Thor (Thorny Devils MC Book 1)

by MLJ Quigg

  After I was clean, I had to run out of the bathroom because he was getting hard again, and we would never get out of there if we didn’t move, but Derrick chased me. He caught me and kissed me, then slapped my arse and proceeded to tell me I was running late, so I had better hurry.

  Fucking arsehole. It was his fault.

  Walking downstairs, we joined the kids and Claire eating breakfast. I grabbed something for myself, and when I was finished, Hannah and Sarah came over to talk to me.

  “Monique, can Sarah and I ask you something?” Hannah inquired.

  “Of course. You can ask me anything, Aunt Hannah,” I replied.

  “Well, we know how busy you are, and Prez said you were going to get married in the gazebo out the back and have the reception here in the common room. Is it okay with you if Sarah and I organise the decorations and food for you? The only thing you need to tell us would be the colour preference. I love to bake and would love to make your cake for you. I’ve made wedding cakes before, and the customers loved them. I can show you some if you’d like?” she said shyly.

  “Are you fucking kidding me? Yes, yes. Go for it. I was dreading the thought of organising that because I’m not a creative person. Give me a gun or any weapon, and I know what to do with it. Give me a beat, and I can dance. Ask me to be creative or organise something, and I literally come out in hives. Please, I would love for you to do it. I was just gonna have Wombat marry us and have a BBQ or something in the backyard or in here. I don’t want anything huge. I will ask that you include Claire if you can because she’s been the one to organise everything for me and knows my preferences,” I said to them, smiling.

  “Sounds great. So what colours are you having in the bridal party?” Sarah asked.

  “Um, I don’t know,” I replied.

  “Well, what colour is your dress going to be, white or off-white?” Hannah asked.

  “Off-white. White doesn’t suit me. It washes me out too much, and I look like a ghost,” I answered.

  “Okay, we can work with that. What about the bridesmaids’ colours?” Sarah asked.

  “Dark green.”

  Thinking of the bridesmaids, I think the colour would look good on all of them.

  “All right, what about flowers? What is your favourite flower?” Hannah asked.

  “Lilies. Hold on, I have a photo of a bouquet I like,” I said as I took out my phone to show them the picture of a bride’s and bridesmaid’s bouquet, which had green and white lilies, white roses, and baby’s breath I liked them straightaway, and they would go well with the dresses.

  “That’s beautiful. Can you send a copy of that to me? I can make that for you,” Sarah said.

  “Really? That would be fantastic. Thank you so much,” I said with excitement.

  “Yeah, it’s pretty easy, actually, so it should be no problem at all,” she said, smiling.

  “You guys are friggin’ lifesavers, you know that?” I said.

  “You’re family, honey. We would do anything for you and Prez,” Hannah said.

  “So are you going to ask what he’s wearing? Is he wearing jeans, a shirt, and his cut or pants, shirt, and tie?” Sarah asked.

  “Hey, Derrick,” I yelled in a loud voice.

  “Yes, gorgeous,” he yelled back.

  “What are you wearing to the wedding?”

  “Clothes. What do you want me to wear? I draw the line at a fucking tux. Sorry, babe, but I’m not wearing a fucking monkey suit.

  I will wear pants, shirt, and vest, though,” he yelled his reply back.

  “What about a tie or bow tie,” I yelled.

  “Fuck no,” he yelled back.

  “Well, there you go.” I laughed.

  “That was pretty easy. I remember when I married Ryan, he wouldn’t wear anything other than jeans, shirt, and vest,” Hannah said.

  Sarah nodded her head, agreeing wholeheartedly.

  Sasha came through the main door and sauntered over to us. She sat at my side and hugged me to her, saying, “Thank you so much for asking me to be a bridesmaid. I had the shock of my life last night when you asked me.”

  “Not a problem. We’re friends. I know we clicked as soon as we met, and I treasure your friendship, so it just felt right to ask you.”

  “Well, I think we have everything now, Monique. If we have any questions, we’ll ask, okay, honey?” Sarah said.

  “No worries. Thank you. I love you two so much right now,”

  I said.

  “You’re very welcome, hon,” Hannah said.

