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“It doesn’t fuckin’ matter!” I explode, slamming my hand on the table. “One injury is one too many as far as I’m concerned. Sal, what did you manage to find out?”
“I don’t know who did the shootin’, but I have a pretty good feelin’ it was Eric and the guys who managed to escape with him. We found out what they want. There’s a hidden pipeline here in Braedon they want access to. Actually, it’s at the back of your property here. They want to transport women and girls, drugs, and whatever else they’re dippin’ their hands in under Eric’s watch. These fuckers know we’re pissed and lookin’ for them for usin’ our warehouse. So, anytime we work together they’re goin’ to be after us. It’s the quickest way for them to take all of us out and get the pipeline with you no longer around,” Sal informs us, looking around the table.
“Where do we go from here?” Sabotage asks the room at large.
“We need to find the fuckers and take them all out. Anyone have any clue where they’re hidin’ out at?” I respond to my brother.
“They’re underground. Other than the move they tried to make on you today, there is no sign of them at all. I’ve got the soldiers on it and my men calling in every favor we have. As soon as we hear anything I’ll let you know.”
“We’ll look and put out feelers to our contacts as well. We hear anythin’ you’ll be my first call,” I assure Sal. “Zeus, get with Sal for our payout. I’m goin’ home to my ol’ lady. She was supposed to be restin’ today and I want to make sure she did. Don’t fuckin’ call me. Talon, you take any calls and shit. Tomorrow mornin’ we’re in church to figure out where to start lookin’ for the fucker. And before anyone says a word, I’m not usin’ my ol’ lady as bait to lure this fucker out.”
Standing up from my chair, I make my way to Sal and shake his hand before leaving our meeting room and then the clubhouse altogether. I don’t talk to anyone in the common room. It’s just the prospects, rebels, and Sal’s guys. Straddling my bike, I don’t worry about my helmet or anything else as I pull out from the building and head straight for my house. The rest of my night belongs to Hartley, and I don’t give a fuck if we spend it watching those sappy as fuck movies or anything else. All that matters is we’re together.
THE ONE THING I know when it comes to Lash and the club is I’ll never know about club business. In a way it’s to protect me in case anything ever happens, and I get questioned by the cops or anything. Plus, if there is a rat or someone finding out information on club business, no one will be able to point a finger at me because I don’t know shit. At least that’s what Lash told me the few times we’ve talked about it. So, remembering what he told me when he woke me up about a gut feeling almost a week ago, I know I’m not going to be told a damn thing about what happened. The only thing I know is Death was hurt and my man was pissed as fuck. They’ve been gone from the time they wake up until late into the night each and every single day. I’ve barely seen Lash in the last week other than when he collapses into our bed and pulls me into his arms.
What makes this even harder is he knows I’m not sleeping when he gets in bed with me. Lash wants me to sleep and rest as much as possible, but I can’t sleep until he’s in our home. It’s the only way to ensure his safety. We don’t talk about what they’re all out doing or when it’s going to end. The only thing I’m sure of is this shit has to do with Eric. They’re all out there looking for him and the rest of the guys who managed to escape. It’s the only way to ensure the club won’t be attacked for whatever reasons Eric has planned. My ex is a fucked up individual and deserves to be buried deep down where even the worst of the wild animals here will never find his rotting corpse.
So, today with the help of everyone in the club, Lash is going to take his damn mind off what’s going on and what he still needs to do. We were supposed to get married tomorrow night but I’m not waiting. Lash and the guys need to rest and it’s gonna happen. Iris has been a tremendous help in this endeavor because she’s made all the phone calls to get Judge and his club here, Wicked Angels are going to be here to perform at the reception, and the men are going to talk Lash into having a few drinks with them later this afternoon so they’re all at the clubhouse. Seth, a prospect who just showed back up from his latest deployment, Cal, and Austin have been busting their asses to set up the backyard with chairs, tables, and everything else Trina brought out for them to do.
Trina and my sister have helped me not only get a dress, but buy a small gift for Lash, and are going to be working on my hair and make-up. All they’re letting me do is lounge around the house for right now until they’re ready to work on me. Jae is gonna let me know when it’s time for me to get in the shower. Right now, I’m lying in bed thinking about everything we have going on in our lives and if we’re truly ready to bring a baby into our world. Yes, Lash’s words about having children in this crazy ass life of his are in the forefront of my mind. I love our son already even though he’s not even here with us. I’ll never regret having him or anything for as long as I live. However, I know as Nash gets older, he’ll be used as a pawn with any rivals Lash and the club have. What better way to get a grown man to absolutely break than to take his child from him?
