Sarge (Dixie Reapers MC 14): Bad Boys

by Harley Wylde

  “So it’s just a formality?” I asked.

  “Yep. We threw the rule book out long ago when it comes to our women. No point in enforcing that shit now. I was just busting your balls earlier. Just be warned that Pepper has already told the others about Katya. They’ll be stopping by, most likely within a day or two. Everyone has tried to give the two of you some space to bond a bit more. Heard she was adamant about leaving.”

  “Not so much now. I think she’s resigned herself to being stuck here, or maybe she even wants to stay. There’s a longing in her eyes sometimes, and I don’t think it has anything to do with where she came from, but the fact that she wants a home here and is just too afraid to grab on and not let go.”

  “Then go prove to her that her fears are unfounded,” Torch said. “And for fuck’s sake, get your kid’s room ready for him! He can’t take over Reed’s space, not unless you revamp the place and make it theirs. Otherwise your son will feel like an interloper and Reed will feel like he’s been replaced.”

  “I kind of forgot about that with everything else going on. I mean, I know I have a kid now, but there are times the dots don’t all connect in my head. A little hard to wrap my brain around the fact my son and grandson are nearly the same age. Or that I have a son at all. Lily really fucked things up, didn’t she? And she died because of it. I may not have wanted a family, but if she’d ever told me she was pregnant, then I’d have taken care of my kid.”

  “Of course you would have,” Torch said. “And you’d also have never met Katya. Because if Lily hadn’t been found by her family, if Katya hadn’t needed to get Theo somewhere safe, then she would have remained with the Bratva and your paths would have never crossed.”

  He had a point. I didn’t much like it, but he was right. Everything happened for a reason, and I knew that, but I hated missing out on so much of my son’s life. Maybe Katya would want to help with the kids’ room. We could make it Theo’s and Reed’s space. Put a bunk bed in there so they could have sleepovers. She knew my son better than I did, so I’d see what she thought about it.

  “Go home, Sarge.” Torch gave me a pointed look.

  “Fine. I’m going.” I hefted myself out of the chair and walked out. One of Isabella’s favorite people, Saint, was coming up the walkway as I left so I tossed him the keys to the SUV. “When you go past the clubhouse on your way home, would you see that a Prospect brings the silver Explorer to my place?”

  “You got it.” He gave me a wave and went inside, most likely to visit with Isabella and the kids. I didn’t see his daughter in tow, but that didn’t mean much. The girl was attached to her stepmother from morning to night most days.

  Getting on my Harley, I started the engine and revved it twice before backing down the driveway and heading for my house. It still amazed me sometimes how much our compound had grown over the years. Before Ridley showed up looking for Bull, we’d all been a bunch of bachelors, partying and living life to the fullest. Then Ridley hooked up with Venom, got pregnant, and one after another I watched my brothers take that same fall. At first, I’d been glad it wasn’t me, but as time passed, I started to wonder if I’d ever find a woman to spend my life with. And now I had Katya. Or Kat as her new identification would say. I wasn’t sure how she’d handle that.

  Reed and Theo were out front playing in Flicker’s yard when I pulled up. My grandson charged toward me with Theo following at a much slower pace. It made my chest ache that my own son wasn’t that happy to see me, but I knew I was still a complete stranger to him. Other than handing him off to Flicker and introducing him to Pepper, I hadn’t had time to get to know him better. I’d have to change that soon. Torch was right, though. The kid needed a room, or a space he could share with Reed where they could feel like it was theirs.

  I got off the bike and swung Reed up into my arms, giving him a hug and kissing his cheek. “How’s Grandpa’s boy?”

  “Good. We’re playing trucks.”

  I smiled and looked from him to Theo. “I see that. Looks more like you’re playing dirt dauber. You’re both filthy.”

  Theo came closer and hesitantly wrapped his arm around my leg. I set Reed down and picked up my son. We stared at one another for a moment, then I hugged him tight to my chest. “I’m glad you’re here, Theo. I only wish I’d known about you sooner. If your mom had ever told me about you, I’d have had you here with me every day.”

