Chapter Six
The first couple of days had gone fantastic at the gym. Sally liked to keep busy, and she didn’t want to sit around all day doing nothing. It also didn’t help her leg, as it seemed to make it harder to walk on the prosthetic after just sitting all day. Her therapist had told her on one of the last visits that her refusal to accept the prosthetic was what made it hard for her on some days.
Sally, in her act of rebellion, had told her she was full of shit and she could shove all of her bullshit up her ass. Afterward, she’d gone back and apologized, but had also told her that she was done talking about her feelings, and everything else.
Talking didn’t make anything better, and that was where she agreed with Lola about a lot of things. Sinner’s woman, Lola, had been taken by the two clubs’ enemy, known as Master. He was the one also responsible for taking Sally’s leg. She and Lola had found a friendship in their own pain. Sally knew about the kind of pain Lola had been through, and once had told her that at times it was easier to pretend nothing happened, but it didn’t mean pushing it aside was going to make it go away forever.
It was Fighter this time who picked her up and dropped her back at home. The table was already set. Whizz, Lacey, and Daisy were sitting around the table, and they all gave a round of applause when she entered.
“What’s the occasion?” she asked.
“You completed your very first full day of work,” Lacey said.
Sally looked at the food. It looked good. “Did you cook?”
“Not a chance,” Whizz said. “We all wanted to be able to live to see another day.”
Lacey tutted. “I won’t get any better if I don’t practice.”
“Yeah, your practice nearly cost us this house.”
“Again, that was an accident, and I have said sorry. Now, change of subject, how was work?” Lacey asked.
“It was good. I dealt with subscriptions, changed towels, and I even got to go and clean the massage area, which made me nervous.”
“Why?” Daisy asked. “Massages are supposed to be so relaxing.”
“Well, it’s just some silly stuff adults get up to, nothing to worry about.”
Daisy looked at her in shock. “Does this mean you’re an adult now?”
Sally smiled. “Yeah, I guess it does.”
“No, we need you on our team.”
“Sally will always be on your team,” Whizz said.
And this was part of the problem she had with Steven. They were part of this divide.
She needed to change subject again. “I love your hair, Daisy.”
Daisy reached for it, twirling the curls around her finger. “Anthony did it for me.”
Sally laughed. “He did?”
“Yep. I just had to sit still. Tabitha was talking to Simon on the phone, so there wasn’t much to do. He wanted me to read him a story as I did it, so I did.”
“I wonder what Lash has to say about that,” Whizz said.
They finished their food, and she and Daisy did the dishes. “Did I get Anthony into trouble?”
“No, you didn’t.”
“I asked how he did it, and he said he watched Lacey do it, and wanted to do it for me.”
Sally held her arms open, and Daisy hugged her tightly.
“You don’t have to worry about a thing, okay. You’re not in trouble, and you’ve not gotten anyone else into trouble.”
“Are you sure? I feel like I have.”
Sally giggled. “Nah, not at all.”
They finished the dishes, and Sally was tired. She said her goodnights to everyone and made her way upstairs.
The moment she entered her bedroom, she gasped. There on her bed was Steven. She closed the door, engaging the lock that Whizz had given her for privacy.
“What the hell are you doing?” she asked. “They’re downstairs.” She made sure to whisper, not wanting to draw any attention.
“I’ve not seen you in a couple of days, and you don’t text anymore, not for a long time.”
She just stared at him, and then she closed the distance as he stood, and she threw her arms around him. Closing her eyes, she breathed in his scent, marveling at how good he felt. He sank his fingers into her hair, and then pulled back to press a kiss against her lips.
“I’ve been busy with the club, but I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”
Cupping his face, she traced a finger along his lips, and smiled. Whizz’s earlier conversation came back to her in that moment, and the smile she had faded.
“What is it?” Steven asked.
“Do you want me to move out of here?” Sally asked. “It could help us in a way. You wouldn’t have to sneak into my bedroom window, and you can visit me.”
