“He should be back soon they called Bone a little while ago to let him know it was handled.” Rock continued, quietly.
“Thanks for letting me know, Rock.” Racheal whispered back, watching the baby being handed to Bone and Molly who’d managed to awaken.
“Yep, your man told me to be sure you knew.”
Rock walked with her towards Slim, Molly, and Bone who sat nearby. Molly was awake now and looked a little tipsy still. Damn, her girl was going to regret all the drinking she’d done in the morning, Racheal thought with an inner grin. For the next hour everyone cooed and cuddled the new baby. Tiny showed up around the time Slim announced that he was putting his son to bed, he gathered an exhausted Racheal taking her home. He’d helped her peal her clothes off and get into the shower, his hands washing her gently, then he folded her into bed with a light kiss, before wrapping his arms around her, and they slipped into a much needed sleep.
Chapter 11
Racheal dropped the ratchet onto the tool box picking up the wrench she would need to remove the radiator from the bike she was working on. The loud clang echoed through the shop causing a hung over Molly to glare at her with hatred.
“Do you have to be so loud?” She demanded, still glaring.
“I told you to stop drinking those shots! You’re the one who insisted it was a party.” Racheal laughed, Molly had been grumpy and mean all morning. Not that Racheal blamed her she must have an awful headache.
“You’re just evil reminding me of that. I don’t know why we’re friends. You’re a pain in the ass!” Molly exclaimed, her hand holding her head.
“Really, Moll’s. I warned you. It’s not my fault you didn’t listen.” Racheal moved to the bike and began working on it again.
“Evil! You’re Evil!” Molly was shaking her head and grumbling under her breath when they heard Tiny.
“What the hell?” Tiny was holding his hands in front of himself as water sprayed from the sink in the back of the shop. The water was spraying up at him in a huge gush as he tried to stop it with a hand held in front of his face. He sputtered and tried to turn off the water, but it just kept gushing from the sink.
Laughing Racheal dropped the wrench and ran over to the sink bending down to grab the off switch on the hose she turned it while trying not to fall over laughing. She was getting some of the spray, but not nearly as much as Tiny who was still uselessly trying to stop it with his hands. When the water was finally off she collapsed back against the wall laughing. Damn, the man was usually much better at handling things.
“Think this is funny do you?” Tiny demanded, glaring at her where she sat in the floor of the shop leaning on the wall laughing so hard she was crying.
“Y…yes.” She managed to pant out.
“That was priceless!” Molly chimed, she was laughing just as hard as Racheal, although she was holding her head moaning in pain between laughs.
“Shut up! It’s not that funny!” Tiny roared, as he stormed off towards the back room while Racheal leaned on the wall still laughing. Molly was leaning on the car nearby giggling.
“I think he’s mad at you Racheal,” Molly finally managed to get out between laughs, holding her head. “This laughing is making my head hurt.”
“That was amazing! He was so confused that he was getting a face full of water. Then the man tried to stop it with his hands. Really?” Racheal couldn’t help it she started laughing again. The look on Tiny’s face had been ridiculous.
“It was pretty darned funny. He was so confused by that water shooting up at him.” Molly chuckled again, her hand still holding her head. “Why did you let me drink so much, you evil cow?”
“Let you? You were screaming shots like a kid on Christmas morning, you wicked hussy!” Racheal bellowed, smiling.
“You still shouldn’t have let me!”
“Really? How was I going to stop you? You’re a grown assed adult.” Racheal chuckled, Molly was being irrational again.
“I don’t know, but you should have!” Molly screeched again, and then moaned holding her head; she stormed off too, leaving Racheal leaning against the wall laughing. They were all acting like these things where her fault.
It wasn’t her fault that Molly had chosen not to listen, just as it wasn’t her fault that the sink had exploded. They were being unreasonable. As she sat there enjoying the hearty laugh she’d sorely needed for months she realized that she was moving away from the scared, broken woman she’d been for the last few months. She wanted to crow with glee, but she was a little afraid to jinx it. She got up heading over to work on the bike again.
