“Cinder said all this is on the club,” Killian said. “Renegade sometimes does woodwork to de-stress. He said he’d make a chest to keep everything in, then you’ll have this stuff the next time the kids come visit.”
“Thanks. Um, my mom mentioned that she didn’t want to stay with Scratch indefinitely, and she didn’t think my dad was budging until The Inferno was handled. Do you know of any place they might be able to stay?”
Killian scratched at the stubble on his chin. “Maybe. They’re not very big, but Cinder had a strip of four studio-sized suites put in. They’re pretty bare. Bed, couch, TV, and appliances. I’ll ask him about getting a few things for one of them so your parents can stay there. Maybe pick up some cots for the kids or something.”
“Thanks, Killian.”
He nodded and then held out his hand. “Give me your phone and I’ll program my number into it.”
“I don’t have it right now. It’s with my purse, probably still in my truck. At least, I hope no one stole it. Or maybe the police have it. I honestly have no idea where it is right now.” I pointed to the cordless phone on the coffee table. “I used that to call CJ earlier. Irish had his number and a few others on the fridge.”
Killian walked out of the room and I followed him to the kitchen. He added his name and number to the list, then gave me a wink on his way out. I heard the front door open and shut, and went back to the living room to keep an eye on the boys. Another cartoon was playing, but neither of them was watching. I changed the channel and hoped that my dad and Seamus would be back soon. I didn’t do well with boredom, and other than the TV and my family, I had nothing to occupy my time.
Chapter Eight
Irish
I’d stopped to talk to Scratch, picked up Janessa’s purse from the police, and arranged for her truck to be released from the impound lot, then ran a few other errands. Tex might not have been able to get very far, but this was Devil’s Boneyard territory and I knew which palms to grease to get what I wanted. By the time I got back to the compound nearly five hours later, Cinder was calling a meeting and a few more Reapers and some Devil’s Fury were in town. I didn’t even want to know how fast they’d ridden to get here so quick, but I was thankful for the extra hands and eyes. I’d do anything to keep Janessa safe.
My brothers sat around the table with the other clubs leaning against the walls. Tex had taken up a spot near the head of the table, his arms folded and ankles crossed, but I knew he wasn’t nearly as relaxed as he appeared. Flicker, Wraith, Grimm, and Zipper had made the trip from the Dixie Reapers, and Dingo, Dagger, Outlaw, and Demon were present from Devil’s Fury.
“What? No Hades Abyss?” I asked jokingly.
“They’ll be here later tonight,” Havoc said.
My eyebrows rose. I hadn’t actually expected them to show, but I shouldn’t be all that surprised. When one club needed help, the others seemed to appear almost instantly. Hades Abyss had ties to the Dixie Reapers, and Janessa was technically a Reaper’s property since she was Tex’s daughter. Until I officially claimed her, which I’d do at the end of this meeting. Devil’s Fury was tied to both the Devil’s Boneyard and the Dixie Reapers by blood. One big happy family.
“And we have some new faces heading here too,” Demon said.
“New faces?” Ashes asked.
Demon nodded. “I called in a favor. My cousin used to date a guy in the Reckless Kings.”
I let out a whistle. The Reckless Kings MC had a foothold in just about every state in the country, and even had some chapters in Ireland, Scotland, and Russia. Word on the street was they were involved with the Bratva as well as the Irish Mafia. I didn’t know how they walked that slippery slope, but every club I knew spoke about them with reverence. I’d never had a chance to meet any of the Kings before, but I was grateful for their assistance.
“Your cousin must be something if they’re willing to help just because she dated one of them,” Gator said. “Does she have a magic pussy?”
Demon smirked. “More like a magic dick. My cousin is a dude, and as gay as they come. Snake is bisexual and isn’t ashamed to tell the world, so his entire club knows he was with my cousin. If asked, he’ll say it wouldn’t be fair to deny anyone the pleasure of his… touch.”
