Separated MC (The Nighthawks MC Book 10)

by Bella Knight

Mimi stared at him. “That’s horrible,” she said.

  “Took a long time for her to trust me enough to marry me. Now Katya’s my wife, Elena’s gone through lots of surgeries and is doing great, and we have two little boys a bit younger than yours, Ivan and Luka. You can leave Ree with us.” He snorted laughter. “Since one of the Wolfpack’s jobs is cleaning my house and watching my children, you may end up just staying home a lot.”

  “Then it’s settled,” said April. “And I’ll ask to be on the shift that comes to the house. I was on with Nantan, picking lots of lettuce and strawberries, and Katya and Alo’s beets. Katya eats borscht and Alo makes the beets into horse food.”

  Mimi looked stunned. “You’re a farmer?”

  “Hydroponics. Food grown in water, really just a spray of nutrients and water. They grow huge.”

  Nantan stood next to Gregory. “I’ll take you off the rotation for a week, give Mimi here time to get settled. Then, you get rotated back. You have a college class in hydroponics to finish.”

  “Yes, Nantan,” said April. “Mimi, this is Nantan. He does the food; his husband Chayton does the schooling.”

  Henry stood, then stretched. “I think I’ve got another tablet…”

  “I’ll get it,” said Nantan.

  “But, no studying for a while. You’re exhausted, and you and Ree need time to feel safe. Are you over sixteen?” asked Henry.

  “Just turned seventeen,” said Mimi.

  “I’ll call the res, get you either emancipated, or have someone have your mother sign guardianship papers. We do it all the time. All four of Nantan and Chayton’s boys ended up here, that way. Two of the boys see their mama a lot; they took on adopting them, so they could be responsible for their education. Long story.” He rubbed his eyes. “And nothing to do with you. Sorry, you’re exhausted and I’m talking off my head.”

  “I’ll stand for her,” said Gregory. “Anytime, anywhere. Anyone strong enough to trust her friend’s word that she would get the help she needed, and cross state lines with a little girl, deserves my trust.”

  Mimi smiled through her tears. “I’ll get our things.”

  “No, we need a car seat for Ree,” said Gregory.

  “We have an extra,” said Henry. “Let me put it in your company car.”

  He got it from the garage, and hauled it to Gregory’s car. They installed it, then brought out the now-clean clothes, new toys, clothes, and diapers stuffed into a brand-new diaper bag. Then, they brought out the sleeping Ree. Mimi got in the passenger side.

  “I’m sorry,” said Gregory. “I should have let you shower first. You can do that when you get in. We have a room that’s an office, and another that’s a guest room. You’re taking the guest room with Dee.” He slapped his forehead. “A crib.” He stopped, and jumped out.

  Henry came out to stop him, and both men laughed. “Got a little bed, was going to be for Ryder. We’ll order another one,” said Henry.

  “Keep track of all the stuff we’ve ripped off from you,” said Gregory, as they maneuvered the small frame into the back of the SUV, then the frame.

  “Shut up,” said Henry. “You…”

  “No, you shut up, old man,” said Gregory, shutting the top. “It will be a little while until the Harley school runs in the black. Take my money, and use it to add another class or something.”

  “You, Sir, are an asshole,” said Henry.

  Gregory laughed. “I know.” They clasped arms, and Gregory drove off.

  The party was winding down when they arrived, the nail people and massage therapists were long gone. Inola and Bella were packing up a sleeping Ryder when they drove up.

  “Gregory!” said Inola, her voice quiet so as to not wake up Ryder. She ran over to hug him. Bella grunted. “Just got in the damn thing, and now porko pregnant girl has to hop out.”

  Gregory laughed, held up his hand, and went over to hug Bella. “You’re not porko, you’re beautiful.”

  Mimi slipped out of the car. “Who’s this?” said Inola. She took in the girl’s long black hair, now matted with sweat and road dust, her aquiline features, her tiny waist. “Who’s been starving you, girl?” she asked. She looked in the back of the SUV, and saw little Ree, asleep. “She’s lovely. Yours?”

  “Yours is pretty, too,” said Mimi. “I’m Mimi, and this is Ree.”

  Inola said, “I’m Inola, and this is Bella.” She went over and held Mimi in her arms, and Mimi burst into tears, again.

