Elena had been busy giving riding lessons and Thrash decided to bring her some cold lemonade. It was hot outside and it wasn’t even noon. Kat had just said hello to her before Elena had needed to go start her lessons. At least Thrash had a real reason now to be checking on Elena more, his sister would be living with her. He was a bit worried because Elena was due before Kima had been. However, Kima was determined that she was going to have Josie first and she had walked for hours until labor started. Again, Thrash wondered why Hunter wouldn’t claim this baby and what had gone so wrong in their relationship. He decided Elena needed some food and found some egg salad in the fridge so he made two sandwiches. There was a tray on the counter so he put everything on it, added a few napkins and carefully made his way over to where Elena was sitting. She had one of her older students helping her with the riding lessons and was now sitting in the shade at a picnic table. Looking at her, he saw she had dark circles under her eyes.
“Elena, you look like shit. You should be in the house resting. I made lunch for you. I take it you were planning on an egg salad sandwich?”
“Thanks, Thrash. I was and I didn’t sleep much last night. Seems we had visitors at the farm last night. Jersey, Thorn and JJ tracked them to a pasture we don’t use. I need to have the path to the road blocked off, but there isn’t money for fencing yet. I’m thinking of having the hired hands Joy is bringing from the track string up barbed wire in the tree area. When we can afford to buy fencing it’ll be in front of the trees, anyway. There’s nothing like being tangled up in barbwire if you’re trespassing. It hurts like hell. I’m so glad Jersey is paying for us to have some hired help here. They’ll be living in the old trailer and they know horses really well. One of my older students needs a job and a place to keep her horse. So we’re going to make a deal for board and lessons until the baby is old enough for me to give lessons again. I also took a job hiring dancers for Dirty Deeds. Joy wants me to start my own agency and Darko seems to think it’s a good business plan. I don’t think I’ll be dancing anymore once I have this baby.” She winced as the baby kicked her.
Thrash watched her stomach move and felt jealous. He wanted it to be his baby in her, not Hunter’s all of a sudden. He found himself thinking back to the days he had wanted Elena and never understood why she was with Hunter. He never thought Hunter treated as well as he should have. She always did all the work while Hunter sat around. Hunter seemed to think it was fine for her to clean up after parties when she cooked and made sure everyone had a good time. He used to help her clean up with whatever old ladies that weren’t lazy asses and would help. There were times he had almost come to blows with Hunter over it but because they weren’t in the same club at that time, he hadn’t. As a bro, Hunter and he were close, even if he didn’t think Elena got a fair deal. Had Elena shown any interest in him years ago he would have fought Hunter over her. Maybe that had been the reason he hadn’t been very interested in having an ol’ lady—Elena was always in the back of his mind. Until he had met that bitch China and he had just wanted to settle down. All his bros had ol’ ladies and China had seemed to be what he needed. How wrong he’d been about her. The one thing he did wonder about was the way she reacted when he told her he was marrying China. Elena had pleaded with him not to do it. He remembered the way she had held on to his arm begging him to rethink it. Thrash almost had second thoughts even then and had stopped himself from asking her if she had feelings for him. In the last few years he noticed whenever he was around that Elena’s eyes always followed him. Once Elena saw Thrash, she seemed happier because he was around. He’d always made time for Elena because Hunter tended to ignore her when the guys were around. Many times he felt Hunter had taken Elena for granted. After the way he treated her when he announced the baby wasn’t his? It took a lot for Thrash to even talk to Hunter. However, it wasn’t his business what went on between a bro and his ol’ lady. When Hunter had put the vote up to ban Elena from all club activities and from the old ladies, not one bro would even second it. Something was up with Hunter. He didn’t act the same and treating Elena like she was just nothing and tossing her away—even that seemed unlike the man he knew. Unless there was a chance this baby really wasn’t Hunter’s, but Elena wasn’t a cheater. He recalled a drunken night he’d tried to kiss her and she pushed him down on his ass.
“Penny for your thoughts, Thrash. What is going on in that head of yours?” Elena was smiling at him warmly.
“I was thinking of the night I was drunk and tried to kiss you and you knocked me on my ass, actually.”
Elena flushed and tried to laugh. “You were so hammered! I figured you’d regret it or worse not remember it. I was going through a rough time with Hunter and I was ready to leave him. Had you been straight, I would’ve kissed you back—but oh my God, your breath was so bad and you were falling down drunk. I felt bad pushing you away, honestly. I was so young when Hunter and I finally got together. I let him take advantage of me in many ways. I’ll always love a tiny part him, but now I think that I was just there for him at the right time. I had a huge thing for him back in the day. I’ve had some time to think and we were good together, but it was always on Hunter’s terms. He did let me have my horses, but he never supported me really. I thought maybe this baby would make us a family and I was wrong. It wouldn’t have and buying this farm was the best thing Joy and I ever could’ve done.”
Thrash was shocked, all this time he had believed everything was fine in their relationship and it hadn’t been. Was Elena saying she would’ve gone off with him? He wanted to ask, but wasn’t sure how. He patted her hand and smiled at her.
