OLIN (A Brikken Motorcycle Club Saga Book 3)
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Chapter Twenty Two
Bobo pinched Ashley's cheeks with her fingers. She flinched and stepped back. "Ow."
"Trust me. You need some color on your face. You're pale." Bobo studied her closer. "If you want to look good for your man, you need to work with what you got, and in here, it's not much. Carol has a pencil in her cell if you want to line your eyes."
She shook her head. The thought of using lead as eyeliner was insane. She rather look like how she felt. Like shit.
She couldn't even muster enough interest in looking better for Olin. He'd seen her at her worst with the flu and hungover on occasion over the years. Her prison look was even more disgusting.
She hadn't told any of the inmates about Olin. During the trial, she'd been hypersensitive of keeping his name and Brikken off her lips. In Pod B, the women used their connection with their men to start fights and terrorize each other.
"Do you have anyone visiting today?" Ashley ran her fingers through her hair. Going without conditioner made the strands stiff and dry.
"Nah, my family can't afford to travel to see me." Bobo sat on her bunk. "Not that any of them would. My husband is locked up in the state prison. He's the only one I would want to see."
She couldn't feel sorry for her cellmate. Too filled with excitement over visitation, she clung to the selfishness overwhelming her. For the first time, Olin, Lindsay, and her mom were coming to visit her.
The corrections center gave her three and a half hours to visit with her loved ones. She could hug and kiss each one briefly, but she most looked forward to holding their hands. Permission to touch was granted as long as she kept her hands above the table the rest of the time.
Then, tomorrow, Olin was going to come back by himself and spend the visiting time with her alone. Though, in the visitor room, they never had privacy with the other inmates and their family members only feet away from them. There were only three days she had to be by herself during the week without any contact from others on the outside.
She pushed herself to only focus on the positive and not the long hours and days she was locked into Pod B, dealing with the tension on the inside.
"Inmate 57301," shouted a guard.
Ashley looked at Bobo, widening her eyes. It was too early yet. Visiting wasn't going to start for two more hours.
"Better get your ass out there before they strip you from going," said Bobo.
She hurried out of the cell and down the steel staircase. At the window to the guard's room, she waited.
"Stand at the door, inmate," said the voice over the speaker.
She walked to the other side of the room. A guard opened the door and ordered her to come out. She stepped into the corridor, wanting to ask what was wrong but was afraid of getting punished for speaking out of turn.
"Number?" The male guard looked down at her.
She lowered her gaze. "57301."
"Come with me." He walked down the hallway.
Her heart pounded. She'd seen other women leave the pod and come back desolate, preferring to retreat to their cells and stay away from everyone.
The guard stopped, swiped his badge through the reader on the wall and opened the door. "Go inside, sit down, and wait."
She peeked into the empty room and walked in. The bare desk was unattended. She sat down on the chair, trying to remember if she'd done anything wrong with all the rules and regulations assigned to her.
Despite the all-night drama going on in the pod, she made sure to get up at seven o'clock every morning so as not to get a mark against her for oversleeping. She never shared food, always put her tray away. The only altercation that had blown up and grabbed everyone's attention was when Gina from one of the other cells stole Ashley's bar of soap.
Knowing she couldn't let the woman get away with taking anything from her, she'd joined in a yelling match with her. But, Georgia broke them up, demanding the soap back from Gina, before things turned physical.
The door opened. A woman wearing a suit entered, followed by the nurse, and Mr. Devonport. She frowned, silently asking her attorney what was going on. He gave her no answers.
"I'm Clara Evans, the prison warden here at WCCW." Ms. Evans put a folder down on the desk and sat in the chair. "I've invited nurse Linda and Mr. Devonport to this meeting, which you will have fifteen minutes to speak with your attorney after I'm done."
"What's wrong?" Her thoughts went to those on the outside.
Had something happened to Olin? Her sister? Her heartbeat thrummed in her ears. Was her mom okay?
"When you were checked into WCCW, we took a urine sample to test." Ms. Evans folded her hands. "Besides the different kinds of drugs we're looking for in your system so that we know where to place you and what kind of help you'll need during your incarceration, we also screen every female for pregnancy. Yours came back positive."
She slid to the edge of the chair, unable to believe what she was hearing. "Pregnant?"
Her mind raced in a hundred different directions. She'd be able to leave and have a baby? Olin was going to flip out. Her body trembled. She'd thought her chances of having a family was slim. They'd gone without protection for so long, she'd given up on getting pregnant.
"We'll be moving you downstairs in Pod B where you'll get a lower bunk and an extra pad. Next week, you'll have an appointment with the doctor here at WCCW, who will prescribe you the necessary prenatal care vitamins."
The room swayed in front of her. They weren't going to let her go?
"You'll get extra food during meals. Do not share, give away, or barter your allotted meals or you will be punished." Ms. Evans looked down at the folder. "When you go into labor, you will be transported with a guard to the local hospital where you will stay for twenty-four hours. When you come back, we'll put you in the Living Unit where if you choose to keep your baby with you, you will remain until your sentence is over."
