I narrow my eyes at her response. “Well, then care to explain why you’ve been crying?”
“Again with all the questions,” she replies as she pulls her long blonde locks into a topknot. “Long story. I’ll tell you later. I’m getting some coffee.” She turns and walks away from me. Her shoulders are drooping and her entire disposition is off. Fuck! Fine, I’ll just call Clara. Somebody around this place knows something. For God’s sake I just want an update.
The sound of the phone call attempting to go through is music to my ears. “Hey, Jenalyn. How is everyone?” Clara asks me.
My heart leaps into my throat with excitement. She sounds perfectly fine and that must mean that Stormie and baby are doing well, but still I will ask. “So, how’s Stormie and baby girl?” Relief is already mine for the taking and I’ll just let it sink in and enjoy every word she says to me without anxiety.
“Oh, they’re doing wonderful. Stormie’s asleep and I’ve got the baby right here in my arms. Joker is also asleep in a chair next to Stormie. He’s still mostly afraid of holding her, but that will pass with time. Stormie finally fell asleep about two hours ago. Can you believe that?” she asks me before she begins to make cooing noises at her granddaughter.
“Yes, I can believe that. Yesterday was full of adrenaline and nerves. I’m sure once the adrenaline part of that wore off, she was probably past the point of exhaustion. We hadn’t heard from you all and I wanted to check,” I tell her.
“Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry nobody told you. Yeah, Joker texted Justice last night.”
I take a deep breath and try to calm myself and notice Vanna approaching me with her coffee in hand. I will have Justice’s balls for this shit. They aren’t the only ones with codes and important things around here. I exhale slowly, and feel Vanna’s hand touch my back. I’m sure using a breathing technique she taught me has her beaming inside with pride. “Oh, I’m sure it just slipped his mind. Have they picked out a name for her yet?”
Clara exhales and I can hear and sense some frustration as she speaks, “No, they haven’t agreed completely on a name yet. That’s the one thing they’ve went round and round on.” I can hear the baby begin to cry. “Okay, honey, I’m going to change her and I’ll have to wake Stormie. She wants to give breastfeeding a try. I’ll tell her you called.”
“Okay. Take care,” I say before ending the call.
So, I’ve got a full plate today. I need to fill the women in on what the ladies from the other clubs are trying to put together, find out what’s wrong with Vanna, and kick Justice’s ass!
Ten
Bailey
I spend a few hours after talking to the other girls about getting together for a ‘retreat’ helping Skylar and Whitney baking. Between the brownies, cookies, and cupcakes I think I’m about baked out today. Skylar doing this all day, every day, is insane to me. But it works for her and it helps relieve the stress she feels raising six kids and having my brother and Cage to contend with on a daily basis. Plus, she now feels more reason to do it so she can help raise as much money as possible. Zander and Alexa have had a good time playing with their cousins so it’s been a good day.
“So, I heard from Ashton and a few other girls today. They want to have a retreat of sorts soon. I know that we’re all down for that. Grim is going to be talking to them soon about going down to help them. He just doesn’t know that he’ll be talking to them sooner than he may have thought,” I tell them, letting them know the news that I’ve heard. “I know that one town is completely destroyed. And, Stormie had a baby girl during the storm.”
Skylar and Whitney start cheering about Stormie’s baby and asking a million and one questions. I can’t give them any answers though, so I don’t know what to tell them about that. I’ve already got it in the works to have an outfit put together for her little one too. I may not know the club name, but they can take care of that part.
“I need to get these down to the diner so that they can be put up for sale now,” Skylar tells us, starting to package up the goodies that we’ve been slaving over every day. “If you hear anything more, let me know as soon as you can.”
“I will. I’m going to get the kids rounded up and head home to take care of some things over there before Grim gets home. Whitney, you want me to wait for you?” I ask, starting to clean up what I was working on.
“No. I’m going to help Skylar get this stuff to the diner. Alice and Pops are coming over for dinner later on and Sami is already starting it. I’ll see you later on?” she asks, following my lead and cleaning up while Skylar finishes packaging everything.
