“Bearing in mind that my parents hated Bennett and his family and didn’t want me to spend as much as a second in their presence, we had to be sneaky. I told them that I was having a single girl’s night out at the movies with a friend when in reality I was with Bennett. He had everything planned. We went to the park and there was a picnic all laid out for us and we spent the night alternating between, kissing, cuddling and eating. Sadly the evening ended way too quickly, but it was perfect all the same.” I sigh as I remember that night fondly.
“Mine and Ant’s first real date was very similar to that. God, it was much easier back then for us, no worries or responsibilities or fucked up biker assholes coming after us every two seconds,” Ayden says and the girls nod in agreement.
“I miss those days, sure my parents made it difficult, but it was ours. I feel like I was robbed of so much more than just five years.” I sigh.
“I feel you, Hon,” Ayden states whilst patting my hand. “I’ll tell you what happened to me one day. We’ll have to sit with a box of tissues, unlimited amounts of alcohol and at least two boxes of Red Velvet donuts.” She smiles and winks at me.
“Okay, you really don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to though and I could legit live off of those. There are so fucking good.”
“Amen to that sister!” Nicole practically shouts as she high fives me.
“I want to, we’ve all been through some rough patches and there are some similarities in all of our circumstances,” she looks sad for a minute, as if she’s remembering something painful before she continues. “But let’s not allow those fuckers to have any sort of control over us anymore.” She shakes her head as if to rid herself of her thoughts before and smiles at us all.
“That’s for sure but we’re the shit and we’ve all made it out even stronger because of our pasts,” Viv says as her and Nicole fist bump each other.
They keep talking but I’m distracted by my phone alerting me to a text. I look and see a message from Bennett.
Bennett: Just in case no one told you today. Good morning, you’re beautiful, I love you, nice ass.
A giggle leaves my mouth and I look up to see all four women staring at me with grins on their faces.
“Let me guess, Bennett at it again?” Viv asks and I nod.
“Yes,” I reply as she looks at my phone.
“Gabe sent me the same a while back but it’s adorable.” She smiles and her face drops instantly probably regretting saying that Gabe sent her the same before.
“It’s alright, it’s the thought that counts.” I smile and I mean it. I know Bennett isn’t always the best with words so for him to take the time to text me is really sweet and I love it.
Me: I love you too and likewise for your ass <3
Bennett: Glad you appreciate it. How are you?
Me: Good, just finished lunch with the girls, about to head home soon. You?
Bennett: Work, I’m all sweaty and greasy…
Me: Sounds gross and hot at the same time…
Bennett: Will you clean me again later?
Me: Oh you just want my hands on you.
Bennett: Obviously! Gotta get back to work or Ant is going to kill me. I love your face.
Me: I love yours more.
After my little texting session with Bennett we finish lunch and head back home, dropping the others off first before me and Callum drive back to Bennett’s. Callum insisted on staying in his truck, but I don’t let him and ‘drag’ him inside with the promise of food and beer.
“What’s going through your head?” I ask Callum who looks lost in his thoughts as he sits on the couch picking at the label on his beer bottle.
“Nothing.” He keeps his face neutral as if everything was good but I’m not buying it.
“Callum, I know you.” I give him a ‘don’t bullshit me’ look which he just laughs at.
“You know how I am and how I roll with women.” He shrugs.
“So it’s a woman problem.” I smirk at him.
“Fuck off.” He chuckles.
“Spill it, Callum.” I sit on the coffee table in front of him and glare at him.
“I’ve fucked a woman, more than once and she now thinks there’s something there, like she’s managed to crack me open and I’m gonna confess my undying love for her.” He scoffs.
“Okay, whoever she is obviously doesn’t know you very well then.” I snort.
“So you don’t think there’s someone out there for me?” he asks, playing my little match making game, just for my amusement I’m sure.
“Of course I do, but if she thinks she’s cracked you after you guys have fucked a couple of times then she clearly doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” I shrug.