  He rested his head against me and put his arms around my neck. I had to make things right with him. If that meant giving him a kickass room, then that’s where I’d start. But I also needed to explain why he wasn’t living in my house yet. I didn’t want him to feel left out, or like I didn’t want him. Telling him was one thing, but I needed to show him that he was wanted.

  “Hey, boyo,” I said. “You’re going to stay with Pepper and Flicker for another day or two while I get your room ready. Okay? I thought since you and Reed seem to get along so well, you might want me to make it a place where you could both hang out and play. Maybe put a bunk bed in there?”

  Theo looked down at Reed. “Trucks?”

  Reed nodded.

  “I take it that means you both want trucks in the room. On the blankets too?” I asked.

  Both boys grinned, which was answer enough. I hugged Theo once more and set him down. He ran off with Reed to play and I went in to tell Katya about her new name. I really hoped she took it well. Just in case, maybe I should make sure there weren’t any bats, or other such objects nearby. The woman certainly knew how to do some damage, and I couldn’t have been prouder of her. Scared shitless, but proud. I could have lost her, but I’d been assured she’d had backup if things had gone south. Didn’t mean I liked her being put in that position to begin with.

  “Kitten, where are you?” I called out as the front door shut behind me.

  “Kitchen.”

  I followed her voice and found her standing on the counter, a chair pushed up to it that she’d probably used to get up there, pulling stuff off the top shelf of a cabinet. By the looks of things, she’d already done that to all the others. In fact, all the cabinet doors were open and none of them had a single item inside still, but every flat surface was covered from counters to the table and even the stove.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Reorganizing.” She looked at me over her shoulder. “You don’t mind, do you? I just thought if I was going to live here now, I’d make it feel more like… mine.”

  “Kitten, you can do whatever the hell you want. We can repaint. Buy new dishes. Just let me know, but I’d much prefer that you not climb on shit to reach things.”

  “I can climb a tree taller than your house. I think I’ll be fine getting up on the counters, but thanks for worrying. As for paint…” She looked around. “I think the kitchen is fine, but I wouldn’t mind painting our bedroom a different color. Maybe a nice tranquil green?”

  “Anything you want.”

  She pulled the last of the items down, then backed down onto the chair, then the floor. She set the items on top of some other stuff nearby since she’d run out of room. As I looked over everything, I realized that I didn’t even remember putting half that shit into the cabinets in the first place. It had either been there for years, or my daughter had been hoarding shit in my house. That last part wouldn’t surprise me at all. She was constantly telling Flicker they needed more room.

  “There’s something we need to discuss,” I said. “You know that Wire and Lavender worked their magic with the computer to make us legally -- or ill-legally -- married. I’m afraid that’s not where they stopped.”

  She tipped her head to the side, just watching and waiting. At least she wasn’t having a fit over the marriage thing. I’d take that as a good sign. And she didn’t look ready to bludgeon me to death so there was that.

  “They decided to change your name. I know the Bratva already knows you’re here, but it would distance you a bit more from your Russian connections. I told Torch you might not
appreciate that very much, since it’s your heritage.”

  “So what did they call me?” she asked.

  “Your new identification will say you’re Kat Reid. I didn’t ask, but I think that means they hacked into the DMV and you’ll be getting a new driver’s license in the mail. Hell, they probably went deeper than that. Who knows what sorts of shit they got into. Sometimes I think it’s all a game for those two.”

  She placed her hand over her heart. “In here, I will always be Katya, but I don’t mind everyone calling me Kat. Except you. I rather like the pet name you gave me. Now that I know you don’t find me weak and pathetic.”

  I gave a bark of laughter. “Kitten, no one could ever think you’re weak. Trust me. You’ve already made yourself a legend around here. The other ladies can’t wait to meet you, but Torch thought we had a day or two before they descend on us. So I thought you could help me with something today.”

