“No need to say anything, Prez. Whatever you need, whenever you need it. You call and we’ll be there to take your back. Ons is broers en broers staan saam.” (We are brothers and brothers stand together.) Klippies said as he clapped Hawk on the back.
“Good. I’ll keep you up to date on what’s going down. Make sure your boys are careful and keep an eye on your women and children. These fuckers we’re up against won’t hesitate to use them.” Hawk warned as he grabbed up his saddlebags and walked out the clubhouse to his bike.
The ride back seemed to take for fucking ever and then at last he rode through their gates. He was home, but his old lady wasn’t. A state of affairs he would immediately set to rights.
Stalking into the clubhouse he walked right up to his room and slammed the door shut behind him. He had his phone out as he sat on the side of the bed and called his woman.
“You’re back.”
No hello, no hi baby, nothing. Just a cold statement of fact. Hawk closed his eyes and dropped his elbows onto his knees keeping the phone against his ear.
“I’m sorry, little bird. So fucking sorry. This shit is going to stop. I swear to you not one of those fucking bitches will ever have another opportunity to even look at you. They’re going to fucking disappear.”
His little bird sighed. “You can’t make them disappear, Hawk. They have families who’ll miss them and before you can blink you’ll have the pigs knocking at your door.” And as she continued to lay it out for him his gut told him he was going to lose her. “Those bitches are under the impression they’re untouchable and you gave them that impression by giving them the club’s protection. You should have left them out there to fend for themselves. They are whores, no one would have considered them important enough to target.”
Fucking hell. She was right.
“Yes, I agree. I never should have brought them back in and given them the club’s protection. They are no longer a problem, DC. Ice instituted the new rules he and I had discussed a while back. I got side tracked with everything else going on and never implemented them. Everything that’s happened to you is my fault, little bird, and I’m so fucking sorry.” Hawk acknowledged his guilt. “Can you ever forgive me and come home, baby?”
“Being with you is so damned hard, Hawk.” His old lady said sadly.
“Not going to be that way anymore, I give you my word. Please, I’m begging here, little bird. Can we at least talk about this face to face? Where are you?” Hawk asked softly.
“Yes, I think we need to talk. I’m at the shop. Are you coming here?”
“I’m leaving now, baby. See you soon.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Hawk grabbed his keys and with Beast following rode to talk to his woman.
Walking through the doors of Mainline Ink II he didn’t give his little bird time to say a word. He picked her up and sighed with relief when her arms and legs clasped around his body as he walked them into her office.
He didn’t let her go as he sat down with her on his lap and looked into her eyes. Fuck, the shadows in those beautiful eyes had his heart aching in his chest.
“I’m a fucking dick, baby. I should have kicked those whores out the minute I found you. I swear to you I haven’t touched another woman since we started and I never fucking will. There are so many things I should have done and didn’t, little bird. Can you forgive me? Can you forgive my fucked up decisions and come back to me? I can’t do this without you, baby. Just knowing you’re mine and that you will be waiting for me when I get back from whatever shit I have to deal with makes it all worthwhile.”
Hawk dropped his forehead against hers as her arms tightened around his neck. He had been thinking about the two of them ever since she had taken his patch and his ink. It wasn’t enough. He wanted more, he wanted everything. Her in his big empty house. His ring on her finger. His babies in her belly.
“I’m tired of dealing with the club whores but not only them, I’m tired of dealing with the way some of the brothers openly disrespect me. I can’t do it anymore and I’ve been fighting Crow daily to stop her from doing something we’re all going to regret.”
Jesus. Fuck.
“You won’t ever have to deal with them again, baby. The brothers will be given an ultimatum, respect or their kuttes on my table. No transfers, no second chances.”
“You can’t do that, Hawk.” She jerked her head back to give him a wide eyed stare.
“I can and I will. It is my fucking club, they follow my rules or they can fucking leave.” Hawk growled angrily.
Swallowing down the anger he softly rubbed his lips against hers. When her lips softened and opened beneath his he deepened the kiss, drawing the scent and taste of his little bird deep inside. Slowly drawing back he placed a soft kiss between her closed eyes.
“I love you, little bird. Without you I’m only half a man. Please will you come home with me?”
Hawk waited almost without breathing.
“I love you too, my Viking. I’ll come home with you but the first bastard who disrespects me is going to meet up with my fists. I don’t care who he is.”
Hawk growled. “I’ll fucking kill him before you can hit him, baby. I want you on the back of my bike. We can finish this talk in our room. Okay?”
His woman didn’t argue. With a nod she slipped off his lap and prepared to leave with him.
He rode away with his little bird on the back of his bike, tight against his back. He held on to her thigh all the way back to the compound. Feeling her warmth under his hand settled the churning hell in his gut.
There were going to be some changes at the clubhouse and the fuckers who had disrespected his old lady were going to meet him in the ring. He would have their blood for disrespecting his woman and treating her like shit.
Ice’s arrangements for the whores would stand as is. They would take it to the table but he would make sure those sluts were history.
Once he was done everyone will know he was the fucking King of his club and DC was his Queen.
