“It wasn’t too bad. We got the vet coming to check on the dogs next week and I had to clear some time for her. And I had some security and building shit I had to see to, so not too bad of a day.”
“I’m glad.” I rolled my lips and leant over the bar. “I spoke to Hawk today and he said he was going to call you about the cottages. He said you would allocate one of them to me and when it was ready I would be able to move out of here. I promise I won’t be a burden and I’ll pull my weight and I…”
He leant over and his big hand covered my mouth as he laughed. “Slow down, sweetheart.”
I sighed when he removed his hand and crossed his arms on top of the bar while looking at me with narrowed eyes.
“Does this have anything to do with what we spoke about earlier today?”
I gave a short nod.
“A little bit. But it’s more about having space from being here all the time. I need to concentrate on my studies when I’m not working, and being here I’m always being pulled into helping with something and unfortunately I find it hard to say no. I need some space to spread out and be me.” I shrugged.
Jagger nodded as if he understood.
“Okay, I get it.” He said, his eyes never leaving mine. “Here is how it works. The cottages come with a security system that’s connected to the security office. All the appliances are supplied so you don’t need to worry about buying a fridge/freezer or a microwave. The stoves are gas/electric and hot water is supplied by a solar geyser. I’m working on a plan to have all the cottages on an alternative power source, but that will come later. You’ll have access to Wi-Fi and I’ll install your television once you’ve moved in. We’re planning to build a communal laundry but for the time being you’ll have to use the laundry here at the clubhouse. The cottages use a septic tank system and they are all part of a grey water system.” He grinned when I looked completely confused. “Don’t stress, babe, once you move in just follow the directions on the pamphlet taped to the backdoor and you’ll be golden. The short explanation is the grey water is filtered through fish ponds and a wetland to a pond from which we water the veggie gardens. All tenants have free use of the veggies but they are expected to pull some duty at the gardens as part of their housing agreement, but that will only happen about once a month once we have all the cottages completed. At the moment it’s about once a week or so. The only rule we enforce is all visitors have to be cleared ahead of time. No one gets on the property without clearance.”
My eyes must have been huge while I listened to him. And he grinned when I started nodding like a crazy person.
“It sounds amazing. I’ll do anything, as long as I can live there.” I wanted to bounce with excitement but I curbed the impulse.
“There’s only one thing you have to do for me before I assign a cottage to you.” He gave me a wink and a small smile. I tipped my head to the side and narrowed my eyes at him.
“What?” Shit, I hope it wasn’t something I really didn’t want to do.
“Get rid of the blonde hair and the coloured highlights. I liked your natural hair colour.”
My mouth fell open as I stared at him.
“Close your mouth before a fly uses your tongue as a landing strip.” He teased and I blinked repeatedly then stood on my tippy toes, leant across the bar and hugged him, kissing him on his cheek before I let go.
“Done! I’ll get it done as soon as I can, I promise.” I said as I gave him a wide smile.
“Good. The hair looks good but it isn’t you. And fuck, babe, let your hair grow, don’t go cutting it all off again.”
I grinned and hooked my hair behind my ears to get it out of my face. I haven’t had more than a trim in quite a few months and had been growing it out from the short bob I had worn it in. It now reached to my shoulders and I liked the new length.
I nodded vigorously. “When can I have a look at the cottages?”
“Any time you want. Come to my office and I’ll show you the plans for the ones we’re busy renovating before we take a ride out there. You have a look, decide which one you like best and once it’s completed we move you in. Do you have furniture you need us to collect for you?”
I shook my head. “No, but I’ve been looking online for some stuff. I need to get a bed and some couches but I’m going to go to Mr Price Home in Centurion and get it all done in one place. They deliver so it’s all good.”
Jagger shook his head. “No, no deliveries. When you’re ready the prospects will take a truck and follow you, then load whatever you buy. That way you don’t have to wait for a delivery or pay extra delivery charges, plus we don’t have strangers on the property. You let me know when you want to go and I’ll organise the rest. Okay?”
I nodded with a wide smile and Jagger reached across, cupped a hand on the side of my neck and squeezed. Then touched a finger to the ornate septum ring I was wearing. I’d swopped the plain one I always wore for a more blingy one.
Jagger had his mouth open to say something when a loud, harsh and nasty as hell voice interrupted us.
“If you’re done setting up your fuck for the night can you get your ass over here, do your damned job and sort out our fucking drinks?” Scar’s harsh words caused a heavy silence to fall over the bar.
The next minute Jagger virtually catapulted himself off his barstool and stalked over to where Scar and Beast were leaning against the bar. Grabbing Scar by the back of his kutte he jerked him away from the bar, swung him around and stabbed a long finger in his chest.
“You’re out of line, motherfucker. Either you apologise or I’ll be seeing you in the ring. Choose.” Jagger snarled through clenched teeth.
Scar opened his mouth to answer but Beast got there first and the stupid ass only made it worse.
“Jagger, fuck man, calm down. Scar didn’t mean anything by it. It was obvious what was going on by the way she was hanging all over you, no need to get all defensive.”
Jagger turned on Beast with a vicious snarl.