“I guess it is a bit too late to have regrets now Thrash, isn’t it? We both were burned badly. Maybe neither of us can do relationships well. Dusty swears she can’t do them and never will try again. Maybe I’ll be like her.”
“Elena, you are nothing like Dusty and it seems to me she and Darko are close. Don’t give up on finding someone. You need a daddy for that baby, don’t you think?”
“What man is going to want me, Thrash? Be realistic—I have horses and I’m not as young as I once was. I’m going to be the best mother I can be and try to make a life for us.” Elena sounded upbeat and determined.
Just then Kat and Thrash’s dad pulled in stopping Thrash from replying to Elena’s comment. Thrash ruffled Elena’s hair as he got up to help unload the groceries. He noticed Jersey and JJ down at the trailer and decided he’d stop down later to talk to them. Those Filthy Fiends were starting to grow in numbers and even though they picked them off when they could it wasn’t enough if they had the balls to come on the farm.
“We bought lots of food, Thrash. I figured you’d want to eat and Veiko may as well eat here while Kima is in the hospital. I like to cook so I hope Elena won’t mind. I saw two guys leaving the other house, are they in your club?” Kat was full of questions as usual.
Thorn looked at his dad for reinforcement. “Jersey is and his ol’ lady owns part of this farm. She wouldn’t want you looking at her man, Kat. JJ is in another club, Nefarious, who is friendly with my club. I don’t think you should be thinking about bikers, either. Dad doesn’t want you mixed up with us. Do you, Dad?”
Mr. Finn looked at his two children. “I wouldn’t have chosen that path for my sons and I’d like to see you do better for a boyfriend Kat—not insulting your brothers, of course. You need to think of getting a job or going to school.”
Kat pouted, “I think you all are acting like mama. I’m old enough to decide what I want and I need that car Veiko promised me before I can get a job. Where is it?”
Thrash looked at his sister and saw a side he didn’t like. Veiko didn’t have the time to get her a car yet. Maybe living with their father would have been a better idea. Thrash had promised Elena that Kat would be a help and not trouble.
“Kat, knock the shit off or you can go live with dad and I’ll make sure you behave in Ocean Cove. Believe me, I know every club owner and I’ll make sure you ar
en’t allowed in any of them. You asked for my help and you’re sounding like an ungrateful brat. You’re here to help Elena, not find a man—which was the agreement. Veiko’s wife just had a baby, you think he had time to get you a car yet? When we go over to the hospital to see the baby, ask him. I’m warning you, Kima won’t take your crap. Neither will any of her friends. So grow the fuck up.” He walked to the door and slammed it on the way out.
Looking at her Dad, Kat felt tears slipping down her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful Daddy. I just want to have some fun. It has been so long since I’ve been out and had any fun. Living with mom was hell.”
Her dad just hugged her and hoped Kat would be happy here.
Thrash walked down to Joy’s house where Jersey and JJ were sitting on the porch of the house.
“Elena said somebody was on the farm last night, any clue who?
“Nah, just tire tracks, Thorn brought over Hunter’s tracker dogs and he was supposed to come back and look around, but there is no answer over at the Lodge. I’m taking Joy out tonight so JJ is gonna hang around with some of Darko’s guys. Elena won’t let us put any of our boys here still.” Jersey sounded a bit peeved.
The phone was ringing and Jersey went inside to answer it. JJ looked at Thrash and shook his head. “I say it was the Fiends again—that Stinky has a thing for Joy and isn’t giving up. The dancers hear all kinds of shit and Stinky seems to think Joy had a thing for him.” Both men burst out laughing.
Jersey walked down the porch steps with three bottles of beer. “Great news, we’re all allowed back into Dirty Deeds. That was Darko on the phone. Hyway and Dusty settled whatever problem they had. Now I can go watch Joyful dance again. He also wants you to call him JJ and tell him what boys you want over here tonight. I’m taking my ol’ lady out tonight after we visit Kima and the baby. We’re going out to eat and the last thing I need is any trouble here. You and your boys can hang out in the garage over by Elena’s house and make sure you leave the barn hands alone. No smoking near the barns, horses or any areas with hay, either. You better have a can or bottle filled with water for your butts. Elena or Joy see butts on the ground, they’ll skin your asses. Thrash, you can get your ass up to the club too, somebody needs to be around tonight.”
JJ rolled his eyes, “I get to pick the babysitters? It won’t be Mad Jack that is for sure. He’s been on a tear lately. What time do you want them here so I can tell Darko?”
Jersey was wondering about that, too. “I guess around dinner time. Thrash do you think Elena can toss something together for them to eat?
“My sister can toss some hamburgers on the grill. We were going over to see the baby, but she’s got me pissed off. I’ll hang out here for a while to make sure Kat doesn’t act like a bitch, then go to the clubhouse.” Thrash and JJ walked back down to Elena’s house and Jersey went back inside his house to wait for Joy.
