by E. C. Land
Sighing, I snuggle into his warmth and hold on tight. “He said he didn’t hold hard feelings for me killing Deanna. That he and his brothers were not retaliating against the club, though his father wanted to. He also said something about he and his brothers decided it was time for a change.”
Chains’ body stiffens slightly though he doesn’t stop his fingers from trailing up and down my back. After a long pause he relaxes back into the bed. “This evening, I want you and the twins to stay in here. Fèlix is coming to the clubhouse for a meeting and I don’t want him near you again. Not until I know what his game plan is. He might say one thing, but Fèlix is a DeLancy. Deanna was married to his father and though he says he hates her she was still family. I want to make sure nothing happens to you. And with you being pregnant, I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure nothing happens.”
“Okay,” I murmur, trusting in him to keep me safe. He’s always been my protector.
And he always will be.
Chapter Nine
Chains
Without waking Tiny, I slowly slide out from under her. I’d lain here for as long as I could holding her to me. My mind playing over the fact I nearly lost her due to my fuckin’ mouth. I can’t stop thinking about what happened between my sister and brother-in-law when they first got together. How she ran from him and hid in another country for a month before he found her.
I don’t know what happened but I know he hurt her. If it wasn’t for the fact, he loved my sister as much as he did, I’d have gutted him back then when I found out. Now I understand him. Hurting your woman is like a sucker punch to the gut. The pain doesn’t just automatically go away soon as the fist is pulled away. No, it takes a while to lose the ache it causes. Sometimes it leaves a bruise and you have to bear through the pain and hope they didn’t do any further damage.
Picking my shirt up off the floor, I pull it on over my head and grab my cut. I throw it on while sliding my feet into my boots. Standing to my feet, I turn around to look at my woman one more time. Finally, she’s mine in every way and I’ll make sure nothing takes her from me. Including this baby she’s carrying. Even if that means I’m on top of her for the entire time to keep her from doing anything that could cause complications.
Sure, I know she didn’t do anything wrong with the twins and whatnot, it was just she’s so small her body couldn’t handle the stress. This time will be different.
Bending at the waist, I brace myself with my hands pressed into the bed and press my lips to her soft ones. “Be back in a bit,” I murmur, though I know she didn’t hear me.
She’d fallen asleep nearly the minute I finished telling her I wanted her to stay in the room this evening while Fèlix was in the clubhouse. Just as a precaution.
Leaving the room, I make sure the door is locked so no one messes with her and head to the main room.
As I enter the room, I immediately spot my twins sitting in their highchairs while munching on something I’m sure Angelina cooked for them. All the ol’ ladies have a system and rotate weeks they want to cook meals. This week it’s been Angelina and we all have been treated with some fuckin’ damn good food. For a doctor, she knows how to make food delicious. The woman should have been a chef.
I make my way through the room to the table the twins were situated at with Ryder, Tyres, Lynch, and Fuse. My uncle lifts his head as I grab a chair and pull it up next to my kids.
“Everything good?” he asks.
“Yeah, everything’s good,” I confirm.
“Wanna explain what the fuck that shit was all about last night and then this morning you asking if Tiny was at our place?” he probes.
Sighing, I lean back in my chair and rub a hand down my face. “I fucked up last night. Royally.”
“How’d you do that?” Tyres asks, without looking up from the little girl he’s holding. He may be listening to the conversation but his attention is on Wren as he gives her a bottle. For a guy who fears turning into the people who brought him into the world, he’s a damn good dad to his little girl.
“Tiny told me she was pregnant last night after we got back from the zoo with the twins and I didn’t take it well. Said some shit I shouldn’t have, told her she was getting rid of it, and left her alone,” I mutter, not meeting anyone’s eyes.
“You did what?” Ryder snarls.
“I fucked up,” I murmur as I reach in my back pocket and pull the letter out she’d written me. I lift my gaze to meet theirs as I place it on the table. “I nearly lost my ol’ lady due to my shit, and if it wasn’t for the fact she was on foot when she left, I don’t know if she’d be here right now.”