They sat on the edge of the bed, and Steven held her hands. “What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know. This is … it’s complicated with us, but I think it could be a good thing. I can’t stay here forever, and now I’m working at the gym, and then we can have some space. It could be what we need.” Even if they did sneak around together. Maybe the time away from home was what she needed.
Steven shook his head. “No. I don’t want you to be away from your family, not to just be with me.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. “I’ve got a place, and I’ll pick you up if you want, or I’ll meet you there.”
She stared at the key.
“We can have privacy there, and we don’t have to be quiet, or worry in case someone is listening outside the door.”
Sally took the key from him. “It’s kind of like a secret affair.”
“Not for long. I was talking to Angel today, and she gave me some advice.”
“Angel knows about us?”
“No, she doesn’t know about us, us.”
“Oh.” She stared at the key and held onto Steven’s hand. Suddenly, Drew’s touch came forward, and she knew she couldn’t keep it from him. “Drew kissed me,” she said, looking at Steven.
“When?”
“The day of the water fight. After you kissed me. I … I don’t … ugh … I’ve not encouraged him in any way. I’ve not even been around him apart from this morning when he dropped me off at home.” She got up off the bed, and began to pace the room, ignoring the bite of pain in her knee. Suddenly, she stopped, and turned toward him. “Do you see me as a kid?”
“I don’t. If I did I wouldn’t be inviting you to my place.”
“Is this just about sex?” she asked, holding it up. “Is that what you mean? When I’m there I have to have sex with you?”
Steven frowned. “No. It’s not.” He stood up, moving toward her, and cupped her face, tilting her head back. “With you it’s about so much more. Do you think I’ve pressured you into sex?”
“No, no, I’m sorry. Crap. I’m just … it’s been a long day, and with everything, I’m just feeling a little raw right now. I don’t know what to do. Just ignore me. I’m totally in the wrong right now.”
Time was always ticking, and decisions had to be made.
It wasn’t even a decision with Drew and Steven.
She was hurting because she felt like she’d lost a friend because in her heart, she loved Drew, but she didn’t love him in that way.
There was no one else for her to talk to, and she did feel so alone. If she talked to Lacey, then that would go to Whizz.
“I’m here for you, Sally, for everything.”
“I have no one to talk to, Steven. No one. I used to be able to talk to Drew about everything that I was thinking.”
“You can talk to me.”
She closed her eyes, not wanting him to see the tears. “It’s fine. I’m fine, everything is fine.”
“It’s not fine. You and I both know it’s not fine.”
Steven’s cell phone buzzed, and he released her long enough to check who was calling. “I’ve got to go. Please, don’t worry about anything. Will I, erm, will I see you tomorrow?”
She looked down at the key. “I don’t know. Will I see you?”
He pressed a kiss to her lips, and she melted again. “Yes, you will.”
Sally watched as he climbed out of her window, and she moved toward him, waiting for him to make it down safely. The key was thoughtful, and she placed it in her bag. Tomorrow she would use it to spend some time with him. Just recently, she felt like she rarely saw him, and that was the truth. She saw him more when she had just a crush on him.
After a quick shower, she got changed, and was sitting in bed when her cell phone buzzed.
She grabbed her cell and saw several messages from Steven, Drew, and the latest one was from Lola.
Lola: Hey, stranger, so you only want me when your house is nearly burned down.
Sally smiled.
Sally: It goes both ways. You’re too busy being all loved up by your man to care.
Maybe there was a friend out there after all.
****
Steven sat outside the old sheriff’s house again. He’d been there last night after Lola had told him the address. After she told him the details, and then said she was done, he’d asked her to do him a favor, and to be someone that Sally could talk to.
His woman was lonely, and it was all his fault, and of course Drew’s, but still, he felt responsible. She didn’t need to be alone right now, and Lola knew how to keep a secret.
What Steven didn’t understand was why she finally caved and gave him this address. She’d told him that she wouldn’t do any more, and even as he watched the sheriff’s house, something didn’t sit well with him.