“Shut the fuck up, Beast. You have no fucking idea what you’re talking about. Were you there to hear what we were talking about? No, you fucking weren’t, so don’t go making fucking assumptions. You’ll just end up making an ass out of yourself. Oh, wait, you just fucking did.”
Holy shit! Jagger was so furious he stood up the one man everyone pretty much let do as he pleased. And he wasn’t pulling his punches either. But he wasn’t done laying it out.
“All of the bullshit swirling around her is your fault. Why don’t you explain to everyone here how you led her on, then fucked her over. Your attitude is the reason why some of these motherfuckers are treating her like she’s a dirty slut. And your little piece of shit lieutenant here is a prime example of that crap.”
Looking around the common room Jagger raised his voice and it was one I’ve never heard before. It was very serious and hard as steel. “You fuckers listen, and listen well. The next motherfucker who disrespects Chris will be dealing with me. This bullshit stops right here, right now. Seeing as Beast is too much of a pussy to clear this up, I will do it for him. Step over the line motherfuckers, I’m right here waiting for you.”
With that he pushed Scar away from him with a snort of disgust turned his back on him and Beast and walked back to his seat. Strangely Beast stayed silent as Jagger turned his back on him.
“I need a shot, sweetheart.”
I blew out a long breath and did as he asked. Reaching for the whisky I knew he favoured I poured him a shot and watched as he slammed it. He tapped the bar with the empty shot glass and I filled it again. This time he didn’t slam it but sipped before setting it down.
“Thank you for what you just did, Ryan.” I whispered his name softly so no one else would hear.
“Should have done it a long time ago, sweetheart. You’re a good girl. You don’t need these fuckers treating you like shit.”
Suddenly Dizzy was at the bar and reached across to cup my cheek.
“You okay, babe?” He asked softly.
“Ja, I’m good Dizzy.”
Turning sideways to the bar Dizzy held his hand out and shook Jagger’s. “You did a good thing, brother. Sorry I didn’t step up when it was needed but I’m with you now.”
Spider sat down in the suddenly empty chair on the other side of Jagger. “You know Hawk is going to call you in, right?”
“Don’t give a fuck. He should have stepped on Beast’s fucking tail when shit started to get out of hand. He didn’t, so I did it for him.” Jagger said with a shrug.
Spider nodded. “For what it’s worth, brother, I’m with you. Fucking admire what you just did.” He gave a sly wink. “She your woman now?”
Jagger gave him an evil grin. “Worse, my brother, I just adopted her. She’s my family and under my protection. Anyone disrespects her and I’ll take them apart.”
Spider gave me wide eyes as he whistled softly through his teeth.
“You can count me in on that one.” Dizzy said with a grin. “She’s the best friend I’ve ever had and not letting another motherfucker disrespect her, not ever again.”
They kept on discussing me as if I wasn’t listening or standing right there.
Jagger then took it even further. “She’s moving out of the clubhouse into the cottages. The sooner we can get her out of here the better. I don’t want her around these motherfuckers longer than what’s necessary.”
“Good.” Dizzy agreed with a quick nod. “I’ll help. I was thinking of putting my name in for one of the cottages as well. I don’t mind sharing as long as I get to choose who I’m sharing with.”
“There are three cottages coming up soon, a one bedroom, a two bedroom and a one bedroom with a loft. You want me to put your name on the two bedroom cottage?”
“Ja, and if you need extra hands with the building to move it along I’m there.”
I listened to them organising and used the gap in conversation to step back and start clearing empty bottles and glasses from the bar. Some of the men smiled and looked me right in the eyes while others avoided looking at me. I ignored them. Bugger the whole lot of them.
I had good friends in Jagger and Dizzy, and maybe Spider, which was enough for now.
“Hang on a minute, before we settle our girl in a cottage. Is the one bedroom big enough for all her photographic shit? She needs space to study and do her photos and stuff. You should check out her photos, Jag, they’re the absolute shit.”
Not many people knew I was into photography. Jagger raised an eyebrow and I shrugged. “I’m happy with a one bedroom cottage, Jagger. I can use a corner of the living room for my desk and things. It will be way more space than I have right now.”
But he immediately shook his head from side to side. “Nope, you are getting the one bedroom with the loft. It will give you enough space. It’s not ready right now though, you’re going to have to wait about two to three weeks before you can move in.”
I opened my mouth but he waved me silent.
“The good thing about it being unfinished is you can be in on the remodel. And seeing as I want you out of here and Dizzy just said he’d help out with the building we’ll concentrate on your place and get it done first. Instead of coming into the office tomorrow morning we’ll go directly to the site for a walk through and plan what comes next, okay?”
With my hands over my mouth and watery eyes I looked at the two guys who had just stepped up for me. One of them going as far as calling me his family. My blood family had kicked me out when I refused to be their pawn. But my new family here in front of me cared about me. They so did. All I could do was nod because the lump in my throat didn’t allow for words.
While Jagger and the guys had been reorganising my living situation Beast and Scar had left the common room. Hopefully they would stay away from the bar for a few days and give me some peace.
I continued to smile and do my job even though in my gut I knew the shit with Beast and Scar wasn’t done.
