True woke up to trucks pulling in his driveway and a lot of cursing and yelling. Nicola wasn’t beside him and she hadn’t woken him. He stretched and thought of the night before. She shocked the shit out of him with her openness and her willingness to try things she’d never done. He smelled coffee as he got up to take a piss. Looking out the bathroom window he saw Caesar’s motor coach had arrived and with it the trailer for his boys. He needed to move his ass and go tell them where to put it. He noticed Raven was already there and smiled gratefully. His SAA would handle it all while he got dressed and had a cup of much needed coffee. Suddenly, he remembered all that was happening today and his good mood went down a few notches.
Nicola had said last night she hated every chick he’d ever fucked and Marianne was coming over. Fuck! He needed to tell her they were never in a relationship. As he walked down the hallway, he heard laughter and wondered if that was Morgana laughing. He was so fucked if they were there already. What the hell time was it anyway? It had been dawn before they’d stopped fucking and went to sleep. He never wore a watch and he’d forgotten his cell in the bedroom. He walked back to get it and read all his missed texts. It was almost one o’clock; he hadn’t slept that long in ages. He hoped the farm hands had fed and taken care of the horses, fowl, and Piggy. He liked doing that shit himself or being outside to make sure it was done correctly. He made his way into the kitchen to see Alex and a toddler that looked like Whistler playing with blocks and toys on the floor. Four sets of women’s eyes looked at him. Nicola smiled which made him feel a little better but Marianne looked worried and Lana and Morgana had angry looks on their faces.
“Good afternoon ladies,” he drawled.
“Nice of you to get up True, I was ready to go wake you myself.” Morgana hissed at him. “You’ve got some explaining to do. This is Michael, your brother’s son by the way.” She pointed to the child who was too busy playing to look at him.
“Morgana, I didn’t know about any of this. I need coffee and I’m hungry.” He looked hopefully at Nicola who shook her head at him, he was on his own.
“True, I cleaned out the fridge this morning while you were sleeping. We have all the new kitchen appliances coming around three, I tossed most of the food out, the rest I told them to give to the pig. There is coffee and I could order a pizza if you want?” She pointed to the coffee machine and he was happy to see she had saved the half and half.
He made himself a cup and leaned against the counter. “Today is not a good day for this visit, so tell me what you want.”
Lana glared at him. “You used Marianne and made her promise to not tell anyone she was just your roommate. Why?”
True didn’t like her tone. “Not any of your business, is it Lana? We had an agreement and I didn’t know she’d be screwing Whistler. I ain’t taking the full blame for this. Marianne, you could have told me you were doing my brother. Or why didn’t Whistler?”
Morgana butted her nose in. “That is the million-dollar question, why didn’t Whistler? Do you understand that he wants to take Michael away from her?” She nodded her head at Marianne. “That isn’t going to happen is it, True? I won’t raise him and Nicola won’t either. So, you make this right somehow and do it fast.”
“I’m sorry True, I tried to keep my promises to you and I take part of the blame for not coming clean with you and Whistler. He refuses now to believe we were just roommates. I’m not letting him take our son. We both love him and I hope we can work this out without going to court, but I won’t be threatened by your brother. Nor will he use the club to scare me. I might have been weak and a fool, but I’ve grown up and I own up to all my past mistakes. I will let him see Michael, but he can’t have custody of him. I’ve got a job and a house for us to live in.” Her voice was firm and determined.
Nicola looked around, “I wasn’t here for any of this, but I won’t be a part of anyone taking Michael from Marianne.”
Lana spoke for herself and Morgana, “Neither will we and you’d better get our brother to understand we all support Marianne.”
True looked at Morgana who nodded in agreement.
He knew he was defeated. “I was kinda hoping that he’d come and talk to me. You know he refuses to talk about anything he doesn’t wanna talk about. I’ll do my best…”
Raven appeared in the doorway. “True, you better come out, Ram and Caesar just pulled into the driveway. I got the motor coach and trailer where you wanted and they are hooked up.”
