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  “Something’s up,” Twister says, sitting down next to me and waving to the prospect behind the bar.

  “What do you mean?” I sit the bottle back on the bar top and look at him with inquisitive eyes.

  “You. Something’s up. What is it?” And that right there is why this man has my respect. He doesn’t bullshit. Twister goes straight for what he wants. No matter what it is. It’s why he got his ol’ lady, Izzy. I remember that shit that went down with them two. Her situation was fucked up, but mainly because she blamed herself for something she had no control over. Izzy also can understand what K-9 and Anabelle both are feeling since she lost her brother in a car accident.

  “Nothing really. My sister moved her and my nephew out of our house and into one for just the two of them.” That isn’t the only thing fucking with me, but it’s a start.

  “Does K-9 know she moved?” Twister asks, quirking a brow.

  “Don’t think so. I’m not getting in the middle of that shitshow either,” I grumble with a shake of my head.

  Chuckling, Twister picks up the beer the prospect places in front of him, tilts the lip of it to me for a brief second before bringing it to his mouth. He takes a long pull of the cold brew, sets the bottle down in front of him, and grins at me. “This is going to be entertaining when he finds out.”

  “Not getting in the middle of it.” I don’t intend to, at least. Honestly, I swear the two of them need a fuckin’ push to get it together and finally get over their guilt.

  “Get that. Now what the fuck else is going on with you?” Twister demands, calling me out on not telling him.

  “Kenzie’s pregnant,” I say, the words seeming faint as they slip from my mouth. We never used condoms, but she was on birth control. I get nothing is fully effective, but still finding out she’s pregnant freaks me the hell out. I lost my dad when I was still a kid. I don’t know how to be a dad. Being an awesome uncle is different. I can do that. It’s easy. When it comes to being a dad, I’m not sure if I can do it.

  “Congrats, brother, but you don’t seem happy about it.”

  No shit.

  “I don’t think I can be a dad,” I confess.

  “Brother, you’re gonna be a great dad. Once the shock of it all wears off, you’ll see. When Izzy was carrying my Mercy, I freaked the hell out more than once. Like you, I lost my folks. I wasn’t as young as you were, but all the same, I lost them. Trust me when I say there’s plenty of times, I wish I could call up my dad and ask him for advice about what I’m doing.”

  Fuck if that doesn’t make me feel better.

  Twister’s phone rings as I go to respond, and close my mouth so he can answer. “Yeah.” I wait for him to get off the phone, seeing the tension building within my Prez as he finishes the call. From the short one-sided version I got, it’s not good.

  Keeping an eye on him I climb off the barstool—I move when he does. Twister slides his phone in his pocket and roars throughout the club’s main room. “CHURCH.”

  Shit, this can’t be good.

  Heading in that direction, I feel a sense of peace after Twister’s and my talk. I can at least be happy knowing I’m not the only one. I love my woman more than anything and her having my child means everything to me.

  Twister

  Finding out my brothers were ambushed on what should have been a typical run pisses me the fuck off. I’m grateful no one was severely hurt. K-9 is the only one to end up with a flesh wound.

  Fuckin’ K-9. He’s a damn good brother and friend. The man’s also been through hell. Between his time in the Army, losing his brothers at arms, and then coming home to lose his blood brother, it’s too much for even the strongest of men. It’s why K-9 is pushing Anabelle away the way he is. He wants to blame her for something she couldn’t control, the same way Izzy had blamed herself for what happened to her brother.

  Closing my eyes, I clear my head of all else, but the task at hand. I have a rat amongst us, and I need to find out who before someone else gets hurt. Or worse, dead.

  K-9

  I’m fuckin’ pissed by the time we get back to the clubhouse. It’s been one hell of a day to start the week.

  Jordan quickly cleaned my arm up, stitches and all.

  Twister had called church earlier, and the brothers who were here sat in on the meet with him while the rest of us rode home. Upon entering the clubhouse, my Prez ordered me to get cleaned up. He knows the type of man I am, and I wouldn’t have done it until I knew everything is good.