“Tiny left you?” Lynch’s eyes widen at this news.
“Yeah, she left, after writing this letter to me explaining a lot of shit,” I mutter.
“What do you mean?” This time it’s Fuse who speaks up.
“Evidently when you looked into her background, brother, you didn’t get as much as we thought you did. For nearly a year before she ran away that fuckin’ father of hers had her injected with a drug that’s supposed to stay in her system for up to ten years.” Fuckin’ hell thinking about it makes me feel like a monster for having been a motherfucker to Tiny. “The drug they used was to counteract any contraceptive she took. I didn’t know any of this until I read her letter.”
“That’s some fucked up shit, Prez,” Lynch grumbles.
“You can say that again,” I mutter.
“So, she left last night and this morning you two are hitched?” Tyres questions.
“Yep, I wasn’t about to let my ol’ lady get away from me. After reading the letter she wrote, I went after her.”
“Why didn’t she come get the kids? She wouldn’t have left without them,” Ryder states.
“This is the even more fucked up part of it all. Tiny was gonna leave them though it broke her heart. She was leaving them with me because she knew she couldn’t protect them the way we can. Woman even stated she would make sure I got our new baby as well,” I sigh.
“What the fuck? So, she was just gonna abandon her kids?” Fuse sneers.
“No, she wasn’t abandoning them, brother. Tiny thinks her father is still looking for her and probably knows where she’s at. If that’s the case he’ll want her as she’s an asset to him and whatever the fuck he’s into,” I inform him, hoping he can read between the lines and know I want him to look into what the hell was going on.
Nodding, Fuse stands up from his chair. “I’ll see what I can find out and let you know before Fèlix gets here.”
“Thanks, Fuse,” I murmur, nodding in return.
As he leaves the table, I wait for my other brothers to say something.
River babbles something and Brook follows with a squeal drawing my attention.
Grinning at them, I reach out and give them both a tickle.
“So, do we have to worry about Tiny leaving you again or you acting like a motherfucker to her?” Ryder mumbles.
“No one has to worry about Tiny leaving me. Her and I may have had arguments in the past, but I’ve never spoken to her the way I did last night. She didn’t deserve it and I know it. I can’t say that if I knew about her past if I would do anything different. I overreacted when I should’ve been showing her support,” I mutter, shaking my head in the process.
“Then we forget this part of the conversation happened. Just don’t fuck things up with her.” Ryder shrugs.
“I don’t intend to do anything to mess up my life with her. Now let me get these two to the room. She’ll be ready to wake up soon.”
“Why is she asleep? You wear her out already?” Tyres chuckles.
“Nope, my ol’ lady passed out almost the minute her head hit the pillow thanks to her night of walking to town,” I grumble, standing to my feet.
I don’t listen for a response to my comment and it’s a good thing since no one had one.
“Church in a little bit, I’ll be there otherwise let me know if anyone needs
anything until then,” I order as I lift one kid then the other out of their highchairs.
Holding both my twins in my arms, I head to my room and my ol’ lady. Until church later, I intend to spend it with my family.
Chapter Ten
Chains
“You’re gonna stay in the room, right?” I ask Tiny, not wanting to leave her alone right now with the fear she might disappear. I know she’s not gonna leave but having experienced that this morning the thought scares me and I’m not afraid to admit it.
The two of us spent the rest of the afternoon lying around the room after I came back in with the twins and woke her from her nap. If Fuse hadn’t texted stating he found something I wouldn’t leave until Fèlix showed for our meeting.
“I promise, Darren, the twins and I will stay in here. I’m still exhausted and just want to stay in our room. Besides, I don’t know if I can face them all yet after what I did last night,” she utters, her bottom lip quivering slightly.
