by Lila Rose
Flicking my eyes left, then right, I shrugged again. “You’re okay.”
He snorted. “Sweetheart, you wanna do some washing, have at it. Already got a load in the machine that needs to be dried.”
“I can do that.”
“Right.”
“Okay.”
He smirked. His hand came out, and then it dropped back to his side. He fisted them both. “You all right?”
“I should be asking you that,” I said quietly.
“I’ll be good once we get this motherfucker and find out Elvis is okay.”
I nodded.
“You didn’t answer me though, you good?” he asked. I offered up another shrug. “Del, you know you’re safe with us, right?”
That was something I did know, even though I was scared out of my mind.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Lissa cleared her throat. “You ready?” she asked.
“Yeah.” I smiled, and after she gave Dallas a quick brush of her lips, I followed her into the compound and found myself wishing I had the lady balls to have hugged or touched Finn in some way. When I mentioned to Lissa I was finishing up Handle’s washing, her head spun my way so quickly I was surprised she didn’t pull something.
“What?” I asked, making my way down the hall to the laundry room. I’d been there a few times, and it was big, a place one could get lost in, but I remembered where the kitchen and laundry rooms were.
“You’re doing his washing? How did he take that?”
“It’s not a big deal. I don’t know why you seem to be making it one.”
“Honey, how did Handle take it?”
“He was as surprised as you were that I offered, but I’m not going to sit around twiddling my thumbs while they clean up the mess of their brothers’ blood.”
“Being busy is good. We could have baked or something. Instead, you offered to do Handle’s laundry.”
Groaning, I shoved her shoulder. She stumbled into the wall laughing. “Women wash, so what?”
“Yes, women wash, but they do it usually for people they care about, people who’re in their lives, and people who mean something to them.”
I scoffed. “Cleaners don’t.”
“You’re not a cleaner around here… unless, do you want me to see if any of the other brothers have some washing they need doing, and you’ll do it for them?”
“Shut up,” I bit out, and again she laughed.
Entering the laundry room, I went to one of the washing machines and found the right one with Finn’s clothes. There was also a pile of dirty clothes on the floor next to it. Once I had the first load out and in the dryer, I started washing the next load. God, did the man ever wash? The pile would take me another two loads of washing at least. So I started the second washing machine with a load.
Turning, I found Lissa sitting on the long table just watching me. Rolling my eyes, I told her, “You’re giving me the creeps. You could help.”
“With what? You have it all under control. I’m surprised though.”
“By what?”
“You didn’t even sniff his jocks or rub his clothes up against your face. It’s surprising since you’re so hot for him. I thought you would have taken a sniff at least.”
“You. Are. Disgusting.”
She started cackling, bending forward to hold her stomach. What she didn’t know was that I would never be a jock sniffer. Instead, I loved the smell of his tees more and picking them up was enough for the scent to waft up and slap me in the face, making me dizzy with want.
“Say,” Lissa started after she’d calmed down, “you’re handling things pretty well.”
Smirking, I asked, “Did you think I’d be in a corner rocking back and forth?” The thought had occurred to me, but it slid away when I spotted Finn.
“Maybe,” she admitted sheepishly. “Sorry.”
Laughing, I shook my head. “Don’t be. It was my first thought, and you saw for a moment there I wasn’t handling it well in the car, but once… I, um, with Finn reassuring me we’d be safe, it helped.”
It more than helped, seeing him. Even when he was obviously highly strung himself, he calmed himself enough to comfort me in a way where I felt soothed.
“I like this,” Lissa said softly, her eyes shining.
“What?” I asked, leaning back into the washing machine. Did she mean me calling Handle Finn?
“My Del’s coming back into herself.”
My eyes widened as the statement hit me. She was right. I still had a long way to go, but I hadn’t felt so like myself in a long time. When and how had it happened? Talking with Elina? Moving to Melbourne? Lissa and Dallas? Finn? Honestly, it was everything wrapped into one.
Relaxing again, I smiled at Lissa and said, just as softly back, “I’m liking it too.”