  Katya came out. “Gregory, love, why does this poor girl weep in our driveway?” She looked at the back of the car. “We have more babies?”

  “Ree is Mimi’s baby,” said Gregory, opening the car door and carefully taking the sleeping girl out of the car seat. He stood up, careful not to hit his head. He shut the car door. “Running out of room at Casa Henry and David.”

  Gregory popped the trunk latch. Inola extricated herself from the crying Mimi, and looked in the trunk. “Looks like Henry’s been looting the store. Love, please stay in the car with ours. I’ll help get the stuff for this one.”

  “More time for me to catch up on my beauty sleep,” said Bella.

  Inola took out the frame, then the mattress. She carried in the frame while Katya held open the door. She returned, grabbed the mattress, slid the fat diaper bag over her shoulder, and followed Gregory in the door. “Where do you want it? The guest room, yes?”

  “Yes,” said Katya and Gregory, simultaneously. She carried the things there, dropped them, and went back for the bed frame. “There,” said Katya, pointing toward the corner. “I will get sheets.”

  They had the bed set up in a jiffy. Gregory lowered the little girl onto the bed, while Katya fussed over Mimi. “Mimi, you go shower. Use my bathroom, big shower. You are too tired to take hot bath, you will drown. I will make you tea with sugar, and you will sleep. Da?”

  “Yes,” said Mimi, satisfied by the pregnant Russian woman’s words.

  Katya went to the hall closet, and gave her some small and large fluffy mauve towels. “Here, the pink ones are yours, no? Now, go, shower. No little girl want a smelly mama.” Mimi meekly went.

  Inola put a stuffed bear in the little girl’s arms. Ree held it in her sleep. Inola put her hand over her mouth to stifle the tears. She pulled the sheet over the little dirty feet, and knew that a bath would be on Katya’s agenda the first thing in the morning. She tiptoed out.

  Katya was making tea. Gregory leaned on the breakfast bar, a cola in hand. “What’s the story?” asked Inola.

  “Seventeen, got knocked up, daddy vamoosed according to her friend, April.”

  “Wolf Pack April. Getting the picture now.” Inola accepted a bottled water from Katya.

  “Mimi’s mother is a drunk, and hit Ree,” said Gregory.

  Inola and Katya both clenched their teeth. Gregory took an involuntary step back. He could see that the girl wasn’t going back to the res, ever.

  “She stay here, she safe. We will help,” said Katya. “Woman comes around for them, I hit her with spoon.”

  Inola nodded. “She shows up, I’ll come after her with more than that.” Katya nodded in agreement. “I can see why she’s here. We’ve got teens everywhere, having trouble getting them transitioned into apartments. And, this one shouldn’t be on her own.”

  “Fatten her up, teach her many things,” said Katya.

  “Nantan’s got April on rotation, coming here. Oh, forgot the tablet.” Gregory stood, and went out to retrieve it from the SUV.

  “You’ve got a good man there,” said Inola.

  “He is best man.” She grinned fiercely. “Bring me home presents.”

  Inola grinned back. “Better take my cranky wife home. She’s dead tired, and so’s Ryder.” They hugged. “Super love you,” she said.

  Katya grinned back. “The same. Now, go. We are all up early, no?”

  Inola said, “Horses wait for no one.” She waved, hugged Gregory as he came in, and was gone.

  “Where is our daugh
ter?” asked Katya.

  “Hu, Grace, and Elena were in a tent of blankets, reading together, last I saw them,” said Gregory.

  “Good. I have time with the new ones.” She kissed him, deeply. He groaned, stepped into her, the baby bump between them.

  “You’re the best woman in the world,” said Gregory. “You’re not angry?”

  Katya shook her head, kissed him again. “Elena and I were like that, for a long time,” said Katya. “We will help her.” She pushed him. “Now, go make bed ready for me. I will give girl tea, and…”

  They heard a thump. Katya moved fast for a pregnant woman. Gregory moved past her, checking on the child, while Katya checked on Mimi. Mimi was in the towel, leaned back against the shower door, crying. Katya turned off the water, silently dried her sopping-wet hair, and blow-dried it. She dried the girl, put lotion on her chapped hands, elbows, and feet, had Gregory get her a pair of grey yoga pants and a pink tee, and put her into bed. She sang a Russian tune for only a moment before the young woman was asleep.