  Kissing me on the cheek, they walked off together, discussing the preparations.

  “Okay, so who are we waiting on now?” Sasha asked.

  “Well, my bridesmaids are here. I want you and Claire, and Madilyn is a junior bridesmaid, and Dave is my man of honour. I couldn’t do it without him,” I said.

  “So who are we matched up with?” she asked.

  “You know what? I have no idea,” I replied to her, so I turned and yelled, “Hey, Derrick.”

  “Yes, gorgeous,” he yelled back, laughing.

  “Who are your groomsmen?” I called across the room.

  “Oh, fuck. Didn’t even think of that.”

  I looked at him and noticed he was talking to Dozer, Trigger, and Hulk, then Dozer jumped up and yelled a loud yes.

  “Hey, Monique,” Derrick called across the room.

  “Yes, honey?” I laughed.

  “Dozer is my best man. Trigger and Hulk are the groomsmen.” “What about Jackson and Connor,” I reminded him.

  “Oh, fuck. I can’t not have them. Um... ”

  “What about junior groomsmen. Madilyn is my junior bridesmaid.”

  “Done. Thank fuck. I was worried. You’re a fucking genius, baby,” he yelled.

  Dave and Mike came in through the door, so Sasha and I stood and walked over to them as Derrick, Claire, and the kids walked over to us.

  “Let’s get this over with. Madilyn and Claire, come on, we have dresses to shop for. Connor and Jackson, you’re with your dad today. Have fun. Bye, babies. Bye, honey,” I said and gave them all a kiss. Derrick was the last to get a kiss, and he deepened it.

  “Bye, baby. Have fun,” he said then he kissed Madilyn on the cheek, and we walked out.

  We made our way to Mike and Dave’s car, which was a big SUV that could fit us all. Madilyn and Claire jumped in the back. Sasha and I hopped in the middle, and Mike and Dave sat in the front.

  “So are we going to that bridal place we were talking about the other day, hon,” Dave asked.

  “Yep, I found the dress I want there, and they have a large selection of bridesmaids dresses,” I replied.

  Dave gave the address to Mike, and we set off. Arriving about an hour later, we all headed inside.

  “Hi. My name is Samantha. How can I help you today?” the saleswoman asked.

  “Hi, my name is Monique. We need a wedding dress, two bridesmaids’ dresses, and a dress for my daughter,” I said.

  “Okay. When is the wedding?” she inquired.

  “In two weeks,” I answered.

  She looked shocked. “Well, that’s quick.”

  “Yeah, I know. He asked me two weeks ago and gave me a month. A shitload has happened, and this is the first chance I’ve had to get away. We just need dresses. Everything else is organised. I noticed you have menswear. I’ll send the guys here. It’ll be easier to do it all in one place,” I said.

  I could see the money rolling in her eyes, meaning she must run on commission.

  “Well, okay. Do you have any idea the style of dress you would like?” she asked.

  I took out my phone and showed her. Then I showed her the picture of the bridesmaids’ dresses I wanted.

  She nodded and said, “We have all those dresses in stock. We’ll start with yours. What size are you?”

  I gave her my size, and she walked over to a rack of dresses. Looking through it, she removed the dress and asked me to follow her. We walked into the chang
ing room, and she left the dress on the hook before leaving the room.

  I removed my clothes and put the dress on. It zipped up the back, but I could do it all myself, which was a bonus. I turned and looked in the mirror over my shoulder to see that, thank fuck, it covered my scars. I turned to face the mirror and really looked at the dress. I was standing without shoes on, so the dress was a little long. It was a strapless, A-line dress with a sweetheart neckline. It wasn’t puffy but just sat outside from my hips. It had a split on the left-hand side that went to my thigh. I loved this dress.

  I walked out of the change room, and everyone gasped.

  “Holy fuck, Monique, that is gorgeous. You look beautiful. That’s the dress,” Dave said.

  “Yep, I loved this dress as soon as I saw it. So you all agree this is the dress? Do you have shoes here, too?” I asked Samantha.

  She nodded her head, so I followed her to the shoes.

  I picked out a pair of plain ivory stilettos straightaway and pointed to them. After trying on a pair in my size, which fit perfectly, I walked back to the others, and they loved them.

