Eye for an eye (The Nighthawks MC Book 5)

by Bella Knight

  Inola laughed. “Like all twelve of you do. We stuffed you in the dorms to the rafters.”

  He laughed. “It’s fine. Our pods are cool. And, we all have our special spots. Catori likes the rafters,” he said, pointing up. “She likes to take her phone up there and read books. Dena likes to walk everywhere, and run when she can.”

  “I noticed,” said Inola. “Girl runs like the wind.”

  “Helaku likes to make stuff. Nantan is teaching him how to put together the hydroponics kits. They’re making ones out of pallets. He’s in making-stuff heaven. His mom tried to take me in, but she lost her house last year. She’s got a job in a convenience store, now, but it’s a lot easier without having to feed him.”

  “He may do well with Tito. He has a side business rehabbing, and you’ll do work with him, probably starting this weekend. In fact, Helaku can help with rehabbing Ghost and Killa’s new condo. I think Ruby would like it, too. She’s good with building rabbit hutches.”

  “Rabbit condos, Henry calls ‘em,” said Alo. “Kinda true. Anyway, Willow’s spot is anywhere Nantan is. She wants to learn everything hydroponics, and Jacy does whatever Willow does.”

  “That boy needs a hobby other than Willow,” said Inola.

  Alo laughed. “Probably won’t happen. He’s in love. Can’t eat or sleep unless he talks to her at least three times a day.”

  “They go at it like the bunnies in the hut, I’ll throw them out,” said Inola. “They can hold back for three months until they both turn eighteen.”

  Alo laughed and snorted at the same time. “I’ll warn them,” he said. “Yas has his eye on Alicia, and they both love every single animal here. I told them both to look at scholarships. They both need to go to vet school.”

  “I agree,” said Inola. “Henry’s got them finishing up their high school courses on full throttle.”

  “Have no idea about Yoki, Lena, and Elu. Those three love to talk, but they don’t really say much.”

  Inola laughed. “True. They’re scared more than stupid, though,” said Inola. “They don’t know what they like, or what they want to do. That’s part of why they’re here, why you’re all here. You all are finding out what you want to do.”

  “Yanaba and Gwen can code,” said Alo. “Henry is making the Three Gigglers learn it too.”

  Inola laughed. “Hate to say it, but The Three Gigglers is kind of accurate.”

  Henry came into the barn. “Got that recipe, Alo?” he asked. “No point in growing our own food if we can’t feed the horses.”

  “And ponies, and rabbits, and…” said Inola.

  “One feed mix at a time,” said Henry.

  “Yes,” said Alo.

  “Let me see your recipe,” said Henry. He looked it over. “Looks good,” he said, and handed back the tablet.

  “I already approved it, and ran it by three vets,” said Inola.

  “If we get a good mix, we can sell it,” said Henry.

  “One horse at a time,” said Inola.

  She did paperwork, and conversed with several other horse rescue societies. She found two Free to Good Home ads for goats, and emailed the particulars to Bianca. She made sure all the horses had all their immunizations, and went back to the house to wake up her wife.

  Bella accepted kisses. “Guess what?” said Inola.

  “We have free tickets to the moon colony?”

  Inola laughed. “Seems that you have been reading sci-fi again.”

  “Absolutely,” said Bella, taking Inola into her arms.

  “Henry and I agreed that I can’t ride until Ryder is born.”

  “Woo hoo!” said Bella. She kissed Inola, hard.

  “Slow down,” said Inola. “I gave up what I like to do most. What are you giving up?”

  “Sleep for the next eighteen years,” said Bella, kissing Inola again.

  Inola laughed. “So am I.”

  “I’m not giving up sex,” said Bella.

  Inola kissed Bella’s neck. “Neither am I.”

  Bella took off Inola’s shirt. “Ooh,” she said, looking at Inola’s breasts. “More for me to love and enjoy.”

  Inola laughed. She undid her bra, and her breasts spilled out. Bella caught them, and kissed each one thoroughly. Inola gasped, then groaned.

  “Pregnant is sexy,” said Bella.

  “Yes, I am,” said Inola, and moaned again as Bella licked the tip of one breast, then another.