  Her gaze dropped to my cock, which started to harden under her appraisal. That wasn’t what I’d had in mind, but she could certainly help with that too. By all rights, I should be worn the hell out from last night. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had sex that many times so close together. Hell, I barely touched the club whores most of the time. Getting laid wasn’t as important now as it had seemed thirty years ago.

  Shit. I didn’t know if she knew about the girls at the clubhouse, or what went on up there at night. I knew I needed to tell her before she found out on her own, or before Ridley opened her damn mouth and said something, because that woman loved to stir up trouble, but I wasn’t ready to get into all that just yet. Soon, though. Really soon.

  “We can do that too,” I said, drawing her gaze back up to my face. “But I need you to help me set up the room I’ve been using for Reed so that it will be good for both boys. Theo and Reed have both agreed to bunk beds and would like a truck theme.”

  She looked around. “Do we have time for me to put this all back?”

  I snorted. “Kitten, it’s going to take you hours to wade through all this shit. I’m betting part of it isn’t even mine. Pepper has a tendency to stash things here when I’m not looking. Just leave it for now. We’ll go shopping, then I’ll work on the kids’ room and you can organize all you want.”

  She nodded. “All right. Just need to get my shoes and purse.”

  “One more thing. Flicker already got a new car for you. Or new-ish. One of the Prospects will be dropping a silver Explorer by shortly. For now, we’ll take the club truck that’s still parked in the driveway. Might need it to haul some big shit.”

  She came closer, pausing to push up on her toes and press her lips to mine. Her gaze locked on mine and I wondered what she was searching for. Whatever it was, she seemed satisfied. Smiling, she kissed me once more, then walked out, leaving me to look at the chaos she’d made of the kitchen.

  Living with a woman was going to be interesting.

  Chapter Seven

  Katya

  Shopping had never been fun. I wasn’t one of those girly types who enjoyed buying things. Probably because I’d learned the hard way that those purchases usually came with strings attached. With Sarge, it was different. He asked for my input on everything we looked at, from toys to bedding to furniture for Theo’s room. It seemed my nephew had made fast friends with Sarge’s grandson and they wanted a room that could be theirs. The theme of trucks wasn’t as easy to accomplish as Sarge had thought, so we got creative.

  It took multiple stores before we found comforters with a big firetruck on them. We opted for plain sheets after not finding any to match, but the walls were harder to decorate. Everything seemed too childish for Theo. Yes, he was still quite small, but he’d had to grow up quickly. I didn’t think he’d appreciate the cartoon-looking decals we kept finding, so instead we stopped at a print shop and purchased framed prints of first responder vehicles to hang up.

  Although, none of that was half as difficult as getting Sarge to not buy out the toy department in every store that had one. When he’d found a bunk bed set with two matching five-drawer chests, he’d bought them, then called a Prospect to come pick up the truck and furniture. They’d left my new SUV with us, and Sarge seemed intent to stuff it as much as possible with things the boys really didn’t need. I eventually got him to stop buying toys, but then he went crazy getting clothes and shoes for Theo.

  “Sarge, he’s going to outgrow all that before he gets a chance to wear it. He doesn’t need so many things right now,” I said, putting back a handful of shirts and pants, then returned three shoe boxes to the shelf. “You don’t have to buy him everything you see.”

  “I missed a lot of birthdays and Christmases,” he said.

  “And we’ll make sure he knows that wasn’t intentional. Anytime he’s asked me about his daddy, I’ve told him that you lived far away. I didn’t have the heart to say you didn’t want him, and I’m glad that I never did. My sister was a selfish woman. She didn’t deserve what happened to her, but she robbed you of time with your son, and stole Theo’s chance at having a father all these years. All because she wanted you to marry her and settle down.”

  He reached over and took my hand, giving my fingers a squeeze. When he tugged me closer, I went willingly. I didn’t care about the disapproving looks of some women nearby. He lowered his head and kissed me. It was soft and sweet, and just what I’d needed. Thinking about Liliya and how she’d fucked over all of us, including herself, just pissed me off. Part of it was that I felt hurt over her actions, and how little she’d obviously cared about me.

