Sainte: Knights of Silence MC

by Amy Cecil

  “Yes, thank you,” she replies. She follows me up the stairs.

  “We have several rooms in this portion of the clubhouse. All of them have their own bathroom, which is nice. Don’t have to share.” I take a few more steps up. “I put you in the room next to mine. Tara is across the hall. So we’re all close together if we need anything from each other. I hope that was okay?”

  “Oh, yes, the last thing I would want was to be removed from everyone else.” She gets to the top of the stairs and looks around. “Do the members stay here too?”

  “Some, but they usually keep to themselves.” I point down the hall. “Sainte’s room is down there. Rebel is across from him, and next to Rebel is Spike. The other guys have homes they stay in, unless they are too drunk to get home; then they find a spare room and crash.”

  “So that’s why you have so many rooms here.”

  “Yep, this place was an old hotel we took over and made our own. Grayson blew up our old clubhouse and so we had to find new space fast. It still needs some work, but it’s home.”

  “Oh, I didn’t know that. Emma hasn’t told me much about him.”

  “Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sure she will tell you in time. You’ve been through a lot, and I’m sure she is just being cautious.”

  I open the door to her room. “Do ya like it?”

  She steps inside. “I do. Thank you, Honey, for making me feel so welcome.”

  “My pleasure. I’ll have the boys bring your bag up.” I turn to go and then turn back. “Feel free to come downstairs when you’re ready. You can meet everyone.” I turn back and run downstairs. “Hey, Spike, can you bring Brianne’s bags up to her room please?”

  “Sure thing, Honey. Which room is she in?” he asks as he grabs the bags.

  “Next to me. Thanks.”

  I walk to the bar where Ice, Emma, and Sainte are hanging out. Hobbes, who was lying at Emma’s feet, gets up to greet me. He is the sweetest dog and has grown so much. He’s not quite full grown, but he’s getting there. Ice is gonna have a fit when he starts to shed. I bend over to pet Hobbes. “Hey, buddy.”

  “So what’s on your schedule today?” Sainte asks me.

  “I thought about taking the girls shopping to see if they needed anything if it’s okay with you.”

  Sainte looks at Ice and then Ice looks at Emma. “Do you mind if I go with you?” Emma asks. So they don’t trust me completely yet. I get it, I do, but I sure do miss their trust.

  “Of course. That would be nice,” I reply with a smile.

  Emma turns toward Ice. “Will you watch Hobbes?”

  He smirks. “I told you to leave him home, Emma.”

  “I know, but look at him. He loves it here. And why should he be at home in his crate when he can be here hanging out with his daddy?”

  I can’t help but laugh.

  “Whatever,” Ice replies. “I’ll watch the mutt.”

  “He’s not a mutt!” Emma replies defensively. “He’s my baby.”

  “Yeah, and what about that little bun in your oven? Isn’t she your baby?”

  “Well, yes, he is too.” They are still arguing about the gender of the baby, and the dog. It’s actually cute and pretty damned funny.

  Just then, Brianne and Tara come back down and join us. “Hey, so you ladies up for some girl time? Thought we’d take you all shopping for anything you might need.”

  “That sounds great,” Tara replies. I basically have the small bag I packed for my paradise trip.” She smirks, realizing how wrong she was about that.

  “I would love to,” Brianne replies. “I don’t need much, but it will be fun to get out in the world for a change.”

  Emma looks over at Brianne. “You sure you’re feeling up to it?” She’s such a mom sometimes.

  “Yeah, it will be good to get out and feel normal again.”

  “Well then, it sounds like a plan.” I turn toward Ice. “May I take the Jeep?”

  He reaches in his pocket and hands me the keys and a wad of cash. I look down at the money in my hand in surprise and then back at him. “You all get something nice. My treat.” He looks over at Sainte and then says, “Don’t spend it all in one place.”

  I’m floored. So maybe he is starting to trust me again. For a brief moment, I think about all the coke I could buy with this money, but then the trust he just afforded me stares me in the face. He trusts you. Don’t blow it. I know without a doubt I won’t let him down.