  Inola finally got Bella’s sleep shirt off her, and returned the favor. Bella entwined her fingers in Inola’s hair, and stroked her breasts. She arched her back and moaned.

  Bella propped Inola up on pillows, being careful to support her back. She rubbed Inola’s feet, making her groan. She kissed her way up Inola’s thighs, and kissed the rounded belly.

  “Hello, Ryder,” said Bella. “Mama wants you to go to sleep, now.” She kissed Inola’s stomach.

  Inola laughed. “Mommy says go to sleep,” she said, touching her stomach. “Good, no kicking,” said Inola.

  Bella kissed down each of Inola’s thighs. She stroked her button, making her shake, then come in a great, rolling wave. Bella put her fingers inside Inola, and she pushed her head back against the pillow. Bella leaned forward and kissed her button, then put her tongue inside. She flicked her tongue in and out, while still going in and out with her fingers. Inola came again, and again.

  Once Inola stopped juddering, she held Bella. “That was amazing,” she said. “Your turn.”

  She pulled Bella to her, kissing her deeply. She nibbled Bella’s neck while cupping one of her breasts, then used her fingers to make Bella moan, stroking the breast, then kissing her way down. She made Bella moan, sucking one breast, then the other. She ran her fingers down, putting them inside, feeling her wetness. Bella put her fingers back inside Inola, and they both came together. They laid there, gasping.

  Bella helped Inola stand up, and led her to the bathroom. Bella turned on the shower, and pulled Inola in. Bella washed Inola, and Inola washed Bella. They kissed each other. Bella stroked Inola’s back, and dug her thumbs into her lower back; Inola groaned with pleasure.

  Bella dried Inola, and Inola dried what on Bella she could reach. Bella dried her own hair first, then dried Inola’s hair and braided it.

  They kissed, and Inola smiled. “Lunch,” she said.

  “Get a woman knocked up, and she becomes hungry twenty-four-seven,” said Bella. Inola shoved her. “Hey!” said Bella. “You’re not enhancing my calm.”

  Inola smirked, put her makeup on, then her jeans and shirt, and walked down the stairs. Bella followed, dressed in her bar clothes, black jeans and an Aerosmith T-shirt. They sat down to a delicious chicken sandwich lunch, with potatoes and salad. Bella kissed her goodbye, and then went off to find her Harley.

  “Hunts require hunters and quarries… and paths to follow.”

  3

  The New Normal

  “Normal is the setting on a dryer.”

  Questions

  Ivy received the millionth liquor order. She should be happy, she knew, even delighted. Even with the missing Ace and Lily, the bar was running well. Kym, (street name Cougar), from the Valkyries was a great manager —tough, funny, great with spreadsheets. She had tattoos of cougars running up and down her neck, pawprints on her wrists, done in copper and black, etched on her copper skin. She had beautiful whiskey eyes, black hair curly down to her waist, and breasts she showed off with bustier-like tops. Her caboose she showed off with designer jeans. She could make even the toughest biker laugh. She handled the massive influx of customers calmly. She could sling drinks with the best of them. Ivy decided Cougar could stay, even when Ace came back. She was perfect… and, as a single mom, she needed the money. She had a fifteen-year-old girl who spent nights with her father and days with her mother.

  Cougar came in, laughing. “Let’s get these in,” she said.

  They filled up the cooler and the carts. Bella swung in, ready to work. She helped load the carts
and deliver them to the bars. They made sure they had plenty of ice and beer. They laughed, getting the bars set up. The cooks came in, and they filled up on chicken fingers and sodas. All three of them filled up their empty beer bottles with apple juice. The bar backs came in, followed by the dancers and the cocktail servers. The band showed up, the doors opened, and they were in business.

  There were the usual questions about Ace, which stabbed everyone in the heart, except Cougar. Ace, they all knew, and loved. When Ivy got tired of the questions, she danced, pounding her feet to a wild, rock beat. She put out liquor orders so fast that her hands flew. She and Cougar took turns running the money bag, counting and bagging it for a deposit and entering it into the spreadsheet. Ace’s bucket nearly overflowed, and had to be emptied three times that night.

  Ivy made the bank deposit, and made it home to the duplex in record time. The girls ran upstairs past her.

