by Erin Osborne
“If you’re both so worried about another club stagin’ an ambush, why are we goin’?” Grizzly asks, sitting up in his chair to wait for the backlash from our President.
“Cause, I’m not gonna let some bitch club come in and think they can control what we do. We’ll fight anyone that comes knockin’ at our fuckin’ door, and they’re goin’ to learn that. Anyone else got any fuckin’ questions?” Slim asks, letting his anger and frustration out on us.
“Yeah. Why don’t we change up the location so no one knows where it is until the day of the meet?” Ghost asks, leaning back in his chair after putting his smoke out.
“Because, that’s still controllin’ us, and it’s not gonna fuckin’ happen. The meet will go on as planned and that’s it,” he says, slamming his fist down against the table.
“You sure that’s the best plan, boss? Sounds to me like you’re hopin’ for a war with some other club. Even if this club is just after Renegade and his boys, we’re still puttin’ ourselves in the mix,” Hitter says, voicing an opinion more than one of us have.
“From what Renegade says, it’s nothin’ more than some pussy club lookin’ to make a name for themselves. If that’s what they want, we’ll make sure everyone knows their names,” Slim says, looking at everyone around the table. “I get you don’t think this is a good idea. I’m not sure that it is either, but Renegade doesn’t want to change anythin’. And I agree with him to a point.
We’ll be doin’ what they want if we start changin’ shit up and makin’ moves without really thinkin’ about it or scoutin’ new locations properly. So, we’re gonna do this drop as planned. The next one will probably be changed up, but for now, you know your roles. Anythin’ else?”
“We gettin’ ready for a lockdown in case shit goes bad?” I ask, wanting to know what his backup plan is.
“Yeah. Get the girls to start gettin’ shit ready. Make lists of anythin’ that’s needed on our end, and we’ll make one trip. Boys, I want all the girls that have come here recently inside the compound. Jennifer and Wade, Sally and Natalia, Kim, Gwen, and Samantha and Caleb. Every fuckin’ person is to be here by the end of the day. That understood?” Slim says, making sure we all know what our roles are as soon as we get out of here.
“What about Shy? You leavin’ her on her own?” Hound asks, looking at Slim while the rest of us find other places to look. No one ever questions Slim about Shy.
“Not your concern, Hound,” Slim says from between gritted teeth. “Shy is one of us and will be protected, and that’s all you gotta fuckin’ know.”
Slim slams the gavel on the table and leaves the room. A door slams and I know he’s gone in his office for the time being. Maybe he needs to get a workout in and get rid of some of the aggression he’s hanging onto right now. Shy is the only house bunny he’ll touch, and she’s not here. Fuck! This isn’t going to be any fun if he’s in this kind of mood with everyone around.
Wood and I make our way out of church and toward the door. There’s no point in having a beer with the guys or anything since we have to go get J and Wade. It’s going to be a fight, but hopefully, she’ll be okay knowing that Kim and the rest of the girls are going to be here too.
It’s not just going to be her here with the house bunnies. House bunnies are what we call the girls that stay here for our enjoyment. We find a release with them and in return, they get a roof over their heads and protection. Some of them work at Allure while the rest stay here and make sure the clubhouse is cleaned and stocked. No one is forced to be here, and I’ve seen more than one of the girls get their education paid for by the club before they moved on with their life.
“Ready for this?” Wood asks, throwing a leg over his bike as we get outside.
“Yeah. Think we should take her shoppin’ first or bring her here? She can pack what they’ll need before we leave,” I say, getting on my bike and sitting still while Wood figures out the best way to handle the situation.
“Yeah. We have a few hours before we gotta be here. Then, we’ll get Alex to get one of the vans and meet us at the house. Wade’s gonna need shit we don’t have here for him yet,” he says, sliding his shades on before turning his hat around and starting his bike.
It takes us minutes to get to our girl’s place. We made sure she wasn’t too far away from the clubhouse when she got here. That way, if she has any problems or is having a bad day, we can be here in no time at all.