“Bitsy, no one is going to say anything about it, and none of the ol’ ladies know what went on last night,” I assure her as I stroke the side of her arm. “I promise you, baby, you don’t need to feel ashamed about leaving the way you did after what I did to you. If anyone’s at fault here it’s me for making you feel you needed to leave in the first place. I fucked up royally and I’m grateful my ol’ lady could forgive me for what I did to her,” I murmur. Leaning forward, I press my forehead to Tiny’s. “I love you, Bitsy. You’ll never know how much I hate myself for the things I said to you.”
“I love you too, Darren. If I didn’t then I wouldn’t have come back. I’d always be there for our children, but I could never stay with you if I thought you would say something sweet to get me where you wanted then force me to do something I’d hate myself for,” she states without meeting my gaze.
“Bitsy, look at me,” I command, leaning back in order to fully see Tiny. I want her eyes on me for this next bit I’m about to say. As Tiny lifts her eyes to do as I told her to, I can see the shimmering glint of tears in them. “I will never fuckin’ make you do something that would cause you to hate yourself. Last night I shouldn’t have told you, you were going to get rid of the baby. I know my words were fucked and cut you deep, but I mean it Sloane Garnier, you didn’t come back to me, marry me, only for me to force an abortion on you.”
“I know,” she whispers, nodding.
“Good, now I’ve got to get out there, meet with Fuse then deal with Fèlix when he gets here. How about after my meeting I order us something and we continue the rest of the evening just the two of us?” I suggest, my mind automatically going straight to thoughts of Tiny under me as I sink my cock inside her tight sheath.
“That sounds good.” And that’s my woman for you, though her eyes still hold unshed tears she’s moving on. Which tells me we’ll be okay.
Nothing and no one is taking my ol’ lady from me.
I lean in and press my lips to Tiny’s soft ones. Her mouth parts for me in invitation, which I take without haste. My tongue mingles with hers as I cup the back of Tiny’s head. I deepen the kiss even further, my cock protesting behind my zipper as he wants out.
Tiny’s moans encourage me and though I know I need to leave to deal with shit, I want more of her. Moving, I position myself between her legs as I press her into the mattress with my cock centered against her panty clad pussy. I groan at the warmth I feel through my jeans.
Knocking on the door breaks through the haze.
Fuck. I need inside her.
“Yo, Prez, you comin’? Fuse asks from the other side of the door.
Motherfucker.
Breaking my mouth from Tiny, I don’t miss the whimpers of protests. “Sorry, baby, I gotta get out there,” I grumble.
Lifting myself partially, I tilt my head. “Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute,” I call out, needing a moment to regain my composure. Good thing the twins can sleep through anything as they don’t wake up to me raising my voice.
“This is the second time you’ve done this to me,” she mutters.
“Did what?” I ask, grinning at her.
“Leaving me wound tight. I swear I’m going to have to take care of myself.”
Oh, fuck she better not.
“You touch yourself, baby, and I’ll spank your ass,” I warn her, grinding myself against her. “I want this pussy weeping for me when I get back to you.”
Tiny moans arching her body against mine.
Shit.
This fuckin’ sucks.
“You better wait for me, baby,” I order once more and climb off her. “Be ready for me when I get back,” I mutter, glancing from her to the twins sleeping in the playpens.
I leave the room before I end up being late as in not showing up at all due to being balls deep inside my woman’s pussy.
Upon making my way to the main room I find Fuse standing at the bar talking to one of the strays. Glancing around the room, I notice Lyrica sitting at a table with Faith and Brielle, her gaze locked on Fuse’s back glaring daggers at him.
Fuckin’ hell. I don’t know what’s up with those two but something’s gotta give. Fuse is acting like he hates the woman but we all know differently. We’ve seen the way he looks at her. I don’t get why those two just don’t quit fuckin’ around and get together already.
“Fuse,” I call my brother’s name to gain his attention.
