by Erin Osborne
Today is my day off though. When the guys left for work, I took Wade and our protection detail, and we did some shopping for the baby. I want to make sure that everything is bought, washed, and put away before I don’t feel like doing anything. In one store I found the cutest onesie. It’s a Harley one that has a vest attached printed on the onesie that will match his daddies. The thing is so cute and looks like he’s wearing a cut. Our nursery will be a mix of cute teddy bears and motorcycles. It may not be conventional, but no one else has to look at it.
We’re having a cookout tonight at the clubhouse. Since things have been so stressful and no one has had time to do much. The girls and I decided that we were going to do this for the men so they could focus on spending time together instead of all the other bullshit-even if it’s just for a few hours.
So, I’ll be meeting them there as soon as we’re done shopping to help prepare everything. Hopefully we can get the guys to relax. Other than when Slim and Hound are grilling the meat because a female can’t cook meat as good as them. Some of them are so damn pigheaded.
Chapter Forty
Wood
THE GIRLS WENT to a lot of trouble making sure that the cookout today was a good one. So, we’re all hanging out, drinking, and having a good time. Jennifer is relaxing and talking about all the things she got for the baby today when her and Wade were out. I can’t wait to see some of the things that she’s been talking about. Yeah, we’ve heard all about it. It’s good to see her excited though, and I’ll listen to anything that she wants to tell me.
We’re just getting done with eating when Slim stands up and makes his way to the back door of the clubhouse. He makes a signal in the air telling us to follow him out front. As we leave the backyard, I can’t help but wonder what the hell is going on now. All I have to say is that if Snake’s Revenge ishere again, I’m going to flip my shit and not wait for them to talk or anything else. They’ll start dying before anyone can blink. Even if I have to deal with Slim afterward.
Everyone comes to a stop as we walk out the door and see four cop cars with their lights flashing. What the fuck? Slim stops and we all stand behind him to wait and see what’s going on. I hope to fuck this doesn’t have anything to do with Jennifer’s dad getting killed behind Phantom. She’ll be upset and pissed if Boy Scout gets taken away for that shit when he was doing nothing but defending her.
“What can we help you with?” Slim asks, trying to be polite even though we know that’s the last thing he’s feeling right now.
“We’re here to pick up Craig Tucker and Joel Carlson. Where are they?” the first cop asks.
“Right here,” Hound says, stepping in front of us and waiting for Ghost to join him.
“What are we bein’ charged with?” Ghost asks, stopping next to Hound while we all wait to find out what’s going on.
“You’re being detained in connection with the murder of Phil Carter Jr.,” the cop says, nodding to the other officers to walk over and handcuff my brothers while reading them their rights.
“What the hell are you talkin’ about? I don’t even know who the hell that is,” Hound yells, knowing that he didn’t kill anyone.
“You’ll find out more when we get to the station,” a cocky young cop says, shoving Hound forward toward one of the cars.
“I’ll get Lawson on the phone and make sure he comes to get you out of there immediately,” Slim says. “Stay quiet until then because we all know they don’t got shit on you.”
We stand in shocked silence as we watch Ghost and Hound be taken away. I have no words right now. Especially since we know that Hound usually isn’t in the room when we torture anyone. There are very few times he’s around for that anymore. Looks like we need to find out who the fuck this guy is that they supposedly killed and who planted the evidence or whatever they think they have.
“It’s Snake’s Revenge,” Boy Scout says from beside me. “They said they’d destroy the club, and we’d either be dead or in prison. This is where they’re startin’.”
“Get the girls and kids inside while we have church. We need to figure this shit out and now. I’m callin’ Lawson while you get them inside,” Slim says, walking inside toward his office.
So much for the girls’ plan to have us relax and enjoy a night with them. Looks like another shit storm just got started, and we’re going to war sooner than we thought. I feel fucking old right now. I’m ready to settle down and have things go back to normal.
We might live a crazy life, and it can be filled with chaos at times, but it’s normal for us. The shit that Snake’s Revenge is bringing to our door, and that Satan’s Anarchy is dealing with is bullshit that we all need to figure out how to end it now.
Epilogue
Shy
I’VE BEEN A club girl for going on three years now. In that time, I’ve almost exclusively been with Slim. He doesn’t let the other men touch me yet he won’t claim me either. It took me a matter of weeks to know that Slim is a man that I could fall in love with and that’s exactly what happened. The President of the Phantom Bastards Motorcycle Club owns my heart and body.
When we’re in his room by ourselves or if we go anywhere alone, I get a side of Slim that only Maddie and his grandchildren get to see. He’s sweet and caring but strong, determined, and stubborn. There are times he becomes too protective and it annoys the hell out of me while other times, he gives me the space I need and lets me do my own thing.
