by Chiah Wilder
“What’s going on here?” a deep voice said.
Animal turned around and saw a damn badge walking up to them. Fuck! “Nothing,” he replied.
“That’s not the way it looks.” The badge’s gaze fell on Skeet, who lay on his side; dried blood crusted the biker’s lips and chin.
“It’s personal business,” Hawk said. “Move on.”
The cop jerked his head back. “Move on? You don’t tell me shit like that.” He huffed.
The vice president visibly stiffened. “I just did. There’s nothing here for you. Call Chief Landon—he’ll tell you.” The Insurgents and the police chief had a tacit agreement: the MC kept hard drugs out of the county and law enforcement would look the other way in most instances.
The badge didn’t move an inch, just stood there scowling, looking like he was debating with himself on what to do. After a few long seconds, he shook his head. “I’m taking the whole lot of you in.”
“No … you’re not,” Hawk said.
“Call Landon. We don’t have time for this shit,” Animal said.
“Or we’ll call him. Your choice,” Throttle added.
The badge walked back to the patrol car and Animal watched him pull out the radio.
“The fuckin’ badge must be new,” Bones said.
“Yeah, I haven’t seen him before,” Hawk said as he bent over and dragged Skeet to his feet. “You’re one stupid fucker to have come back.”
“His ma’s sick,” Thea said.
The Insurgents glowered at her, and she placed a hand over her mouth. Hawk turned away and looked at Animal. “Tell Skinless to get his ass over here with the SUV. We got an asshole he needs to pick up.”
Animal pulled out his phone, stepped away from the group, and tapped in the prospect’s number. He told him what Hawk wanted, then Animal ended the call and sent out a group text telling the membership that Skeet’s beatdown was imminent and to get their asses to the clubhouse pronto. Animal glanced over at the badge and chuckled: he was red-faced, his eyes narrowed into slits, his lips pressed into a thin line. Animal slid his phone into the inner pocket of his jacket and ambled over to the group.
“Skinless is on the way, and I sent the brothers a text.”
Hawk nodded as he, Throttle, and Bones crowded Skeet against the wall. Thea leaned her head against it and watched them, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
“You,” the badge said, pointing at Animal. “Come here.”
Animal lifted his chin up. “Fuck, no.”
The man in uniform slammed the car door and strode over to him.
“Did Landon set you straight, big boy?” Animal said, and Throttle, Hawk, and Bones guffawed.
“Just fuckin’ remember what you were told,” Throttle said.
“I’m watching you. If you assholes cross the line by even one inch, I’ll be all over your asses,” he said.
“And we’ll be watching you,” Animal replied.
“Like Hawk said, ‘Move on.’ We got shit to do.” Throttle turned his back.
The badge glared at Animal. “Leave Olivia alone,” he gritted.
Taken aback by the mention of his woman’s name, Animal just stood there, his mind reeling. The cop sneered at him.
“What the fuck’s your name?” Animal growled.
“Nathan Rogers.” A satisfied smirk spread across his face.
“There’s no way my woman’s into fuckin’ badges.”
“Your woman?” A dry laugh. “She’s my girlfriend. From the dumb look on your face, I’m guessing you didn’t know you were just biker cock.”
White-hot rage burned through him, and Animal clenched his hands and stepped closer to the fucking badge. He raised his arm, but before he could throw a punch at the smug fucker’s face, Hawk grabbed his wrist and stopped him.
“If you do that, it’ll cause all sorts of fuckin’ problems, bro. Just let it be. The fucker’s just talking out of his ass to goad you.”
Jerking away from Hawk’s hold, Animal breathed heavily through flaring nostrils as he stared at Rogers. Of course Hawk was right: if he hit Rogers, Landon wouldn’t look the other way. The smug badge was just dying for an excuse to haul Animal’s ass in, but how in the hell did he know Olivia? There was no damn way she was two-timing him by going out with this idiot. Was she? Doubt mixed with fury coursed through Animal.
“Let’s take care of business,” Hawk said, gripping Animal’s arm and leading him toward Skeet.