  “Do you mind if I stay in the dress while the girls try on theirs? If we all like them, I want to see if we match,” I asked.

  “No, that’s fine. Okay, girls, what sizes are you?” Samantha asked.

  After getting their sizes, Samantha grabbed the dresses, and the girls followed her into the change room. They came out a little while later, and this time, it was I who gasped.

  When Sasha came out, she looked gorgeous. The dress was similar to mine but had see-through fabric on one shoulder and over the top of the neckline.

  “Sasha, that looks gorgeous. The colour and style suit you. Do you like it?” I asked.

  “Love it, hon. Green always looks good on me,” Sasha replied.

  Claire walked out of the change room with a huge smile on her face.

  “Oh, Claire, you look so beautiful. I wasn’t sure about the colour what with your blonde hair and your tanned skin, but it suits you so well. I love it. What do you think?” I asked.

  “I absolutely love this dress, and you’re right, the colour and style suit me,” she said with excitement.

  When Madilyn came out, it was another story.

  “I love the colour. I just don’t like that style on you, baby. It’s just too grown up. For an adult, it is perfect, but for a young teenager, it’s not. Sorry, baby,” I said.

  “No, I agree, Mum. I love the colour, but the style is not right,” Madilyn agreed.

  “We have a dress that is similar in style and is the same colour but has straps and a higher sweetheart neckline, so it doesn’t go down the chest as much.” Samantha got the dress she was talking about and said, “Here, try this one on.”

  Madilyn walked back into the change room, and after a while, she returned, and when she stepped out, she had a huge smile on her face.

  “Yes, that’s the dress. You look so grown up, baby. All right, everyone, stand up together. Let’s check this out. Oh, fuck. Excuse me, Samantha, but can you help Dave get some clothes. Have you got a shirt to match the girls’ dresses and a pair of pants and a vest— both black?” I asked.

  “We certainly do. We have a men’s shirt that matches the dresses.

  What sizes are you, sir?” she inquired.

  “Um, Monique, why am I trying on formal gear?” Dave asked.

  “Shit, with everything that has happened, I forgot to ask you. I want you to be my man of honour. You’re my best friend, Dave. I would also like Mike to walk me down the aisle. I love you, guys. I couldn’t do it without you,” I said.

  “Fuck, yes, I’ll do it,” Mike said.

  “I love you, too, honey. I would be honoured,” Dave said, giving me a hug and a kiss. Then he walked off with Samantha before returning five minutes later, changed

  “Fuck, you look hot, babe,” Mike said.

  “Hell, yes. That is perfect. Colour is perfect for the girls, and it suits you, too. What do you think, Dave?” I asked.

  “Perfect,” he replied, and then he walked over to stand next to us, and we all looked in the mirrors. “Fuck, we all look hot,” I said.

  “Hell, yes, we do,” Sasha agreed.

  Noticing they had no shoes on, I said, “Okay, girls, shoes. Go try some on.” To Samantha, I said, “If you have green or black shoes that match, that’ll be perfect.”

  As the girls followed Samantha, and Dave went to get changed, I went into the change room and changed into my clothes. By the time I came back out, they were back with plain black stilettos for Sasha and Claire, and Madilyn was wearing a smaller heel. After nodding my head in approval, they went to change back into their clothes.

  Samantha rang up the entire lot, and holy shit, it was over twenty thousand dollars. I passed her my credit card and paid for it.

  “Thanks for all of that. I’ll send the boys here. They will be just getting pants, shirts, and vests. The groomsmen may get matching colours with the girls, but I doubt that. Don’t worry about shoes for them. They should be fine,” I said.

  “Not a problem, and thank you, so much for making my day better. You are the kind of customer I love,” Samantha said.

  “The fact I just spent over twenty grand?” I asked with a laugh.

  “No, you knew exactly what you wanted,” she replied, laughing with me.

  “Well, thanks, Samantha. You have a great day,” I said.

  “You too, Monique, and congratulations,” Samantha replied. She then bagged the dresses up, and we all walked out much happier.

  “That was only two hours in total, but it felt like more,” I said.

