Текст книги "Chelsea "

Автор книги: Addison Jane

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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

Kev called me out early, dragging me away from the beautiful woman that was snuggled contently into my side. Chelsea was a cuddler. I wasn’t big on displays of affection, but there was something about her that made me want to tuck her into my side and never let her leave. I’d grown accustomed to waking up with her at my side. It was something over the last few years that had become normal for us.

Sure, I’d been with other club girls on the odd occasion. Sometimes on the road the need for a warm body at night had become too much. But what I had come to hate, was the guilt that sat in my gut after every encounter. Chelsea had buried herself under my skin—her touch, her voice, and her smile were all at the forefront of my mind.

So eventually I just stopped. I no longer shared mine or any other bed with another woman. Yeah, it sounded fucking stupid. In my head, this woman was mine. I didn’t want another. But I wouldn’t claim her as my own.

I was a fucking idiot.

I didn’t know how else to explain it.

I tugged on my jeans and threw my cut on over my naked torso before I answered the door. I gave Kev a small lift of my chin. “What’s up?”

“Blizzard’s waiting in church. He’s got some shit to show you,” he explained as he walked next to me down the hallway.

“Is this shit urgent or do I have time to make coffee?” I grumbled.

Kev chuckled. “You might need something a little stronger than that.”

I scrubbed my face with my hand. “Coffee. Need fucking coffee.”

I took a quick detour to the kitchen where Sammy was prepping breakfast and got her to pour me a cup—black. I had the feeling it was just going to be one of those days.

I sat in my chair at the head of the table. Even after all these years it was still surreal to be sitting here in front of my men just like my father had before me. They looked to me for direction and support and I held my head high. The fact that I was lucky to have so many men ready to stand at my back at the drop of a hat was definitely not lost on me.

Unlike some MC Presidents, I never took for granted that I had the power to either raise my men or completely destroy them.

“So what’s the deal?” I grunted before taking a sip of my coffee.

Blizzard sat to my right, some papers strewn out over the table. Kev, Leo, and Wrench joined us too, all looking at Blizzard with varying expressions. Some concern, some anger.

“The first thing—”

I groaned. “There’s more than one thing?”

He hit me with a serious look that said shut the fuck up. I glared back at him, but he continued, “We found some shit in Target’s things that were a little...worrying.”

I frowned. “How worrying?”

He picked up a brown colored folder and pushed it across the table to me. I slapped my hand down on top of it, stopping it from sliding off the side and onto the floor. I stared at it for a minute, willing myself to open the front page, but the sickening feeling of dread in my stomach froze my body, afraid of what I would find.

I flipped it open.

There were pages of documents, documents that I had seen before and were of no real big surprise. I flicked through them. “Are these from Chelsea’s background check?”

He nodded. “I’m not sure if he was looking for something, or if he found what he wanted in that pile of papers, but they’re copies of the ones we hold in the office safe.”

“How the fuck did that bastard get in the safe?” I snapped.

Blizzard was unaffected by my sharpness and continued to flick through the papers before him. “I wouldn’t have a clue. But that’s not the only thing that we found.”

Blizzard and I were the only ones who had the combination to the safe that was located inside my office. Not only that, but it was a combination that we changed monthly and never written down. It never had any importance to either of us—birthdays, ages, addresses—it was always randomly chosen. How that fucker had figured it out, I had no damn idea.

The information that was kept in the safe was private, but not incriminating. We had other ways to store that kind of thing. In the safe, we mainly held personal documents for members of the club. It was all types of information like background checks for when a new member prospects—family names and addresses, account information for club payments, and any legal information.

“What’s all the rest of this shit?” I asked, gesturing to the other papers scattered over the table.

“Chelsea’s paperwork was the same as the original. Target had just taken a copy and put it back. But all this stuff, it’s been altered,” Wrench explained, picking up one of the loose pieces. “This shit says I did time when I was twenty-three. I didn’t get locked up that year.”

“Same with mine,” Leo said pointing to the pile of papers. “It says I was in prison that year, but not only is it wrong, it’s also named with a prison out of state.”

