by Erin Osborne
I’m holding onto the envelope as if it’s a lifeline. My knuckles are white, I’m hanging onto it so hard. As we get back to the bikes, Satan takes the envelope from me and holds it in front of him. He looks me in the eyes as he holds it up, silently asking if I want him to open it and read the results. I nod my head in response and watch while holding my breath to see what the paper says.
Satan rips the envelope open and carefully slides out the paper inside. He holds it as if it’s a snake poised to bite him at any second. Kind of the way I see NeNe these days. He takes his time reading the paper while I continue to hold my breath in anticipation. My heart beats faster than before and I can feel sweat breaking out along my brow and back. This is the most nervous I’ve ever been in my entire life.
“You are the dad,” Satan finally says.
My head drops to my chest and I release the breath I was holding. I feel lightheaded, like I’m about to pass out. This is not the news I wanted to get. But, it’s a reality now and I have to deal with it. It looks like I’m going to have to make the trip to the lawyer’s office now and finish setting everything up.
“What now?” Satan asks, watching me.
“Now, I go to the lawyer’s office and finish doin’ what I gotta do. Not gonna let anyone know because I want it to be a complete surprise. Then I guess I’ll have to go to the house and let NeNe know how things are gonna go from here on out,” I answer.
“And how are things gonna be?” he asks.
“She’s done playin’ her games at the house. No one is to show up there, she’s not to leave. She is no longer allowed at the clubhouse for any reason. And she will no longer be tellin’ anyone I’m with her. We aren’t together and I’ll never give her the satisfaction of givin’ that to her. NeNe is a bitch and she betrayed everyone. She’ll be dealt with very soon,” I tell my President.
“You know I’m here if you want to talk about anythin’. Or need help with anythin’ you plan on doin’. I won’t get Raine involved, but I did meet someone the other day when I met up with Carlos,” he says.
“Oh yeah? What happened?” I ask, intrigued.
“Met a woman he knows. She’s a hitman basically. But, because of our relationship with Carlos, she’ll help us deal with any woman who crosses the club. If she can’t she’s got a group of friends she can call in,” he replies.
“You trust her?” I ask.
“I don’t know. Based on her association with Carlos and her job, I’m inclined to. She’s the one that offered her services or the services of any of her group. If we need a job handled, I’ll call her and see what happens. She knows what will happen if she fucks the club over,” he tells me.
“Okay. You know I got your back and will trust your decision. I’m off. I’ll be at Blazin’ Babes later on today. Hollie finish with the books yet?” I ask, wanting to know any scrap of information on her.
“Not yet. She’s almost done. Did a complete new set of ledgers for us. She went back a while and whoever’s skimmin’ money has been doin’ it for a while. At first they were goin’ back and forth between the businesses. Now, they’re gettin’ greedy and goin’ after the Den and Babes every month. I’m not sure who it is still. You got any idea?”
“No. The last few times I’ve been in there, I’ve watched from the window and everythin’ is legit when it comes to the employees. They were as always. Whoever is doin’ this is comin’ in after hours. Maybe we should change out the security and have us get alerts when anyone gets inside when we’re closed. It’s not like we don’t keep the money there. The only difference will be we know who’s goin’ inside after hours,” I state.
“That might work. She’s narrowed the days down to the middle and end of the month when money is gettin’ taken. There’s about a week in between the times and it’s goin’ to help us ensure we catch whoever is doin’ this,” Satan says. “I’ll get with Torch and we’ll get it set up when no one’s around. No one will know anythin’ about this except for the three of us. It would be different if we knew what direction to look in, but we don’t.”
Nodding my head, I straddle my bike and pull out of the parking lot. I head directly to my lawyer’s office and wait for him to finish with a client so we can get down to business. NeNe isn’t going to know what hit her when I’m done with her. Jenkins already knows what I want, so we just have to make it official.