There was just one thing I needed to complete. A visit to the doctors. Maybe.
Chapter Six
Handle
We’d scrubbed, tidied, and locked the front of the garage down. We didn’t have to leave anything for the police; they’d already been and gone. Sucked, the way they turned their noses up at us, but what helped the situation was already having detectives there at the time.
No mechanical work would get done that day, and if people didn’t like it, they could go and get fucked. Though, the customers we got usually understood who we were and how we ran—on our time alone, no one else’s.
It’d shocked me seeing Della, and also pleased me. I’d been ropable, feeling itchy to get out there with our other brothers. Someone had to pay in pain and blood. Then she’d shown, and I’d felt I had to get a grip on myself for her sake. She looked like she was gonna lose it, but after a few words from me, she’d seemed to relax. Christ, it’d been good to see. Even better was when she offered to wash and dry my shit. It was only old ladies who did that.
Hell, I’d wanted to rub my chest at how she wanted to take care of me. It had made my heart beat crazy in my chest.
She didn’t get it, and that was okay. But it still meant a fuckin’ lot. To a point where I wanted to take her into my arms and hold her close. I’d even started to reach for her and then stopped, thinking she could not want it. Although, the way we talked, gentle like, and how she practically admitted I was good-looking had me second-guessing. Maybe she did want me.
“You ready to hit the road?” Dallas asked, coming to my side. He’d been in the office patching up the glass that’d shattered in the drive-by.
“Yeah, brother.” I nodded and walked beside him into the compound.
“Where’re the women?” Dallas rumbled when he didn’t see them in the common area.
“Del offered to do my washing. They’ll be in the laundry room.”
Dallas jerked his head to the side to catch my eyes. “Seriously?” He understood what Della didn’t.
“Yep,” I said, fighting a smile. “Not sure she understood though.”
“That it’s an old lady move? Shit, before Tiny was around, I wouldn’t even let any club pussy do shit like that for me. Too personal, even if I’d fucked them the night before. No one touched my crap but me.”
Exactly.
He stopped, so I did too and met his gaze. “You gettin’ in there with her?”
“Fuck, brother. I do not want to talk about this.”
“Handle. You gettin’ in with her? Because if you are, you gotta know if you fuck it up, I’ll kick your arse. She’s been through a lot, and she’s my woman’s girl. My woman comes with me, so it means Del’s our girl. Someone fucks with her, I gotta take care of it.”
Clenching my jaw, I stated, “We’re brothers—”
His hand came up. “Yeah, we’re brothers, and I’ll have your back in all ways but that. It ain’t your pussy I want to slide in every night. Gonna get a ring on Tiny’s finger one day, not yours. You gotta understand I need to make sure my woman stays happy.”
Shit. I did understand that because I would do the same.
“Ain’t gonna hurt Del. Isn’t in me. Not sure where her head’s at, and honestly, not sure where mine is. I know I want her. Thought of somethin’ long lasting with her, and then that scares the fuck outta me. Don’t want her in a dangerous—”
Again his hand came up. The fucker was gonna get it ripped off, and he knew it from the smirk on his face. “Cool, brother. Gotta say though, the way she walked in here, all scared and shit, and then when I saw her after you’d talked with her… she’s got balls, brother. Think she can, and wants to, handle the Handle, and anything that our lives bring us being with our club. She’s strong at your side. I see it. Tiny sees it, and I know you’ve seen it.”
I had, so maybe it was time to find out if it was true.
However, I rose my brows at Dallas. “Handle the Handle? Seriously?”
He threw his head back and roared with laughter. “Man, it sounded fuckin’ awesome and you know it. Now, we done enough pussy talkin’?”
“For a fuckin’ lifetime.”
“Good. Let’s get our women and go see our brother.”
Walking again, I asked, “You heard from Parker?”
“He texted. Said Elvis’s in surgery.”