  I reach over the bar for my purse. “Ya’ll ready?

  “I left my purse upstairs,” Brianne says and turns toward the steps. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Me too,” Tara says and follows Brianne.

  When the girls are gone, Sainte pulls me aside. “You okay?” He looks at me, and I see the concern on his face.

  I nod. “I’m okay. The trust I just got from Ice and you means everything. I won’t disappoint you, promise,” I say, trying to reassure him. It has now become an issue that I don’t want to ever have either of them look at me the way they did the night I burst into the meeting. It surprises me because I never really cared what Sainte thought of me, but now, it matters.

  The girls come back down, and the four of us head outside to the Jeep. This is gonna be fun. I haven’t had a girls’ day in such a long time. If I think about it, the last time was when Emma took me out the day before my first real date with Hawk.

  Hawk. I touch the wad of money in my pocket. Shaking my head, I think to myself, No! Make Ice and Sainte proud of you.

  Chapter 20

  Sainte

  When the girls are gone, Ice finishes his drink and looks down at Hobbes. “How the fuck did I get stuck dog-sitting?”

  I laugh. “Oh come on, he’s a good dog. He requires very little maintenance. You just gotta walk him once in a while.”

  “Well, Emma just brought him in a little bit ago, so he should be fine for a while.”

  “Come on, I heard from Michael while you were gone.”

  “Oh yeah? Am I gonna wanna hear what you have to say?”

  I walk toward his office and call back, “You might.”

  He follows, as well as Hobbes. That dog just cannot stand to be alone.

  Once we’re inside, I ask, “Have you heard from Rebel? He should probably hear this too.”

  “Yeah, he texted a little bit ago. They’re on their way back.”

  “You want me to wait?”

  “We can fill him in. I’m too impatient to wait, and it will give me time to think about it before we tell him.”

  “Okay, yeah, gotcha.” I sit down and lean back in the chair. “So Michael says Santino is willing to sell the spa and, subsequently, the club.”

  “How much?” Ice asks eagerly.

  “Five hundred K,” I reply and Ice flinches.

  “Holy fuck, that’s a lot.”

  “Do you think it’s worth it?” He sits at his desk.

  “You want my honest opinion?”

  “No, Sainte, I want you to fuckin’ lie to me,” he retorts. Damn, he has no patience.

  “Will you just chill. I think the day spa / massage place alone could be worth it, but you need to employ the right people and market it as an upscale establishment.”

  “And the sex club?”

  I laugh. “That place is a fuckin’ gold mine. They charge a hundred dollars for membership, just to get in. Ladies with a guy get in at half price, and if they are single, they’re free. The bar alone brings in revenue. And, if you go with the fee like Santino does, it’s legit.”

  “Yeah, but five hundred K is a lot of money.”

  “Yeah, but I would bet money that you would make it back in your first year and then some.”

  He leans back in his chair and looks up at the ceiling. He’s thinking.

  “Do you have that kind of cash?” I know it’s rude, but fuck, we go way back and I’m fucking curious. After seeing his house, I know he’s got money stashed away. It wouldn’t surprise me
if he’s got several thousand lying around, but five hundred? Unlikely.

  “I do. Just not sure I want to blow it all in one place.”

  “Well, before you think any further, there is a catch to Santino selling.”

  “Oh fuck, what?”

  “He has assured Michael that he will pull the trafficking side out of the club when it’s under new ownership, but he will not stop. He’s just gonna move it elsewhere.”

  “That’s fine. I can’t tell anyone what kind of business dealings they should have, but I can fucking make sure the ones I don’t like don’t live in my town.”

  “Yeah, that’s pretty much what I told Michael.” He laughs.

  “So when Reb gets back, we run this by him. If he agrees, we take it to church.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Hobbes walks to Ice’s desk and lets out a little cry. He looks down at the dog and smiles. This fucker. He loves that dog. His indifference is all a show. Wait until I tell Emma.

  “Not one word, Sainte!” he says. How the fuck does he do that?

  “You don’t know what I was thinking.”

  “Oh yes I do, and if you tell Emma one fucking word about this damn dog, I’ll have your patch.”