“Fair enough. Wanna know the fun part of all of this?”
“Do you even have to ask?” I raise my eyebrow at him.
“She’s a fucking cop.” I try really hard not to, but I quickly lose it and burst out laughing. I almost fall off of the table from I’m laughing so hard. “Fuck off.” He jokes before joining me.
“Oh my god, that’s fucking epic.” I try to sober up but fail quickly and fall into another fit of giggles.
“Fuck you, I’m not sharing anything with you anymore.”
“I’m sorry, really I am.” I take a few deep breaths and get my laughter under control.
“You’re so full of shit.” He glares at me.
“You have to admit it’s fucking priceless. You fucked a cop and she fell for you. You are the only person I know that that could happen to.”
“I know. I’m trying to distance myself from her but she’s helping us out at the moment.” He groans.
“Don’t worry about it, I’m sure she’ll understand that things can’t always work out the way you them want to. She’ll find the perfect man one day and you’ll find someone out there perfect for you. It will happen because you deserve to be happy and be in love again.” I glare at him, daring him to disagree with me.
“Nance, don’t start. You know that’s never going to happen.”
“That’s why you’re worried about having a relationship; you think history is going to repeat itself.”
“Nancy,” he says in a tone that’s warning me to stop.
“Callum, I know your deepest and darkest secrets, I know what’s happened to you and I know that someone will come along someday when you least expect it. And I’ll be there rubbing my hands together and saying ‘excellent’ like Mr. Burns in ‘The Simpsons’.” I smirk.
“You’re so fucking frustrating sometimes.” He stares at me.
“Oh shh, you love me.”
“To a certain extent.”
“What are you two up to? Confessing your love for each other?” A very pissed off Bennett asks from the doorway to my right.
“Not what you think, Bennett.” I smile at him before getting up and walking over to him.
“Yeah, right.” He glares at me. Oh for God’s sake!
“You have two options. You can either believe me because you know that I love you and only you and then kiss me, or you can go moan in the corner. What is it gonna be?” I cross my arms over my chest and scowl at him. He casts a murderous glance at Callum before giving in and kisses me.
“Smart decision, Brother,” Callum says as he gets up from the couch and walks in our direction.
“Yeah, don’t tell my woman that you love her even if it is ‘to a certain extent’, I’ll punch you in the throat next time.”
“I’d love to see that.” Callum smirks before kissing the side of my head and walking out the front door.
“Fucker,” Bennett mumbles which makes me giggle.
“How was your day?”
“Same shit, different day.” He shrugs and pulls me flush to his body. “Did you have fun shopping?”
“Yeah, it was fun. The girls are awesome.” I smile.
“I’m glad you all get along, it’s reassuring,” he murmurs against my neck.
“I’m gl
ad too. As you might remember growing up I only really had one friend other than you.”
“The quantity doesn’t matter, it’s the quality of the friendship that’s important and you’ve found four of the best friends you could ever ask for.”
“Everybody has been really amazing and friendly. It feels good to have so many people around, weirdly.”
“Why is it weird?” He looks shocked.
“My life has always been a case of having more people around meant more work and more people to please and more chances to fuck it up. The least amount of people my parents had to deal with, the better.” I shrug.
“Makes sense. At least you have a new family now.” He beams.
“And I’m so grateful for that.” I kiss him softly.
“So, what’s for dinner?” he asks and pats his stomach.
“I’m craving a big steak.”
“I’ve got one for you right here,” he declares as he grabs his package.
“Oh my God, Bennett. You’re a fucking pervert!” I shake my head and slap his chest.
“And don’t you forget it and don’t act like you don’t love it.” He chuckles and kisses me. “I’m going to grab a quick shower.”
“Righto.” I watch him walk away, tilting my head as I appreciate the greatness that is Bennett’s ass clad in tight jeans.