  “How was your night?” asked Callie, as they stripped off their boots and leathers, and petted the dogs.

  “Busy,” said Ivy, “and you?”

  “Same,” said Callie. “The kids have been arguing non-stop about getting angora rabbits like at Henry’s farm. Nantan suggests we stick to hydroponics unless we want to lose the classroom to bunnies. They tend to multiply.”

  “F—fudgesticks,” said Ivy, going over to the kids’ bathroom to be sure they were brushing their teeth. She turned on the bath water.

  Callie’s laughter followed her. “Fudgesticks? Really?”

  They got the kids bathed and in bed. Callie read to them, one story in Chinese and the other in English, as Ivy took her shower. She dried her hair and dressed in gym shorts and a T-shirt. She kissed both the girls goodnight, and petted all three, kid guard dogs.

  They kissed her hands. “Good puppies,” Ivy said, and trundled off to bed.

  Ivy found Callie reading in bed. “How can you read at a time like this?” asked Ivy.

  “Go see Ace tomorrow,” said Callie. “Seriously. You’re climbing out of your skin. I’ll look at paint chips and dream of a yellow kitchen.”

  “And I’ll help you paint. Might as well work off the mad I’ve got going on.” Callie sang a few bars of Mad World. “Exactly,” said Ivy. “We cremated Lily’s brother Devlin, but we can’t have a funeral until both of them can attend. How fucked up is that?”

  “Very fucked up,” said Callie. “You’re doing what needs doing, keeping the bar running and their jobs intact. Right?”

  “And raising a shit-ton of money with the bucket,” said Ivy. “Whatever their insurance doesn’t pay…”

  “Will be covered. That private hospital isn’t cheap, and Numa is staying, too,” said Callie.

  Ivy stopped changing into her nighttime T-shirt and shorts, stricken with a thought. “I need to move part of the money to her.”

  “Write yourself a memo and set an alarm,” said Callie. “Then, come to bed.”

  “How can I sleep at a time like this?”

  Callie sighed through her teeth. “You need to be awake and alive tomorrow, because you’re leaving early to see Ace and Lily, right?”

  “What should I bring?” asked Ivy.

  “Dumb magazines you don’t have to think about to understand. Popcorn for watching Netflix. Cinnamon toast from a bakery. Get something small.” She reached out, captured Ivy’s hand. “They don’t need junk, baby. They need you.” She drew Ivy into bed. “Sleep, my precious.”

  “Ma precious,” said Ivy, drawing her hands up like Gollum.

  Callie laughed, and drew Ivy closer. “Come.”

  Ivy climbed in bed, defeated. “You are so mean to me. I try to fall apart, and you keep me together.”

  “Shut up,” said Callie. She kissed her, stroking her face. “I know you’re worried because our pregnancies are starting to show, and that this may freak Lily out. She’s grieving, and she’s going to have to face up to her pain sometime. She can’t avoid pregnant people for the rest of her life.”

  “I get that,” said Ivy, “but she’s in so much pain. I wish I could take it away.”

  “When you get a magic wand, let me use it, too,” said Callie.

  “And Ace. Once the painkillers wear off, he’ll want to fix all Lily’s problems, but he can’t bring back the dead.” She sighed. “I was too slow.”

  Callie put her hand over Ivy’s mouth. “You saved both of them. Neither Ace nor Lily would be alive if you hadn’t moved fast to get them to safety, and gotten them medical help.”

  “I just left Lily there in the dust,” said Ivy, moving her hand away.

  “Those yahoos with the truck could have helped her. You were trying to keep Ace from bleeding out at the time. I’m sure Lily preferred that you save Ace rather than pick her up.”

  Ivy grimaced. “Why won’t you let me alone with my pity party?”

  Callie kissed her. “Let me hold you. This is a tough time for you.”

  “For both of us.”

  “For both of us.” Callie kissed Ivy’s temple. “Let me hold you. This is the last time we can spoon before we’ll both get too big.”

  “My God,” said Ivy. “We moved just in time. Those other stairs would have killed us.”

  Callie stroked Ivy’s back. “Rest.” She started humming Sweet Child O’ Mine.” Ivy hummed along with her. Callie stroked her hair until Ivy stopped humming and finally slipped into sleep.