I frowned. “Does this make sense to anyone?”

They all shook their heads.

“The only thing we know for sure is that Target was focused on Chelsea,” Blizzard explained. “He had all her info—info that was not easy for us to get in the first place. Nothing named her parents, just foster parents. The rest of it is pretty bland, nothing suspicious.”

“He went through a lot of trouble to do this,” I said, picking up one of the other pages and eyeing it carefully. “This shit looks legit.”

My brothers nodded in agreement.

“No shit. This ain’t Photoshop. This is a document that has been altered by someone within the state who has access to this kind of shit,” Wrench explains. “I rang the prison on Leo’s info. It says they have no record of him ever being incarcerated there, so obviously they changed it back when they had the proof they needed.”

“Motherfuckers,” I muttered under my breath. “There’s a game going on here that we are very unaware of. We need to sort this shit out and now.” My voice slowly rose, my anger clearly evident to my brothers.

“That’s not the only problem,” Blizzard said solemnly

I scratched at the scruff on my face. “Fuck me! What?”

He lifted off the chair and pulled something from the back pocket of his jeans, holding it up for me to see. There were pictures. The first was of me dragging Chelsea possessively from the club after her night out with Rose. I reached over and took it from his hand, examining it closer. Flicking through the other three photos, they were all taken within minutes, even seconds of each other, but the look in my eyes was unmistakable. Even an idiot could see that I was basically staking a claim, and if they had possibly been watching from inside they could’ve even seen or heard what I’d done when I’d seen her rubbing up on that fucking bastard.

“Where were these found?” I demanded.

“Were left on one of the tables at X-Rated,” Leo growled. “I was there last night, didn’t notice anything off. One of the girls picked it up. She thought it might be significant so she gave it to me on her way out.”

“You check the camera footage from inside?” I asked, still not taking my eyes off the photo. It must have been taken with a reasonably good camera because I could see and read both our expressions and body very clearly.

The hold I had on her screamed caveman—it was dominant, strong and full of ownership.

“Cameras only showed an average looking guy. Gray suit, short hair, mid-thirties. Nothing set him apart from any other businessman that comes in. Hell, he could’ve just been another guy that had been paid to drop off a message,” Leo described. “He came in, watched a couple of the girls dance and then as he left he pulled it from his pocket and dropped it on the table.”

“He wanted to show us that it didn’t matter where she goes. He has eyes on her,” I said more to myself than my brothers as I attempted to fit together the pieces of a completely fucked up puzzle. “He wanted to prove that the connection between us is undeniable. And that I was protective of her.”

“He’s trying to scare you,” Wrench observed as he reclined back in his chair, rolling the tension from his shoulders. “Instead of taking that picture, he could have been looking down the scope of a gun and taken Chelsea out in a second. But instead, he’s sitting back, taunting and pushing buttons. It’s a damn game.”

“And we’re sure this is Anthony DePalma we’re talking about?” Blizzard asked.

“Who else?”

He shrugged. “The guy has balls of steel. He rocked up to the compound with just the big ugly bodyguard, knowing there would be ten to fifteen men here that could fill them both full of lead in milliseconds.” He folded his arms across his chest. “He doesn’t seem to be the game playing type.”

Blizzard’s observation mirrored my own thoughts. Anthony DePalma hadn’t become one of the most feared men on the east coast by making soft threats. He never waited around to play with his prey, he went straight for the jugular.

“This just proves that Chelsea is his primary target. He’s shown that he’s willing to use her to get to you,” Wrench said pointing at the photo. “She needs more protection.”

“Protection from me.” My boys all frowned and I sighed. “She wouldn’t be in this position if I’d been capable of just staying the fuck away from her.”

I saw Blizzard shake his head. “Don’t be an idiot, Op.”

“I’m being realistic.”

“No, you’re being fucking stupid,” he growled, slamming his hands on the table with a loud thud. “You’re going to give the girl fucking whiplash, and sooner or later she’s going to get tired of your fucking shit.”

I pointed at him angrily. “Watch your fucking mouth, VP.”

He shook his head but glared at me.