No one would ever again doubt her importance in his life.
He would make damned sure of it.
River
Time passed too damned quickly and before I knew it a week had passed and I hadn’t called Ice.
But I was going to do it today. I had taken the morning off and sat in the lounge with my phone in my hand both legs bouncing as I punched in the number DC had given me. My hands were shaking when I lifted my phone to my ear.
He answered after three rings. His voice short and cold.
“Ice.”
“Ice, hi. It’s River Anderson.”
There was a heavy silence before he said anything.
“River. Yes, I remember you. Why are you calling me? I thought I made it clear I was done.”
Jesus. But I forged ahead.
“Uhm, I need to see you. Can we meet somewhere?”
Again the silence but this time I felt anger pulsing down the line. And then he spewed out his anger and disgust.
“Let me make it fucking crystal clear to you. We were drunk and I needed a fuck, you were there. If it hadn’t been you it would have been some other pussy I would have sunk my dick into that night. We are done. I never go back. Once I’ve fucked a slut that’s it, I’m done with her. I don’t know how to make it any clearer for you. I don’t want you. Don’t fucking call me again, you won’t like the results.”
What a fucking pig!
“Fuck you. When hell comes calling remember this call.”
I ended the call and slammed my phone down.
And of course the bastard called back. His number came up again and again. And every time I refused the call until he pissed me off to such an extent with the stupid threatening messages I blocked him.
I never wanted to hear from him or see him ever again. I would be raising this child on my own. I had the support of my family and friends. I would be okay.
The day of the scan arrived. The wintery sky was l
ike my heart, overcast with intermittent drizzle and there was a chilly wind blowing. I again made excuses to go to the doctor and saw the worry in Wrench’s eyes as I left. My assistant wasn’t as blind as I had hoped. He knew something was going on.
This time I was on my own. DC had a client she could not put off and I hadn’t told anyone else about my pregnancy.
I lay on the cold table in my crackling gown and breathed deep to keep calm. The technician smiled as she covered my belly with goop and started moving the wand around. My eyes were riveted on the screen and then I saw him or maybe her, my baby. Mine.
But what the hell was the other white blobby thingy? Was there something wrong?
“Oh, will you look at that.” The technician grinned as the moved the wand again. “There are two of them, River.”
“What? Two? I’m having twins?” I gasped in a shocked whisper.
“Yes you are. Let me get the measurements and then I’ll print out some pictures for you.”
Oh dear God. I’m having twins. What the hell am I going to do? Two, two babies. I could cope with one, but two?
I left the exam room with the pictures clasped in my hand and wide shocked eyes.
I had to tell my family. Tonight. I was going to need their help to get through this. But first I needed to call DC. She answered on the first ring.
“So?”
“Twins, I’m having fucking twins.” I wheezed, still not over the shock.
“Holy shit.” She whispered.
“Can you come to my house tonight? I’m going to tell everyone and I need you to hold my hand.”
“No problems, Riv. I’ll be there. I’ve got your back.”
“Thanks, DC. See you around seven. Bye.”
I drove back to the workshop and sat in my car staring at the scan pictures for a few minutes before I tucked them into a pocket in my bag and got out of the car. Wrench stood outside the open door waiting for me.
“Everything okay, River?”
“I’m fine, Wrench. Can you come for dinner tonight?”
“Sure, you know I’m there for you, anytime.” His eyes skimmed over me before he turned and walked back inside. I felt sure he had his suspicions.
Sitting on the couch in the reception area I sent out a block text to everyone I wanted at the house to hear my news.
Please come over at seven. I have some news I need to share face to face.
Not long after my phone started chiming with the incoming confirmations. Great. Everyone I loved would be there. I just hoped I would still have their respect once this night was over.
They were all there, Mum, Dad, Dagger, Wrench, Krissie, Mari, DC and Jinx. Bull had come with Dagger and was waiting on the back deck with one of the prospects. Duncan was playing cars in his room with another of the prospects.
I dragged my chair around so I faced them all. I had the pictures of the scan tucked into the big pocket of my cargo pants.
“A little while ago I did something monumentally stupid and now there are consequences because of my stupidity. I don’t want to drag this out so here we go. I had a scan today and it confirmed the tests. I’m pregnant.”
Chaos erupted, only DC and Wrench sat quietly watching me.
“Please, let me finish.” I waited until my parents and Dagger had sat back down.
“There’s more. I’m having twins.”
Dagger leant forward his eyes flinty as he stared at me. “We have no twins in our family. Who’s the father?”
I shook my head.
“He’s not in the picture anymore. I gave him the opportunity to be a part of their lives but he’s not interested. So, these babies are mine and mine alone.”
“I’m going to kill the fucker as soon as I have a name, and believe me, River, I will get a name.”
Then my big badass brother-in-law swallowed his rage, got up and knelt in front of me and put his big rough hands over my belly.
“They will never be without a dad, River. These babies are mine, just like Duncan is mine. I’ve got your back, sweetheart.”
I burst into tears and watered his broad shoulder as my mum and dad joined our little circle.