  With my arm stitched up and having a shower to clean the sweaty grime from my body, I make my way back into the main room of the clubhouse to find out what’s going to happen next. Then I need to get a hold of Anabelle, because she never fuckin’ texted me back. With it being as late as it is, I doubt she’s even awake now. She’s working twelve-hour shifts at the hospital, and it’s going to be hard to catch up with her until she’s got a day off. Which when I saw her schedule at my brothers’ house, she should be off in a couple of days.

  Anabelle’s in for a rude awakening if she thinks I’m going to allow her to ignore me. The woman is insufferable enough to the point I can’t get her out of my fuckin’ head. I don’t even think the club whores would be able to help me tonight.

  Chapter Six

  Anabelle

  Finally, having a day off from being on twelve-hour shifts the past several days, I’m more than ready to just slink around the house and relax. I don’t want to do anything, but spend time with my son. Only Mackenzie had called wanting us to go out to the mall.

  I took a look at my bank account this morning to double-check all of my bills were paid. It’s not that I don’t have money. I do. I just don’t want to dip into it. I’m saving it for when I really need it later in life.

  “Mommy,” Derick calls from the living room.

  I pour my coffee and look in Derick’s direction. “What can I do for you, O Mighty One?” I ask, making him giggle.

  “Mommy, I’m not O Mighty One. I’m King of the Dinosaurs,” he announces.

  “Well then, mister, what can I do for you, my king?” I smile at him and do my best not to laugh.

  “Can we go see Uncle K-9?”

  “Why do you want to go see your Uncle K-9?”

  “Because I miss him.”

  My heart aches for him when he says this. I don’t want him to have to miss anyone. I’ve yet to talk to K-9 since getting Derick back.

  “How about I text him to see if he’s busy later?” I offer. “We’re going to go off with Aunt Kenzie in just a little while. Doesn’t that sound fun?”

  He screws up his nose. “Are we going shopping?” Like the typical male species, he doesn’t like shopping. That is unless it’s for toys.

  “We are, but what if after shopping, we get something to eat and watch a movie?” I suggest, hoping to make the fact he’s going shopping with me easier to take.

  “Can we go to the park and get ice cream?” he barters.

  Smiling at him, I nod. “I think we could do that.”

  “Yay, ice cream,” he yells gleefully.

  I giggle and go back to my coffee. I take a sip and pull up my text messages on my phone. Already there’s one from K-9 this morning, because, of course, he knows my schedule better than I do. Opening it up, I read:

  K-9: You haven’t responded to my text. We need to talk. I know you have the next two days off. You don’t call me today; I’m going to make you wish you did come tomorrow.

  Oh boy.

  K-9 isn’t happy. That’s for sure.

  But honestly, I don’t care. He can go somewhere else with his broody self. I’m not putting up with it anymore.

  Okay, so maybe I should be nice and at least text him and let him know I’ve moved. Then again, I’ve already told his parents. They can tell him if they want to. Otherwise, K-9 can wait to find out when I decide to tell him. I know it’s me being a chicken and not wanting to face him or his anger.

  This isn’t going to be fun for
me when I finally face him, but oh well. I’m going to push the thought of dealing with K-9 to the back of my head. I’ll deal with him after I spend the day having fun.

  “Come on, baby, let’s get you ready, and we’ll let Aunt Kenzie know to meet us at the park, and we’ll play before going to the mall. Then while at the mall, we’ll get that ice cream,” I announce, placing my now empty mug on the counter by the coffee maker. No need to put it in the sink when I’ll be ready to make another pot when I get home. I pretty much live on coffee, and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

  Derick rushes off to his room, yelling about going to the park, and I follow behind him. I’ll let him pick out his clothes, but he’ll still need a little help getting dressed.

  After helping my son dress, I head to my room, where I throw on a pair of jeans and a fitted Demons Among Us shirt. I braid my hair to the side, where it falls over my shoulder.

