He slid my hair behind my ear and stroked my cheek as we faced each other, our heads on our own pillows. “You got any ideas for names?”
“Yes, you?”
“Yeah.”
“Top pick for boy?” I asked.
“Phoenix, you?”
“Oooh, I love that.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded. “Yes. It’s perfect.”
“Okay, then you pick a girl’s name,” he said.
“What do you think of Chloe Rose?”
He smiled. Rose was his mother’s name. “I love it.”
“Okay, so if it’s two boys, then Declan would be my second pick,” I said.
“If it’s two girls, um, Lexi would be mine.”
I shook my head. “I went to high school with a Lexi. She was a total twatwaffle.”
He chuckled. “Okay. Ah…how about, Malia?”
I smiled. “Yes. Perfect.”
He settled his hand on my hip, sliding it to my belly and stroking gently. “You gonna go back to sleep now?”
“I’m going to try, yes.”
“Love you, sweetness.”
I yawned, snuggling closer. “Love you, too.”
* * *
I awoke to an empty bed and debated for a good ten minutes whether or not I was going to go back to sleep or force myself to get up. My bladder decided for me and I climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom.
After getting dressed, I made my way downstairs and found Doc in the kitchen with Doom making breakfast.
“Hey, baby,” Doc said, pulling me in for a quick kiss. “How’d you sleep?”
“Good. Don’t like waking up to an empty bed, though.”
He chuckled. “Didn’t think you’d want me waking you at eight, so I made an executive decision.”
I wrinkled my nose. “You’ve been up since eight?”
“Yeah. Couldn’t sleep.”
“Why? Are you in pain?” I rolled his sleeve up to check his wound.
“A little.” He pulled my hands to his lips and kissed my fingers. “I already changed the bandage and took some Vicodin. It’s all good. You hungry?”
“I am,” Raquel announced, walking in and heading straight for the coffee. “I smell bacon. There better be bacon.”
I chuckled. “It’s a biker compound. Of course there’s bacon.”
Doc handed me a piece of toast and a cup of coffee. “Go sit down and eat this first. You need to start small.”
“Thanks, baby.” I took a bite and gave him a quick, closed-mouth kiss, then headed into the great room and sat in the chair closest to the fireplace.
Raquel followed, flopping onto one of the sofas just as Doom walked out of the kitchen, phone to his ear. “Yeah, Rabbit, let him in.”
I didn’t think much of it until Orion walked inside. His father, Sundance, was the president of the Monument Primal Howlers.
“Orion, brother,” Doom said with a grin, giving him a hug. “What the fuck are you doin’ here?”
“Heard you had some trouble with the Spiders. Figured you might need a hand.”
“Appreciate that, brother,” Doom said. “Come on in. You remember Liv? Doc’s woman?”
“Hi,” I said, staying put.
“And that’s Raquel, Doc’s sister.”
I glanced at Raquel who glared briefly at Orion, then smiled and said, “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too,” Orion said.
The men walked away, and I studied Raquel, who was still staring at Orion.
“Raquel?”
“Hm?”
“Oh my god,” I breathed out, and her eyes flew to me. “He’s not here because of the Spiders, is he? He’s here for you.”
She suddenly got very interested in what was going on in her coffee cup. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I think you do.”
“You’re wrong.”
“Raquel Susan Brooks, you better spill your guts right now, or I’m going straight into that kitchen and I’m going to ask Orion all about it.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” she hissed.
I grinned in triumph.
“I hate you,” she said.
“No, you don’t,” I countered. “You fear me, but you also adore me, so you’re torn.”
She couldn’t stop a snort as she tried to stop a laugh.
“Why is Orion here, Raquel?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure. Entirely.”
“Bullshit.” I leaned forward and tapped her knee. “How long have you two been a ‘thing’?”
She sighed. “Not long. It started as a friends-with-benefits kind of thing and I was good with that. I mean, let’s be honest, if I hooked up with a biker, both Dad and Tristan would kill me. But now Ori’s changing the rules. I told him I needed a break. Apparently, he didn’t care.”
“People who need a break from just a ‘friends-with-benefits’ type thing don’t typically jump on a plane and go running to their big brothers.”
“Well, you would know,” she quipped.
I chuckled. “And I’ve got twins in my belly to prove it.”
She grinned. “I can’t wait to babysit.”
“I can’t wait for you to babysit,” I said. “But quit trying to change the subject.”
She rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee, saying nothing.
“Does Rabbit know you have no interest in him?”
“Oh my god, Rabbit has eyes for one woman and one woman only. I could strip naked, kneel in front of him and offer to suck him off and he wouldn’t care.”
I sighed. So, that was still a thing. Rabbit had fallen in lust with Willow and Jasmine’s best friend, Parker, but it was unrequited at best. I’d hoped he’d moved on when he started openly flirting with other women, but it sounded like he may have been doing that to throw everyone off the scent.
“Don’t tell Tristan,” Raquel said.
“About you or Rabbit?”
She shrugged. “Either. Both.”
“Can’t do that, Raquel. Sorry. I don’t keep shit from your brother. It does not go well when I do.”