I knew he was right.

I’d thought about last night. We had yet to talk about what was going on, but we’d shared a night full of passion and sex and in that moment I know we’d both felt things shift.

But with this information fresh in my mind—the pictures proof—I needed to keep the fuck away from her if I wanted her to stay alive. No matter how much it would rip the two of us apart.

I wouldn’t lose another person I loved because of my own selfishness and stupidity.

Waking up to find Optimus gone wasn’t surprising but it was disappointing. There were things we both had to say, but neither of us was doing a good job of saying them. I wondered if we were both thinking the same thing.

Once it was out there, there would be no stopping. No taking things back. So instead, we just avoided the conversation that we both knew was coming and traded it for the one way we could show our emotions. The one thing we felt the most comfortable with.

Sex.

Our chemistry had always been off the charts. Ever since the first time we’d met, standing at the bar inside the clubhouse. It was like I was a sparkler and his body was the match. Every time he touched me it set me on fire. There was no other way to describe the heat that burned inside me, just by having him near.

Last night had been different to the others. He’d handed me control, even if just for a moment. It was something Optimus never did. Optimus loved to control, and if we’re being honest, I loved to give it to him. There was power in submitting yourself to someone and allowing them to dictate your movements and actions. It was about trust and respect. Last night, he’d shown me that the feeling was mutual and while we hadn’t talked about it, I’m hoping that means that we were moving forward.

The thought made me smile.

I decided that I’d spent enough time moping the last few days. My body ached, it needed to run. Just thinking about going the last few days without running was making my body feel anxious. I dressed in my running shorts, sports bra, and a loose Adidas shirt. I picked up my running shoes and carried them out to the main room in search of a brother or prospect. Ham was restocking the bar and there were a couple brothers playing pool.

“Hey Ham. Have you seen Op?” I asked, hefting myself onto the barstool and propping my foot up on the one next to it, so I could slip my shoe on and tie my laces.

“He’s in church with Blizzard, Leo, and Wrench. Seemed important.”

I nodded. I was used to Op being called away at a moment’s notice and being tucked away in meetings with the boys. I knew not to disturb him. “Do you think you could take me to the gym? Op mentioned the other day that he didn’t want me running up the street anymore.”

Ham looked a little apprehensive. “All good if I just check with a brother first?”

I smiled, the kid was good. He was going to make an awesome brother. “Sure.”

I continued to concentrate on doing my shoes before jumping off the barstool and stretching out my legs and shoulders. If I stretched now, it meant I could jump on the treadmill as soon as I got to the gym. I didn’t use a gym very often, opting to run outside. It made things a lot more interesting and I enjoyed the feeling of the wind and the elements against my skin as it heated.

“Hey, Chel.”

I looked up to find Slider standing next to Ham, both grinning at me as I spread my legs and reached down to grab my toes. I slowly released the stretch, careful not to do so too quickly.

“Hey Slide, we good?”

He nodded. “Op’s in a meeting with some of the guys, but as far as I know you’re not confined to the compound—just need an escort.”

“Cool! Is it sweet if I steal Ham for a little bit?”

Slider shrugged. “Go for it.” He walked past but didn’t miss an opportunity to land a resounding smack on my ass as he did. I yelped and turned to glare at him. He just walked away laughing. The boys didn’t get away with doing that kind of thing while Optimus was around, while I wasn’t technically his, they all knew how possessive he was of me. Slider was one who made the most of his absence.

Ham followed me into town, his bike rumbling behind me the whole time. When I pushed through the gym doors the excitement, I felt the entire drive there soon deflated.

How did I not think of this?

Deacon, the guy from mine and Rose’s attempted night out, was standing off to the side of the gym talking to two men in dark suits. Their expressions all looked far-reaching. Deacon nodded, but a deep scowl was painted on his face. Before I could turn and walk back out, his gaze caught with mine. His eyes widened and he hurried to excuse himself from the serious, stern looking men. I was right when I’d guessed that he was packing some serious muscle under the dress shirt that he had on the night we’d met. His naked upper body glistened with sweat which seemed to accentuate the definition in his abs.