Ms. Evans stood. Ashley stared at the desk as if all that information was for someone else. She was pregnant?
"Do you have any questions for the nurse?" asked Ms. Evans.
She shook her head. Pregnant?
"We'll leave you with your attorney and the guard will come and get you in fifteen minutes." Ms. Evans and nurse Linda left the room.
Mr. Devonport took the chair behind the desk, sat down, and cleared his throat. "Are you okay, Ashley?"
She shook her head. "I'm pregnant?"
"Yes." His gaze softened.
She looked down at her hand pressed against her stomach. There was no hint that she carried Olin's child inside of her. Never one who could count on having a regular period, she thought for sure there would be something else letting her know that she was going to have a baby.
The last three months had been a whirlwind of depression, fear, sickness. Her chest seized. She hadn't been with Olin since before she was arrested. How could she be pregnant?
She cleared her throat. "How far along am I?"
"I'm sure next week when you see the doctor, you'll know more. What we need to talk about now is what you're going to do with...the baby." Mr. Devonport's forehead wrinkled. "If you'd like to exercise your right to an abortion—"
"No." She shot out of the chair. "They can't make me."
"As your attorney, looking after your best interest, it's one of your options and one which we'd need to act fast on. Your choices regarding your pregnancy in the state of Washington is a...time sensitive matter." He cleared his throat. "It could already be too late."
Bile rose in her throat. She clamped her hand over her mouth. They weren't going to let her go home to have the baby?
"Please, sit, Ashley." Mr. Devonport got out of his chair and held his hand out. "Take some deep breathes."
Her knees gave out the moment she bent them. She curled her upper body, holding her stomach. Nobody was going to take her baby away.
"I want to see Olin. H-he's supposed to be visiting today," she said, swallowing hard.
"Because of needing to cha
nge your bed within the prison, visiting has been canceled for you."
"They can't do that to me." Tears filled her vision. "Olin doesn't even—does he know I'm pregnant?"
Mr. Devonport shook his head. "That's another thing we'll need to talk about. If he's the fath—"
"Of course, he's the father," she snapped, feeling sick all over again. "This can't be happening. Please, tell me this isn't real. Someone's going to come in here and let me out. I can't be incarcerated and have a baby."
"Luckily, WCCW is one of the few women's prisons around the United States that offer an in-cell policy where you can have your baby and keep it with you as you serve your sentence." He shuffled papers in front of him. "I believe until the child is three years old, he/she may remain with the mother. Logistically, you'll be released when the child is almost two and a half years old. We'll have a more accurate calendar once we know how far along you are. The state doesn't want to take an infant away from its mother."
She gaped at him. A child in prison?
Never would she put her baby, any baby, in this hellhole.
The door opened. Mr. Devonport stood. She couldn't go back to her cell, or wherever they put her next. She needed to speak with Olin.
"One last thing, Ashley. What we've discussed will, of course, remain confidential." His smile failed to reach his eyes. "If you have any other concerns, put in a request for a visit and I'd be happy to talk with you."
"Wait." She stepped forward. "You need to tell him."
Mr. Devonport cleared his throat, reminding her not to speak Olin's name. She lowered her voice. "He needs to find out away from here, at home. I don't want him to find out here."
Her attorney dipped his chin. "I'll call him when I get back to the office."
Okay. Okay. Olin would know what to do.
The guard took her back to Pod B and stayed with her while she gathered her things and carried them down to another cell on the first level. She moved woodenly and automatically as if nothing had changed.
But, everything was different.
She carried Olin's baby.
And, she was incarcerated for three years.
Chapter Twenty Three
The rumble of motorcycles outside Olin's house interrupted the silence in his living room. He refused to get up from the couch and kept his forearm over his closed eyes. Two hours of listening to Ashley's sister and mom carry on about today's canceled visitation while trying to answer all their questions had given him a headache.
Whichever Brikken members came to the house could damn well let themselves in. And, then they could leave.
There was no one he wanted to see. All he wanted to do was count down the next twenty-four hours until he could make the next visitation and spend time with Ashley.
A knock followed by the door opening told him the time would go slow.
"Olin?" said Chief. "You got a minute?"
"Shoot." He put his arm down, opened his eyes grimacing at the pain of the daylight hitting him, and sat up.
Jett, Thorn, and Johanna stood behind his father. He slipped his feet into his boots, and while he tied the laces, he said, "Should I expect Mom to show up, too?"
"Karla's going to stop by tonight." Chief moved into the room, motioning for everyone else to take a seat.
His whole family showing up on a Saturday raised his concern. "Everything okay with my sisters?"
"Jackie and Stassi are good." Johanna stepped around Chief and sat down beside Olin.
"What the hell are you all doing here then?" Olin looked at Thorn and Jett. If any of them were going to jump through the bullshit and get to the facts, it was his brothers.
Both of them remained quiet. Olin looked to his dad. "What's going on?"
"Charles Devonport called," said Chief.
Olin ran his hands through his hair. "Visitation was canceled today. I'm supposed to call in the morning to see if Ashley will be able to make it tomorrow."