A while later, Tiny came back into the shop wearing only jeans and his cut. He looked sexy, with just that leather vest covering his golden chest, making her want to walk over and lick her way down it to even better things covered by only a pair of jeans. Tiny wasn’t a boxers or a briefs guy. Nope, Tiny went commando. All. The. Time.
Thinking about it made Racheal flood with desire, she wanted to take that man back into the back and ride him like a pony. She wiped her hands on a rag thinking she might try to apologize with a little backroom nookie. Molly was in the bay next to her fixing a Chevy, grumbling every time she made any noise, or when she moved. Her head was still hurting.
Racheal was moving towards Tiny when they heard yelling coming from the front office. She could hear a loud female voice that was familiar talking loudly to Trick.
“Look sugar, I’m not asking. I’m going in that garage. The only question is how you are gonna fair when I do. You can move that tight ass and let me by, or I can rip your balls off first then walk in there, your choice.” Racheal turned looking at Molly a smile beginning to spread across her face.
When their eyes met Molly smiled just as widely as Racheal knew she must be, and they said at the say time.
“Miss. Pearl.” Then they both began heading to the office to save Trick’s balls, because her mother never made ideal threats.
Tiny moved quickly, following them into the office. Racheal took in the scene before her with a silent laugh. Trick was standing in front of the door a few feet ahead of them staring at Pearl, who was wearing a low cut hot pink top, with her breasts almost bursting free from the tight top and a pair of white leather pants that molded to her body, with his mouth open in shock at her last statement.
“Leave Trick’s balls alone, Pearl.” Racheal snorted, watching her mother turn to her with a grin.
“Well, now sugar, that ain’t no fun.” Pearl cackled, brushing her curly black hair with its pink streaks over her shoulder. Racheal felt Tiny move behind her edging in front of her slightly. She knew that he was trying to protect her from her own mother. She smiled her hand rested on his hip to move him over. Pearl already wore a thoughtful expression that warned Racheal her mother had already taken his measure. She wasn’t surprised by this; if there was one thing Pearl knew it was men.
Molly walked around the counter moving to Pearl. “We’ve missed you so much, Miss Pearl.” She cried, hugging the older woman.
“Sugar, look at you! Glowing. Just glowing, child. Carl said that leaving the city had found you a man! I was so proud.” Pearl was holding the younger woman by the arms as she said the last part. “Now, do I need to show that young man of yours how to treat a woman or is he giving you lots of orgasms?”
Laughing, Racheal heard Tiny choke out a shocked snort. Yep, Pearl wasn’t for everyone, but damn she loved her momma.
“Umm…He takes care of me, Miss Pearl,” Molly was blushing, even after almost a year these conversations embarrassed her. “Night and day.” She added with an even darker blush.
“Well, now, I bet your mother would shit a brick if she knew!” Tiny shifted meaning to protest what he thought was an insult to Molly, but Pearl cackled with glee adding. “I’m so proud!”
Racheal stepped forward as Molly moved back, beaming. Her mother stared at her for a long moment and Racheal could see the tears in her eyes. She walked to Pearl wrapping her arms aro
und her with a sigh. Her mother hugged her back and the tight squeeze of her arms was familiar and welcoming. Racheal almost started crying hearing her mother whisper into her hair.
“I missed you so, child.” Pearl pulled her tighter into her embrace.
“I missed you too, Pearl.” Racheal whispered back.
Tiny watched Racheal embrace the older woman both she and Molly seem to know with a slight case of nerves. Racheal seemed fond of the woman and that meant she might want the woman to stay with them. Which was bad, he only had one room and the cot in his study was no place to make love to a woman. He watched as the women separated then the woman’s gaze landed on him. She moved towards him with a wicked look in her eyes that made Tiny even more worried.
Tiny stared at her as she neared, horror filling him as her hands tipped with pink nails ran down his bare chest under his cut stopping just shy of his crotch, resting on his stomach. He knew he must have a panicked look on his face, but what was he supposed to do.
“Umm…If I’d known that there were such delicious men outside the wall I would have left ages ago.” The woman purred.