“Hey,” he said softly, coming to a stop a few feet in front of me.

“I’m sorry,” I said wringing my workout towel in my hands. I pointed over my shoulder. “I’ll just go.”

He grabbed for my arm as I began to turn my body away. “Hey, no, it’s fine.” He gestured to the front desk which required you to swipe your gym membership to gain entry. I had always kept my membership updated, just in case things like this happened, but I hadn’t actually been to the gym for months. Instead, enjoying running in the crisp cold air was just too inviting.

“I’m sorry about the other night,” he said as he walked next to me. I scanned my card and we both passed through the small entrance into the gym area.

“You shouldn’t be the one apologizing, that should be on me.” I placed my towel and keys on a bench next to an empty treadmill. “Optimus can be—”

“Arrogant, controlling, overbearing?” he offered, scoffing.

I couldn’t help but smile. “All of the above. But I meant he can be very protective and possessive.”

“I guess all boyfriends can be like that. I probably would be too if you were mine.” He folded his arms across his chest and smiled.

I laughed as I flexed my ankles, preparing them for my run. “Op, is not my boyfriend.”

The smile quickly changed to a frown. “Why was he spouting all that crap about you being his then?”

I sighed, explaining what I was to the club sometimes was a lot for people. Some took it well, like Rose, who didn’t judge me for my choices. But the majority of people liked to make me feel like trash. I rolled the tension in my shoulders.

“I belong to the club,” I said simply with a shrug. “I’m a club girl. They provide for me, I provide for them.”

“You’re a club whore?” he growled, the noise so deep and so filled with anger that I almost took a step back.

I frowned at him. “Yes, I am.” I wouldn’t act like I was ashamed of my choices because he didn’t approve.

“Why?”

I held up my hand. “You don’t know me. You don’t know what my life was or is like. And you have no idea what goes on at the club. They look after me and treat me well, that’s all you need to know.”

He dragged his fingers through his short hair, frustration etched on his face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to judge. Jesus, I’m fucking this up.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Look Deacon. I’m sorry about Optimus. He doesn’t really care what people think of him, but he didn’t have to talk to you the way he did. But whatever grudge you have against the club, I’d suggest you drop it.”

He frowned for a moment but quickly held his hands up in surrender. “My bad. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I know.”

He smiled softly, obviously relieved to have the tension gone. “I was actually kind of glad you came in. I’ve just had a trainer give in their resignation and I’m looking for someone to do some part-time work around here.”

I was surprised. “Really?”

His smile grew. “Yeah. It’s not much, but with your background I know you’d know what you’re doing. And it would save me advertising and going through job interviews.”

Part of me wanted to be excited. It was a small but excellent opportunity, a step in the direction of what I wanted to do. But unfortunately while I was still with the club, it was an impossibility.

“I really wish I could. For now, I’m still tied to the club. Outside jobs are not really an option right now.” Even I heard the disappointment in my voice.

I saw his jaw tighten, but he managed to keep a kind smile on his face. “Well, the offer is there. I’ve got another week before I need to find someone permanent. Keep it in mind?”

I knew it wouldn’t happen, but I nodded and smiled anyway. “Sure.”

“I better go, I’ll let you get to your workout.” He gave a small wave. “Hope to see you around soon.”

I watched as he made his way toward the punching bags and shook hands with a man before helping him strap his hands.

Deacon was a mystery to me. There was something about him that I just couldn’t place. His anger toward the club was surprising for someone who had just moved into town. I knew news about the brothers moved fast, but for someone to have that much venom and disgust toward them in such a short time was strange.

I began to stretch once again, needing to release some of the tension that had found its way back into my body before I started my run.

“Chelsea!” I heard a bright voice call as I climbed out of my car. I saw Harlyn standing in the doorway waving. Neil stood just behind her, watching her carefully.

I couldn’t help but smile and wave back as I walked toward them. “Hi, Harlyn.”

“Will you come play with me? Momma went out and Daddy’s busy,” she asked excitedly. “You said when you got back we could play.”

I wondered where Sugar could have gone that she wouldn’t have taken Harlyn with her.