"He had more news." Chief sat down on the coffee table in front of him. "Ashley's moving to a different cell today."
"They picked a hell of a day to do that." He leaned back on the couch. "It's been ninety-six days since I've seen her. They didn't need to fuck up her first visitation."
Chief's gaze softened. "Devonport called for a different reason. He was asked to come in and represent Ashley during a meeting she had with the prison warden."
His body tensed. "About?"
"Ashley's pregnant, son."
He chuckled, making his head pound. "Right."
"They tested her during check-in at the state prison, and she came back positive. Devonport figures she passed the test during the medical check at county after her arrest because she wasn't far enough along for it to register." Chief tilted his head.
He'd pressured her to have a baby. It was one of the biggest hurdles in their relationship. Her fear of being too old and running out of time to give him a family was what kept her from committing to him.
"And, you heard this from Devonport?" He shook his head. "Why would he call and tell you?"
"Because he's loyal to Brikken and has been used by the club since Rollo was alive." Chief raised his brows. "I told him all news goes through me so you wouldn't go off half-cocked and get yourself killed or arrested."
"Bullshit," he muttered.
"He represents Ashley. She wanted you to know. I'm here to give you the news." Chief sighed. "She could've kept the information to herself. That's her right."
Jett gazed at Olin intently, cupping his beard covered jaw. "Are you positive she's having a Stanton?"
Olin exploded off the couch, throwing a wild punch in the air. Thorn tackled him from the side. Olin crashed into the edge of the coffee table, breaking the legs off the furniture.
"Jesus Christ," shouted Chief rolling from where he'd fallen to get out of the scuffle and put Thorn in a headlock. "Let him work it out."
Olin stood, getting in Jett's face. "Don't you ever fucking question who the father is."
His breath exhaled harshly, and he painfully sucked in air. Ashley was pregnant?
He whirled around and faced Chief. "You're sure this info comes from Ashley?"
"She was informed this morning, along with Devonport." Chief cupped Olin's neck. "I know this is a huge load put on you when you're already carrying more than is fair, son. But, you need to make this right for Ashley."
"Make it right?" He reeled back, looking around the room. "I need to get her out of prison."
"Olin..." Johanna stood. "That's not possible."
"She can't stay in there." He stalked to his duffle. "I'll get her out. She never should've been in there anyway. I'll have them reopen the case. I'll tell them I forced Ashley to work at Shechanics. They can arrest me and let her out."
"Don't be an asshole." Jett followed Olin to the door. "Let's talk through this."
Olin ripped the door open. On his way out, he overheard Chief tell everyone to back off.
He got on his motorcycle, put on his helmet, and accelerated out of the driveway. He needed to do what was right for his family.
His family.
How long had Ashley wanted to give him a baby? How many fights and tears had she shed because her period had shown up? She kept her worries to herself, and he'd taken the brunt of her frustration and hurt.
Fuck.
She was alone. He should be there, helping her.
A half hour later, he found himself sitting five hundred yards off the prison property, staring at the large gray complex. The razor-topped cyclone fence cold and unmoving. Inside, Ashley dealt with one of the biggest things that'd ever happened in her life, and he wasn't there.
Somewhere between Tacoma and Gig Harbor, he realized that he would need to be there for the mother of his child. He couldn't do that locked up in a cell, and he couldn't guarantee his plan to try and sway the court system he was the guilty party would allow Ashley to have her sentence changed. His eyes burned. She'd need him to be there for her.
The state of Washington couldn't keep his child from him. Nothing would come between him and Ashley. The next three years threatened to break each of them. Somehow, it was up to him to make sure they survived.
He was the vice president of Brikken.
His job was to take care of his woman. His unborn child.
All he had to do was concentrate on the important matters, and they'd get through their separation.
Chapter Twenty Four
The large analog clock on the wall behind a cage ticked loud enough to reach Ashley's ears. Even time was a prisoner.
She fisted her hands on the table, waiting for the visitors to come into the room, and hoped she wouldn't vomit. Despite knowing she should eat for the baby's sake, her appetite had fled yesterday with the news of her pregnancy.
Then, having all the time in the world to think about Olin dealing with the news Mr. Devonport shared with him and him trying to wrap his head around their lives with her in prison made even the thought of food gag her. In a perfect world, she would've wanted to tell him herself. Maybe buy little booties and have him open the gift.
That fairy tale life moment was stolen from her because of her incarceration. She couldn't tell him during visitation because she knew how he'd react. He'd lash out at everyone who got in his way.
He needed to hear what was happening away from prison, so he had the time to calm down.
She only hoped twenty-four hours were enough.
Olin was her better half. She understood how his head worked. He could be the calmest man when called upon, but the moment he feared for her, he lost control.
He'd take responsibility for her getting pregnant, but it wasn't his fault. Neither one of them knew she would get dragged into Elissa and Willa's crimes, and when Olin had figured out what was going on, it'd been too late. If she blamed anyone, it was the jury who believed the prosecuting attorney that she had knowledge about insurance fraud and she was the one responsible.