  “Uh, correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s not grounds to lose a patch.”

  “Oh yeah,” he teases. “My club, my rules.”

  I laugh. “You really get into the power of it all.”

  “Damn straight I do. I spent my younger years doing everything Tyler Jackson told me to do. I couldn’t stand the guy, but I always wanted to please him and make him proud of me. Fucker. I can’t tell you what a relief it was to find out he wasn’t my dad.”

  “I bet. I always thought he was an asshole.”

  “That’s putting it mild.” He pulls out a cigar and hands it to me. He then gets one for himself and lights it. “So, anything else going on I should be made aware of?”

  “Nope, it’s been pretty quiet.” I pause and laugh. “Well, if you discount the Honey outburst, the arrival of Tara and Brianne, and the fact that we’re about to acquire a sex club.”

  He laughs. “Yep, that’s quiet.” He takes a hit of his cigar. “Honey seems to be doing better.”

  “She is. You know, what you did today, handing her the cash and letting her drive the Jeep, it went a long way.”

  “I was hoping that if I took a step in showing her I trusted her, it would help. Besides, what kind of trouble can she get in with Emma there?”

  “She’s really trying, Ice, and I think the thought of disappointing you again is what keeps her in line.”

  “She’s always been special to me. I was never in love with her, but we’ve shared some good times in the past.”

  “I know. You’re her past, and I’m her future.”

  He laughs. “Good luck with that.”

  “I’ll bet you a hundred bucks that when all is said and done, this chick will love me more than she ever thought she loved you.”

  “Done, it’s a bet.” He takes another hit of his cigar. “You really care about her?”

  I nod. “I do. There’s something special about her. She gets me, and I completely get her. She’s the one, Ice. I’m sure of it.”

  “I sure hope it works out for you.”

  “Yeah, me too.” I finally light my cigar, and we both kick back and enjoy the peace and quiet for a few minutes. That is until Hobbes goes over to the door and howls.

  Ice puts his cigar out and then gets up from his chair. “Damn dog.” He walks to the door and turns back toward me. “Wanna go for a walk?”

  I snuff my cigar in the ashtray and get up. “Sure, why not.”

  When we get back from walking Hobbes, the girls, along with Rebel and Ari, are back at the clubhouse. Ari runs to Ice but then squats to pet Hobbes. “Look at this handsome boy. Auntie Ari loves you,” she coos.

  Ice looks at me and rolls his eyes. “See, even my sister prefers this damn dog to me.”

  Emma walks toward Ice. “Oh, baby, that’s not true. We both love you very much. It’s just that Hobbes is so cute.”

  Ice shakes his head. “Whatever.”

  Ari finishes fawning over Hobbes and gets up and gives her brother a hug.

  “Glad you’re home. I missed you,” he says.

  “I missed you too. It’s good to be home. One more trip back for exams and then I’m home for good.”

  “Oh brother, we’re all in trouble.” Ice laughs. He turns toward Rebel. “Got a minute?”

  “Yeah, sure.” Ice, Rebel, and I walk to Ice’s office. When we’re all inside, he closes his door and tells Rebel about the club’s pending acquisition. When he’s finished going over everything, he asks, “So what do you think?”

  “That’s a lot of money,” Rebel says. “But I can see the promise of it eventually producing more down the road.”

  “Yeah, I was kinda thinking the same thing,” Ice replies.

  Rebel turns toward me. “I assume you’re on board with this?”

  “I am. It serves two purposes: it gets the trafficking out of our town and it also provides a lucrative income for the club.” I smirk. “Not to mention that we have our own private sex club to use whenever we want.”

  “Get your fuckin’ mind out of the gutter,” Ice says.

  “He’s got a point,” Rebel adds.

  I watch in an instant as Ice goes from being one of the guys to Ari’s big brother. “Get this straight, brother!” He emphasizes “brother” as he takes a menacing step toward Rebel. “My sister will not ever attend a sex club, even if it happens to be one I own.”

  “But… but…” He stutters. “Oh fuck it, I will never win this one. No, Ice, Ari will never attend a sex club with me.” He turns toward me. “It really sucks sometimes, dating the boss’s sister.”