Instead of going in and taking that fucker’s life, he’d waited and come back in the morning, but again, nothing seemed to speak to him.
He didn’t like it, and Lola wasn’t answering her phone. He wondered if she had decided to block his calls, and if so, why send him here first. None of it made any sense to him.
Heading back to Fort Wills, he made a quick stop to fill his bike, and then headed back toward the clubhouse where he saw Whizz working on his bike. It was rare to see the computer genius cleaning his bike or doing anything on it.
“Hey,” he said, climbing off his machine.
Whizz glanced up at him and nodded. “Hey, yourself. I heard what went down with Adam. I don’t know if I’d have been able to keep a straight face.”
“You should have seen Angel, man. She was struggling to deal. It was so funny.”
“At times I wonder how she’s going to deal with Anthony. Kid is growing up so fast.”
“Agreed.” Steven scratched the back of his head. “I’ve, erm, been sent some intel on a sheriff a few miles away. I was wondering if you could do me a favor and maybe look into it.”
Whizz stood, wiping his hands on the cloth. “What do you know?”
“That he was possibly involved in some kind of, erm, sex ring.”
“The fucker is still breathing.”
“I don’t know for sure what he’s done. But my gut is telling me something isn’t right. I was going to deal with it as well.” He pulled out the piece of paper with the name he’d written down, and handed it to Whizz.
Whizz looked at it, and then at Steven. “You know, I’m not fucking stupid.”
“Never said you were.”
“This name, I recognize it, and I’ve got a feeling this has to do with Sally.”
“I got the name through someone. I don’t know.”
Whizz folded his arms. “Are we going to go down that road of bullshit?” Whizz stared at him for the longest time, and then laughed. “Holy shit, you went to Lola, didn’t you? She’s the one who gave you this information.”
Steven stepped up to Whizz. “I’ve been taking care of some personal business.”
“Sally is not your business. You should keep that in mind.”
There was no laughter, no playful banter. “How about this for minding my own business? Sally gave a statement many years ago. It got buried before she was shoved back into another fucking home. Guess who buried that statement?”
This had Whizz pausing.
“Yeah, good old trusty sheriff buried that shit, and guess who Sally named as one of the men who used her!” Steven allowed that to sink in. Whizz didn’t show any sign of caring other than the clenching of the jaw. Whizz was an expert poker player. He didn’t give shit away, and when he was captured and tortured for days, he didn’t cave, not even when he was close to death.
Steven had the utmost respect for Whizz, which was why he found it hard with Sally as well. He loved her more than anything, wanted to be with her. He wanted her as his old lady. There was never going to be another person who would love, and devote his life to her the way Steven would, no doubt.
“Lacey asked me not to delve into Sally’s history, and this was at her own request. Sally wanted a fresh start, to be away from the animals that would have kept her trapped,” Whizz said.
“Pin it on me, Whizz. I don’t give a fuck. That bastard could have helped her, and as far as I know, he held her down and took his turn.” He couldn’t say the words, but they both knew what he meant. “Look, be pissed at me, I get it. I went behind your back. I spoke to Lola, and she helped me. Before I was given this guy’s name and details, she said no more. She couldn’t risk it. She didn’t like lying to you, or to the club, or whatnot. I got it. I even understood why. What changed her mind? She won’t talk to me, but I’ve got a feeling she’ll talk to you.”
Whizz didn’t say anything. Steven imagined it was what she’d found out. It would be the only reason Lola reached out and sent these details.
“I don’t want shit between us, Whizz.”
Again, Whizz remained silent. Steven had nothing more to say. He climbed on his bike, and headed back toward his apartment. His heart was racing as he’d spent a lot of time thinking about tonight with Sally. He’d spent a great deal of time on the road, and he was tired.
Sally had texted him to say she’d see him tonight and that she’d already told Whizz and Lacey that she was going to be staying with a friend. All he wanted to do now was get to his apartment, and to hold her.