Fuse glances to me, nods, and looks back to the stray, gives her a promising grin. “You’re gonna wanna have this conversation in your office, Prez,” he mutters as he gets closer to me.
Nodding, I head to my office with Fuse on my heels.
I open the door and leave it for him to close as I make my way to my desk. “Alright give it to me,” I demand while taking my seat. I sit forward with my arms braced as I clasp my hands together.
“You’re not gonna like this one bit, Prez. Brace yourself. Tiny was right to fear her father coming after her. He’s a fuckin’ insane lunatic. As you know we found out he’s associated with that cult that’s moving up and down the east coast. Well, that shit’s also spreading to other areas. I found out Collins, Tiny’s piece of shit dad, sold her to a man who belongs within the cult itself. From what I’ve found he was gonna keep her pregnant with as many kids as he could get out of her before killing her. They want an army and she was to be one of the women to give it. I searched through medical records, though I didn’t find anything about the drug itself, I did find the doctor who she was seeing. At the same time, he was seeing several other female patients on the same day. One after another. I’m thinking those women were also a part of whatever sick twisted shit they have going on.”
“Let’s back up a second. You said Tiny’s right about this fucker coming after her?” I ask, still soaking in everything he’s telling me.
“Yeah, Prez, seems Collins’ been searching for her. Found her in Virginia but it’s a good thing the Devil’s Riot MC were protecting her and sent her here. However, he’s found her here and just hasn’t made a move yet,” Fuse sneers.
Fuck.
“We need to bring this to the table. If they know where Tiny is, they could try to do something at any time,” I say.
“Agreed, but I have something else to tell you as well. This you definitely aren’t gonna like,” he grumbles.
“What is it?” I demand.
“I had a theory about something and decided to look into it. Now Collins hasn’t made a move yet on taking Tiny, but it doesn’t mean he hasn’t placed anyone in a position to watch her. Or maybe attempt to do something to her.”
My blood goes cold as I’m reminded of finding Sera in the twins’ room. Her holding Brook in her arms.
“You telling me, Sera was planted here to spy on Tiny?” I snarl.
“I’m telling you I believe she was here to do more than that. I think she was planning to take Brook and deliver her to Collins. What better way to not only get what you want but get another girl in the process that you can drug
and put in line with the rest as breeders for whatever the fuck they’re doing.”
My vision blurs when rage takes over.
We had a snake in our midst and now she’s out there somewhere, possibly plotting ways to get back in and take my daughter. Or help Collins find a way to my ol’ lady.
That shit’s not happening.
“After the meet with Fèlix, we’re having church. Do me a favor get Tyres in here Fèlix is due to arrive any minute and I want to fill him in on this shit,” I grind out.
“You got it, Prez,” Fuse mutters with a nod and heads for the door.
“Thanks, brother. Soon as Fèlix gets here send him in here will you.” I don’t bother looking up as he opens the door. I know he’ll do as I ask.
Sitting back in my chair I do everything possible to get a grip on my brewing anger. I don’t need this shit. Not now.
My woman’s pregnant, which means it’s not just my ol’ lady and daughter in danger right now but our unborn child as well.
Fuck.
When is shit going to ease up around here?
Tyres knocks on my office door and immediately enters with Fèlix DeLancy right behind him. I glance at the time on my phone and notice it’s later than I originally thought.
Damn.
I’ll fill him in soon as we finish this conversation.
“Alright, DeLancy, what brings you to my club?” I demand, getting right to the point. I’m still pissed he’d sat at Tiny’s table this morning and spoke with her.
Taking a seat in the chair across from me, the man grins as he bends a knee to rest on the other one and places an elbow on the arm of the chair while pressing his fingers against his chin. “You sure know how to make a man feel welcome in your home, Chains.”
“Not trying to impress anyone.” I shrug.
“I can see this. I want to make an alliance of a sorts with you and the club. Well more or less a truce,” Fèlix states.
“What kind of truce? Isn’t your father still in charge?” Tyres demands.