  In the morning, Callie had two blessed hours to catch up on her coursework. Being a single parent while Ivy dealt with protecting Ace and Lily had eaten into her school time. The girls got themselves up and dressed.

  Grace demanded chocolate-chip pancakes for breakfast. “I think you need to speak more gently,” said Callie. “You can ask, but you can’t tell me what to do.”

  “You made babies and now I have a brother and a sister,” said Grace. “I don’t want them!”

  “Why not?” asked Callie, taking out the pre-made pancake batter. She pulled out both the tiny chocolate chips, and the bananas.

  “They are loud and cry and the mommies pay attention to the babies and no one plays with anyone anymore.”

  “Goodness,” said Callie, getting where this was coming from. “Who said all that? Someone at school?” She took out a flat skillet, put it on the heat, and added butter.

  “Kenny,” said Hu. “He is new.”

  “Did Kenny get a new sister or brother?” asked Callie, scooping up the pancake batter, pouring it in the skillet.

  “He got a sister,” said Hu. “But, I think he is jealous. His mother is very tired.”

  “Kids do wear you out,” said Callie, adding the chocolate chips in a smiley face, and the banana slices as eyes and a nose.

  “How will you deal with four children?” asked Hu.

  “We have lots of aunts and uncles, right?” said Callie. “And a baby room at the school. I’ll stay home for six weeks, first. Mama just got a person helping her at work, so she’ll take time off, too.”

  “Babies are loud,” said Grace.

  “True,” said Callie, “but, we’ll get them on a sleep schedule, and get them sleeping through the night as soon as possible.”

  “Plus,” said Hu, “we can stay with my mother and grandmother half the week.”

  “Exactly,” said Callie, “you get a break.” She served up the pancakes.

  “Smiley face!” said Grace.

  “Thank you,” said Hu.

  “You’re welcome,” said Callie. She gave them both orange juice, and poured on the maple syrup for them. Grace tended to drown her pancakes.

  “I want a rabbit,” said Grace.

  “No,” said Callie. “We have dogs in the house.”

  “If you get a baby, I get a bunny,” said Grace.

  “No,” said Callie. “You have Daisy. That’s enough.”

  “I hate you,” said Grace.

  “Grace, we don’t talk like that to each other. You’re on restriction,” said Callie. “Finish your pancakes.”

  “No,�
�� said Grace.

  “Stop,” said Hu. “You won’t be able to go with me tonight if you keep it up.”

  Grace stood up. “I’m going to go.” She went to brush her teeth.

  “I’m sorry,” said Hu. “She’s jealous.”

  “Yeah,” said Callie, making herself two pancakes. She added a handful of fruit from a container of sliced strawberries from inside the refrigerator. “I figured that out.”

  “I told her we’ll have special time together, and that the babies will be cute.”

  “She’s right,” said Callie. She flipped her pancake. “They are loud, and they do take a lot of attention. But, I promise you, being the older sister has its advantages.”

  “Good,” said Hu. “May I be excused?”

  “Yes,” said Callie. “Please put the plates in the sink.”

  “Of course,” said Hu.

  Callie wolfed down her pancakes, and took the girls and the dogs for a walk. The girls got back, and Callie had them get ready for school. Callie made strawberry pancakes for Ivy, and started the coffee. She flipped the pancakes, then plated them, and added butter and a smidgen of syrup. She poured the coffee in a sealed go-cup. Ivy stumbled out, grabbed the coffee, ate the pancakes, and Callie poured Ivy more coffee.

  “Shoo!” she said. “Say ‘hi’ to Ace and Lily for me.”

  “Mmfh,” said Ivy. Callie kissed her, and got her out the door.

  She then cleaned up, petted the dogs, put the girls’ hair in clips, and herded the girls into the car. Grace was stonily silent the entire way. Hu and Grace went in, and Callie locked the car and followed them.

  “What’s with Grace?” asked Henry.

  “She is pissed because both Ivy and I are three months pregnant.”

  Henry went still. “Really? Congratulations!” He hugged her.

  “I thought you knew,” said Callie. “I had morning sickness for two months.”