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“Thank you. Your babies are precious.” Jaynee moved a little closer for a better look.
I dropped back as the women fell into easy conversation about the babies. I needed to leave, but before I did, I wanted to talk to Sadie.
I crouched beside her. “How’s it going, peanut?”
“Good.” She kept her eyes on her picture. “This one is for you. No peeking.” She splayed her hand on the paper.
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Dang, this kid was something else. “Say, I need to go to a meeting. But I’ll be back shortly. I just wanted to let you know.” I brushed my fingers through her brown hair.
She turned in her chair to face me. “Promise you’ll be back?”
“I promise. You and your mommy will stay here with the other ladies and their babies.” I pointed behind me.
“Babies? I love babies,” she chirped in a high-pitched voice.
“That’s fantastic. I bet the babies will love you too.” I found myself kissing her forehead and stroking her soft cheek with my thumb. What was happening to me? “I better go.”
Sadie leaped into my arms. “Okay, see you soon.” She hugged me tightly, melting my icy heart.
Storm drummed his fingers on the table. We didn’t usually have church on a Thursday morning, but it was no surprise after last night. The only council member missing from the table was Boxer. He was still in Oregon with Snow. Last I heard, they’d be back for Hero and Roja’s wedding in a few weeks. Their new home would be completed by then too.
“We have two issues on our hands,” Storm began. “One, we went into Viper territory uninvited and without permission. We didn’t do any damage to my knowledge. It may cost us anyway if they discover we were there. Two, Jaynee’s baby daddy somehow knew she was at the Viper’s Den and attempted to snatch her and the little girl.”
“I’ll pay the penalty. Whatever the amount.” It was me who drug the club into this shit with Jaynee. I’d take full responsibility for it.
“I figured you’d own it.” Storm took a drink of his coffee. “Grizz is on it. If he hears anything about the infraction, he’ll let us know.”
In the corner of the room, tucked behind his monitors, Grizzly nodded.
“Now this Richard guy, he means business. If we hadn’t gotten there when we had, the girls would’ve been long gone.” Storm put his mug down. “We took out two of his men. Roughed up the third.”
“What do you want to do about him?” Raul asked, his hands in fists on the table.
Any time a woman was controlled by an asshole, it set him off. It stemmed back to when he first found Tina badly beaten. Our club didn’t treat women like shit. Sure we didn’t involve them in the club’s business or give them a say in what we did. Storm was a possessive nut when it came to Maddy. For that matter, so were my other brothers who claimed women. However, if one of the ladies wanted to leave, I was sure the brother would let them go, even if it killed them.
Storm flicked his gaze at me. “Have you found out what Jaynee wants?”
“Yeah. She still wants to move.” I steeled myself to hide my emotion. “She’ll work for me to save up enough money, then she’s leaving town.”
Prez cleared his throat. “How long will she be here? A couple of weeks? A month?”
“Probably.” I shrugged, keeping my face hardened. Storm knew how I felt about Jaynee. I wished he wouldn’t ask me these questions in front of my brothers.
Storm reclined in his chair, folding his hands on the table. “If she’s staying here, she can take a single room in the family complex.”
“Or she can move in with Karma,” Art said. “She wants a roommate. After the crap with Casso Campbell, she doesn’t like living alone.”
“No, she’ll stay on the compound.” The words flew out of my mouth at lightning speed. “I mean, she’s in a new town. Doesn’t know anyone. I’m sure she’ll want to stay here.”
Every pair of eyes cut to me. Not one of my brothers appeared to believe the bullshit I was dishing them.
“Right,” Storm said. “I don’t have a problem with her staying here.”
“Well, if she wants to meet Karma, let me know.” Art just wouldn’t let it go. “Before church, I’d mentioned to Maddy that Karma was looking for a roommate.”
“Why in the fuck would you do that?”
Art considered me a long second. “A single mom none of us knows? Figured it was a good solution for both women. Why are your shorts getting twisted in a knot about this?”
I should’ve kept my goddamn mouth shut.
I waved him off. “It’s fine. I’m just tired.”
“Right,” Storm muttered. “I don’t care where Jaynee lives. Let’s get onto other business.”
Christ, I was out of control. Somehow I needed to get back to my old self. The only problem with that was, I didn’t know if I could.