I crouched down in front of the stunning little girl. She was practically bouncing. “I did say that didn’t I? Let’s go!”

I held out my hand to her and she excitedly took it, skipping with me toward the kid’s playground. Neil trailed along behind us like a good prospect. The playground and barbecue area was well hidden from the road by a large fence, so I knew we’d be pretty safe. I noticed Sammy and Caity, club girls, lounging on some deck chairs, cigarettes hanging from their fingers. They barely even acknowledged us as we passed by, Harlyn chatting my ear off about what she’d been doing that morning. There were a few members scattered around the area, some talking, others tinkering with their bikes.

“I like the swings the best, what part do you like?” Harlyn asked as we stepped into the soft padded area. The playground was reasonably new, maybe a couple of years old. There wasn’t any particular reason other than the Brothers by Blood was very much supportive of family. It was what they stood and lived for. Whether that was their blood family or their brothers. They stood as one and that included having the support of Old Ladies, children, and even club girls.

The club was a unit and we did what we could to support our men. Every one of us had a part to play, and while the club may be on the other side of the law occasionally, and some saw these guys as a gang of misfits and criminals, the loyalty and love you found within this group was unrivaled.

“I love the swings, but I think the slide would probably be my favorite.”

She nodded the gentle curls in her hair springing to life. “Good choice,” she praised, giving me a thumbs up.

I laughed. Harlyn was an amazing kid. She shocked and surprised me so much, just in the short time we’d played. She was quick-witted and ahead of the game. Sometimes that could put a lot of pressure on a child when they’re so aware of the feelings and emotions of the people around them. But Harlyn seemed unfazed and allowed the young girl in her to be let loose. She laughed, she had fun, but she didn’t miss a beat.

She was Optimus’ child, there was no doubt about that.

Neil watched us from a picnic table. I could tell he hated being put on babysitting duty by the bored look and eye-rolling that was a total give away.

Harlyn and I took a swing each.

“Do you like my dad?” she asked as she pumped her legs back and forth.

I froze for a minute, but Harlyn continued to swing back and forth casually like she hadn’t just dropped that on me. “Yes, I like your dad.”

“No, I mean do you like, like my dad,” she said, emphasizing the second like.

I laughed. “A little.”

“It’s okay if you do.”

“Well thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” I told her, amused by her crass and straight to the point attitude.

“Harlyn!” I turned to see Sugar walking across the grounds toward us from the clubhouse. She had a soft smile on her face, but it seemed a little forced.

“Hi, Momma!” Harlyn called before throwing herself off the swing as it flew forward. My breath caught in my throat and I almost threw myself off after her, expecting tears as she stumbled and rolled across the ground. There were no tears and Sugar didn’t even falter at her daughter’s epic daredevil actions. Harlyn bounced right up, brushed herself off and ran over to embrace her mother. “Chelsea is playing with me, isn’t that cool?!” she beamed.

Sugar glanced at me over the small girl’s head. “That’s great honey. You know, I saw Uncle Blizzard inside raiding the ice cream. You better go get him before he eats it all.”

Harlyn gasped. “Oh no, he doesn’t!” She started sprinting toward the clubhouse, a girl on a mission with Neil plodding along behind her.

I slowed my swing until it came to a stop and climbed off. I was nervous as hell. Sugar essentially had a lot of power here and I wasn't sure what she was going to do with it. “She’s a smart kid.”

Sugar brought her eyes back to me, only once Harlyn was safe inside the building. She nodded. “She is. I can’t hide anything from her. It’s like she has a radar for deception.” She walked closer. “You must be Chelsea. It’s nice to finally meet you. Optimus and Blizzard have both spoken very highly of you over the years.”

“I wish I could say the same. I only just found out you two existed,” I told her sadly, breathing a sigh of relief.

She smiled and gestured to the picnic table that Neil had just vacated. I followed her over and we both took a seat. “It must have been quite a surprise for you. I remember seeing your face the day we arrived. I always expected that us coming here would piss off some club girls. It’s not a secret that many of them are very...shall we say...territorial of the men. But the look on your face was pure heartache.”