I’ve gotten all my running around done and now it’s time for me to head to NeNe’s house. Well, my house technically. I’m the one paying for it. She’s not going to like the talk we’re about to have. I’m not looking forward to it, but we need to have it.
Pulling up outside the house, I see Axel sitting on his bike in the driveway. He won’t go near the door since she always walks around the house naked and tries to get him to go inside to fuck her. She’s not as bad with Steve or Shane for some reason. NeNe has set her sights on Axel. As I look at him, I realize why that is. He’s Satan’s cousin and Gunner’s younger brother. She wants to attach herself to him in case he takes over the club someday. Yeah, he’s not gonna let that happen.
I let him know I’m not gonna be long and he’ll need to stay here. Unless one of his replacements shows up to take over for him. He nods his head and I walk up to the door. I can hear music playing and I don’t bother knocking as I walk inside the house. It’s trashed with dirty dishes littering the table and counters. Clothes fill every surface in the living room. This is not how I expected to come into the house.
“What do you want?” NeNe asks, walking into the living room.
She’s wearing a thin robe and I swear she’s lost more weight since living here. I can tell she’s eating based on the mess. My eyes narrow and I really look at her. Without all the make-up on, she looks sick. It almost makes me wonder if she’s using drugs and no one knows about it. There are way to use and not have a lot of people know.
“We need to talk. And you’re gonna fuckin’ listen to what I have to say. This is the last time we’ll be havin’ this talk too,” I tell her.
“I don’t have time for this, Capone,” she says, walking toward the kitchen.
“You’re gonna fuckin’ make time for it. I’m not playin’ around NeNe. Now, I got the results of the test today and I am the dad. So, you’re gonna do things my way. The first thing you’re gonna do is make sure this house is fuckin’ cleaned the hell up. I want it spic and span the next time I walk through the fuckin’ door. Next, you can stop tryin’ to have parties or men over here because it’s not gonna happen. You’re also not leavin’ the house. Period. You’re basically on house arrest and it’s your own damn fault,” I tell her.
“How is that?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at me.
“By thinkin’ you were gonna use my baby as a bargainin’ chip to get me to do what you want. I’m not gonna make you my ol’ lady and I won’t fuckin’ marry you. You’re nothin’ to me. You are no longer allowed at the clubhouse. For any reason whatsoever. No one wants you there after what you did. You will start actin’ right or you won’t like the next step,” I tell her, crossing my own arms over my chest.
“And what do you get to do?” she taunts.
“Whatever the fuck I want. I’m not the one who betrayed the club and treated everyone like shit I stepped in and can’t wipe off the bottom of my shoe. This is all brought on by you. Now, you need to act like a fuckin’ grown up and accept the consequences of your decisions. Axel isn’t goin’ to fuck you, so I suggest you stop tryin’ to get him to. You have no say in anythin’ now,” I say.
“And what if I don’t act the way you want me to?” she questions.
“Then you’ll be locked in a room at the clubhouse and you won’t be allowed to leave the room until the baby’s born. I will let you out only when you have an appointment. If you try to tell anyone what’s goin’ on, I’ll let them know you’re tryin’ to kill my unborn child and I’m makin’ sure nothin’ happens to you or the child,” I say, leaving no room for
her to try and back talk me.
“Fine, Capone. You know I just wanted to be yours. That’s all I ever wanted,” she says, her eyes filling with tears.
“No, you want to belong to someone and make sure you’re a part of the club so you can reap the benefits of whatever man you trapped. What the fuck do you think you’re reapin’ now?” I ask her.
Her tears aren’t phasing me in the least. This isn’t my first time with her trying to use this method to get her own way. She’s able to turn her tears on and off at the drop of a hat. No, she’s still trying to manipulate me and it’s not working. It never has and she knows this.
“Well, I need money,” she says, turning into a bitch again.
“For what? You’ve got food and I’ve paid all the bills. You have your medicine, so I don’t see what you need money for,” I tell her.