“Yep. And I’ll let everyone know anything else that I hear. I’ll get with the rest of the girls, in a little while and fill them in on everything. For now, I’ll be thinking of ways to make sure that I can make Grim see that he has to contact the other clubs now to see where they’re needed,” I tell them, making my way out of the kitchen and down to the kids.
As soon as I get Alexa and Zander, we make our way over to the house. Zander is going on and on about something Jameson was telling him that they needed to start doing in regards to the girls. Probably some ‘safety’ precaution he thinks the boys need to start doing since they’re all getting older. These boys kill me. At the same time, Alexa is looking at all the ‘pretties’ and pointing out the ones that she likes along the path home.
Walking in the door fifteen minutes later, I hear Grim talking to someone while he’s in the man cave. I don’t want to disturb him so I make sure the kids are in their rooms while I start dinner. The only thing alerting me to my man being out of his cave is him wrapping his arms around me and placing a kiss on the back of my neck. I was so into my own head that I didn’t hear him coming up behind me.
“Hey, crazy girl,” he says, picking up a piece of cucumber from the chopping board before popping it into his mouth.
“Need to talk to you,” I tell him, placing a quick kiss on his neck. “Heard from some of the other girls today. They really need help. I know you said that you were going to reach out to them, can you do it now. Please?” I ask him, batting my eyes and giving him puppy dog eyes. If that doesn’t work, I’ll have to bring out the big guns and lock him in a room until he can’t focus on what he’s giving in to.
For a minute he does nothing but stare at me. “Already talked to them. I’ll give you the details you need to know when everythin’ is set up. Does that make you happy?” he asks, knowing where I was going to go with this.
“Yes, it does. I figured you’d hold out to see what you could get out of it though,” I respond, laughter filling my voice when I hear him mutter a curse at what he just lost out on.
“You’re gonna pay for that later, crazy girl,” he taunts me, stealing more food before walking to see the kids.
“Promises, promises!” I call out after him, finishing making dinner for my family.
Ashton
I sit impatiently waiting for Wasp to get off the phone with the Presidents of the other clubs. When I presented him with my thoughts, he was hesitant at first, but eventually saw the wisdom in my words. He of course, had to put it to a club vote, and when it passed the table, he sequestered himself into his office with Tic, the club’s VP. My nails may as well be stubs with the amount of chewing I’ve done on them while I pace the hallway in front of Wasp’s office. I am desperately needing to know what is being said, patience has never been a virtue of mine, and this time is no different.
What feels like hours later, the door to opens and without giving him a chance to come out, I push him inside and shut the door. “Well?” I ask him.
“Damn, woman. Can’t a man take a piss before the twenty question interrogation begins?”
“If you must,” I sigh.
“Appreciate it,” he states, moving past me. I sit at the chair in front of his desk and wait for him to come back into the room. With my leg bouncing, I look at all the pictures that line his walls and desk. It’s covered with photos of our family, our girls and
their men. I miss them so terribly much since they moved to Templeton. Picking up my phone, I send a combined text message to Riley and Sadie.
Love you and miss you so very much <3
Without waiting for a reply, I put my phone away and reminisce about the past, and how I wronged my girls even though I was trying to save them in my own way. I may not have been able to show my girls how much they meant to me, but I did the best I could with what I had to work with. I became that ditsy blonde, the woman who seemed meek and insecure, when inside I was anything but.
Finally, his ass comes swaying back in the room, he stops and places a kiss on the top of my head before walking around his desk and taking his seat. Before I have a chance to ask the questions on the tip of my tongue, he silences me with his hand.
“First off, I should be speaking with the men before talking to you about this. But given how excited you are, I’ll tell you what I can.” I nod my head vigorously, because I just want him to spit it out so I can start making the plans that are jumbled in my head. I twirl my hand around in a ‘get on with it’ motion.
“One of these days, I’m gonna tan that ass red if you keep on with your impatience, Ash.”
“When that day finally arrives, be sure to let me know so I can prepare my delicate skin,” I say playfully. He growls and emphatically rolls his eyes, but I see the silent smirk that’s threatening to take over his features.