“We gotta get there before he wakes.” It wasn’t if he’d wake, it was when. Elvis was strong; he’d pull through, and then I’d fuckin’ get to know him better and kick his arse for not getting down when the motherfucker was shooting.
“Damn right.” Dallas nodded and entered the laundry room first.
When I followed, my eyes landed to the left to see Della bent over a washing machine, her arse up in the air. It looked good enough to take a bite out of. The way her jeans hugged her arse caused my dick to twitch.
She stood, looked my way and, fuck me, she smiled. “Last load going into the dryer once it’s done. I’ve folded what’s dry on the table.” She blushed, so I looked at the table, ignored Dallas and Melissa watching and grinning, and saw my clothes were in fact folded into piles. Tees and boxers. No wonder she blushed; she’d been messing with my underwear.
“Thanks,” I clipped roughly with a chin lift. She nodded. I wanted her to play with more than my boxers; actually, she could play with the ones I was wearing. “Ah, gonna have to put it on hold. We’re heading out to the hospital.”
“I could wait here and—”
“No.” Her gaze narrowed at my abrupt tone. Clearing my throat, I rubbed the back of my neck, went to a pile of clothes and grabbed a tee to put on under my cut. Then I added, “Need to stick together for a while.”
Dallas helped Melissa off the table and moved towards the door, with his hand in Melissa’s. “Meet you out front.”
“Right.” I nodded. As soon as they were gone, I stepped up close to Del. “Sweetheart, gonna have to ask you to trust me and do as I ask for a while. You can fight it, but it’ll all end up the same with you doing what I want.” Her hands came to her waist; she was in mind to rant. I had to shut that down so we could get going. My hand shook as I raised it and cupped the side of her face. Her eyes widened as she stared up at me. Smiling gently, I said, “You got a choice, darlin’. You can walk away from Hawks, which means no contact with any of us. We find you a secure place and you cut ties with all Hawks members, even the bitches.” Taking a breath, I held her gaze and went on, “Or you trust us to have this matter in hand and trust us to protect you from any danger coming our way. But you givin’ us that trust means you gotta listen, to know we know what’s right when it comes to keeping our people safe. Without back talkin’ too much.” My thumb rubbed the side of her face. “What’s it gonna be? We walk outta here to find you a path without Hawks in it, or we walk outta here heading to the hospital to see to a brother? Which means you trusting Hawks and stickin’ with us.”
Her gaze moved all over my face, to the side, down and up. I could see the wheels turning, thinking over everything I’d said. All I was doing was hoping like mad she’d say us. Hawks.
With a deep breath, her eyes met mine. “You… I mean, Hawks. I-I want to trust.” Fuck me. “So, we’d better get going.”
“In a sec,” I growled and stared down at her lips. Before she’d said Hawks, she’d picked me.
“Dallas and Melissa are waiting,” she whispered.
“I know.”
Leaning in, I touched my mouth to hers and saw her eyes flare. Even though I wanted to sink into the kiss and get lost in Del, I didn’t. Straightening, I said, “Now we can go.” Letting go of her face, I grabbed her hand and found it shaking, so I squeezed it. She returned the pressure. Then we walked outta the laundry room together.
Only she didn’t know how together we were just then.
That’d come later.
* * * *
Della
Something had changed. I knew I’d buggered up when I said I’d picked him, then changed it to Hawks. Although, really it hadn’t been a mistake. I’d meant it. I wasn’t sticking with Hawks because I wanted to. I was with them because that was where my new life was. It was where Lissa and Dallas were, even Julian, and also Finn. In that moment I didn’t care about my safety. All I worried about was the thought if I walked away, I would lose them all, and I couldn’t let that happen. Thinking it hurt too much.
With my hand in Finn’s, something I liked a lot—almost as much as I liked when he’d pressed his lips to mine—we rushed down the hall. I wasn’t sure what he would be thinking, but I was imagining the soft look in his eyes as he’d kissed me. I also wondered why he’d done it.