  We jumped back in the car, and when Mike took the passenger side this time, I looked at him strangely. He just shook his head a little, telling me to be on alert. I nodded slightly and looked around.

  We had been on the road for about ten minutes when Mike’s phone buzzed. He looked down and out the side mirror. He met my eyes in the mirror.

  “Tail. Six, Three, Uniform Alpha,” he stated.

  “How long?” I asked.

  “All day,” he replied.

  “Yes, no probs.”

  The girls and Dave looked at us and had no idea what was just said.

  “What the fuck was that about?” Sasha asked.

  “A couple of the guys need the day off, so we’ll get someone to cover them,” Mike lied smoothly.

  It was time to find out what he was talking about. When Mike said tail, he meant we were being followed. Six meant they were behind us. Three was they were in three cars or vehicles, and uniform alpha meant unknown assailant. So someone had been following us all day.

  I discretely looked over Madilyn and Claire’s shoulders when I turned and asked, “So, did you really like the dresses?”

  I noticed a black Ford Fiesta with a blonde female driver. I couldn’t see a licence plate, but we would be on alert for the car.

  “I loved the dresses. All of them, Mum. Yours is beautiful,” Madilyn said.

  “Same. Loved all of them,” Claire simply said.

  “Good, I wasn’t sure, but I’m glad everything worked out.” I smiled at them and then turned back around.

  Mike met my eyes, and I gave him a small nod.

  “Who do you want to replace them with?” Mike asked.

  “Charlie, Foxtrot, Yellow,” I said, letting him know it was a Caucasian female who was blonde.

  He nodded.

  “No worries. Will do. Do they have a licence?” he replied, asking if I could see the licence plate.

  “Unknown,” I responded.

  “Okay, I’ll organise it,” he stated.

  I nodded, and he was watchful the entire drive to the clubhouse.

  Derrick

  When the girls got back, Monique came straight over to me, looking worried.

  “Mike noticed a car following us. We’re gonna check it out, but I want you to check the surveillance here, and see if any of you guys recognise it,” she said softly in my
ear, then gave me a hug and kiss.

  “Sure, baby. Let’s go check it out.”

  We walked to the security room and found Wombat sitting at the computer. He looked at us and seemed to relax in front of our eyes.

  “Hey, guys, I was just about to call you. I’ve been tracking a car that turned up this morning. I was just watching as it followed you guys back today,” he said.

  “Yep. Black Ford Fiesta. Did you happen to get a licence plate?

  Mike and I couldn’t see it clearly,” I said.

  “No. I couldn’t get a clear shot of it,” he said.

  “Keep an eye out for it, and tell the brothers,” Derrick said.

  “Will do, Prez,” Wombat said.

  Derrick and I left Wombat and joined the others in the common room.

  “So, you got the dresses? That was fucking quick, babe,” Derrick said.

  “Yep, I got it all. Dresses and shoes for me and the girls, and Dave got a shirt, some pants, and a vest. I knew what I wanted, and it all worked out. Madilyn was the only problem because the dress I’d picked for the other girls didn’t suit her, so we changed it, and it’s perfect now. They do menswear there, as well, so I would suggest you go there. They know the colours we are wearing and will be able to match,” I said.

  I’d do anything for this girl. “Sure, baby, that would be good. Hey, Doze, Trig, Hulk, are you guys busy? Wanna get our clothes for the wedding now. Get it over and done with?”

  “Sure, why not? No time like the present,” Hulk agreed, and the others nodded.

  “All right, let’s go. I have to take a car, but you guys can take your bikes. I’ll bring the clothes back for all of us. Come on, Jackson and Connor. Let’s go, boys.”

  As I made my way to the car, I laughed when I noticed the car just down the road and watched as it just sat there not moving. We made our way to the dress shop, and when we all walked into the shop, the saleswoman’s eyes bugged out of her head. Apart from my boys, we were big guys, all of us six feet or over.

  “Hi, I’m Samantha. How can I help you today?” she asked professionally.

  “Hey, I’m Thor, and this is Dozer, Trigger, Hulk, Jackson, and Connor. My missus was in a couple of hours ago and bought dresses for her and her girls. We need clothes for a wedding in two weeks,” I said.