As we pull up, she’s sitting outside on the steps with Wade toddling around in the grass next to her. Her long blonde hair is blowing in the slight breeze. It’s good to see laughter brightening up her face and making her look free and light as she watches her son play and see what he can find in the yard. J hasn’t smiled like that in a long time-not since the attack. The smile lights up her face to the point that her crystal blue eyes sparkle.
“Hey, beautiful,” I call out, loving the blush that creeps up J’s face at my words.
“Hey, guys. What are you doing here?” she asks, turning her attention back to Wade as he starts to head in our direction with a huge smile on his face.
“Need to talk to you about some things. And we wanted to take you shoppin’,” Wood says, bending down to pick Wade up.
“What things?” she cautiously asks, standing up and picking her glass up to take inside.
“Well, there are some things goin’ down, and we need to move you and Wade into the clubhouse for a little while. Kim and the rest of the girls will be there too,” I tell her, following her inside.
“Why is that?” she asks, turning to face us.
“Club business. All we can say is that Slim wants everyone at the clubhouse until further notice,” Wood says, walking up to her and resting his free hand against her cheek. “Babe, you know we wouldn’t do it if it weren’t necessary. You’ll be in our room, and we’ll make sure you got what you need.”
“I know you will. You both take care of us. I’m just a little nervous about bein’ around all the guys,” she answers honestly, standing between us. “I’ll do whatever you think is best though.”
There’s a nervousness as Jennifer walks around her house and gets things ready to go. She said she needs to go get Wade some pull-ups and a few new clothes because he’s been growing like a weed and is outgrowing the clothes he has. We know Jennifer doesn’t have a lot of money. Most of it comes from assistance she gets while she is healing and trying to get back on her feet.
She’s talked to Kim about wanting to find a job and has put a few applications in at a few stores around town. But, once they see that she really has no experience, her applications get dismissed. Wood and I have been trying to think of something she can do that possibly means she’ll be working for the Phantom Bastards, but we don’t want to seem like we’re pushing our life on her.
“So, what do I need to bring with me?” she asks, setting the diaper bag down on the end of the couch and stopping her movements for the first time since we pulled up.
“We’ll need somethin’ for Wade to sleep in, clothes for both of you, and anythin’ else you think either of you will need,” I say, pulling her into my side in a show of comfort. “We’re gonna head out and go shoppin’ before we worry about that. You’ll have some time to process this, J.”
She nods her head and picks the diaper bag back up. Wood picks Wade up again, and we make our way out to the SUV she’s been using. It belongs to the club, but we weren’t about to leave her here feeling stranded and alone.
So, Slim gave us the keys for one of them and told us to make sure she could drive it before we just left it to her. He didn’t want her being in over her head and not saying anything about it. So, I took her out driving while Wood sat with Wade. J did really good and told us to make sure we thanked Slim for her. Out of all the guys, he’s the one that makes her the most nervous.
Sliding in the backseat, J climbs in front with my friend. She settles in and we take off. Wade picks up the toy motorcycle we gave him and starts racing it a
cross his car seat before looking at me. I smile down at him and wait to see what his next move is.
He hands me his bike, and I run it up and down the car seat before starting to roll it across his arm and down to his hand. Wade starts laughing and J turns back to see what’s so funny. She laughs as she watches her son try to bat the bike away from his body while I continue to race it along.
The smile on J’s face makes playing with her son worth it. I love Wade like he’s my own, but the smiles we get from his mom are so few and far between that they light up the room when we get to see them. It’s not a hardship to play with Wade or spend time with either one of them, and if that’s what it takes to make her happy and prove that we want nothing but the best for her, that’s what we’ll do.
Chapter Two
Jennifer
THE RIDE TO the store is silent other than Wade’s little laughter. It’s my favorite sound in the world. Wood and Boy Scout have brought this side out in him. He’s always laughing and playing when they’re around. They don’t get upset if he makes a mess of them or when he spills things. These two men are patient and I can see the love they feel for my son.