Racheal snickered, poor Tiny he looked like a deer caught in headlights. He didn’t know what to do. Not wanting to offend the older woman, and possibly make Racheal mad at him. The man had no idea that Pearl was actually going easy on him. Waiting for the inevitable embarrassment for herself and Tiny, Racheal watched her mother’s show without comment.
“What’s your name, sugar?” Pearl asked causing Racheal to almost laugh aloud at what she knew was coming next. After all she was her mother’s daughter.
“Tiny.” He grunted as Pearl’s hand dropped from his stomach.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, sugar,” She turned looking at Racheal, and she wanted to sigh at the wicked gleam she saw in Pearl’s eyes. “Honey, I told you that not all men were beasts like your ex. Tell me that bastard didn’t turn you off the big cocks!”
Snorts of laughter came from Trick and Bear, who she hadn’t noticed standing beside the front desk leaning forward until that moment. They both watched Tiny who scowled with displeasure reminding her of the day they’d met. She’d said something similar to him when he’d told her his name. Pearl continued as if everyone wasn’t laughing.
“We’ve got to get you over that horrid little pricks stupidity. Now that I’m here, we’ll work on it. Find you a man with a good sized cock.” Pearl was saying as Tiny turned towards her with a deadly glare. Uh-oh, Tiny wasn’t very happy with that suggestion.
“Pearl, Really! That’s just his name not a reference to the size of his junk! Believe me.” Racheal exclaimed trying her damndest not to laugh.
Turning back to Tiny with a thoughtful expression Racheal saw the light of devilment in her mother’s eyes. Pearl knew exactly what she was doing, teasing Tiny was going to become a habit for her, Racheal would bet money on it.
“Humm…so you’ve got a nice package do you? I’ll have to see for myself.” Pearl drawled, reaching forward causing Tiny to stumble back from her in horror, while the others including Racheal and Molly burst out laughing.
“I don’t think so, Madam!” Tiny exclaimed, to which Pearl replied.
“Oh, don’t be so uptight! I was just messing with you, boy! Do you think I want to mess with my daughter’s man?” Pearl looked at Racheal again. “Not a very bright one is he sugar?”
Racheal couldn’t help it she bent forward laughing so hard she was almost crying. Tiny crossed his arms glaring at them all with disdain.
“Miss Pearl, we missed you soo much.” Molly was finally able to say.
Tiny watched, Racheal laughing so hard with mixed feelings of joy and annoyance. He was glad to see her joyful laughter. She actually sounded happy for the second time today, that sad lost woman was slowly fading. Tiny knew that the inevitable crash was still on its way, but he wanted her to be happy. The annoyance was at the woman’s mother for making him feel uncomfortable.
“Ah, sugar, that’s so sweet. I missed you girls too.” Pearl said.
The door to the shop opened and Bone entered the office with a slight frown. Bone’s eyes zeroed in on Molly. He headed to her with a smile. She opened her arms and Bone pulled her to him with a rough kiss. She batted him off after a few seconds, which caused light chuckles from the men and giggles from the women.
“Wow, he is a hottie!” Pearl told Molly who blushed. Bone held her loosely asking.
“Who’s this?”
“My mother.” Racheal replied, beaming.
“Call me Miss Pearl, everyone does. Now, be aware that I will have to be sure your good enough for our Molly,” Pearl turned looking at Tiny with narrowed eyes and an expression that made him cringe. “And you boy, I’ll really be watching you.”
Shit, Tiny thought, that was not good, this woman seemed a bit disturbed. He just gulped, he felt a hand slip into his and he looked down to find Racheal had moved up to put her hand in his. It reassured him that he wouldn’t have to fear any shenanigans her mother decided would be fun, Racheal would protect him. He smiled down at her, and she smiled back.
“Were can I find a hotel in this town?” Pearl asked, and Tiny cringed again thinking that he was going to have to offer the woman his home to stay in.
He really needed to get a guest room added onto the cabin. He’d thought about it when he was building, but he’d really never expected to find a woman that he could stand spending more than a few days with before he felt they were getting too clingy. That had led him to build a house without an extra room for family to stay in. Shit, that had been a dumb move he thought as he opened his mouth to invite her only to be interrupted by Bear.