“I just do. I want to do some shopping online for the baby. I can at least start getting things I’ll need since I can’t leave the damn house,” she says.
“Nope. You pick them out and I’ll buy them.”
Turning my back toward her, I begin to make my way through the door. She runs at me and starts pounding on my back with her fists. I laugh because it feels as though a flea is attacking me. Her anger isn’t even fueling her with power to hurt me any.
“Give me the fucking money!” she screeches out. “You fucking owe me.”
“I don’t owe you shit. You want to talk about owin’ money, you owe me for everythin’ I put in this house, the money I’ve already spent on bills, and I’m payin’ all your medical costs. Not to mention what was spent on you at the clubhouse. So, please keep talkin’ about owin’ money,” I tell her. “Oh, and if you threaten to use the baby against me again, I’ll lock you in the room and make sure my lawyer knows exactly what’s bein’ said. He’ll make sure you get locked up wherever he can.”
Leaving her house, I warn Axel she’s in a bad mood now. He laughs and asks how it’s any different than any other day. The man has a point— she’s always a bitch. It’s why he nicknamed her she-bitch. I head to the strip club so I can get some work done and make everything look normal. I’m not sure when Satan and Torch are gonna get the work done, but I don’t want to give anything away. And I’ve been neglecting the place with NeNe being as demanding as she has been. Not anymore.
Chapter Sixteen
Hollie
I’VE SPENT ALL day working. Now, I’m getting dressed to meet Clay. We’re going out on our second date and I’m not sure I even want to go out. I’d honestly rather sit at home and work for a while longer and then start watching Sons of Anarchy. I’ve never watched it, but I want to give it a try.
Instead, I’m doing my hair and make-up after putting on a pair of dark jeans and a black tank top. I’m not even really putting all that much effort into getting ready to meet Clay. Other than putting some mousse in my hair to add some wave to it and then putting on some smokey eye shadow and mascara. I’m not big into make-up or dressing like a girl. I’d rather be in sweats and a tank top while lounging around the house.
Plus, Clay is only taking me to the diner again. I’m not sure what his fascination is with the place, but I’d rather go out and do something else. My idea of a perfect date is riding somewhere with no real destination in mind. Pulling over somewhere and having a picnic or something. No one else is around to distract us and we can talk about whatever the hell we want to. I don’t see Clay ever doing something like that.
Once I make sure I look good enough, I walk through the house and make sure all the windows and doors are locked. It’s a part of my routine I always do before I leave the house. Even if I’m going to come right back. Hell, if I go out back to sit in the yard, I lock the windows and doors to ensure no one can get to me without my knowledge.
Getting in the truck, I put on Don’t Forget About Me by Emphatic. It reminds me of Capone and a sadness like I’ve never felt before overcomes me. Pictures slide through my head of the time we’ve spent together, the days I’ve been able to make him laugh and he’s made me laugh. Of the times he’s just laid with me and let me cry on his shoulder or held me when my demons tried to get at me while I slept. We’ll never get back to that again. He’s got too much going on now. And I’ll never make him choose between his child and me.
So, I’ve made the decision to step back and let him live his life without me being in the way of it. I know NeNe doesn’t want me anywhere near him. Raine has told me she’s threatened to take the baby away from him if he spends time with me. I’m not going to let that happen. That baby needs one stable parent in their life and Capone is the person that will be. NeNe sure as hell isn’t stable. At all.
Besides, it’s not like I’ve seen Capone recently anyway. Even if I see him at the clubhouse, he’s usually on his way out or heads up to his room. It’s like he doesn’t even want to be in the same room as me. So, I’ll make it easy on him. I’ll avoid the clubhouse unless I have to take the ledgers to Satan. And I’ll always check and see if he can meet me anywhere else but there.
Parking in front of the diner, I see Clay waiting inside. He’s already sitting at a table and looking around at the other patrons. I watch him for a minute to see what he does. There’s one table filled with four women and he skips right over them. Clay doesn’t spend a second looking at them as he waits on me. Why the hell can’t I be attracted to him?