True looked at the women. “I gotta go. I’ll send somebody to get pizza and this will get sorted out, but it might take a few days. Why don’t you all take the boys to see the horses, it’s too nice to be in the house.” He didn’t wait for them to answer, he followed Raven outside to greet Ram and Caesar.
*~*
Lana looked down at the ripped jeans she had on and wondered if she’d get a chance to see Caesar. If she’d known that he would be here she would have dressed better. Her stomach was fluttering and she wasn’t sure why.
Morgana was checking Hawk’s diaper and noticed that Lana was looking flustered. She wondered why, and watched as Lana got up to go into the bathroom. She knew who Ram was but wasn’t sure if she’d met Caesar before. “Marianne, you know those men out there?”
“Yeah, the nationals. President and his VP, I guess he’s outta jail. Lana might know Caesar.” She looked toward the bathroom door pointedly. “You might have met him when you worked at the prison.”
Suddenly Morgana remembered Caesar Russo. He was older and very nice; the few times she’d seen him. Was that why Lana had disappeared so fast, could she have met him and liked him? She hoped that Caesar wasn’t here to screw Lana up. “When Lana gets out of the bathroom, let’s take the boys outside. You up for that Nicola?”
“Yeah, I’ll bring some juice boxes outside and we can have pizza at the picnic table if True remembers to have somebody go get it.” She was at ease; it didn’t faze her in the least that the nationals were on the farm.
Lana came out of the bathroom with a new coat of lipstick on and she seemed a little anxious.
Morgana couldn’t help herself, “Lana, do you know them? I recall Caesar vaguely, he seemed like a nice man.”
“I know him but I don’t know Ram. Are we going out now?” She pulled sunglasses out of her pocketbook and slipped them over her eyes.
The four women and two boys headed out the back door toward the picnic table. Nicola handed Alex to Lana as she walked toward True. Morgana got the boys settled at the picnic table with the juice boxes and the women watched True. Nicola stayed back a few feet waiting for him to notice her. When he finally did, he motioned her to come forward.
“Ram, Caesar, this is Nicola, my ol’ lady and Mousey’s daughter. What do you need, babe?”
Nicola smiled and the men smiled back at her. “I wanted to know if you decided how many pies we needed and if you sent anyone for them?”
True had forgotten about ordering the pizza. He pulled out a credit card and handed it to her. “I’d say at least a dozen. Caesar, I bet you could eat a good pizza by yourself after eating that shit they pass off as pizza, huh?”
Caesar was busy looking at Lana and nodded at True. “Yeah, I probably could. Ram, here could use some beer. So could Attitude and Rush.”
“Should I go myself or do you want to send someone? I thought I would be needed here when the appliances arrived.” Nicola had no intention of leaving the farm. She wanted her kitchen set up right. And also, to make sure that the stove, dishwasher, refrigerator, washer and dryer didn’t have a dent or a scratch on them.
“Babe, ask Raven to send the twins, Cain and Abel to go to town, but would you order the pies, get six loaded and six with extra cheese. That good with you all?” He asked Ram and Caesar.
Ram was eying Nicola’s long legs and agreed. Caesar merely nodded. Ram watched Nicola walking away and slapped True on back. “Bout time True North settled down. I can see why and I’m sure my daughters will be spil
ling tears. The two of them have been hoping you’d look their way for years.”
True watched as Nicola spoke to Raven and he didn’t like the looks that Attitude and Rush were giving his ol’ lady. He needed a tat on her as soon as possible since those two would be staying on the farm.
Ram laughed as he followed True’s gaze, “No worries, I’ll tell them myself, she is off limits. You got anything here that will interest them? I figured you did or I’d have sent some chicks down with them.”
True kept his eyes on his ol’ lady as she walked back to the house to call in the order for a dozen pizza pies. “Yeah, there’s always chicks coming and going. If there’s nothing in the clubhouse, there is the juice bar we own. I change those girls every week.” He looked at Caesar, “Ram said you’re interested in my sister, Lana. She isn’t like most women; she’s smart but she has some issues. She can’t drink, she doesn’t get high and she’s never at the club. She is trying to get her life straightened out,” he warned.