  I can’t help but laugh.

  “I guess we’re done here. Round up the boys.” He looks at his watch. “Church at six. Tell them they can stay for dinner if they want.”

  “Will do,” Rebel says, and I nod. We both leave Ice’s office and walk back to where the girls are hovering at the bar. “So you ladies might be cooking dinner for an army tonight. Ice just invited the whole club.”

  “Aww, fuck!” Honey exclaims. She looks at the ladies. “You ladies care to help?” And just as I expected, Emma, Tara, and Brianne get up and follow Honey into the kitchen. I’m sure between the four of them, they will come up with something amazing.

  Rebel is already on the phone calling the guys.

  “Need help?” I ask.

  He shrugs. “Naw, I got it.”

  “Okay, if you change your mind, just holler.”

  An hour later, the guys start to arrive. They mingle at the bar for a short while, until Ice emerges from his office.

  “Let’s go,” he calls to them, and they all head toward the chapel. Once everyone is seated, Ice begins the meeting by hammering the gavel on the pedestal. “Sorry for the short notice, boys, but we have something to bring to the table for a vote, and we’re kinda in a bind on time.” He sits and leans back in his chair. “So you all know Sainte has been looking into the day spa or massage parlor or whatever the fuck that place calls itself.” He continues by telling them everything we found out, the sex club, who owns the place, and how we have an option to purchase it and the cost.

  “We got that kind of money, Ice?” Spike asks.

  “Actually,” Ice says with a grin, “we do. I’ve been putting money back for quite some time now. You know, we’ve always talked about moving this club into more legit businesses. And when we made the deal with the Satans, you all knew that was where the club was heading. I always wanted to make sure we hand enough money in reserve in the event a business that we wanted to acquire came around. In order to purchase those legit businesses, you need capital, so I’ve been saving and investing—one of the things Tyler Jackson taught me that I actually agreed with.” He rubs his hand over the scruff on his chin. “We got the funds. We just need
to know if you all agree to move forward. I think this should be a unanimous vote, so if one of you doesn’t think it’s a good idea, we don’t do it.”

  He then goes around the room, asking for a “aye” or a “nay.” He gets all the way around the table, and it’s unanimous.

  He slams the gavel down. “Looks like we’re gonna own a sex club.” There was a lot of hooting and hollering from the brothers, and frankly, I can’t say I blame them. This could be a fun venture for this club. I mean really, we already have a strip joint and a porn studio. The only likely addition is a sex club. He turns toward me and says, “I’ll call Michael in the morning and get everything set up.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” I say.

  “I want both you and Rebel here at nine tomorrow morning.”

  We both nod, and all three of us leave his office.

  Chapter 21

  Honey

  About half the boys stayed for dinner. Luckily, we had spaghetti noodles, and I had sauce in the freezer. Emma made some garlic bread, and Brianne and Tara made a kick-ass salad. It was a great meal, and everyone stepped away from the table full.

  Most of the members who don’t sleep at the clubhouse have already left. The night is winding down, and the remaining boys are heading out. Rebel is asleep on the couch, his head in Ari’s lap. Emma and Ice left a long time ago. Brianne and Tara have already turned in, which just leaves me and Sainte.

  “Ready for bed, darlin’?” he asks.

  “You know, Sainte, I’m doing okay. You don’t have to babysit me anymore.” I don’t want him to feel obligated to be with me. I’ve definitely started to have feelings for him, but just the thought of letting him in scares me.

  “What if I want to babysit you?” He winks at me. I have to say, I love it when he does.

  “Is that what this is? Am I just someone for you to take care of?” I didn’t want to ask, but I need to know. The wondering has been killing me.

  He takes a step toward me. He’s so close, close enough to kiss me, and he does just that. His lips claim mine in a demanding and passionate kiss. Of course, I kiss him back. When he breaks the kiss, he remains close and says, “Darlin’.” He takes his fist to his chest. “It wounds me that you even have to ask. I’ve been fucking pursuing you for a while now. I don’t play games, Honey.”