“What would the fun be of giving you a head’s up?”
“Well, you know I’d reciprocate by smacking that fine ass of yours if I’m not properly warned.”
“What the fuck ever,” he blows out under his breath.
“Are we going to get on with it, or am I going to sit here all day and age?” I ask, trying to get him to move forward with this impending conversation.
“As you are aware of, I just got off the phone with your friends’ Ol’ men, who were hesitant in the beginning, but are willing to speak with their clubs about y’alls little get together. There are conditions that will have to be agreed upon by all of you women. First off, there are to be prospects from each club with you...all of you, around the clock. They will be there to help with the children, as well as child care providers that are trusted by each club. Second, if you ladies do not agree to whatever terms the men come up with, this entire thing will be dropped without a protested word coming from any of your mouths...understood? Each of them will have their own conditions when it comes to their women, and you are not to speak out against it, or fight it in any way. Any of you go against us, or do your own thing, you will be brought back, kicking and screaming if need be, and that will be the end of it. Period.”
“I’m sure each woman knows how to handle their men...if you’re worried about me stepping on toes, I promise that I won’t.”
“Fine, make your little plans and let me call the men in for a meeting.” I jump up and rush over to him and plant a kiss on his lips. It deepens, but before things can get heated, there’s a knock on the door.
“Later,” he whispers to me. I take that as my cue to be dismissed and walk over to the door and open it for Tic to enter.
“Not wanting to interrupt y’all, but I need to speak with Wasp,” he says, looking guilty, thinking that he’s a nuisance, when in actuality, I needed the distraction to set my ‘plans’ in motion.
“No worries, we’re good here,” I say, patting his shoulder as I walk out the door. With the game in play, the next stage is to find the right place for what I’m wanting and get in contact with the rest of the women. I’m looking forward to this as it’s been a very long time since I’ve had time away from the club and the pressure of being the president’s Ol’ lady.
Eleven
Cara
I’m going through the fridge in the bunker for dinner ideas when Braxton comes inside. “Hey, handsome, what’s up?” I ask, going over and leaning up to kiss him.
“Need to talk to all of you old ladies for a bit,” he replies. My thoughts immediately turn to the damages they found and I know he sees the worried look on my face because he says, “Nothing bad, Cara. I talked to the other presidents of the clubs y’all have been online with and just got out of church with the guys.” Ah, so Ashton’s old man must have reached out. I look at him again and can’t tell what the outcome of the phone call was, which is going to drive me crazy.
“Okay, now?” I ask.
“Yeah, Mom will watch the kids for a bit.” I nod and go to head out to the common area we have down here when he pulls me close and says, “Our house is fine, sweetheart. We don’t have electricity yet, so we’ll be here a few more days until they get it back up and running, but I think we’re safe to move back upstairs.” Aha, privacy! Thank goodness. Things are still a bit...tense...between DJ and Hannah but I’m waiting to see if my bestie will step up and do the right thing.
I reach the common area and see the guys on one side and all the old ladies on the other. It kind of looks like a Mexican standoff, but for the life of me I can’t figure out why. I sit next to DJ and lean in and whisper, “You need to make shit right, y’know.”
“Yeah, I know. Planning on it after this.”
“Good.” I don’t say anything else because Braxton is now standing up between the two groups.
“Okay, I talked to your friend Ashton’s old man, Wasp, today, along with the presidents of the other two clubs. Here’s what we’ve come up with so far. The one club that Casper runs, got hit pretty damn hard. A lot of the town has been decimated and it’s going to take a long time to get shit turned around for them. Our club, along with the other three, all have folks with varying experience so we’re willing to head there with their permission, and help them clean up and even rebuild. Since there’s no way in hell we’re going anywhere without you ladies, we’re willing to let all of y’all and the kids congregate with the other clubs’ old ladies and kids.” At his words, we start to whoop and holler until he raises his hand in a knock it off motion. “You ladies are nearly as bad as the men during church,” he admonishes. “Let me finish, for fuck’s sake.”