A few of my brothers snickered. Some clubs had a big issue with anyone not straight, or white for that matter, but the guys in this room were open-minded. A lot of the brothers in all three clubs had served in the military at some point and had learned that we all bleed the same color, that it’s what a man does when shit hits the fan that really matters, not who he’s fucking or what he looks like.
“Is this Snake person coming?” Dagger asked, a gleam in his eye that told me he might be just as open sexually as Snake.
“Far as I know,” Demon said. “They’re also sending Copper and Prospero.”
“Like that dude from the Shakespeare play?” Tex asked.
“Uh, no. More like the guy from one of Poe’s twisted tales,” Demon said. “He can be an arrogant ass, and comes from a family who has a shit ton of money and influence. Guy’s pretty much untouchable.”
“What chapter are these guys from? If they’re in every state…” I let the thought trail off. Demon said they were sending help, but how long would we be waiting?
“They’re in Tennessee, not far from Blackwood Falls,” Demon said. “Far enough that we aren’t stepping on each other, but close enough they’ll get here pretty quick.”
“All right,” Cinder said. “Now that social time is over, everyone ready to tackle this issue with The Inferno? They’re pissing off clubs nationwide, and now those fuckers are in our town and hurting our women.”
“Not that I don’t want to help Janessa, but isn’t she technically a Reaper’s family?” Shade asked. “Unless Irish has something to add?”
The fucker. I could tell by his smirk that he wanted to put me in the hot seat. Little did he know, I’d planned to address the situation with Janessa before we adjourned. She was mine, even if I hadn’t made it a formal announcement.
“The VP gave me permission to claim her, and I am,” I said. “I was going to request a property cut at the end of Church, but since you brought it up now… Janessa is mine. I’m making her my old lady, and I plan to ask her to marry me.”
Cinder rubbed his beard and looked at Tex. “You okay with that?”
Tex shrugged. “As my wife and daughter have both pointed out, Janessa is an adult now. If she wants Irish, I won’t stand in her way. But if he fucks up, I’ll make sure he doesn’t look so pretty anymore.”
Cinder chuckled. “Fair enough. All right, we’ll order a property cut for her today.”
“The Inferno has been causing problems in damn near every state,” Scratch said. “Each club in this room has a vested interest in handling the problem here in Florida. If we can take down one chapter, then it will weaken the others and means they might fall too. The police are looking at this pretty close, and from what I’ve heard, they know about The Inferno and have eyes on them.”
“You have police connections now?” Demon asked.
“Irish gave us the first heads-up when he heard Janessa’s description to the police.” Scratch shrugged. “But what can I say? My wife has gotten pulled over a few times. Officer Thomas fell under her spell just like most men do. He knows she’s mine and not going anywhere, so if there’s someone gunning for the club, he’s going to give me a heads-up. Not because he gives a shit about us, but because he wants Clarity and the kids safe.”
“You okay with that?” Zipper asked.
“Clarity isn’t going to stray. She compared him to a puppy that followed her and the kids home a few months ago.”
“Yeah, but the puppy is still there and isn’t so small anymore,” Shadow pointed out.
“It’s not an issue,” Scratch said. “Besides, it’s good to have someone willing to give us info from the police department.”
“The Inferno is not just accepting pr
ospects at random. The guys who want to patch in have to first prove themselves worthy to be an Inferno member before they even receive a Prospect cut. Janessa saw The Inferno’s colors on the cuts the men wore but no writing. They’re committing their crimes in the name of the club in hopes of prospecting. Here’s where things get even better.” Cinder flipped open a file folder in front of him. “From what Wire and Shade have determined, once they’re permitted to prospect, the crimes have to be even more violent in order to patch in. The assault on Janessa was bad, and they’ve killed some people already. If they’re willing to go that far just be a prospect, can you imagine what they’ll do to be a patched member?”
“Jesus,” Tex muttered. His face turned a little green. “The increase of rapes and murders are in all the cities near The Inferno chapters. It’s been all over the news and some of the clubs have been talking, but I hadn’t realized it’s Prospects trying to patch in.”