As I finish cutting up the potatoes and vegetables for dinner, my cell phone rings in my pocket. I put the tray in the oven and set the timer before pulling my phone out and answering. I don’t bother checking the caller ID but once I hear the voice on the other end of the line I know I should’ve.
“Hello?” I answer and lodge the phone between my ear and my shoulder as I start to make a salad.
“Nancy?” I freeze with the spoons in midair as I hear that voice.
“Mother?” I drop the spoons and grab a hold of the phone before I drop it in the bowl.
“It’s so good to hear your voice, my Darling,” she sings down the phone with a voice that’s full of fake happiness.
“What do you want?” I spit.
“Aren’t you happy to hear from me? We haven’t talked in years, Nancy. We were so worried about you!” I don’t believe one word that comes out of that woman’s mouth and I just want this conversation to end right now.
“Not particularly, I mean you did bury me after all.” I snarl.
“That’s not a tone you should use when talking to your mother.”
“Big fucking deal, what do you want?” I ask, really not caring what she thinks about my ‘tone’.
“Your father and I want you back. That’s why we asked Bennett to find you, obviously he didn’t think of telling us he found you. Not that we could ever trust him. He is a filthy criminal after all.” The way she talks about Bennett makes me want to crawl down the phone and punch her in her judgmental face.
“Why the hell did you call in him in the first place if you didn’t trust him then?” I scoff.
“Do not talk to your mother like that.” She scolds me.
“Look, Mother, I’m past caring about your bullshit. Things have happened and I’m different now, I’m not the sweet little girl you thought I was when I was growing up. I’m a twenty three year old woman who wants to live her life with her boyfriend and friends. I was robbed of five fucking years of my life, don’t you think I deserve some happiness?” I yell at her.
“You do, and you should do it by spending time with your real family and not those animals. I’ve seen what they get up to. They’re no better than the ones who took you!” she exclaims.
“How would you know? And how did you get my number?”
“I hired someone else to look for you, I knew I couldn’t trust Bennett,” she says his name with such disgust that I want to see her just so I can hit her.
“Why doesn’t that surprise me, Mother?” I reply with just as much disgust in my voice.
“Listen to me, if you don’t come back home, I swear to God I will make your life miserable. We still hold a lot of power and have certain connections, that little biker boyfriend of yours could be found dead in a ditch in less time than it takes to say home. I would think long and hard about your choices. I’ll be in touch.” I can hear the leer in her voice before she hangs up.
I hate my life.
I groan as I throw my phone on the counter and get myself a beer.
“Didn’t peg you as a solo drinker.” Bennett says as he walks in the kitchen with just a towel wrapped around his waist.
“Sorry,” I mumble as I grab him one.
“What’s wrong?” I go to walk to the living room but he grabs my arm to stop me.
“Got a call.” I sigh.
“From?” he questions me expectantly.
“My Mother.”
“Fuck.”
“Exactly.” A call from her doesn’t bode well for any of us. I know she would follow through with her threat and do all she can to ruin mine and Bennett’s lives.
CHAPTER 23
Bennett
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I did not except her parents to call last night. I know her mother is a psycho bitch, but to threaten us, again? That’s just fucked up and it makes me want to keep to our original plan from five years ago and get on my bike and drive to wherever we please.
I still think about the two of us disappearing on a daily basis since she reappeared in my life and that’s exactly what’s invading my thoughts right now as I’m sat in the middle of a Chapel meeting. We’re supposed to be solving other problems with our gun deals and I’m too lost in my thoughts to be paying attention.
“You alright, Brother?” I hear Gabe’s voice and it brings me out of my thoughts as Lewis finishes talking about something. I still don’t get why she’s been a part of our Chapel meetings lately, especially when it concerns gun deals.
“Just dealing with some stuff with Nancy.”
“Everything good?” Ant asks.