We all quiet down and he starts talking again. “There’ll be conditions to this little ‘retreat’, ladies. For starters, each club will have prospects there to make sure that y’all are safe and protected. We’re going into an area that I’m sure will be overrun with undesirables trying to take advantage of those who were impacted the worst. You will not attempt to evade or dump your prospects. Any of the prospects. They’ll be getting their orders directly from the four of us presidents and those orders will be applicable to each and every one of y’all. No club business will be discussed. Not that y’all know anything, but even though we’ve been given permission to come in with our colors on, the fact remains that we still don’t know one another. My concern as the president of the Rebel Guardians is that my family is safe at all times. Period. Should we determine at any time that y’all are not, we will bring you home and then go back and there will be no further talk of the site or anything else.”
I glance at my sisters of the heart and can tell that they’re willing to do whatever it takes so that we can help our friends. “I think it’s safe to say that whatever rules y’all give us, we’ll follow, Braxton.”
“I’m sure there’ll be more, but right now, that’s what we’ve got. Now, since the upper part of the clubhouse is good, I say we move everyone back upstairs until our houses get electricity. I’m sure everyone can use some privacy and the kids can stay in their bunk room.” At his words, more cheers go up...this time from the men and the women.
Savanna
I can tell Jenalyn’s less than thrilled with something that transpired during her phone conversation. After she’s ended the call, she looks at me and blows out another deep breath. “Whatever that was about, I have to admit that I’m proud you didn’t completely lose your shit and you applied those breathing techniques I taught you,” I say, praising her as I take a sip of my coffee. “Care to share, or do you still need a minute?�
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She purses her lips at me and gives me an annoyed look. “That depends? You gonna tell me what has your eyes so swollen and puffy? You’ve had some coffee now.” She lowers her gaze to the cup in my hand. “You should be more than awake enough for questions now.”
Before I can answer her, Ty comes up from behind me and whispers into my hair, “We need to talk.” The tone of his voice is somber, with traces of heartache etched in them. I glance at Jenalyn and she raises her eyebrows before she takes this as her cue to walk away.
Ty doesn’t turn to look at me and the shame from my betrayal sucker punches me right in the gut. After I follow his lead into the room, I close the door behind me and look at him. He’s sitting in a chair in the corner with his face in his hands. This sucks worse than I initially imagined. He really is beyond hurt at what I did and although I personally don’t feel it’s too awful, I have to attempt to understand his feelings and validate them. “Please, Ty. At least look at me,” I say, keeping my gaze on him as I take a seat on the bed across from him.
His eyes meet mine, and a sigh of relief escapes me. “Blondie, while I was initially upset with the secret you kept, I understand your reasoning now. You weren’t entirely sure and you didn’t want to say anything until you were.” I open my mouth to speak, but he holds his palm up stopping me. “Now really isn’t the time to discuss children or whether or not they will be in our future. Don’t take this statement wrong, it’s definitely a conversation that needs to happen. We’ve skirted around the subject for some time now. But, we need to prioritize our battles right now. We have lives lost, and an entire town that needs rebuilding. Pres has already spoken with the presidents of the other clubs and one of the other ‘Ol ladies, Ashton I think it is, is trying to organize a retreat of some sort for all the women and children.” He stands up and grabs a beer from our mini fridge and pops the top off with one of the rings he wears. I always find that little trick fascinating. He takes a swig before he turns his gaze back to me. His eyes have a look of business and determination in them. This only tells me he’s bottling up some animosity still about our little situation here. Ugh, this isn’t good, but he’s right about priorities. “Anyway, Pres is gonna call everyone into the common room later and lay down the rules for our club specifically. This break we’re having right now is to implement our individual rules for our women.” He approaches me and does something unexpected as he draws my head into his chest and kisses the top of my head. “My only rule for you, is take care of yourself and don’t get too caught up in taking care of everyone else. You have a tendency to do that.” He releases me and walks away, leaving me empty still inside. How the hell am I supposed to go take care of myself when I can feel and sense a part of my man is anguished and tortured inside?
Old Ladies Club Book 3: Rebel Guardians MC (The Old Ladies Club) Page 6
