Duke started to speak, but I cut him off. “I don’t want to talk about it right now. Let’s get this cleaned up. I want to be available in case she needs me when it finally sinks in.”
He nodded, and we made quick work of cleaning up our mess and disposing of what was left of the body. After trashing my own clothes and showering, I made my way upstairs, expecting to find Harper in bed in my room. I did not expect to see Harper, Reese, and Keegan posted up at the bar tossing back shots.
“What are you ladies doing now?” I asked from behind them.
“We’re celebrating!” Harper cheerfully announced.
“What are we celebrating?” Shaker asked, entering the common room with Duke.
Harper hoisted her glass into the air and shouted, “Freedom!”
EPILOGUE
Harper
After partying too hard the night before, I was woken far earlier than expected by someone beating on the door to Chase’s room. The knocks on the door matched the throbbing beat in my head. “What?” I groaned.
“Phoenix wants to see you in Church in 15 minutes,” someone said. Kellan maybe?
It required extensive effort to force myself out of bed. I tossed back a few pain relievers, brushed my hair and teeth, and threw on some clothes. I didn’t even bother checking my reflection in the mirror. I knew I was a hot mess and I didn’t even care.
Staggering into the common room, I was surprised to see Annabelle and Reese seated on one of the sofas. Annabelle looked like the poster woman for recently married and pregnant. Reese’s appearance mirrored my own. I moved my hand in a weak attempt at a wave. “Morning.”
Reese snickered. “You look like shit.”
“Back at ya, bitch,” I retorted. “What are you two doing here?”
They didn’t get a chance to answer. The door to Church opened, and Dash stuck his head out. “Come on in, ladies.”
Neither Annabelle nor Reese uttered a word as they stood and moved toward the door. I wordlessly followed them wondering what in the world was going on.
Phoenix stood at the head of the table and gestured to three chairs in the front of the room. “Have a seat.”
We sat. Looking around the room, I realized all of the club officers were present, setting off alarm bells in my mind.
“As you know, what is said in this room doesn’t leave this room,” he paused and made eye contact with each one of us. “Last night, the three of you stole my keys, let yourselves into the basement, which you know is off-limits, put yourselves in danger by releasing a prisoner, and topped it off by torturing and killing him. Had Shaker not caught you descending the stairs, all of this would have occurred on club property without a single brother knowing!” he yelled.
He pointed to Reese and me. “You two have already pulled this shit one time, and I let it go — not this time. This time there will be consequences. If a brother pulled the shit you did, he would have his ass beat and might even lose his patch. Each one of you is an Old Lady as well as a blood relative to at least one club brother, so I can’t very well ban you from the clubhouse. However, you have broken my trust and the club’s trust. You will earn it back similarly to how the prospects earn it initially. For the next year, the three of you will be responsible for planning and organizing all club runs and events, you will be responsible for cleaning up after major parties, and you will work out a schedule to make sure this clubhouse is thoroughly cleaned three days a week. Whatever time Annabelle misses later in her pregnancy and when she delivers will be made up when the doctor has cleared her. You drop the ball on any of your assignments, and you’re out, I don’t give a fuck who you belong to. Understood?”
A collective, “Yes, sir,” was mumbled by the three of us.
“Good. You’re dismissed,” Phoenix barked.
No need to tell me twice. I jumped up and ran out of there like my tail was on fire.
Carbon
“I think you might’ve been a bit too hard on the girls, Phoenix,” Badger said pointedly once the girls left the room.
“I don’t,” Phoenix huffed. “They could have gotten themselves seriously hurt or killed! Annabelle is pregnant and knowingly put herself in danger. That crazy fucker could have easily overpowered them.”
Shaker snorted. “I get where you’re coming from, Prez, and I don’t disagree that they were in the wrong, but you did see the gun Reese had trained on him, right? And the shotgun propped against the wall beside Annabelle? Not to mention the 20-inch Bowie Harper was brandishing. That man wouldn’t have gotten anywhere close to them. Annabelle and Reese are crack shots, and apparently, Harper has some untapped skills with a blade.”
Phoenix glared at Shaker. “Be that as it may, they need to know they can’t do whatever they want around here. Let’s say you didn’t discover them, and like you just said, they were able to handle themselves without issue. What do you think they would have done when they killed him? Do you think they would have been able to get rid of the body and all of the evidence? No, they wouldn’t have. Hell, Harper didn’t even know to burn her clothes and shower when she was done.”
Shaker nodded. “Point made, Prez.”
“Byte, I want new a lock installed on the basement door that requires a fingerprint to open it. I’ll be damned if I have a bunch of girls get into my basement again,” Phoenix barked.
I chuckled to myself. Like that would stop them. I was going to have my hands full with Harper, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Other books by Teagan Brooks
Dash (Blackwings MC Book I)
US: https://amzn.to/2Qb7J0f
UK: https://amzn.to/2AeES0X
CA: https://amzn.to/2Tz9bZi
AU: https://amzn.to/2KoW1tB
Duke (Blackwings MC Book II)
US: https://amzn.to/2PaJpHl
UK: https://amzn.to/2zJ5LuT
CA: https://amzn.to/2Slptn1
AU: https://amzn.to/2BJSaVu
Phoenix (Blackwings MC Book III)
US: https://amzn.to/2Qr0a5Q
UK: https://amzn.to/2rfRAIN
CA: https://amzn.to/2DRflym
AU: https://amzn.to/2DV9Gr3
Shaker (Blackwings MC Book V) - TBA
Devils Springs Blackwings
Copper - TBA
Judge - TBA
Batta - TBA
Carbon (Blackwings MC Book 4) Page 24