For three years now, he’s held me at arm’s length and won’t let me in. Not all the way. Yeah, we talk, and he lets me know more than what other women get to hear. There are times he uses me as a sounding board when he’s trying to figure something out before he takes it to the table. Other times, he lets it sit and holds it in while he figures it out on his own.
Lately, it’s been the latter, and he’s holding me at arm’s length with everything. He hasn’t even touched me in months. No one else can touch me though. It’s honestly becoming a no-win situation that I find myself in with Slim.
So, I’ve stayed away from him and I’ve been sleeping in the room I got when I first showed up at the clubhouse. It’s back where the rest of the house bunnies stay. If he’s going to be treating me like one, then I’m going to stay with the rest of them. I even moved all of my stuff out of his room while he was relaxing in bed and glared at me. He can’t understand that I can’t keep doing this; I can’t be pushed away and try to continue to make myself keep my heart out of it. It’s way too late for that.
“Shy, you in here?” Zach asks, sticking his head in my door.
“Yeah,” I answer, poking my head up over the side of my bed.
“What are you doin’ on the floor?” he asks, stepping just inside the door.
“I was grabbing something from under the bed,” I tell him, standing up and placing the makeup bag I hid under my bed into the open suitcase sitting on my rumpled bed.
“You goin’ somewhere?” he questions, his eyebrows shooting up into his hairline.
“What’s this? Twenty questions?” I ask, amusement at his round of questions showing on my face as my lips quirk up in a smirk.
“No. Uh, I was goin’ to see if you wanted to have a plate saved from dinner,” he says, stepping back in the doorway so anyone passing by will know that nothing is happening between us.
“No thank you. If I get hungry I’ll get something later on,” I tell him, sitting down on my bed.
Zach nods his head in response and turns to leave the room. I’m not necessarily leaving right now. The thought has crossed my mind because of the way I feel, but it’s scary as fuck to know that once I leave the clubhouse, I’m completely on my own. There won’t be any protection from the club or any help when it comes to money or anything like that. The thought has crossed my mind to go back to my aunt’s house. There’s a situation there that I could really help out in. It’s personal and has been weighing on my mind a lot the last month or so-especially when I have my aunt or cousin calling me on a
regular basis. Usually, I’d talk to Slim about this, but that’s not going to be happening anytime soon. So, I have a lot to think about and some decisions to make in the near future.
The decisions I need to make are my own, so I make my way over to my door and shut it. Just before it closes, I see Slim standing down the hallway and when his gaze meets mine, I can’t decipher what the look is on his face; maybe regret and a little bit of pain. It’s no longer my concern though. Slim’s the one that’s doing this. He’s made his decision about what we are, or aren’t, and now we both have to live with that since he won’t let me back in.
Slim
Zach came out of Shy’s room and told me she’s packing her belongings. I’m not sure where she’s going or if she plans on coming back this time. She hasn’t been back that long from her aunt’s house so I can’t imagine her leaving again so soon. I know that something big is going down there and that’s why she was gone for longer than she first thought, but she hasn’t told me what’s wrong. It’s my own fault really. I’ve finally pushed her past the point of wanting to deal with my bullshit.
The day that Shy showed up at the clubhouse, my first thought was that she was lost and didn’t really mean to be here. She was so shy and soft spoken, not like the normal girls that show up at our door.
Shy wasn’t dressed provocatively; she had a messy bun up in her hair, a pair of Capri’s, and a loose-fitting V-neck tee shirt. Most of the girls come to the door wearing almost no clothes and make-up caked on their faces. Plus, she didn’t try to rub up on all the guys that came into her line of vision. In fact, the first few nights she was here were spent in the kitchen hiding away and making sure that we had enough food to feed everyone that showed up to party. No one asked her to, she just did it. And she cleaned up after the parties and the kitchen sparkled like I’ve never seen before.
Soon, Wood and Boy Scout got close to her. She talked and laughed with them while I became jealous of all the time the trio spent together. I’d ask my brothers questions about her and try to think of ways to spend time with her. Nothing came to mind though, and I didn’t want to treat her like one of the usual house bunnies. Those girls are only good to find a quick release with and then send them on their way. Shy is better than that.
It took me almost a month to finally get her in my bed. She didn’t usually go with any of the guys when they tried to get her in their bed. No, she’d flirt, work the bar, cook, and clean. Shy earned her spot in the clubhouse without having to spread her legs or suck the guy’s cocks. So, when I finally got her body under mine, I made sure to take my time and pay attention to every sound she made, the way her body responded to me, and how she looked at me.