Animal looked over his shoulder and saw Rogers march back to the patrol car, slam the door, and speed away. He still couldn’t figure out how in the hell the jerk knew Olivia, or better yet, about Olivia and him.
Skinless pulled up in the SUV and he and Rusty jumped out and promptly handcuffed Skeet, then dragged his sorry ass back to the vehicle and took off. Thea—tears streaming down her face—stood on the curb watching … well after the car had disappeared.
Hawk and Throttle jumped on their bikes and switched on the ignition.
“See you at the clubhouse,” Throttle said as he peeled away from the curb with Hawk following behind.
“You shoulda shed some tears for your old man, not for a fuckin’ traitor, but then again, you’re a whoring cheat,” Bones said to Thea.
She spun around. Black trails of mascara stained her cheeks, and she dabbed them with the corner of her sleeve. “Are you gonna kill him?” She sniffled.
Without answering, Animal and Bones stalked away toward their motorcycles, and then headed to the Insurgents’ clubhouse.
* * *
ANIMAL DELIVERED SKEET—HIS face a bloody pulp, his body, battered and broken—on the front lawn of the ex-Insurgent’s mother’s house. He saw Thea peeking through the curtains as if waiting for him to leave. The moment Animal threw his SUV into drive, she scurried outside and bent over the biker.
Animal swung a U-turn and made his way to Slavens to pick up Lucy. Skeet had been taught a lesson by the club he forfeited and by the member whom he’d disrespected by fucking his old lady. Metal had decided that beating the shit out of the sonofabitch was all the vindication he needed, and had declined to exact any vengeance on Thea for her betrayal of their marriage vows. The members respected their fellow brother’s decision, and the whole incident was laid to rest.
Animal parked in a spot right in front of the school and slid out of the car. He was a few minutes early so he leaned against the hood, hoping that Olivia would come out with the children once the bell rang.
Soon the final bell of the school day rang out, and children poured out of various doors around the building. He lifted his chin when he saw Lucy and Aria bouncing toward the car, and pressed his lips together when he saw Aria’s mother approaching him. The only woman he wanted to talk to at that moment was Olivia. He had to find out how she knew the fucking badge, and why the asshole said that she was his girlfriend.
“Hi there,” Aria’s mom said.
For the life of him, he couldn’t remember her name. “Hey,” he replied, his gaze darting around for Olivia.
“How’ve you been?” she asked.
“Good.”
“Do you have a day in mind that Aria can come over to play? She’s been talking about it nonstop. Remember, I said I’d fix you dinner.” A warm smile spread over her face as her gaze ran up and down his corded arms. “By the way, I love your tattoos. Did you get them done in town?”
“Yeah. I’m pretty busy for the next couple of weeks. So … yeah.”
“That’s okay. I’ll just touch base with you again and you can let me know. I’m real busy too with my real estate business and raising a child on my own. My husband walked out on us two years ago and …”
She talked and talked and Animal just wanted her to shut the hell up; he didn’t feel like engaging in any conversation. He rubbed the back of his neck and tuned out Aria’s mother and continued looking for Olivia. Finally he spotted her dark hair gleaming under the bright sun, which had finally decided to make an appearance. He looked over at the play
ground and saw Lucy and Aria on the swings.
“I gotta talk to one of the teachers,” Animal said.
Aria’s mother looked like he’d slapped her in the face or something. “Oh,” she said weakly.
“Later.” He walked away and watched Olivia as she crouched down on her haunches and zipped up a young boy’s jacket. She then ruffled his blond hair and gave him a quick hug. Animal never thought she looked sexier than at that moment, and he wanted to yank her to him and press her close while he rubbed against her soft body. Then the damn badge’s smug face upstaged his desire, and he jammed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and stalked over to her.
“Hey,” he said when he reached her.
“Hi,” Olivia answered as she rose to her feet and held her hand above her eyes to shield them from the sun.
“Can you talk?” Animal glanced again at Lucy, who was squealing with laughter as she swung higher.
“Sure. Is something wrong?” Worry etched her face.
Animal grasped her by the elbow and nudged her toward the wall so that their conversation wouldn’t be heard, yet he could still keep an eye on Lucy.