Dallas and Lissa were waiting for us in Dallas’s car. Finn let go of my hand after opening the back door and guided me in. I glanced to Lissa beside me. We gave each other big eyes, then giggled as Finn climbed into the front. He shifted around, as did Dallas, to look at us.
Dallas snorted. “Women.” Turning back, he started the car and drove off. I made a quick move to put on my seat belt.
The hospital wasn’t far. Lissa, Dallas, and I spent the trip listening to Finn’s one-sided conversation on his phone.
When he ended the call, he cursed up a storm.
“They got nothing?” Dallas guessed.
“Yep. Not one fuckin’ thing. The short delay for the brothers to get going was all the motherfucker needed to do a disappearing act. Dodge, with Pick, Billy, and Gamer are on their way to talk to Blackie now. He reckons it was Python, Poppy’s ex. Gonna get Blackie to rein him in so we can nab him.”
“Will this Blackie go for it? I thought different clubs hated each other,” Lissa asked.
“Blackie ain’t so bad. He’s tryin’ to clean up his club a little, no guns or drugs, but still deals in hookers. Some of his members are fightin’ the change though. Not sure where this Python dick sits with it all, but if Blackie doesn’t want beef with Hawks, he’ll be smart to hand him over,” Dallas explained.
“Oh, okay.” She nodded.
Hopefully Blackie was still smart and handed over Python before more than one Hawks member blew their fuse.
“Griz, Killer, and Stoke arrived in town. They’re headed to the garage to get some shit done while we all wait for some answers Dodge will provide.” Finn sighed. “Never been much of a patient man.”
I snorted without thinking and muttered, “Are any bikers?”
Slowly, he turned in his seat. I’d thought he would have been annoyed by my comment, but he was smiling. “What little patience I had is running out.” His eyes held mine, and in them I saw mischief, but something else, something warmer, and it had my pulse racing. “Get me, Del?”
No. I did not get him at all, yet I still nodded.
He shifted back around. Dallas grunted. Finn answered in his own manly grunt. Then they both glanced at one another and grinned.
What in the hell was that about? Did they have their own communication through grunts?
Looking to Lissa, I saw she was also grinning, but at least she added an eye-roll. I wasn’t sure if I needed to worry about that “Get me” statement, but as we pulled into a car park a
t the hospital and Finn got out, opening the back door and holding out a hand for me, I chose to let it slide to the back of my mind and think about it later.
None of us were sure what we’d find in the hospital, but I prayed Elvis was okay. If he wasn’t, I didn’t know how men like Finn and Dallas would react. I wanted to have a clear mind in case Finn needed me.
Chapter Seven
Della
The smell hit me as we walked into the emergency waiting room. I would have backed out if it wasn’t for Finn’s hand in mine. Parker strode through the doors that led to the emergency area. He stopped in front of us, his brows low, his face scowling. “Lan wants to get outta here, even fuckin’ knowing they’ve suggested he stay the night. They’ve patched him up, but the dickhead won’t listen to me, so I’m bringing the car around. Elvis is still in surgery.” He glanced at his watch. “He should be out shortly, and then a doctor was gonna come out to let his family know. Once you’d said the women were coming, I told them Della’s his sister. They’ll talk to her.”
Me? I was Elvis’s sister? I guess it didn’t matter who Parker picked. They needed someone to help, and I was it.
“Right, thanks, brother.” Dallas clasped him on the back, then Parker made his way to the sliding doors, grumbling under his breath about Lan being an idiot.
We took our seats in the waiting area. It wasn’t as busy as I thought it would be. Lissa and Dallas sat opposite me, talking softly. Finn chose to sit in the seat next to me. He glanced down, so I did and noticed my leg bounced up and down. I stopped it, though I hadn’t even realised I’d been doing it.
“You all right?” he asked in a quiet, gruff voice.
“Sure.” I nodded.
“Del?”
“I just, um, hate hospitals.”
“Why?”
“Well, not really hospitals, but doctors… needles.” Jimmy, when he’d had me stripping back in Sydney, used to inject me on some occasions with some concoction, so I was more pliable and wouldn’t fight back.