  “Let’s call it a day on buying stuff for the boys. We’ll head over to that shop across the parking lot with all the containers stacked in the window. You’ll be able to find the stuff you need for the kitchen,” he said.

  “So disgraceful,” someone muttered nearby.

  I turned and narrowed my gaze at the trio of women openly sneering at us. What the hell was their problem?

  “Does your husband never kiss you when you’re out together?” I asked. “Or do you have a particular problem with my husband?”

  “He’s old enough to be your father,” one of the women said. “It’s disgusting.”

  Her words rang with venom, but the look in her eyes told another story. I saw the hunger there, the way she practically salivated over Sarge. She wasn’t upset about our age difference. Not exactly. I’d be willing to bet she was pissed that he’d chosen someone younger, which meant she’d have never had a shot with him.

  I felt Sarge tense, and I tightened my hold on his hand. A quick glance was all I could spare him before facing the women again. I only hoped I could handle this before he decided he wouldn’t remain silent anymore. I should have known better.

  “You didn’t think it was so disgusting when the younger woman was you,” he said.

  Now that had my attention. “You know her?”

  He snorted. “Yeah. I know her. Never fucked her, but she sure did spread her legs willingly enough for anyone wearing a patch about twenty years ago. Do your friends know you were a club whore for the Dixie Reapers in your younger years? Because I don’t recognize either of them, which means they weren’t regulars like you.”

  I spun to face him, my jaw going tight. “Did you just call her a whore?”

  “Not in the sense you’re thinking,” he said. “I’ll explain later. I promise. Just know that she’s only being so spiteful because she’s jealous.”

  “I’d already figured that out, but I didn’t know why. You’re saying she used to hang out with your club?”

  He nodded and his gaze shot over my head to the women again. When I turned, I realized the other two had taken a few steps away from the one now glaring at Sarge. Served her right. She’d opened her mouth and spewed her hatred instead of just leaving things alone. Her friends would have never known she’d once hung out with the club if she hadn’t started this shit.

  “Come on, kitten. Time to check out and finish our shopping elsewhere.”
<
br />   Sarge led me past the women and to the front of the store. After he paid and loaded the bags into the Explorer, he looked up at the sky a moment, then rolled his neck until it cracked twice. I had a feeling that whatever he needed to tell me wouldn’t be something I liked. As long as he wasn’t making money off selling women like the Bratva, then I didn’t think it would be all that bad. Or maybe I just hoped that was the case.

  We got into the car and he pulled over to the other store, but didn’t turn off the engine and didn’t move to get out. He just sat there. After a moment, he looked at me and I saw both determination and a hint of fear. I just didn’t know why he’d be afraid to tell me whatever it was, unless I’d been wrong about them owning a brothel.

  “The clubhouse gets rather wild at night, especially Friday and Saturday nights. Girls from the surrounding areas, usually under the age of twenty-six but never younger than eighteen, show up to party.” He ran a hand across his jaw, his fingers rasping against his beard. “We call them club whores because they’ll sleep with anyone in a Reapers cut. Some of them just want to have fun, but others are hoping to rope one of us into keeping them. They’re there voluntarily.”

  I turned in my seat to get a better look at him. The guilt covering his face told me that he’d been with those women. Maybe not the one in the store, but he’d been with others. I’d known he wasn’t a virgin by any means, especially since he had a daughter older than me and had Theo with my sister. Did I like that he’d participated in those types of events? No, but I hadn’t known him then. So I only had one question for him.

  “Will you still go to those parties? Still sleep with those women?”

  “No! Fuck, no! Are you crazy, Katya?”

  “No, I’m not crazy. It’s a good question. We don’t know each other that well. What if you go up there one night and some woman climbs onto your lap? You going to shove her to the floor, or are you going to decide to have some fun instead?”