Cinder nodded. “That’s what we’re thinking. And it’s going to get worse. School shootings, bombings, nothing is out of the realm of possibility with that crew. We need to end it, even if it means calling in every club we can. The Reckless Kings have some pretty big reach, but we may need to call in some others too. We can’t just take down the Florida Infernos. That club needs to be dismantled nationwide. Taking down one chapter will weaken them, but it won’t stop them.”
“Agreed,” Zipper murmured.
“So what do we do right now?” I asked. “Is it safe for Janessa to be out around town? Or will they come after her again if they see her?”
“I wouldn’t leave her unprotected,” Cinder said. “Not even inside the compound. I’m adding some new Prospects, guys I know we can trust. They’ll patrol the fence for now. When she’s out, make sure patched members are with her. I trust our prospects, but I want more experienced brothers watching her. Scratch and Jackal are also going to have added protection at home for their families.”
“Who are we adding?” Shadow asked.
“Malcolm is friends with Cobra; Dixon is friends with Renegade; and Jin is related to Phantom. They’ll be joining us by tomorrow morning. Right now, they’re meeting with Killian to go over a few things, then I’ll talk to them when Church is over,” Cinder said.
“Are we just in a holding pattern until everyone else gets here?” I asked.
“Other than increasing security, I also have Havoc checking into a few things. Maybe he can flush them out, or find out where they’re hiding. Shade is also attempting to hack into The Inferno accounts, with help from Wire and Outlaw,” Cinder said.
“Wire has his eye on some fresh hacking talent up around Hades Abyss territory. He’s going to reach out and see if the guy would be willing to help,” Flicker said. “That club doesn’t have a hacker yet, and we can always use another tech guru on our side.”
“Then, if that’s all…” I said, looking around the room.
“Go to your woman,” Cinder said. “Keep her in the compound if you can, but I know tying her down won’t be easy. She has to be bored already.”
Shit. I hadn’t even thought of that.
Cinder looked over at Tex. “Killian called me. He’s setting up one of the small suites for your family. It already has a couch and a queen-size bed in there, but he was going to get some cots for the kids and make sure the kitchen was fully functional.”
“Appreciate it,” Tex said.
“Clarity was happy to have y’all stay longer,” Scratch said. “But I understand about wanting your own space, especially with two boys.”
“I think my Noah was getting confused with a second Noah in the same room,” Tex said with a smile.
Scratch ran a hand down his beard. “Yeah, he wasn’t supposed to have the name Noah, but someone couldn’t read my handwriting. It was too much of a hassle to fix it, so Clarity said to leave it be.”
“Bet Wire could handle it,” Outlaw said. “He’s always hacking into the government sites.”
Scratch nodded. “Maybe, but he already knows his name. No need to confuse the kid.”
I stood and pushed my chair under the table. Cinder gave me a nod and I made my escape before they went off on another tangent. I loved my club, but a few had trouble staying on task, even in Church. Janessa’s purse was in my saddlebag on my bike, and I knew she was anxious to have it back. When I got home, I found her mom asleep on the couch, and looking completely exhausted. The two boys were playing with some toys, and Janessa looked like she was bored to death.
“Sorry I was gone so long,” I said, carrying her purse over to her. “One of the guys will bring your truck here, probably tomorrow. I grabbed this for you, though.”
She snatched her purse and started digging through it. “Thank God! I was worried my wallet and phone would be gone, but they’re both here, and it looks like nothing was removed from the wallet.”
“Cinder said your parents and brothers are going to have a place to stay here at the compound. Maybe your mom will get more sleep behind the gate. I’m sure she’s used to that extra security.”
Janessa gave me a deer in the headlights look. “I hadn’t thought of that. Do you think that’s why she hasn’t been sleeping? She looks exhausted, and she looks thinner to me.”
“I can’t say as to whether or not she’s thinner, but she does have some dark circles under her eyes. I’m sure she’s been worried about you.”
She nodded.
“Do your brothers like pizza?” I asked.
“They’re boys. Of course they like pizza.”
“Right. I’ll place an order for a few. What do they like on theirs?”