I looked down at the table, picking away at a broken piece of the wood. “It was a shock.”

“I’m sorry that our presence has caused this rift between you and Op.”

My eyes shot up. It was the last thing I was expecting her to say and her words were so genuine. I shook my head. “You and Harlyn are absolutely not to blame, I would hate for you to think that.” I swallowed. “I’m happy that you’re here, and Optimus gets to spend time with Harlyn. He and I, that’s something I can’t really explain, but knowing he had this huge secret just made me realize that maybe we weren’t as close as I thought.”

She sighed. “Unfortunately that’s Optimus to a tee. He’s a protector. He has the weight of the world resting on his shoulders but refuses to share his burden with others. He keeps it locked away and apart from his brothers, everyone is maintained at a safe distance.”

It seemed like this should be awkward, meeting Sugar, the woman Optimus had once been deeply in love with. But it felt strangely comforting.

“Is it weird that this,” I gestured between the two of us, “isn’t weird?”

She laughed, it was light and soft and I couldn’t help but smile. “Optimus and I both know exactly where our feelings lie. I love him because he’s my daughter’s father. There was no messy breakup or vileness between us, we just realized that we weren’t meant to be.” She looked me directly in the eye, still grinning. “And now I think I know why it never worked.”

I blushed. “I don’t know about that. There’s only so much rejection a girl can take before she gets the point.”

“Stubborn bastard,” she murmured, rolling her eyes.

“How’d the visit go?” I almost shot out of my seat hearing Wrench’s deep voice rumble behind me.

“Jesus Christ!” I gasped, covering my racing heart with my hand.

Wrench placed both hands on the table and leaned in. I caught Sugar look up at him with a shy smile before she set her attention back on the table in front of her.

“As to be expected. I believe the words ‘disgusting,’ ‘disgraceful,’ and ‘biker trash’ were used.” Her shoulders slumped like she had been utterly defeated. “I don’t know why I thought telling them that they had a grandchild would have made them feel any different.”

Wrench’s jaw ticked as he clenched it, obviously trying not to say anything.

“I’m sorry, this is your parents?” I asked in awe.

Sugar nodded, her gaze finding me but clearly trying to avoid the hulking man who stood over us. You could feel the anger pouring from him as he just stood there, watching her.

“My parents wanted me to marry a lawyer or a doctor, something that would look good for our family.” She fiddled with her burgundy hair, tucking it behind her ear as the wind whipped it around her face. “I wasn’t one to think I was better than others because I came from money. I learned fast that people were attracted to my status, rather than my personality. Then Optimus came along and introduced me to the club and everything felt real. These guys, they aren’t fake. They don’t feel like they need to impress you. They are who they are and fuck it if you don’t like it.”

I laughed and even caught a twitch in the corner of Wrench’s mouth as my eyes flicked between the two of them. I was trying to figure out what the feeling was that was sparking the air around us.

I cleared my throat and chuckled lightly. “Ain’t that the truth?”

“So they don’t even want to meet Harlyn?” Wrench spat, clearly not impressed.

I heard a high-pitched giggle and we all looked over to see Blizzard carrying Harlyn upside down over his shoulder. “Tell me, where you hid the ice cream,” Blizzard demanded, his fingers hovering over her, threatening a tickle attack if she didn’t give him the info he wanted.

“Never!” she cried in between fits of laughter.

We all laughed as he proceeded to ‘torture’ the ice cream location out of her.

“Harlyn has everything she needs already. It doesn’t matter if they want to meet her or not. She’s happy,” Sugar murmured as she rose from the table. Wrench placed a hand on her shoulder as she passed by him. She stopped briefly, and they shared a look that only lasted a second but said everything that needed to be said before she rushed off.

“I’ll save you, Harlyn,” she called in a dramatic voice as she ran toward them smiling.

Wrench stood silently and watched her go.

“You know Optimus would kill you, right?” I warned softly.

He didn’t even flinch. “Somethings are worth the risk,” he muttered before walking away.

Don’t think I’ll be mentioning that one anytime soon.