“How the fuck do you know Nathan Rogers?” he said without any preamble.
Olivia’s eyes widened. “Nathan Rogers? Why’re you bringing up his name?”
“I’m the one asking the damn questions here. So, you do know him. Are you fucking him?”
Olivia’s hand flew to her mouth, and she let out a loud gasp. “No! Why the hell would you ask me something like that?” Her eyes brimmed with tears. She seemed genuinely shocked and hurt, and a dull pain stabbed at his gut.
Rubbing his face, he drew in a ragged breath. Animal didn’t mean to upset her or to make her think that he didn’t trust her. He ran agitated fingers through his hair, sorry that he caused the tears in her eyes. What a fuckin’ mess. Dammit!
“Animal?” she whispered. “Why did you ask me that?”
He tilted his head back and watched the clouds moving across the sky. After a brief few seconds, he looked down at her. “I got crazy in the brain.” He’d never been jealous over a woman before, but now he felt almost crazed with it like a lovesick adolescent who’d just become aware of girls. One thing was for certain: Olivia was in his blood. He had a gnawing need for her that never left him, that made him ask stupid pansy-assed questions to the woman he loved. Fuck, this shit was complicated.
“About what? I love you—I’d never cheat on you.” Olivia ran her fingertips lightly over his forearm. “I dated Nathan for a short time way before I met you. I ended it because he was creeping me out and getting way too possessive. Anyway, he started stalking me, but ever since I’d moved into my house, he seemed to have left me alone. However, by your question, I’m guessing I may have been wrong in assuming that.”
“I ran into him this morning when I was downtown. The fucker said you were his girlfriend.”
“And you believed him? Don’t you even know me?”
“Okay—I acted like a pussy. I own that. I just … I don’t know … Just the thought of you with him or any dude is hard to take, you know?”
“I get that, but you know I wasn’t a virgin hiding out in a tower. I have a past, but it shouldn’t affect our present or future. And talk about a past—how many women have you been with.” She held up her hand in front of his face. “Don’t answer that—I’m already sorry I asked. I know what goes on in the biker clubs, and you don’t think that sometimes it makes me feel a bit insecure or jealous?”
“You don’t have anything to worry about, baby. I only want you.”
“That’s the way it is with me too—I only want you.”
He pulled her close to him and hugged her tightly. “I didn’t mean to accuse you. Hell, I’m new to all this relationship stuff.”
Olivia giggled as she broke away from him. “Just so you know, it never gets easier.”
“Fucking great.” He moved closer to her. “I wanna kiss you, babe.”
“Not here in front of all the children.”
Animal looked around and saw some of the teachers and the angry eyes of Aria’s mother aimed right at him. “Fuck,” he muttered. “I forgot about her.”
“Who?” Olivia said looking over her shoulder.
“Aria’s mom. She’s been coming on to me since Lucy and her daughter became friends.”
“You mean Elise Griffin?”
“Yeah, that’s her name. She’s using her kid to get close to me.”
Olivia looked over her shoulder again. “Like how?”
“Saying that the only way Aria can come over to play with Lucy is if she comes too. She gave me some bullshit about doing it with all of Aria’s friends. She wants to fix dinner for me.”
“I’m the one who’ll fix dinner for you and Lucy. She’s attractive though. One of the eighth grade teachers, Marcus Thurber, has chatted her up numerous times.”
“She can’t even begin to compare to you, baby. I want you to come out with Lucy and me for dinner. We’re going to Luigi’s for pizza.”
Her eyes sparkled. “I’d love to, but will Lucy be okay with it? I don’t want to butt into her time with you.”
“Let’s ask her.” Animal waved Lucy over.
“I think Aria’s mom’s mad. She made her get off the swing and leave.”
“She’s probably just having a bad day,” he replied. “I was telling Olivia that I’m taking you to Luigi’s for pizza.”
“Yay!” Lucy twirled around. “Are you coming, Ms. Mooney?”
Olivia smiled. “Do you want me to?”
“Uh-huh. Have you been there?”
“I’ve never eaten there—I’ve only done takeout.”