Getting out of my truck, I make my way inside. As soon as I step through the door, I come to an abrupt stop. Sitting at a back booth is Capone, Wrath, Gunner, and Rock. Capone and Wrath are sitting facing toward the diner and I lock gazes with Capone. A small smile covers his face as I start walking toward Clay, who sits not that far from the men in the club.
How am I going to get out of this one?
Capone and Wrath stop talking, causing the other two men sitting with them to turn their attention toward me.
“Holls,” Wrath says, pulling every customer’s attention to me.
Clay is the only one who turns to face the men in the corner. A frown covers his face and I’m not sure what his reaction is going to be. It’s not that I’m ashamed I work for the club or that my sister is married to the President of the Blazing Outlaws MC. They were the ones who saved me and made sure I was safe, taken care of, and got the medical attention I needed before Raine showed up to get me.
I don’t plan on keeping Clay in my life, so he doesn’t need to know anything personal like that about me. I’m a private person in general and it takes a lot for me to open up to someone.
“Hey, guys,” I say, offering a small wave to the four club members. “Have you been waiting long, Clay?”
“No, not too long,” he answers, standing up as I take my seat at the table. “So, you know those guys?”
“Yep. I work for them and my sister is married to their President,” I answer honestly.
There’s no point in lying or trying to make an excuse about why these men know me. I already know Clay doesn’t like them for some reason, but it’s not my business.
“You know they’re not exactly men on the right side of the law, right?” he asks, sitting closer to me.
“And what kind of guys do you think we are?” Capone asks, stopping at our table.
“Oh, um, you’re good guys, I guess. I’ve just heard some things,” Clay says, looking to me to help him out of this.
“Leave her out of it,” Capone warns. “You wanted to try to warn Holls away from us, so why don’t you tell me what kind of men you think we are.”
“You do illegal things, fuck anything that walks, and don’t care who you hurt, beat up, or murder. Women, kids, and men are all fair game if they get in your way,” Clay responds.
Capone laughs. Wrath, Rock, and Gunner also laugh. Yeah, they’ve surrounded our table now too. I want to crawl under the table and hide from this insanity. I’ve been around the guys in the club before and right now, I’m seeing them as they are when they’re on “club business” and getting ready to go o
n a run. I don’t blame them for reacting when Clay, a perfect stranger, is insulting and disrespecting them.
“Holls, I thought you had more common sense than to date a fuckin’ twat,” Gunner says.
“Yeah. I think I need to let Axel know what you’ve been up to since he got taken off guard duty at your house. Know he still comes around the house to visit with you,” Rock says.
“Holls, you gonna stay here or head out with us?” Capone asks, looking directly at me.
“I’m staying here. I’m on a date and don’t need to leave,” I answer without looking at him.
I know if I look at the man, I’ll cave and leave with him. So, they all give me a kiss on the top of my head, which is new, and leave the diner. Clay watches them leave and sighs a breath of relief as the door shuts behind them.
“So, um, how long have you worked for them?” Clay asks.
“Since I graduated,” I answer, looking at the menu as the waitress comes over to our table.
We order our food and I hope Clay will pick something else to talk about. I don’t want to spend my night talking about the club or anyone in the club. It’s not my business to talk about them and I don’t really know anything about them. So, my night will be cut short if that’s all he wants to talk about.
Thankfully, he turns the conversation to what I’ve been doing since we last went out. I tell him I’ve been working, but I still won’t tell him what I do for work. So, I ask about his week and listen to him drone on and on about his work, something I don’t have any interest in whatsoever. I act as if I’m interested while I’m counting down the seconds to get out of here.
When the waitress brings our food over to us, I hear the unmistakable rumble of a bike riding by. Looking out the window, I see Capone parking next to my truck. He just sits on his bike without a care in the world. Honestly, he looks hot as hell as I try to pay attention to the man sitting across from me.