Not until Beast understood how his treatment of me was impacting my life.
One thing I was thankful for is that he no longer lived at the clubhouse.
Lately I’ve started to wonder if I had ever really been in love with him. Or if it had been my desperation to be loved by somebody, anybody, that had driven me. I was hurt but not broken.
Shouldn’t my heart be broken?
My heart hurt but it definitely wasn’t shattered beyond repair.
The next time I started falling for a man, and I was going to make sure it wasn’t anytime soon, I would take a step back and take it slow, very, very slow.
I wasn’t going to be hurt like this ever again if I had anything to say about it.
And anyway, I was still young with time on my side.
I had time to wait for the right man to sweep me off my feet.
Not today and definitely not tomorrow but some day in the future.
CHAPTER THREE
Jagger
His anger felt like a living beast inside him as he looked around the table at his brothers. Hawk had called for all officers and lieutenants to attend church this morning after the shit that had gone down in the common room last night. A little too late as far as he was concerned but at least his Prez had stepped the fuck up, at last.
The minute his president opened the floor for discussion he was on it. He couldn’t wait to lay it out for the bastards.
“The next motherfucker who says one derogatory word to or about Chris will be meeting me in the ring. I’ve claimed her as my family, so be very, very fucking careful how you treat her from this day forward.” Jagger spat out angrily as he looked around the room before meeting Hawk’s hard eyes.
“I’m with Jagger.” Dizzy snarled angrily. “She’s my best friend and a good girl. She had my back when no else did. You fuck with her and I will definitely be fucking with you. And a lot of you might think because you are bigger than me that I’ll be a fucking pushover, think again. I will fucking kill you without blinking an eye if you so much as touch a hair on her head.”
“Jesus, Dizzy, calm the fuck down. Let’s sort this shit before things gets said that can’t be taken back.” Hawk cautioned.
Jagger shook his head as he looked his Prez right in the eyes.
“Respect, Prez, but you fucked up. You should have laid it out after the shit Beast pulled with her. She’s fucking young and impressionable. Do you fuckers realise she only turned twenty three very recently? She’s a fucking baby compared to him, hell, compared to most of us.”
“Fuck, I didn’t know she was that young.” Beast sounded stunned. “Jagger, brother, I’m sorry, man. I fucked up, I know it and I own that shit. She apologised to my woman and Tori is good with her being here. I’m the fucker who held on to my resentment. Unfortunately my attitude influenced our brothers, and that shit ends right here, right now. I promise I’ll set them all straight. My apologies, brother.”
“I don’t want to have this conversation ever again.” Jagger said as he glared at Beast then looked behind him to where Scar sat against the wall. “You speak to her like that again and we are going to have problems, Scar.”
“I’m sorry, Jagger. I’ll apologise to her but I can’t give you more than that. I’ll keep my distance. My head is totally fucked up with the shit my slut of a wife and brother are pulling right now and I over reacted.” Scar said quietly. “And it doesn’t help that her hair is that particular shade of blonde. Reminds me too much of the bitch I’m trying to scrape off.”
“And why are we only learning about your troubles now, brother?” Ice immediately jumped on what Scar had revealed. “You know my door is always open for legal advice. What’s going on?”
When he shook his head Jagger knew there was no way he wanted to lay out his shit in front of his brothers but he also knew Ice wouldn’t let it go. Neither would their Prez.
“Scar, brother, you need to let us in so we can help
.” Hawk’s voice was soft but filled with steel.
Scar looked down at his clenched fists and when he looked up again he shocked them all with what he revealed.
“The bitch and her lawyers are saying I physically abused and tortured her and she turned to my brother for protection. And now one of the club sluts in Durban has come forward and is making the same allegations. I have no fucking idea how I’m going to clear my name or prove I didn’t lay a finger on either of them. My so called fucking club brothers and my blood family are backing them. And that means I’m totally fucked. After the fucking divorce I will most probably be penniless and then I’ll be prosecuted and without proof that they are lying through their teeth I’m looking at fucking years behind bars.”
“Fuck. Any idea why they are doing this?” Jagger kept his eyes on the man and saw how hard he was fighting to stay calm.
“Money, it’s all about money. The slut told me they would withdraw the allegations if I sign everything I own over to her and that piece of shit who shares my blood.” Scar gritted through clenched teeth. “And now my lawyers want me to allow them to negotiate an acceptable settlement amount and agree to a slap on the wrist sentence with probation for the abuse. I’d rather go to fucking jail than give them a single fucking cent or admit guilt for something I didn’t do.”
There were stunned looks around the table for a moment.
“Are you saying our club lawyers are advising you to cave to the pressure that will leave you with jail time and a criminal record?” Ice frowned in confusion.
Scar shook his head. “No. Sorry for the confusion, VP. I had to get another lawyer because the club’s lawyers are handling their cases.”
Shock had them all struck silent but not Ice.
“Why the fuck didn’t you come to me before it got this far? No, don’t fucking answer that.” Ice swore long and hard and pointed at Ziggy. “Get Gerhard on the screen, right the fuck now.”
Mark Of A Scarred Warrior (Iron Dogz MC Book 5) Page 4