He broke the speed limit, he was sure of it, on his mission to get to her as fast as he could. Most of the day had been spent thinking about her, and of course, thinking about the sheriff. He pushed all of those thoughts to the back of his mind.
Within thirty minutes he was there, parking his bike and entering the building. The elevator was taking too long, so he took the stairs two at a time to get to her. When he got to his door, he was a little out of breath, but he couldn’t wait another second.
Opening the door, he closed it behind him and entered his home. She wasn’t in his sitting room. The apartment wasn’t large, and as he turned, he saw her standing next to the table. She wore a long dress that molded to her curves, which were a size sixteen. He’d heard her telling Lacey a few weeks ago.
“Hey,” she said. She’d curled her purple hair, and it cascaded around her body. Her hands were clenched at her sides. He moved toward her and took her hand.
“You look so beautiful,” he said.
She breathed a sigh of relief. “That is so good. I was worried that you’d hate it.”
He chuckled. “One day you will realize that when it comes to you, there’s nothing I’d hate.” He pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
“I picked up food on the way over here.” She pointed at the table. “Fighter was picking me up, and I told him I was spending some time with a friend. I took a cab here.”
“This is amazing,” he said.
“What is?”
He removed his leather cut, and then pulled her against him. “You came.”
“I did, and I wanted to spend some time with you, but I don’t want to talk about the club or about my parents, or anything like that. I’d like us to just talk, and to maybe have some fun. Do you think we could do that?”
“We can do whatever the hell you want.” He pushed some of her curls out of the way, and stroked her cheek.
“Good. How do you like Chinese?”
“Love it.”
She pulled out his chair, and sat opposite him. “Great, because I love lo mein more than anything else.”
“I remember. You’d growl at anyone who took it from you,” he said, sitting opposite her.
“It’s just so good, and to a point, it’s kind of healthy. It’s noodles.”
He burst out laughing. “You don’t have to worry about your figure. I think you’re perfect no matter what.”
Her cheeks glowed. “We’re not having sex.”
“Wow, how did you get from looking good to sex? Is your head in the gutter?”
She shook her head. “I’m not ready yet.”
“Sally, I’m not here for sex. I like being able to talk to you. We’ve not got any of the club looking at us, and we’re not whispering. Relax. I’m not going to pounce on you and demand shit. Beneath all the leather and ink, I’m a gentleman.”
He watched her visibly relax, and with it, he was able to.
****
“Daisy’s asleep. She’s out for the count,” Lacey said.
Whizz stopped looking at the file to smile over at his wife.
“Have you given it more thought?” she asked.
“You want to adopt another child? You really want to?”
She dropped down on the bed, and nodded. “Yes, I do. Sally’s getting older, and so is Daisy. I want us to have more kids, and everyone is getting pregnant.”
It was moments like this that reminded Whizz of how vulnerable his wife was. She really wanted to have a baby, and at times it really tore her apart. Whenever he saw her holding a newborn baby, which being in a club as big as theirs, was often, he saw the yearning in her eyes.
A little baby was the only thing they couldn’t have, and he hated that he failed her on that. He could give her a baby any time. The right money thrown at the right person, and they could have one by tomorrow. What Lacey really wanted was to have a baby herself. The damage those assholes caused her when she was a child had made it so she’d never have a child herself.
“We’ll go to the agency tomorrow. I promise.”
Lacey nodded. “We can provide a good home and love, Whizz. I know we can.”
“I know, baby. We will.” He’d give her anything.
She snuggled up against him, and he kissed the top of her head. “What are you doing?”
He sighed. “Steven … he gave me some information, and I can’t just ignore it.”
“What kind of info?”
Whizz paused. He didn’t want to keep this a secret from his wife, but he also didn’t see a way out of it. “It’s about Sally.”
“I told you not to look at that stuff, Whizz.”
“I know, I know, but I can’t not when Steven brought me something.”
“He’s been looking, hasn’t he?”