“Rivvie, you’re my little girl and these little babies are my grandbabies and I love them already.” My mum whispered. “Don’t you worry about a single thing. We love you.”
“We’ll get through this, sweetheart.” My dad hugged me hard as he spoke in my ear.
Suddenly Krissie’s voice rang through the room. “Out of the way, out of the way. Give the friends a turn to hug the lady who is pregnant with not one but two prawns in her belly. We need to hug her while we still can. With twins inside that little belly pretty soon we’re going to have to take her from behind.” There was a sudden stunned silence. “Did I just say that? Shit, I meant hug her from behind. Eeuw! I just grossed myself out.” Krissie pulled a disgusted face and just like that she broke the tension in the room as we all burst into hysterical laughter.
I bathed, fed and put Duncan to bed before I joined the others. We sat down to the dinner I had ordered and talked about what came next with the babies. Dagger was already making plans to add a room to the cottage for the babies. And mum was making plans to go shopping for cribs and stuff. Through it all DC had been very quiet and it was only after everyone had left that she asked the question that had been troubling her.
“Did you tell him?”
I nodded but I shrugged at the same time.
“I tried, but he told me in no uncertain terms he wasn’t interested in anything I might have to say. Called me a slut and pussy. So we’re done, so very, very freaking done.”
Anger flashed through her eyes but she controlled it.
“Fine. It’s maybe better for you. He’s all over some bitch from his past right now anyway.” She waved a hand as if he was a fly to shoo away. “I’m with you, River, make no mistake about it. Anything you need you call me and I’ll be here. Those babies in your tummy are going to get to know their Aunty DC very, very well. And I’m putting in dibs right now before anyone else snatches my place. I’m going to be holding your hand when you push them out, okay?”
My eyes widened.
“Please don’t make me think about that right now. I have months to go before I have to start worrying about that.” I whined.
Suddenly DC snatched me into her arms and hugged me hard. “You won’t ever have to worry about a thing, Riv. I’ve got your back and so does the rest of your family. I’ve got to go because Hawk has been texting continuously and I need to sort that shit out but I’ll see you again soon. Okay?”
“Okay. And thanks for being my friend, DC. Please, don’t say anything to Hawk if you don’t have to. But if you have no other option then it’s okay.”
She grinned as she left and I watched as she rode away with Wrench and two men following her.
I walked back into my empty house and locked up behind me. I don’t know how I ended up in Duncan’s room. But as I stood looking down at him I knew that just like I had coped with Dylan’s loss and being a single mum to Duncan I would cope with the two new babies.
Going back into the kitchen I had to grin when I saw what my mum had done with the scan pictures. They were stuck up on my fridge with pink and blue magnets.
Everyone was already debating the sex of the babies. I didn’t care, as long as they were healthy I would be happy with either sex.
Drawing a finger over them I smiled. “Mumma loves you my little prawns.”
Shit, now I’m calling them prawns like Krissie had done.
Bad Mumma.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Ice
The way he had spoken to River when she called haunted him and he couldn’t get it out of his mind. It fucked with his concentration at the most inopportune times. Like right now when he had to play the ass with Emma once again. But they were close, so damned close, to getting what they needed.
She had asked him to take her to Zeffers on the back of his bike and he had refus
ed. Not fucking happening. Instead she had followed him in her car to an out of the way pub and grill where he hoped no one he knew would see them. The place was filled with older people so it seemed he was lucky this time. And unlike before, this time he had two of his brothers watching over him. Kid and Sin sat at a table where they could keep a vigilant eye on him, and his fucking beer.
Ever since Hawk had returned from his overnight run to Bloem things had been quiet at the clubhouse. His president hadn’t said one word about the new rules Ice had set in place while he had been on the run. He had just nodded and gone up to his room. Soon after he had left with Beast and when he came back he had had DC on the back of his bike. They had disappeared into their room and only reappeared the next day. Ice knew without a doubt that shit was going to hit the fan once Hawk had his old lady settled down. He only needed to look in his prez’s eyes to see the rage swirling in them. Retribution was coming.
Chris continued to work behind the bar and so far it had worked out fine. Dizzy however, wasn’t good at all. The brother was silently going through hell and Ice didn’t know how to help him. But he had seen Chris talking to him and maybe she would get through to him when no one else could. The girl was one of the good ones and they were damned lucky she had decided to stay. The brothers liked her even though she had stopped sleeping with them. They all liked talking to her and he often saw her with a mug of coffee in front of her leaning over the bar chatting with his brothers. She was a perfect addition to the club.
Bringing his thoughts back to the bitch next to him Ice tried to concentrate on what she was saying. She had been going off about Hawk banning her from the clubhouse for the last twenty minutes. But her next words had his full attention and he knew Kid and Sin were listening as well. He was wearing a wire and he had more than one tracker on him just in case.
“I heard DC made friends with a Sinner’s Sons old lady. River something or another.”
Why the hell did she always bring up River? Did she know they had been together? But how could she? No one knew except DC and she wouldn’t talk. Did they have another mole?
Lost And Found In Blue (Iron Dogz MC Book 2) Page 13