  “Ready?” Derick asks, rushing into my room and climbs up onto my bed.

  “Almost,” I reach into my dresser next to the bed and grab a pair of socks. “Can you go grab my converses?” I ask Derick while sitting on the side of the bed to slide my socks on.

  “Which ones? Red? Blue? Pink? Black?” he asks, naming off the colors of my shoes.

  “Hmm, how about blue?” I suggest knowing it’s his favorite color.

  “Yay! I love blue.” I knew he would say this.

  Grinning at him, I watch as he slides down the side of my bed and darts over to my closet, where all my shoes are stored. I allow myself to have my one obsession—Converse Chuck Taylors. I have a pair in every color of the rainbow in both low and high tops. The only time I’m not wearing a pair of Chucks is when I’m working. Then I wear my crocs and even those I have in several different colors. I’ll also wear flip-flops during the summer, but normally if I’m not in shoes, I go barefoot.

  Derick brings me my shoes, and I quickly put them on. “Alright, kiddo, I’m ready. Let’s get out of here and go have some fun.”

  With a squeal of delight, Derick runs out of my room and heads for the door. He knows not to open it without me right by his side. I grab my keys from the coffee table, take my son’s hand, and the two of us head out of the house, making sure to lock it behind me.

  Smiling at Derick from across the table, I pull out my phone to take a picture of him. He has an ice cream ring around his mouth. I’ll wait until he finishes his cone before cleaning his face.

  “So, how’s the new house?” Mackenzie asks, eating her banana split. I’m the only one of us that didn’t get ice cream. I’m trying not to eat a lot of unhealthy food, and I’ve already promised Derick take out and a movie tonight. Which he deserves considering he’s been on his best behavior while taking on the mall with my best friend and me.

  Mackenzie even did great in not bugging me all day about the house or the location. I knew it was coming, though. I’m just glad she waited until it was almost time for us to split ways.

  “It’s good. No one bothers me. In fact, the area is nice and quiet for the most part.” I don’t lie. Nothing has happened, and it’s been nice. The only thing I’ve even noticed different being all the guys sitting on the porch at the house next door to me the other day. Still, none of them even spoke a word in my direction.

  “Well, that’s good. You know Lex is worried about you, right?”

  “I’m fine. He doesn’t need to worry about Derick and me.”

  “We’re talking about Lex here. You, of all people, know he’s going to worry because you’re his family. Shoot, the man is freaking out as it is that I’m pregnant.”

  “Come again?” I blink at her in shock.

  Pregnant?

  “I’m going to be an aunt?” I ask. My breath seems to have left my body.

  “Yeah, you are. And Lex is freaking out. He left the other day after finding out all bug-eyed ranting about not knowing how to be a dad. I don’t know who talked to him though, I honestly don’t care, because they calmed him. He’s still freaking, but it’s more or less now in making sure I’m okay.”

  Wow. I can see it. Even understand what my brother’s feeling. We lost our dad when we were just kids. Meaning he lost the man who would show him the way. But what he doesn’t understand is I also lost the woman who could guide me in being a great mom. I’d managed to get through it. Then again, I also had Mackenzie’s mom and dad. They became my family as much as his. Lisa and Nick were my parents’ best friends. The two of them had stepped up when they died and raised me. While my uncle refused to let Lex live with them, he allowed me to do so. At the time, I’d been too young to understand any of this. I just knew my brother and I were going to live in separate places.

  “Congratulations,” I say, doing my best to keep my excitement tamped down in order to not draw a scene in the middle of the mall. “Have you told your mom and dad yet?”

  “Yeah, I told them last night when they called to check-in,” she confirms. Lisa and Nick decided to go to Hawaii for a three-month trip to visit some friend of theirs. They’ve only been gone now for about a month. “They’re both excited. Mom wanted to come home right away, but I talked her out of that. It’s not like the baby will be born for months anyway. They have time to finish enjoying their trip.”

  Of course, Lisa had wanted to come home. Mackenzie is their only daughter, and though they treat me like I’m a daughter, it’s not the same, and we all know it.