Shaking those horrid thoughts from my mind, I try to think about what’s going on and what we’ve put together last minute for our day. Judge is actually going to be the one to marry us. As soon as Iris called him to let him know what was going on, he got ordained so he could be the one to marry one of his best friends in the world. Without Lash’s knowledge, the diner is going to cater the food for the reception and Iris found a bakery that could do a wedding cake for us at the last minute. There is nothing for Lash to do other than shower and dress in what he wants to dress in. I’m not the type of woman who is going to make him dress any different than what he wears on a daily basis. It’s not who he is and there is no way in hell I want him to be uncomfortable on our wedding day. For me, it’s not my day; it’s our day and I want him to be just as comfortable as he can be.
As I’m sitting in bed because I am tired, my phone vibrates on the stand next to me.
Baby Sis: Get your pregnant ass in the shower. We’ll be there in less than an hour to make you even more beautiful than you already are.
Me: Heading there now. Is it really time to get ready already?
Baby Sis: You bet your ass it is. You slept the day away which you obviously needed with my nephew cooking and taking up all your energy.
I can’t help but laugh at my little sister. She’s definitely got it right about Nash zapping any energy I have. It seems all I want to do these days is sleep. Even though I have so much to do in order to start getting things moving on the community center, I take at least two naps a day. Some days they’re quick naps and others I manage to sleep the day away and then still go to bed when Lash walks through the door at night. It’s insane. I’m used to running on a matter of hours of sleep a night and then getting up and being on my feet all day and most of the night. Apparently, I’m making up for the sleep I’ve lost and then some.
Getting out of bed, I make my way to the bathroom and start the water for the shower so it can heat up before I step in. Lash is gonna get pissed the hell off I’m taking a shower on my own, but what he doesn’t know he can’t get mad at. Stripping out of my clothes, I toss them in the hamper and take a few minutes to study myself in the mirror. I’m smiling as I take my hair down, letting it fall down over my back and shoulders. The only thing I can think of to take the smile from my face is if Lash doesn’t like what I’ve done to help take his mind off of whatever’s been going on with him and the club.
When I know the water is hot enough, I step under the spray carefully and begin to wash my hair so I can leave the conditioner in for a while as I was my body and shave everything. Trina took me to a lingerie store and I’m hoping Lash loves what I got for him to wear under my simple wedding dress. I’m also not the woman who has to go all out for today. I found a simple white dress with black flowers on it and lace at the very bottom edge. It molds to my chest before flowing out around my baby bump down to my ankles. Hopefully he likes what I’ve chosen because he knows I’m not the woman who’s going to go all out when it comes to my appearance. So far, he’s seen me at my absolute worst and hasn’t said a damn thing about it.
Trina and Jae have worked their magic on me. My sister did my make-up, making it appear as if I don’t have anything at all covering my face. Other than the smokey colored eyeshadow she covered my lids with and the mascara coating my lashes. Trina’s got my hair up in some sort of complicated updo with a few tendrils of hair left down in curls. I have to admit, I love what they’ve done to me though for anything other than special occasions I can’t imagine having to figure out how to do this on a regular basis. I’m your very definition of valuing comfort over my looks.
“Are you ready to go?” Iris asks walking in our bedroom at the house.
She’s dressed in a black dress that stops just below her knees. Her graying hair is on the longer side and is up in a French twist. I don’t believe she’s wearing any make-up as she looks at me with unshed tears shimmering in her eyes. If she starts crying now, I’m not going to be able to stop.
“I’m ready. Just need these two to finish what they need to do for themselves,” I answer her. “Does Lash know anything?”
“No. Sab and Talon made him believe they’re all going out tonight, so they got him in a shower. I handed him over a black button-down shirt to wear but you know he’s gonna roll those damn sleeves up to show off his muscles and tattoos. The only thing I managed to talk him out of wearing was his black baseball hat. Instead, he’s wearing a damn bandana tied around his head,” Iris says, exasperation filling her voice.
“I love your son for who he is. If he wants to get married in his hat, I have no problem with it,” I tell her as one lone tear slides down her face.
“I’m so happy he found you, Hartley. The two of you will be an unbeatable pair when it comes to running this club and making sure you’re each happy and have what you need and want in life. Lash will treat you like a Queen and give you the world if you let him. Just like I know you’ll give him the world, a soft place to land, and treat him like your King. Be true to yourself and one another. Love and that is all you ever need,” Iris says, wrapping me in a hug as my sister and Trina come out of the bathroom.
“Anyone home?” George’s gruff voice comes from front of the house.
“Let’s go see what that old goat wants,” Iris laughs, leaving our bedroom to find out what’s going on.
“George, what are you doing here?” I ask him as I come to a complete stop to find him dressed in a charcoal gray suit with his hair brushed back.
“I’m here to walk you down the aisle. I know your daddy ain’t here no more. It would be my honor to escort you to Lash at the end of the aisle. Is that okay?” he asks, not really ready to take no for an answer.