Chapter Fifteen
Joy got Pete and Harry settled into the trailer and left two happy older men—who were very grateful to have jobs and a place to live. Joy was humming to herself as she got into her truck. She liked to help people and thought how unfair working at the track could be. Life sucked as you aged. It seemed to her that as long as they could work, they could call the trailer home. She had to run out and get the biggest teddy bear she could find and a few cute outfits for Josie. Not that Kima needed anything. Joy was sure the Regan family had bought everything Josie would ever need. She planned to get Josie her first pony, though. There was a cute baby store in Ocean View that sold handmade baby clothes so she headed there and hoped they had a teddy bear.
On her way out, she glanced over and saw the new girl Kat who seemed to be pouting. Joy put her hand on her horn and let it blast. Kat jumped into the air and Joy smiled to herself. She really had no idea why Kat bothered her so much, but it was a gut feeling. She trusted her gut and first impressions usually were on the money. Briefly she wondered what Kima thought of all this, but Kima would speak her mind—that was one of the reasons that they got along so well. Jo now, she wasn’t one to stir the pot and made a good old lady for Nailz. She had to giggle thinking of Nailz with diaper duty and how much he had changed. Thank God, she had never fucked him or any of her friend’s ol’ men. Jersey wanted her to meet his family and she wanted to, but where was this really going with them? If she was honest with herself, she wanted him. Unless he was faking it, he liked horses more than most men she had dated and the horses loved him.
Once in the baby store, she realized she was getting dirty looks from the owner and her friends. She heard whispering among the women in the store, what the fuck? She hadn’t come from mucking stalls….She walked out and leaned against her truck, this was such bullshit. She walked over to a payphone, dropped some coins into it and dialed her house.
“Jersey, I’m at the Baby Boutique in Ocean View and these bitches here are giving me looks and talking about me. Usually it wouldn’t bother me, but today it is… do you want to come shopping with me for Josie?” Joy had never asked him to rescue her before. Normally she would’ve ignored it or shopped elsewhere.
“Blondie, you want me to come shop with you in a baby store, huh? I’m supposed to insult or intimidate these bitches I take it?” Jersey was amused, but he also knew Joy had to be hurting to ask him.
“Exactly, I think my money is as good as anyone else’s and John owns this strip mall. Maybe we could let that out. These women looked at me like I was white trash and they don’t know me. I don’t think they know I dance—I try to keep that quiet. Elena would tell me to leave, but I feel bitchy. Of course I’ll spend more money than I should, but it makes me upset.”
“I’m on my way—and you aren’t spending money, I am. Freaking people out is my forte.” Jersey was snickering.
“Forte, my you’re tossing those five dollar words out again aren’t you?” Joy had to laugh. Jersey seemed to be able to make her laugh no matter how bad she was feeling.
“Well, when you have an education and are charming, five dollar words stun the morons. Go over and get a slice of pizza, I’ll be there soon.” He hung up the phone.
Joy walked over to the pizza parlor and got a slice and a soda. As she was waiting in walked Mad Jack Regan and a few of the members of Nefarious MC. She knew their faces from dancing at Dirty Deeds. Of course, Jack wandered over to talk to her and soon had the story of the bitches at the Baby Boutique out of her.
“So you went to get my niece a gift, got looked down at and Jersey is coming to shop with you?” Mad Jack had the Regan pissed off look on his face. Joy was one of his favorite dancers and she had told him Rabid had taken Kima. This wasn’t sitting well with him. Jack had longer hair and he had changed in many ways, but he was still a Regan—and a pissed off one at that.
Mad Jack stood up and yelled out to his brothers. “My sister had a baby so we’re all going shopping and get my niece presents. Joy and Jersey are gonna go shopping and we’re going with them. Just pick out whatever you want, it’s on the house.”
Joy looked at him in shock. “Are you crazy, Jack? You just told them it was okay to go into that store and take whatever they want. You’re going to get us all arrested!”
Jack grinned, “She’s late with the rent and my family owes you. Anyway, I need to get Josie something. This will be fun. Snotty bitch, I told my father she wasn’t going to be a good tenant. That bitch knows exactly who I am. Let her call my father. Three of his family members are in clubs and JJ may as well be a Regan, too. He’s at my house enough that my mother considers him a son now. I should call Nailz and have him shop, too. But Jo would have my ass, though.”
Jersey pulled into the parking lot and eyed up the bikes before getting off his. He walked into the pizza parlor and bumped a few fists. Then he looked at Joy sitting with Jack and raised an eyebrow.
“Did you call in reinforcements, Blondie?” His tone wasn’t joking and Joy and Jack both caught it.
“Nah, we stopped in to eat and she told
me the story so we’re all shopping. Nobody insults Joy. She’s like family to us—you get what I mean? No disrespect, bro.” Mad Jack was as slick and charming as Jersey when he wanted to be. “Bitch is behind on the rent so I figure we’re shopping for free today, does that work for you?”
Jersey slowly nodded. “Free, yeah? That works for me as long as my old lady isn’t insulted again.” He wrapped his arm around Joy’s neck and pulled her in for a kiss. “Are you ready to go shopping, Joyful? I promise you’ll be treated like royalty after today.”
Blindsided (Bound For Hell MC Series Book 3) Page 7