you adequately,” Hatch said.
“I really just need you to cover me adequately, love.”
He grinned and smacked her ass. “Cheeky.”
She laughed and nodded. “You taught me well.”
“True. But I’m serious. I want one recruit on each of you.”
“Bloody hell, is it that bad?” she asked.
Hatch nodded. “Yeah, it’s that bad.”
“I’ll make sure Payton brings her gun,” she said.
“I want you carryin’ too,” Hatch said.
She sighed. “I’d rather not.”
“Don’t give a shit.”
“I was afraid you’d say that.”
He kissed her temple and smiled. “What do you need me to do?”
“Just call the boys down. Then you can help me carry food to the table.”
“Got it.”
The subject of safety was dropped, and dinner was filled with laughter and fun and of course, Maisie’s crack and cheese was delicious. By the time I fell into bed with Doc, I was exhausted, in the best of ways. I couldn’t wait for my shopping outing the next day with the Dogs’ women.
* * *
Doc
“I’ll see you later,” I whispered, kissing Olivia awake.
“What time is it?” she grumbled.
“Almost eight.” She groaned and I chuckled. Jesus, she was cute when she was sleepy. “Go back to sleep. You’ve got at least two hours before you have to get up.”
“Okay.”
I kissed her again and then left her to sleep, making my way downstairs. Hatch was in the kitchen, coffee mug in his hand, checking his phone. “Hey, brother.”
He gave me a chin lift. “Coffee’s in the pot. Pea’s awake, so we can head over anytime.”
I grabbed a cup to go and took off for the hospital. Dr. Gina Gardner, Clutch’s wife, and resident Burning Saints’ physician met us at the nurse’s desk.
“Hey Eldie,” Hatch said. “You remember Doc?”
Eldie was what the majority of the bikers called her…a nickname which was short for ‘lady doctor,’ and she took it all in stride.
She shook my hand. “Yes, hi. It’s good to see you again, Dr. Brooks.”
I smiled. “You too. So, what are we up against?”
She led me to a computer and typed in her credentials, then stepped back so I could read the extent of his injuries. He had a brain bleed, which could have been much worse had he not been wearing a helmet, but it was enough of a concern that they’d put him in a medically induced coma for a few days. Two broken ribs, aortic aneurysm, collapsed right lung, deep right thigh puncture, broken left femur, broken tibia and fibula, broken left and right ankles and his pelvis was broken in three places.
“Shit,” I breathed out. “He’s gonna need more than I originally thought.”
“Yes,” Gina agreed. “I’m so glad you’re here. I have an idea where to start, but I honestly don’t know where to finish, and the thought of that man in there not making a full recovery makes my stomach churn.”
I gave her shoulder a squeeze. “You got this. He’s a fucking Viking, Gina, remember that. He’s made it this far, he’s gonna pull through the rest.”
She nodded, blinking her tears away, and I gave her a minute to compose herself and turned to Hatch. “You got anywhere to be?”
Hatch shook his head. “I’m your chauffer today.”
I chuckled. “Shoulda made you wear the hat.”
He raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment and I turned back to Gina. “Is Pea up for visitors?”
“Yes. I told him you were coming.”
She led me into the bright room, and I smiled at the large man sitting up in the hospital bed, making it look doll sized. His brother, Ropes, stood, closing the distance between us and shaking my hand.
“Thanks for comin’,” he said.
“No problem,” I said, then focused on Sweet Pea. “Jesus. Why the hell are you lyin’ there doin’ nothin’?”
He laughed, then grimaced. “Fuck you.”
“Sorry, man.” I shook his hand and leaned against the bed. “I’m gonna work with Gina to get your PT set up. You ready to work your ass off?”
“Yeah, if it means I get out of this goddamn bed.”
“Good answer.” I smiled. “Gina’s got this, so I have
no doubt you’ll be up and walking sooner than anyone expects.”
“That’s the plan,” he said, shifting with a grimace.
“I’m gonna let you rest.”
He nodded, and I followed Gina out of the room.
“Okay, we’ve got some work to do,” I said.
“Agreed,” Gina said.
“Ready to show me the space?”
She nodded, and Hatch took us over to the Burning Saints’ compound.
* * *
Olivia
The Dogs women and I had pretty much shopped until we’d dropped, me somewhat literally, having fallen into bed the second we got home. I’d slept for almost four hours and woke up when Doc kissed me awake.
“Are you sure you’re up for this?” he asked, once I’d forced myself out of bed.
“Honey, I am not missing a Dogs of Fire party. Even if I was in labor, I’d want to stop in.”
He raised an eyebrow. “If you were in labor, I’d insist we skip it.”
“Just give me a few minutes to rally. I’ll be good.” I made my way to the bathroom and splashed water on my face.
“Take your time, sweetness, there’s no rush.”
I plugged my curling iron in and grabbed my toothbrush. “Says the man who looks like he just stepped out of Sons of Anarchy GQ.”
And he really did. He wore my favorite pair of dark jeans that hugged his ass beautifully, not to mention other parts of him, a long-sleeved, black, ribbed Henley, and his cut. His hair hung over his eyes and even when he swept it away, a little managed to flop down, and it was sexy as hell.
He laughed. “If I look like something out of GQ, sweetness, I’ll finally come close to being worthy of being on your arm.”
I smiled. “This is why I keep you around.”
He laid his hands on my belly. “How are the twins?”
“Good. I didn’t feel sick once today. I’m really hoping that means the morning sickness is over.”
“Are you feeling them move?”
I nodded. “Yep, they’re just like their daddy. Jumpy.”
He continued to move his hands, in doctor mode now, giving me an examination while I brushed my teeth.
Keeping the Biker's Oath (Dogs of Fire: Savannah Chapter Book 5) Page 9