  Mackenzie and I talk while the two of them finish their ice cream. I get Derick’s face clean while Mackenzie throws the trash away. We walk out to the parking lot, where we’re parked directly next to each other. Derick and I give my best friend a hug bye before leaving her to be on her way. I get him loaded up into his car seat as he yawns sleepily. Yeah, tonight is going to be an early one for him.

  Rounding the front of my SUV, I climb in behind the wheel at the same time my phone beeps. I groan at the thought of who it could be. K-9’s texted me several times throughout the day, all of them I ignored. I close the door to my car, start the motor needing to get the AC going for my little guy in the back seat. I pull out my phone from my purse, unlock the screen and see a message from Lia, Derick’s grandmother, asking if they can have him for the night. I don’t mind since he loves going to his grandparents. I text her back, letting her know my answer. Putting the phone in its holder, I turn back to look at him and smile when I see him already out.

  We wore him out with all the shopping. Not that I bought much. Mainly a couple of tops for work, a pair of jeans, some items for Derick, including a toy. My major purchase came from the lingerie store. I’d needed a few new bras and splurged on some panties, as well as a few new nightgowns and sleep short sets. All sexy and gorgeous.

  I might not need or want a man, but it doesn’t mean I can’t feel sexy. Which is something I have a hard time doing a lot of the time here recently. Especially when the image of those two skanks fuckin’ K-9 pops into my head.

  I swear I’ll never let another man touch me again. Not when they have a way of hurting me more than anyone else. Definitely not K-9. I’ll stick to my toys. At least they can’t hurt me.

  Chapter Seven

  K-9

  After spending the day working on my bike at my house and constantly checking my phone for a reply, I need a drink and to get fuckin’ laid. I’m frustrated with pent-up energy. I’m ready to blow my lid at any given moment. I haven’t been laid since before I was shot. Between the tension at the clubhouse and with Anabelle, I need to find a release and soon. My mind is fuckin’ with me, and in doing so, it’s fuckin’ with my cock.

  None of the club whores are looking appealing to me, or that is, they don’t make my cock jump to attention.

  Anabelle hasn’t responded to any of my texts or called me back. I’m done with the bullshit. I talked to my parents earlier today, and they’d said they were getting Derick tonight. Meaning I’m not waiting until tomorrow to make her talk to me. Fuck that. I just gotta find her first.


  I went by my brothers’ place a while ago, and no one was home. This is a rare occasion. Normally there’s always one of the women who live in the house at home. Needing to calm down, I walk into Outlaw Racks, intending to have a few drinks and listen to my brothers’ play a few sets. This plan should give me time to hopefully get a hold of Anabelle. She’s pissing me off with her ignoring me. Never once has she done it to this extent. I think that’s what really pisses me off. The fact Anabelle’s hiding from me.

  My mind wanders to what she could possibly be keeping from me.

  Scanning the evening crowd of Outlaw Racks, I spot my brothers sitting around one of the two usual tables we all sit at near the corner. A grin forms on my face at the sight of Horse, my VP, and his ol’ lady, Kenny. She’s sitting in his lap. The two of them are always like this lately. Not too long ago, Horse had surprised his ol’ lady with a vow renewal right in the clubhouse. It was pretty epic for him to do. We all chipped in to make it happen.

  I make my way over to their table to join them along with my Prez and Izzy. Sitting amongst them is also none other than the very man I need to speak with, Lex. I need to find out where the hell his sister is.

  “Hey, brother. How you feeling?” Twister asks when I make it to the table.

  “Pissed,” I grumble, throwing myself into one of the last empty chairs.

  “Why are you pissed?” Kenny asks.

  “Fuckin’ Anabelle.” I shift my eyes over to Lex to find him shaking his head at me.

  “Brother, I’m not in the middle of that shit. I’m annoyed with her enough as it is. She doesn’t want to listen to anyone about anything. But she’s an adult with a kid and wants to do everything on her own. You know this,” Lex grunts.