“I’ve been there a lot. I really like it.” She tucked her hand into Animal’s and looked up at him. “Are we going now? I’m hungry.”
“I’m not sure.” Animal glanced over at Olivia.
“I won’t be able to go until about six o’clock. I have an online class that starts at four,” Olivia said. “Will six work for you, Lucy?”
His daughter cocked her head to the side and scrunched up her face as if deep in thought, then said, “That’s good.”
Animal laughed and squeezed her hand lightly. “You sure about that?”
“Uh-huh.” She bobbed her head up and down.
“We’ll pick you up then,” he said to Olivia.
“Sounds good. I have to get back and straighten out the classroom. Remember to practice the passages I marked for you,” she said to Lucy. “See you later.”
On the drive home, Lucy chatted about the upcoming school trip to the candy factory. She told him Olivia was going to come with her class on that day.
“Sounds like you really like Olivia,” he said.
“Yeah, you like her too.” Lucy blew a bubble with her gum and popped it.
“I do.”
“I’ve seen you kissing.” Lucy giggled.
Surprise ran through him. “When did you start spying on me?” he asked, which only made Lucy laugh harder.
“Does Ms. Mooney have a mom?” she asked after her laughter died down.
“Yeah, why?”
“Does her mom live here?”
“No. She lives in California, but Olivia’s not that close to her.”
“Does her mom love Ms. Mooney?” Lucy fixed her gaze on Animal.
For the thousandth time, Animal wondered how Emerald could desert her daughter in the way in which she had. “I don’t think they get along. Her mom was not really there for her and neither was her dad.”
“She was all alone?” A small frown formed on his daughter’s forehead.
“Pretty much.”
“She’s happy now.”
“Yeah, she is.” Animal shifted in his seat. He hadn’t wanted to tell Lucy about Olivia and him before because he wasn’t sure if what they had was going anywhere. The last thing he’d wanted was for Lucy to get attached to Olivia if she wasn’t going to stick around. But ever since their day
at the lake, Animal knew he wanted her in his life, and he knew she wanted that as well.
He looked sideways at Lucy. “How would you like it if Olivia became part of our family?”
Lucy’s eyes widened. “Like marry her?”
Animal almost choked. “Whoa … I didn’t say that. I was just asking if you’d like to include her in stuff that we do. Sometimes you and I will do things alone, but we can start asking her to hang with us. You know, come over and watch TV with us, have dinner, and other things.”
“I’d like that. If you marry Ms. Mooney, will she be my mom?”
“I’m not marrying anyone, kiddo. Get the marriage thing outta your mind.” That’s all he needed was for Lucy to say something to Olivia. Wouldn’t that be a fucking mess?
“Oh … why not?”
Animal let out a loud sigh. “I don’t know. We’re not there yet, and I never thought about it.” Marriage was a dirty word for him, like a deadly diagnosis or something.
“Can Ms. Mooney be my mom?”
His heart lurched. “Do you want her to?”
“I don’t know.” Lucy turned away and looked out the window.
“You don’t have to know, kiddo. I just wanted to ask you if you’re cool with Olivia spending more time with us. What do you want on your pizza tonight?”
While Lucy talked, Animal made a mental note that he’d call the child psychologist Olivia had told him about. Even though Lucy seemed better than she’d been a few months before, he knew her mother’s abandonment had scarred her. All Animal wanted was to give her the best life he could, and helping her heal and work through all the anger shit that her fucking mother had caused was the first step in the right direction toward his daughter’s well-being.
He pulled into the garage and Lucy jumped out of the car and ran to the back door.
“Can I have a cookie? Please?”
Animal unlocked the door and followed her to the kitchen. “You can have two, kiddo.” He smiled and walked over to the cupboard and took down a bag of iced animal crackers.
Chapter Twenty-Four
THE PLACE RENA Walsh found for her rendezvous with Hunter Lewis was the Ramble Hotel, nestled in the mountains among the pine trees, studded with balconies overlooking the valley. To the north was the Colorado River meandering through the valley. In the distance, lights from the town twinkled like fireflies against the darkness of night.