It was the first time since Maddie’s mom that someone looked at me more than a man that could give them something. I was looked at like I hung the moon and stars just for her. It became an addiction that I couldn’t get enough of, and I made sure the guys knew that she was off limits. I didn’t claim her, but I wouldn’t let anyone else touch her either.
That leads me to now. I want Shy like I’ve never wanted anyone else. She’s the reason that I get up in the morning and do everything in my power to ensure that the club is safe and no one will get hurt-especially the women and kids that are a part of the Phantom Bastards.
They’re all under my protection and it’s a job that weighs heavily on me most days. But Shy made it all disappear as soon as she stepped up next to me. With her by my side, giving me her light and freedom, I feel like I can do anything and have someone that’s strong enough to live this life with.
Instead of embracing that, I’m pushing her away. I’m making sure that she’ll go away from me and all the danger that comes with being the President of a motorcycle club. I need to make my mind up and either let her go to move on and live a life that she is truly meant to lead or pull her back in and ensure that she stays by my side.
It’s a decision that I can’t make right now and I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it before she leaves for good. Because if that happens, I’ll lose the only light I have in my life and it won’t be easy to take a breath anymore.
The End
Jennifer’s Choice Playlist
Never Say Never – The Fray
The Reason – Hoobastank
I’ll Be – Edwin McCain
Broken – Lifehouse
Save Me – Staind
Epiphany – Staind
You Found Me – The Fray
Pardon Me – Staind
Promise – Jagged Edge
Torn To Pieces – Pop Evil
She Will Be Loved – Maroon 5
Hesitate – Stone Sour
I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
Everything Changes – Staind
Imperfect – Stone Sour
Through Glass – Stone Sour
Wicked Games – Stone Sour
Bother – Stone Sour
Acknowledgements
First of all, I’d like to thank my kids. You put up with my crazy deadlines and make sure that we still spend time together. I love you all to the moon and back!!
Kim, thank you for our phone conversations, the way you talk me down when I need it, and everything else. You are one of the most loyal people I have ever met in my life and I’m proud to call you my friend and a part of my family. Love ya!
Courtney, you are an amazing editor and a great friend. Thank you for everything. Including just sitting on the phone while we both work. I can’t wait to meet you!!
Jenni, thank you for everything. We’re going to have the best year yet this year and I can’t wait to see where it takes us. Love ya!!
Shelly, as always, you’re cover designs are amazing! You’re a friend and have been there for me more than for business. Thank you for everything!!
Reggie, thank you for amazing photos that make the cover better than I dreamed of. You have been there when you didn’t have to and have messaged me to simply check in. Thank you for your support for the past four years!!
Charlie, Cody, and Maddison. Thank you for being on the cover of this book. It’s an honor to work with you!!
To the readers. Thank you for your continued support and love for the books I put out. Without you, none of this would be possible. I can’t wait to see as many of you as I can at different signings this year and years to come.
About the Author
Growing up, I was constantly reading anything I could get my hands on. Even if that meant I was reading my grandma’s books that weren’t so age appropriate. I started out reading Judy Blume, then graduated to romance, mainly historical romance, and last year I found an amazing group of Indie authors that wrote MC books. Instantly I fell in love with these books.
For a long time, I’ve wanted to write. I just never had the courage to go through with actually doing it. During a book release party, I mentioned that I wanted to write and I received encouragement from an amazing author. So, I took a leap and wrote my first book. Even though this amazing journey is just starting for me, I wouldn’t have even started if it weren’t for a wonderful group of authors and others that I’ve met along the way.
I am a mother of three children. Only one girl in the bunch! My family and friends mean the world to me and I’d be lost without them. Including new friends that I’ve met along the way. I’ve lived in New York my whole life, either in Upstate or the Southern Tier. I love it during the summer, spring, and fall. But, not so much during the winter. I hate driving in snow with a passion!
When I’m not hanging out with my family/friends, reading, or writing, you can find me listening to music. I love almost all music! Or, I’m watching a NASCAR race.
I look forward to meeting new friends, even if I’m extremely shy!
Here are some links to connect with me:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErinOsborneAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/author_osborne
My website: http://erinosborne1013.wix.com/authorerinosborne
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/emgriff07
Other Books
Wild Kings MC
Skylar’s Saviors
Bailey’s Saving Grace
Tank’s Salvation
Melody’s Temptation
Blade’s Awakening
Irish’s Destiny
Rage’s Redemption
Pops
Wild Kings MC: Dander Falls
Darcy’s Downfall
Riley’s Rescue
Harley’s Surrender
Shadow’s Dilemma
Alpha Demons MC
Tempted By Demons’
The Old Ladies Club
Book 1: Wild Kings MC
Book 2: Soul Shifterz MC
Book 3: Rebel Guardians MC
Satan’s Anarchy MC
Satan’s Revenge