“She can stay at my place.” The man who hated everyone said shocking him, and apparently Bone and Trick too, they all stared at him in amazement.
“Aww, aren’t you sweet, doll! I can’t stay with you though. I need my space. I’ve never lived with a man.” Pearl walked up to Bear, petting his burly chest with a pink finger nailed hand.
Bear looked down at her with a wistful expression that made Tiny wondered what was going on in his head. Bear had always been one of the few people he couldn’t read well.
“You can stay there. I’ll live at the club.” Bear grunted, a scowl covering his face and Tiny remembered saying the same thing when Racheal had shown up three months ago. Huh, that was interesting.
“Sugar, I can’t put you outta your house. I’m sure there’s somewhere I can stay.” Bear’s scowl darkened, but he didn’t say anything else.
Tiny again opened his mouth to tell her she could stay with him, but Bone interrupted him with the perfect solution.
“You can stay at the guest cabin beside ours. It’s empty and close to both your daughter and Molly.”
Pearl smile at Bear, with a lighthearted expression saying. “See sugar, now it’s all worked out.”
“Great.” Bear growled then turned stomping out the door without a word to anyone. None of them were really surprised by this. The club hadn’t named him Bear for his cuddly personality. Tiny was just happy that he didn’t have to live with his woman’s mother.
Chapter 12
“Crap, Lisa has lost her mind!” Vivi growled as she entered the room where they were getting Molly ready for the wedding, two days later.
Pearl looked at Vivi in the mirror as she combed Molly’s hair out. She was working on making curls that fell in wispy waves around Molly’s face, then pinning them up to create a cascading style that flattered Molly perfectly. Racheal was awed again by her mother’s talent; her mother knew hair almost as well as she knew men. Pearl had always loved playing with Racheal’s hair and it showed in the styles Pearl was able to create for herself and others.
“She’s the one that just had a baby?” Pearl questioned, placing some hairpins in her mouth.
Racheal watched her mother work awed at her mastery of the art. Racheal was okay with her own hair, but useless when it came to doing anyone else’s. Racheal sighed glad Pearl wa
s here with her. She’d cried that first day two nights ago when Pearl had told her about Traven’s death. She’d come home to Tiny with a tear stained face and swollen eyes; he’d demanded to know what was wrong. She’d told him that her adoptive father, Traven had died. Then promptly burst into tears again. Tiny had gathered her into his arms holding her while she’d cried. That man really was amazing, he always knew what she needed and did it without compliant.
“Yep, and she thinks that even though she’s just had a baby, and she’s not supposed to carry anything heavier than her baby that she should be able to carry large floral arrangements into the yard to set up beside the altar. In-freaking-sane!” Racheal laughed, Vivi was always dramatic which was fantastically entertaining.
“That’s sweet Vivi, not insane!” Molly exclaimed. “She just wants to make this day perfect for us.”
“Yes, but the reality of the situation is that she just had a baby! Slim’s trying to make her see reason. Those arrangements weight at least twenty pounds each.” Vivi was shaking her head. She walked over to plop down next to Racheal who was sitting on a sofa near the mirrored dresser.
Racheal began thinking of Tiny again. He was with the groomsmen today getting ready. Tank was Bone’s best man, with Dog, Duck, and Tiny as his groomsmen. Racheal smiled, watching her mother add tiny flowers to Molly’s hair.
“Is Lisa going to come back to get ready soon? The wedding starts in twenty five minutes.” Racheal asked Vivi who was still shaking her head.
“No that insane woman is already in her dress. That’s the other crazy thing. I think she’s so worried about Molly’s wedding because she really does want to marry Slim, but she’s afraid to. It’s making her nuts!” Vivi was smoothing her dress as she talked about Lisa.
All three of the women were wearing dresses that fell to their knees, with a slight flair at the hips, and thin straps that tied around the neck in a pinkish red color with black piping around the waist. Molly wore a white lace and bead dress, with low cut front that showed her cleavage off tastefully. The dress was fitted at the top then flared out slightly at the hips, with a two foot train down the back. She looked beautiful, although Pearl had tried to get her to leave the patch off today.
Claiming Racheal Page 8