“The boys like cheese, but my dad will eat anything, and Mom just picks off stuff if she doesn’t want it on hers. You can order whatever you like,” she said.
I leaned down, caging her between my arms, and kissed her softly. When I pulled back, she had a dreamy expression on her face and sighed. I wanted to do so much more, but not with her mom and little brothers sitting here. Once they were gone, I would remind her just how much I needed her, wanted her. And then I’d tell her that she was officially mine, even if she didn’t have a property cut just yet.
“I’m going to place the order; then we’re going to talk. You had that glazed look people have when they’re bored out of their minds. We’ll have to come up with some ways to keep you occupied while we handle the current situation,” I said.
She smiled. “I can think of something.”
I chuckled and kissed her again. “Behave. Your mom is right there and so are your brothers. But keep that thought in mind for later.”
I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and scrolled for my favorite pizza place, then ordered four different types of pizza, breadsticks, and some drinks. I didn’t know how long her family would stay before checking out their temporary lodgings, but I wanted to make sure there was plenty to eat. Cranky little kids or a cranky Tex didn’t sound like much fun.
While we waited, I sat next to Nessa and pulled her against my side. It was nice, just sitting and watching TV. I’d never really done the snuggling thing, but I liked it with her. Then again, I’d never permitted a woman to sleep next to me either. I was tackling a lot of firsts with the woman beside me. First time meeting the parents, though I had technically already known hers, first time doing stuff as a family -- if eating pizza counted, first time just holding a woman all night. And I was loving every second.
I eyed the boys who were still quietly playing. I’d always thought having kids in my house would be like something out of a horror movie. But if they were anything like Noah and Clayton, then I might actually like it. I wouldn’t rush Nessa. She was still young, really damn young. We’d been careless once, but I’d make sure it didn’t happen again. The last thing I wanted to do was give her a baby she wasn’t ready for, and honestly, I didn’t know if I was prepared either. Being around Jackal’s or Scratch’s kids in small doses was one thing, but having to take care of a kid twenty-four hours a day every day of t
he year? That was one hell of a commitment.
I wanted that one day. A family with the woman curled against me. Maybe not a ton of kids, but one or two wouldn’t be so bad. Well, unless they were like Havoc’s daughter, Lanie. That kid was a menace and she was only a year old. If you didn’t give in to her demands, she’d bite the fuck out of you, and was known for throwing herself on the floor and screaming. Havoc would just growl at her and tell her to stop being a brat. It usually worked, until she gave him that teary-eyed look, and then he’d turn to mush. My brothers and I tried like hell not laugh when our big, scary Sergeant at Arms turned into a teddy bear around his kid. Only Lanie could get that reaction from him. Even his woman, Jordan, didn’t get him to go quite that soft. Then again, Jordan was something of a badass herself.
Nessa sighed again and I looked down to see her eyes sliding shut. It seemed her mom wasn’t the only one who was tired. She was still healing, and I knew sleep was good for her. I’d let her rest until the food arrived. A Prospect would get it at the gate and bring it by the house. I’d just have to put the money back into the funds the club kept for that kind of thing, but it wasn’t a big deal. I ordered out rather frequently and always dropped some money into the cash box twice a week to cover my expenses.
The front door opened and shut, then Tex walked in. He looked every bit as worn out as his wife and he leaned against the wall.
“Did I miss anything?” I asked.
“Nope. I see Kalani didn’t make it long, and neither did Nessa.”
“Your wife was asleep when I got here, and Nessa just passed out a few minutes ago. I ordered some pizza so I was planning to wake them when it got here.”
He nodded. “I stopped by the suite Cinder is letting us use. Your Prospect even put some toys and books in there for the boys and grabbed some blankets with cars on them.”
“Sorry I don’t have the extra bedrooms set up here,” I said.
He waved me off. “It’s fine. I’m sure Janessa would like to furnish her own home. Besides, you might need those rooms for people other than us. Might need a crib and not a regular bed in there.”
Irish (Devil's Boneyard MC 4) Page 10