  Katya took a nightlight out of the drawer, and plugged it into the wall in the room. The little purple mermaid gave off a cheerful glow. She shut the door most of the way, checked on the boys, who were asleep, arms thrown everywhere, and, still humming the song, went to bed.

  Gregory was in bed, in shorts and no shirt, with muscles rippling across his stomach, reading a tablet, when she came in. “She okay?”

  Katya shut the door behind herself. “Terrified,” said Katya. “We are protection people. Is good she is here.”

  “This is more than the drunk mom. Who’s the father?”

  “I have idea, but you will not like it.”

  “Spill, wife, love of my life.”

  “Drunk people like her, they have boyfriends, to keep them in vodka. These boyfriends are not so nice.”

  Gregory’s face turned hard. “If that’s true, I will find this person and remove him from the planet.”

  “Later,” said Katya. “Now, you give me what I want.”

  She took the tablet out of his hands, turned off his light, and stroked her hand down him, from his throat to his groin, following with kisses. He groaned. She dug her fingers into his shorts, and reached down low, cupping his balls. He groaned again. She pulled off his shorts, one-handed, and he laid back as she nibbled, licked, and kissed him, starting in between his legs and going up to the tip of his penis. She sucked each ball individually, then returned to lick and stroke him. She waited until he was as hard as could be, then laid on her side next to him.

  He rolled over, kissed his way down her neck, and lavished each breast with attention. They were large with her pregnancy, and she had only just stopped breast-feeding the boys because of their sharp little teeth. He licked and kissed his way down. He slid one finger, then two, inside her, and she rode his fingers, then impatiently shoved his hand away. She rolled him over, and slid on top of him. She took her time, stopping and starting, until he was ready to beg her to finish. They came together, and she dragged both of them into the shower. They showered quickly, so exhausted they could barely stand up. Gregory blow-dried his wife’s hair, covered her with lotion, and took her back into the bedroom. They both donned shorts and tops, and fell asleep as soon as Gregory spooned in behind his wife, holding her in his arms all night long.

  If you woke up today, you’re not dead. Some days, that’s good enough.”

  5

  CIRCLING THE WAGONS

  “Every dawn has its own pleasures and dangers.”

  The next morning, David awoke to Henry kissing him. They took their time, kissing, then touching, then stroking each other. They moved together, then Henry flipped over, stroking David’s stomach, which made him laugh. In retaliation, he nibbled on the inside of Henry’s thigh. They worked on each other at the same time, licking and stroking, until they both came. They showered, dressed, and went down to steal Ryder. Henry got to her first, and stole the happy girl from her sleeping mother, Bella.

  Bella had dark circles under her eyes, and Henry and David were determined to be sure that she got enough sleep. Henry got her changed and into her little shorts and T-shirt, and took her into the kitchen. Vi was cooking up a storm, with biscuits, cheesy eggs, homemade strawberry jam, bacon, and orange juice.

  Inola came in, smelling of hay. “New colt’s much better,” she said. “April’s gone to see her friend. Samma and Renni are off to help the Goat Girls. They got alpaca wool to bag and card, and they’re making scented candles, now. Plus, they bought a mess of torn-up T-shirts that Goodwill was going to discard for rag rugs, and they’ve got six of those dog boxes Killa and Ghost make to put the straps on. I want to send Hu, Josh, and Nick, because they’re running out of hands. Hu likes making the rag rugs.”

  “Do it,” said Henry. “Food first, then back by lunch.”

  “The kids are already fed,” said Mike, coming in the front door, Robert at his heels. “But, I skipped breakfast. Had twelve new orders to fill. Can you believe it? Not just reservation people, or Las Vegas families. We’ve got convenience stores selling out of our sandwiches by noon.” Vi handed him a plate. “Thank you, Ma’am,” he said. He sat, and began to eat.

  “Those kids are gonna be rich,” said Robert, waiting patiently for Vi’s next plate. “Thank you, Ma’am,” he said, and sat. “The app they did, gaming through their chore list, all combined with a Pomodoro timer, was reviewed on an ADHD website. They’ve got tons of feedback, people shelling out their two dollars to buy the thing. I’m telling you, no college money required.”