“You and I both know that Steven’s in love with Sally.”
They both sighed this time.
“I know he is, and I know she loves him. Did you really think she’d fall for Drew?” Lacey asked.
“I had hoped. I wanted her to have a life away from the club. Drew has a clean past, and he’d be good for her.”
“Why though? We know that the club is her home, her family.”
“The life she had. I just want her to know that I don’t expect her to pick a brother or anything. I wanted her to have whatever her heart desires, and if that’s Drew, then so be it.”
He loved Sally so much. She was his daughter, and he wanted the best for her. He was starting to see that maybe he’d been wrong. Steven was proving to him time and time again that he was the one right for her. Drew had the clean past and was the same age as Sally. He’d also seen how devoted Drew was to her. Steven loved her, but he didn’t have the clean past, or the same age. Whizz had seen the worst and the best of Steven.
“So what is all this?” Lacey asked, pointing at the computer.
“Someone from her past that I’m not liking all that much.” Everything he had discovered didn’t sit well with him. The biggest problem he had, this man was a sheriff, and they were a lot harder to bury without a trail.
****
“Our son is now curling hair,” Lash said.
Angel looked up from sticking a picture into the album she was making and burst out laughing. Her husband stood in the doorway of their bedroom. They were not at the clubhouse, and instead at their own home, which she loved. Anthony and Chloe were fast asleep. She had been lucky to have children that liked to sleep all night.
“No, he’s not curling hair. He was keeping Daisy company. Are you going to freak out about this?” She couldn’t stop laughing.
“It’s a girly thing to do.”
“Our son is not girly, and besides, we had this talk long ago when I asked you your thoughts if our son turned out to be gay.” She had seen something awful on the news at the time, and she had told Lash that she would love their children no matter what.
He’d told her straight that he didn’t care who they loved. His son was his son, and he would love him no matter what.
“I’m not, I just, do you think he has a thing for Daisy?” Lash asked, looking at her.
“My poor husband, are you freaking out that one day you’re going to be a grandfather? I can promise you, you’re a long way off.”
“It just seems two minutes ago he was a little baby, you know. Now he’s curling Daisy’s hair, and soon he’ll be smoking and then I’ll be warning him about sex.” Lash moved toward the bed, taking a seat beside her. He took hold of her hand. “When did we get old?”
“We’re not old. We’re mature, most of the time, I think. I don’t know. To a lot of people we’re old.”
Lash lay down on the bed beside her, and she lifted up the album she’d started on.
“This is the whole club?” he asked.
“Yeah, I found one of Patricia with Tate.” Patricia was Tiny’s first wife who’d died of cancer. “There’s you with Nash.” His brother.
She turned a page. “Me and you on our wedding day.”
Lash smiled. “That was one of the best days of my life.”
“I know.”
He placed a hand on her stomach, and she covered his with her own.
“I’m worried,” he said.
“Don’t be worried. I’m strong. I’m not fragile. I’m not going to break.” She pressed a kiss to his lips. “How is everything with the club?”
“Everything is fine.”
“And Drew, how’s he?” Angel asked. She knew that Steven would struggle having Drew there, especially as she knew they both had feelings for Sally.
“He’s doing great, which reminds me, I’ve had a headache with the fucking health department.”
Angel frowned. “Why?”
“A surprise inspection on the bakery. They didn’t find anything, but Baker called me up. Told me that Drew’s folks were watching. They could be trouble for the club.”
“We’ll handle it, Lash. We always do. You knew the moment that Drew became part of the club, even as a Prospect, it was going to cause trouble. His parents are too rich to not cause trouble.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Lash only ever showed his worried to her, and Angel loved him even more for it. Every night they would have these talks about the club, and he’d tell her everything, his worries, his concerns.
Closing the album, she placed it on the floor, and then turned to him. “Let me see if I can help you.” Pressing her lips against his, she ran her hand down his body. They’d been married a long time, and still the fire was as strong as ever.