Caesar turned and looked True dead in the eyes. “I want her, and she doesn’t have to drink or get high to be with me. I’m done with that shit myself. You gonna give me any shit if I can get her to hook up with me?” His voice was giving True fair warning.
True looked at his national vice president and saw the determined look on his face. “I’m just making sure you know she has had issues in the past and is trying to change. If you’re good for her, no, you won’t get shit from me, if you’re what she wants. Lana deserves to be happy, finally.”
Caesar nodded, “What scumbag hit her in the face? I know she didn’t trip over a tree root.” He asked angrily.
Ram put his hand on Caesar’s arm, “Bro, True handled that and it’s fixed. Let it go. You’re here to relax and see if you and Lana get along, not stir up shit.”
The three men all heard the large truck coming down the driveway. The kitchen appliances had arrived.
Chapter Fifteen
Whistler was feeling no pain after sampling the apple pie moonshine the Black Rebel Riders MC had brought up. He was sprawled in the back seat of Mousey’s car with a huge silly grin on his face. His worries were put aside as he enjoyed sipping the moonshine from a flask one of them had handed him. They were there to make sure the van carrying it got to the clubhouse without incident.
Mousey and Runner were on the alert for cops and any Filthy Fiends motherfuckers who might interfere with their shipment. They were aware Whistler was drunk, but if shit went down they knew he’d get sober real fast as he always did. They hadn’t seen him in such a good mood for a few weeks so they let him sip away. There was another truck trailing them with Birdman and Domino. It should be an easy trip, but they still stayed alert just in case. You never knew with those fucking Filthy Fiends roaming around.
They paid the cops off so unless there was an issue with them it was all clear until they got back to the clubhouse. They had crossed into their territory and there had been no problems with the Black Rebel Riders MC coming up to meet them. With the cops getting a cut of the moonshine it should be a breeze for them from this point on.
*~*
Cain and Able brought the pizza pies to the picnic table and True had them pull two more picnic tables for the women. As soon as they were done, he sent them back to town for more pizza. Nicola had provided drinks, paper plates, and napkins. He wondered what Lana was going to say to Caesar and hoped she’d behave. Raven was sitting on one side of her and Morgana on the other. Caesar and Ram with their SAA’s were sitting across from them.
He watched Lana carefully. She was smiling shyly at something Caesar was saying. She had pushed her sunglasses up and her eyes sparkled. It had been a long time since he’d noticed Lana eyes looking like that. Caesar was looking at her intently and paying attention to her every word.
He chewed on the hangnail on his thumb, thinking. Maybe he’d been too involved in her personal life. If she liked Caesar, he’d make sure everyone gave them space. Nicola handed him a baby wipe for his hands and he shook his head at her.
“Nikki, a lil dirt ain’t gonna kill me.”
“True, your hands are dirty and I have some hand sanitizer for you to use. We have company and don’t make me treat you like Alex!” She scolded.
True looked at his hands and saw they had a bit of dirt on them. He used her hand sanitizer and baby wipe before grabbing a slice of pizza for himself. It was such a small thing to make her happy anyway.
His cell began to ring and he put the slice down on a paper plate and answered it. “Yeah?” He growled into the cell phone.
“True, it’s Mousey. You and I need to talk about a few things. Like why my daughter is living with you, but we got a drunk Whistler here, whacked out on apple pie moonshine. You wanna head down here now and fix this mess or do you want us to head up to the farm?” Mousey was pissy sounding almost like he’d swallowed vinegar.
“Bro, I meant to call and explain about Nicola and me, but we got company up here and nobody comes on the farm today. I got my hands full. Can you handle my brother?” True wasn’t having the chapter’s business rolling up to his front door.
“I get that, but your brother has busted a lot of the chairs and he’s off his rocker screaming about Marianne. As for my daughter, you care about her and the boy?” Mousey waited for an answer.
True knew he was going to have to be honest and he respected Mousey a lot. “Yes I do, or I’d never have asked her to be my ol’ lady, brother. I should’ve asked your opinion before I asked Nicola, but to be honest I didn’t think of asking her until right before I did. It just happened man, seemed to be the right time and place.”