“Well, can you not offer information, then?” she begged. “If he asks, tell him, but only if he asks.”
“I’ll try. No promises, though.”
“Liv?” Rabbit called from the foyer.
“Yeah, bud?”
“Linda’s here. She’d like a word.”
I frowned. “With me?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay.” I rose to my feet and headed toward the door, but Doc stepped in front of me.
“We’re doing this together. Milky’s kicked her to the curb, so if shit goes down, I’m at your back.”
“Do you really think she’d try to hurt me, honey?” I asked. “It’s more likely she just made a bad choice on who to trust.”
“I’m not taking any chances,” he said, then nodded to Rabbit. “Let her in.”
Rabbit opened the door and Linda walked in, followed by Otter. She looked terrified, and I felt bad for her, but Doc was right, we couldn’t take any chances.
Linda glanced at Doc then me and dropped her head. “I’m so sorry. I have no excuses. Bonnie and I ran into each other at Starbucks and I just didn’t think.”
“Ran into each other?” I asked.
“I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a coincidence…now,” she admitted and met my eyes. “Anyway, I just needed to tell you that in person. Are you okay?”
I nodded. “So far.”
Tears slid down her cheeks. “Oh my god, Liv, seriously, I’m so, so sorry.”
“You and Milky square?” Doc asked.
Her eyes flew to him. “If you mean, was he gentle when he dumped me? Physically, yes. But I’m more concerned about you and Liv and I want you to know, I’ll be more careful about who I talk to in the future.”
“We appreciate that,” Doc said.
“Will you guys excuse us, please?” I asked.
Doc shook his h
ead. “Liv—”
I stared pointedly at him. “I said, please.”
He sighed, then nodded, and I led Linda to one of the foyer chairs while the men made themselves scarce.
The second we were alone, she burst into tears. “I’m so sorry, Liv. I had no idea Bonnie was sleeping with Snapper. I was so stupid.”
“You weren’t stupid, honey. Bonnie’s a good manipulator.”
She nodded, pulling a tissue from her purse. “I didn’t even tell her it was you guys Milky was picking up. God, he was so mad.”
Well, that was interesting. Milky didn’t get mad. Not at women, anyway. He fucked them, then moved on if he felt they were getting too clingy, but emotions weren’t something he entertained.
“Well, I’m sorry he was angry with you,” I said. “And I’m sorry he ended things.”
The amount of times I’d told a club whore I was sorry one of the bikers had ended things could fill a book, but this time, I meant it. Linda was naïve, which couldn’t be said for most of the hangers on, but she was nice to everyone, and I didn’t doubt Bonnie had used that.
“Me too,” she said, wiping her eyes. “But I brought it on myself, so I get it. Anyway, I have to get going. I have a shift starting in an hour.”
Linda was a waitress at one of the local strip clubs. I got the impression she didn’t have a whole lot of options when it came to gainful employment, but she worked hard and everyone liked her, so I was genuinely sad that things were tough for her right now.
“I appreciate you coming and talking to me,” I said.
“Thank you for seeing me.”
She walked out and I turned just as Doc walked back into the foyer.
“I take it, you heard all that?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
“I think she and Milky really liked each other.”
“Sounds like it.” He lifted my chin and shook his head. “Don’t interfere.”
“I have no intention of interfering. That’s Jazz’s thing.”
He rolled his eyes. “Well, don’t make her do it.”
I gripped his cut. “No promises.”
“Do you have something to tell me?”
I frowned. “Like what?”
“Why is Raquel really here?”
“Shit.” I sighed. “Could you maybe be a little less observant?”
He crossed his arms. “What’s going on?”
“I feel like Raquel should tell you. It’s just not my place.”
“Answer me this…does it have anything to do with Orion being here?”
I bit my lip. “Maybe?”
“Jesus, fucking Christ,” he hissed, dragging his hands through his hair as he stalked away from me and into the great room.
* * *
Doc
“Raquel, my office, now,” I demanded, and made my way down the hall. I heard her swear, then her familiar stomp as she followed me, so I waited until she walked in before closing the door.
“What can I do for you, darling brother?” she asked.
“You and Orion.”
“Me and who?”
I raised an eyebrow and leaned against my desk. “You seriously trying that shit with me? It might work with Dad, but you forget who you’re talking to.”
She sighed, wrinkling her nose. “He and I have been seeing each other for a little while, but I broke things off.”
“Why?”
“None of your business.”
“Fair enough. But why’s he here?”
She shrugged. “You’d have to ask him.”
“I’m gonna fuckin’ lose my religion if you don’t start telling me the truth.”
“I don’t know why he’s here. I told him I needed a break. He said okay, but now he’s here, so I have no idea.”
I cocked my head. “Did he know you were coming here?”
“No.”
“Raquel,” I warned.
“Okay, fine!” she snapped. “I didn’t tell him anything, but he knows me enough to know that when I’m feeling any kind of emotion, I’m gonna go running to my big brother. You’re my emotional support human.”
I sighed and pulled her against me. “What’s really goin’ on, sissy?”
She burst into tears. “I don’t know. I’m just all out of sorts right now.”