“Her parents have found us, they hired someone else to look for her because they didn’t trust me. They’ve been keeping tracks on us apparently. I don’t know how much of it is true, but knowing her parents, we better be careful. They are horrible, fucked up people.” I sigh.
“Ryan is with her right?” Ant asks and I nod. “Good, at least you know she’s safe at the moment.”
“Yeah, it’s just that I have a constant niggling feeling that she could be taken away from me at any second.”
“I know the feeling, Brother. You have to get past it or you’ll drive yourself insane,” Ant says, giving me a pointed look.
“How did you ever get past it?” I ask.
“I didn’t, that’s why I’m the fucking Prez and you’re all my bitches, I found another occupation to keep my mind busy.” He laughs and we all join him. “Go see your woman. We need to discuss some stuff.”
“Great, more secrets.” I mumble and stand up. I’m incredibly pissed off with all the secrecy now.
“It’s for your ow-”
“Yeah, yeah my own good, I know.” I’m about to leave when I get a text. I check it quickly in case it’s Nancy, but what I see has my blood running cold. “Fuck!” I shout.
“What is it?” Ant asks, jumping up immediately and half-running over to me. I hand him my phone and show him the message sent from an unknown number. It’s a picture of Nancy and Ryan talking as she’s letting him into my place with ‘We know where she is’ written in what I’m assuming is blood across it.
“Fuck. We need to act and fast. Lewis, are you with us?” Ant asks her.
“Do you even have to ask?” She replies with a voice that’s full of attitude.
“Good. Our main concern right now is to k-” Ant is interrupted midsentence as cellphones ping with text messages. Ant, Gabe, Aleck and Jase all look at their phones and then at each other before all bellowing, “Motherfuckers!”
“Okay, they know where our women are and have eyes on all of them so our main concern at the moment is to get them somewhere
safe. We’ll pay the Infernos a little visit when the women and kids are all protected. Let’s go,” Ant orders as he stalks out of the Chapel with his phone to his ear. The others ring their women and I phone Nancy as I jog to my bike.
“Hey Bennett.” Her voice is shaky. Fuck, he’s shown him the picture.
“I’m on my way, are you safe?”
“Yes, I’m with Ryan. Ryan showed me the picture, Bennett. They know where I am. I have to leave.” Her voice breaks as she finishes her sentence and it breaks my heart. Fucking Ryan. Why in the hell did he have to show her the damn picture?
“I am not letting you leave, Nancy. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Get a bag ready with a couple days’ worth of clothes.” I hang up before she can argue and speed back home. Even though the drive is just a couple of minutes, they are the longest minutes of my life.
I park in front of my house and storm inside. As soon as I’m through the door, Nancy jumps into my arms and I can feel her shivering. “It’s going to be okay, my Gorgeous Girl. I’ll protect you. Nothing is going to happen to you.”
“You don’t understand, these people are really dangerous,” she says with hitched breaths.
“I know. Our main concern right now is getting you somewhere safe.”
“Where are we going?” She asks and she looks terrified.
“You’ll see. You following us?” I ask Ryan.
“Of course.” He grabs Nancy’s bag and we all walk out of the house. I lock up and turn on the alarm before helping Nancy with her helmet. As soon as she’s safely on the back of my bike I peel out of my driveway with Ryan right on our tail.
Since our women have been the targets so many times, we put a contingency plan into place. After Nicole was targeted, we found a safe house just outside town in case something like this happened again. We hoped that we wouldn’t have to use it, but life never goes the way you want it to.
Despite the circumstances, it feels so good to have Nancy on the back of my bike with her arms wrapped around me. It takes me about thirty minutes to get to our safe location after taking a very long and indirect route so we could make sure we lost any tails we might have picked up. We stagger our arrivals at the safe house in a particular order so we wouldn’t draw attention to the location. A load of bikers turning up at the same place all at the same time would look suspicious. If anyone is late, we are to try and locate them as soon as possible.
Forgiving Nancy (Last Hangman MC Series Book 5) Page 16