Mousey laughed. “Yeah, that’s how it was with Kitty, I get it. Don’t ever lay a hand on my baby girl though. I’m glad you like Alex. Nicola said you don’t want her working, just taking care of you and cooking and all that shit. You gonna give her money?”
True became indignant. “Of course, you ever know me to be a cheap skate? I’ll take care of their needs and I’ll give her a weekly allowance if that makes ya feel better.”
“I should have given Kitty money. I never realized that asking me for money bothered her so much that she finally left me. I want to see my daughter happy and not begging you or me for money. You don’t ask what it’s for either. She might be saving up to get you something. Words of advice, my man. Now unless you want Whistler up there, I’d get my ass down here and settle the big asshole down. Best bring Raven with you. We let him drink so we didn’t have to listen to him going on about how unfair life is. I’ll hold the phone out so you can hear him.”
True could hear bottles breaking and his brother yelling, he heard him cursing and knew he was going to have to go down to the club house. “Mouse, Raven and I will be right down.” He put the phone away and motioned to Raven to step away from the picnic tables.
“We gotta go calm Whistler down. He’s ripping up the clubhouse. Moonshine madness. You still gotta key for that cell?” True was in no mood to be embarrassed in front of Ram and Caesar.
Raven grinned, “Sure do and I think that is a good place to put him. We’re all having a good time up here. I’ll grab some soda for his hangover. Looks like Lana is enjoying herself finally. She isn’t acting the way she normally does with men. She is hanging on to his every word.” Both men looked at Lana who had a big smile on her face while talking to Caesar.
“Get your truck ready, we won’t be long and I’ll go explain it to Ram and Caesar. Grab the asshole that soda, he’s gonna be sick as a dog later.” True moved toward the group eating and talking while Raven went to get the truck.
“Raven and I gotta get Whistler home, seems he drank too much moonshine. Anybody need anything?” He watched Marianne turn pale. “Whistler won’t be a problem so keep on enjoying yourselves, we’ll be right back. I know Nicola is inside checking to make sure her new appliances aren’t dented. If I’m not back, tell her I will be shortly.” True looked at Morgana to make sure she would pass the message on. S
he nodded to him and he left, happy to not have been asked a hundred questions.
Chapter Sixteen
They made it to the clubhouse in record time and once out of the truck they could hear Whistler. A few of the bro’s were standing outside along with Hazel and a few of the club sluts. True cursed under his breath. Raven got out of the truck and had grabbed a few extra-large zip ties, the kind the cops used. True didn’t blame him. He knew getting Whistler down and out of the clubhouse wouldn’t be easy. He looked around to see what other big men were around and saw Gonna and Rover. He pointed at them to follow Raven. He watched carefully to see if either hesitated but they went right behind Raven. True stopped briefly to speak with Mousey.
“Is he in there alone? Stupid motherfucker can’t control himself. I left Ram out on my farm. When we get him outta here, use funds from the club account and get everything replaced and cleaned up. Put those ho’s to work. This place gleams, got me?” True looked at the women and knew they heard him. “You don’t work, you’re eighty-sixed from the clubhouse. Whistler will be paying for all damages so keep a clean record, no sneaking shit in.” He looked pointedly at Mousey.
“He’s bitching to some new older ho with no sense at all. LaDonna is her name. Birdman is behind the bar, adding the broken bottles up. We’ll get it in shape if you can get him outta here.” He tossed his cigarette to the ground and rubbed his boot over it.
Raven had poked his head into the door and came back to speak to True. “I say we sneak him. He’s not looking too good. Some chick I never saw before with a bad boob job is wiping his face with a cloth. If you and I go in through the front door, Rover and Gonna can go through the side door. True, don’t even bother to talk to him now. He’s drunk as hell and he ain’t making any sense. Hell, I ain’t seen him this drunk since we were teenagers.”
“Gonna, get the chick outta the way and we’ll get him out as fast as we can. I don’t know if we’ll need more help but if we do, I’ll yell for it.” True strode off through the front door fully disgusted at his brother.
Thirsty (Satan's Fools MC Book 2) Page 9