Alex is the same way. He’s the main one watching over us, but he’s a little standoffish. Don’t get me wrong, he’s always there if I need help and he plays with Wade when I need him to, but something is holding him back. Sometimes I see a look of regret and sadness in his eyes as he looks at my son. I haven’t asked him about it though.
I’m so lost in my own head I don’t realize we’ve been sitting in an unmoving SUV for a few minutes now. Long enough for Boy Scout to have gotten Wade out and put him in a cart while Wood sits with me. Looking over at him, I can’t help but think of how sexy he is.
“You okay Spitfire?” he asks, pulling my hand in his.
“Yeah. I was just thinking,” I say, leaving my hand where it is while a shiver runs through my body at his contact.
“Thinkin’ about what?” he asks, never letting me hide anything from him as he tries to get me to open up more and more.
“Alex. Something has happened to him. I see the almost haunted look he gets in his eyes when he plays with Wade,” I say honestly, never once taking my eyes from his blue, almost silver ones.
“I’ll talk to him, babe,” Wood says, pulling my hand up to kiss the back of it making me break out with goosebumps.
Nodding my head, I pull my hand away so we can get what we need and head back to the apartment. I’m nervous as hell about being at the clubhouse, but I need to start getting out and spending time with the men that have given Wade and me so much.
This club has given us a roof over our heads, they make sure we have food, and they pulled me out of not one, but two situations I was in. I don’t think they’d be doing all this if it wasn’t for Wood and Boy Scout. But, it’s time I get over my fear and start interacting with more people than the four currently in my life.
Getting out, Boy Scout patiently waits for us, pushing Wade around in circles. I swear, these two act like little kids when they’re playing with my son. I’ve never seen two grown men love and pay attention to a child that isn’t theirs. Hell, after the accident, it was like my dad forgot I was his child, and I was treated as nothing more than a burden.
“Ready to go?” Boy Scout asks, stopping the cart next to me and letting me take over pushing it into the large chain store that’s a one stop shop.
“Yeah,” I say, turning to look at him as we make our way inside.
I head directly to the baby section so I can grab pull-ups and a few snacks so Wade has something to munch on when we’re at the clubhouse. The men follow me and throw a few other odds and ends in the cart as I push it along. There’s no point in arguing with them because I know they’re going to do what they want to anyway. Wood leaves us as I find the aisle with the pull-ups, and I can just imagine what he’s going to look at now.
“Get what you need and don’t worry about it,” Boy Scout says, as I pick a box off the shelf and place it in the cart.
Boy Scout pulls another box down and puts it in the cart. I stare at him in astonishment that he’s just adding what I’ll need in another few weeks to the cart. These men anticipate our needs all the time, and then just give it to me. I don’t have to ask for it or say in a roundabout way that I need something.
Every day they amaze me, and I can’t help but feel the ice that I surrounded my heart with melt a little more. It’s the little things that mean the most to me, and that’s what is making me melt toward the men in my life. Because without a doubt, Wood and Boy Scout are in my life.
Wood walks back with a pack ‘n play and places it on the bottom of the cart. I know they said we needed something for Wade to sleep in while we’re at the clubhouse. As I look at all the stuff in the cart though, I can feel a fine sheen of sweat begin to cover my body as I panic. I’m not gonna have enough money for all this stuff. I only get so much money a month as I look for work, and this is going to wipe out my budget for this month.
“Stop, Spitfire,” Wood says, taking my hands off the cart and pulling me away from it. “I can see that you’re startin’ to panic. You don’t need to worry about payin’ for this trip. Boy Scout and I make more than enough for us to live comfortably, and we’re gonna help take care of you guys.”
“But,” I begin as he wraps a hand around my jaw and makes me look at him.