  “They’re paying for rent and all their coursework,” said Henry. “I’ve got parents on hands and knees trying to get in. I’m waiting until they have enough money to buy an apartment building. One that Tito and Nico’s company has scouted, or already rehabbed.”

  “Somewhere to go after they graduate,” said David. “About a third to half of each round of Wolfpack members get scholarships back in their home states, or find a job there. But, we’ve got great jobs here for those with the skills they acquired here. The Goat Girls are thinking of adding a house to their property. They’ve got alpacas, and they card our angora rabbit fur, and they work on boxes for dogs that fit on the back of the Harley.” Henry slipped their corgi, Bess, a little piece of bacon under the table. David glared at him. Henry shrugged.

  “Bannon’s stealing the Soldier Pack,” said Henry. “Pissing off Bonnie. That woman’s angry, with a wrench in her hand.”

  Mike shrugged. “More off the list,” he said. “Money’s good.” He ate a piece of bacon. “No urge to hand-hold VIPs, though.”

  Robert nodded. “I get it, I really do. It’s a pull, the excitement. But, I love me my Harley. Damia’s smiling at me in the morning. That girl says more words every day.”

  “Reads more, too,” said Vu, pushing Mishina into the kitchen. Jake pushed in Billie. The men who were finished stood, and gave way to the herd of Owl Pack.

  “Had a great swim,” said Jake. “Feeling twenty years younger.”

  “Well, good,” said Robert. He stood. “Gotta go rebuild me a bike. Getting my own online orders, now.”

  Mike clapped Robert on the back. “Let’s get this dishwasher filled, then I’ll grow some plants.”

  “Done,” said Robert.

  “Isn’t it nice when they grow up right?” said Maia, making them all laugh.

  Gregory managed to avoid getting mauled by his oversexed pregnant wife in the morning. She was up by the time his alarm vibrated at five thirty. The baby was sitting on her bladder, so she was often up at odd hours.

  He put on his socks, then went into the kitchen for his muffin and coffee. He found his wife in the bathroom, three boys and a girl splashing in the water. He grabbed Ivan, who hated baths, and made sure he was clean before taking him out and drying him in his ducky towel. He got the boy dressed, and let him play in the corner of the bathroom with a rubber duck. Ivan mashed the duck into the wall and made it squeak, over and over again. Katya
handed him Luka, who cried at being taken out of his element. Gregory dried him in his dinosaur towel, which made him giggle and grab his feet. Gregory got him dressed, and took the boys into the kitchen for breakfast.

  He tried to blank out his mind as he put them in their chairs, tied on their bibs, gave Cheerios and banana chunks to his boys, turned on the coffee pot, and zapped his banana-nut muffin in the microwave. Ree had bruises on both arms in the shape of fingers; fingers larger than the diminutive Mimi, and one on her lower face from being slapped. He texted his wife to take pictures. She sent him a text back, Do not teach your wife to make borscht.

  He laughed, and kissed the boys, making them chortle. He took out the muffin, sliced it into quarters, buttered it, and put it in a little plastic container, along with a napkin. He filled up his coffee mug, sealed it, and prepared to go. He thought a minute, whipped out his phone, and ordered a third high chair and three booster seats for same-day delivery. He talked to the boys, cut up another banana, put some more Cheerios into a plastic bowl, and found another bib.

  Katya came out, Ree dressed in pink shorts and a blue tee, and sat down at the table. He kissed both of them, making Katya smile, and tied on Ree’s bib. Ree looked dazed. He put the bananas and Cheerios in front of Ree, and she took a handful of the cereal and stuffed her entire fist in her mouth.

  “Bet she’s super hungry,” he said. “Borscht or muffin?” he asked his wife.

  “I will have muffin,” she said. “Busy day, today.”

  He heated her one. “The Wolfpack will be here soon. I’ll get these two washed up and in the playroom.” He wiped them down, wondering again why Luka liked wearing bananas in his hair. He swept the floor under the high chairs, and put Ree in one of them. She still looked dazed, but she was determined to finish her Cheerios. He fed his wife, corralled the boys, and put them in the playroom. He played on the floor with them until April and tall Leafort showed up.

  “Heard we got three today,” said Leafort. “Where’s number three?”

  “Kitchen,” said Gregory. He kissed the babies, and went out the door.