“Why?”
“Maybe because I’m failing two of my classes,” she growled, pulling away from me. “And I’m failing because I’ve been so wrapped up in Orion, I couldn’t focus.”
“Are you seriously failing two of your classes?”
“C in one and a C minus in the other.”
“Well, shit,” I said. Our dad wasn’t one to accept anything less than a B when it came to school, and since he was footing the bill, Raquel was going to have to bring those grades up.
“Well, shit, indeed, big brother. Do you have any idea what Daddy’s going to do when he finds out?”
I rolled my eyes, releasing her. “You haven’t told him?”
“No, I haven’t told him!” She threw her hands in the air. “The second I do, he’s gonna ship me home for good.”
Someone pounded on my door, and Raquel reached over and opened it. Orion walked in and glared at me. “What the fuck’s goin’ on?” he demanded.
“Oh, put your dick back in your pants,” Raquel retorted as I bit back a laugh. “I told him everything. He’s fine with it.”
“Then why the hell are you crying?” he asked, at the same time I said, “Not sure I said I was fine with it.”
Raquel turned to me. “Can you give us a minute?”
I studied Orion for a minute and waited until he showed me his throat, symbolically, by lowering his head in contrition. We may not be part of the same club, but I was still his superior, and he knew it.
“Tris, please,” Raquel pressed.
I pushed away from my desk and left them alone, running into Olivia as I walked out of the room.
“Is she still alive?” Olivia deadpanned.
Ignoring her question, I cupped her chin and kissed her quickly. “Did you eat?”
“I started to. But when I saw Orion walk this way, I figured I’d come and make sure everything was okay.”
“Everything’s fine.”
She gripped my cut and frowned. “Were you hard on her?”
“No, sweetness, I was not. Not my job.”
She relaxed, smiling. “I think she’s in love with him.”
“Yeah, she might be.”
She slid her hands up my chest. “How do you feel about that?”
“Not sure, baby. You really gonna make me visit this right now?”
“No. We can drill down on that another time.”
I wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Thanks.”
“I have some work to do. I’m going to shut myself in the office for a bit, okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I’ll come check on you in a bit.”
She walked away, and I waited for my sister to finish her conversation.
* * *
Olivia
I’d been in the office for about an hour when someone knocked at the door. “Come in.”
Lyric poked her head inside. “Hey.”
“Hi,” I said, closing my laptop and setting it beside me on the sofa.
“Just wanted to give you an update on Joey,” she said, walking in and sitting in the cuddle chair beside the sofa.
“That’s a fast update.”
“I don’t fuck around with this kind of bullshit,” she said, irritation in her tone. “That boy is going down. In the form of an ‘anonymous’ tip to the authorities about some of his illegal activities I managed to bury. It’s so fascinating that it came to light now. Very coincidental.”
I chuckled. “I bet.”
Lyric nodded. “He was arrested about an hour ago. The little shit messed with the wrong bitch.” She shook her head. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m good.”
“Are you sure?”
&n
bsp; I smiled. “Yeah, honey, I’m sure. I got a little banged up, but it’ll all heal.”
She blinked back tears. “If anything had happened—”
I grabbed her hand. “Nothing happened. It’s all good.”
Lyric grabbed a tissue and blotted her eyes. “You’ve become my family, you know? I couldn’t bear to lose any of you.”
“I totally get it,” I said.
Doc walked into the room, took one look at Lyric, and turned back around. She and I dissolved into giggles as he left us again.
“Okay, why do they get all weird when they see one of us crying?” she asked.
I shook my head. “Because they ‘don’t have a vagina.’”
“Doc said that?” she asked with a gasp.
“He sure did,” I confirmed. “All I care about is if he’s there when I’m crying. And he is, so it’s all good.”
Doom walked in a few seconds later, a frown on his face. “What’s this about you cryin’?” he demanded.
“Oh, I’m fine, buddy,” I retorted. “It’s your woman who’s crying.”
His lips twitched, but he was obviously concerned about Lyric.
“I’m okay, honey,” Lyric assured him, standing and squeezing his arm. “I was just filling Olivia in on the Joey situation.”
“And that made you cry?”
“Well, the thought that I’d never see one of my best friends again did, yes.”
Doom sighed, sliding his hand to her neck. “You done giving Liv the update?”
“Yep.”
“Excuse us,” he said to me, and led Lyric out of the room.
I lifted my computer back on my lap just as Doc walked in again. “Everything good?”
I nodded.
“You still in the thick of it?”
I smiled. “A little, yes. But I should be done in half an hour or so.”
He leaned down and kissed me. “Willow’s cookin’ tonight.”
“Oh, then I’ll be done in ten.”
Doc chuckled. “Figured. I’ll leave you to it.”
“Thanks, honey.”
He left me and I focused on finishing my client’s notes.
Doc
I BANGED THE gavel and called the meeting to order. Tonight was officers only in prep for Church the next night. This meant, the meeting was closed and confidential, the difference being, Orion was joining us.
Keeping the Biker's Oath (Dogs of Fire: Savannah Chapter Book 5) Page 13