“We’ve told you that you’re ours. Now, we’ve given you time to work through things in your head. But, we’re done holdin’ back. Jennifer, you will be our ol’ lady, and we will be a family. We’re not the douche canoes that hurt you and made you feel less than you are.
“Boy Scout and I are strong enough to help you carry your load, and we’re goin’ to prove it to you. You just need to let us in,” he says, never once taking his eyes from me. I’m not scared at the way that he’s holding me; I stopped shrinking away from him and Boy Scout months ago.
No, I’m scared that this will all be too much for them to handle and they’ll leave me alone and shattered when they’re done with me.
“Let’s just take this a day at a time and see what happens,” I say, not wanting to commit to anything just this second. “For now, we’ll finish shopping and then head home.”
His face changes when I say that we’re gonna head home. I’m not dumb enough to think we’ll fit in that little apartment I’m in, or that we’re ready for that step. But, I do know that I have never felt the way Wood and Boy Scout make me feel without even trying. That’s why I’m scared I’m gonna get hurt by them.
For the next hour or so, we walk around the baby section and I pick and choose outfits for Wade. He’s getting so big. It seems like I just bought him a ton of new clothes, and he already needs more. I can’t wait to see what happens when he gets older and going through clothes faster than he is now. At this rate, I’ll have to start saving money now for things he’ll need when he’s a teenager.
Wood and Boy Scout pick out a few outfits they like for Wade, and I laugh as they hold them up next to my son for his approval. Anything they choose seems to have a theme; bikes or vehicles on it. Of course, it all catches Wade’s eye and they use that as their reasoning to get him what he wants.
It’s funny to see two badass bikers wandering from rack to rack, making faces at some of the clothes, while other times, their eyes light up when they find something they like. I almost forget the small talk Wood just had with me and live in the moment. Moments like this are rare and will be gone before I know it as my son grows and gets older.
Before we leave the store, they walk me over to the women’s clothing section. I don’t have a lot of clothes, and I’m good with what I have. They think I need more since the weather is getting warmer again though. So, I pick out a few pairs of shorts while Boy Scout disappears this time.
Wood is standing at a rack of shirts and tank tops that are pretty. Making my way over to him, he’s already got a handful picked out that he tosses in the cart when I come t
o a stop. My eyes bug out while I catch a glimpse of Boy Scout coming our way with a handful of nighties. I haven’t ever worn them, and I’m not sure that I want to now, as he places them in the cart that’s almost overflowing.
“Guys, this is way more than enough. Can we get out of here now?” I ask, feeling very overwhelmed and uncomfortable.
“What’s wrong?” Boy Scout asks, blocking my path.
“I’ve just never had a lot of clothes or possessions. The things that fill the house are for Wade. I’m content with the few things I have, and I don’t need to be showered with material things,” I say, trying not to sound like a bitch when I’m getting confused.
“Hey, we’re not tryin’ to upset you. We want to take care of you. No, we won’t always get you things, we’ll do other things to show you we care about you. But, I happen to know you don’t really have many clothes you can wear when it’s hot as balls out. So, we’re makin’ sure you have what you need. These items aren’t things you want, they’re things that you need. There’s a big difference there, babe,” Boy Scout says, his voice gentle and soothing as he talks to me.
“I get what you’re saying, I really do. But, I’m good with I have already,” I say, trying to argue my point further.
“No, you don’t. Let us do this Spitfire,” Wood says, stopping by the cart and turning it so we can head toward the checkout lines. “We’ll always have your back even when you think you have what you need.”
Once we cashed out, Wood drove us to a little diner in town. We were supposed to be sharing a good meal filled with laughter and lightness. That’s something I haven’t experience-not since my mom was alive still. Tears build in my eyes as I think about my past. The family I once had and what it turned into. Some days, I really want to hate my sister and her selfish ways, but she’s dead and that makes me feel horrible about myself. So, I get out of my head and push those thoughts away in order to enjoy the moment that’s right in front of me.