Chapter 30
Ella
The way Jayden’s been behaving this morning is making me rethink the idea of having children of my own. First, she was bemoaning that she wasn’t allowed to go to the funeral yesterday, though fuck knows why, she didn’t even know Crystal. Next, she was complaining that I’d pulled her away from the wake too early and, of course, that I hadn’t let her go to the afterparty, which I’d been certain would have turned X-rated pretty damn fast. Then it was that she’d been left on her own, which was rubbish, as I’ve been here all the time, but I, apparently, am a nobody and don’t count. And while I was out yesterday afternoon, Road had been assigned to keep her company as well as to keep her safe. And then she’s going on about why isn’t she allowed to see Paladin? And then she starts with why was he such a bastard to go off with a whore? Honestly.
She wants out of the compound, and while I have every sympathy with her wishes, I try to explain again why she needs to stay hidden for now. But apparently, even being captured and possibly tortured would be “better than this”. I know she’s been through a terrible ordeal, one that’s the root cause of her being so temperamental, but nevertheless, my patience is fast running out. By the time Slick returned late last night I was at my wits end. I’m afraid he bore the brunt of it. We still slept together, but didn’t make love. This morning he left before I was awake.
Now I’m both worried about Jayden, and that I took it out on my man.
When I tell my sister I’m going to the clubhouse to get something to eat she sullenly replies she’s staying in bed. Throwing up my hands, realising the new morning’s brought no better mood, I open the door to leave the suite, bumping into Paladin, who’s got his hand raised in the air to knock.
My eyes immediately narrow. What does he want?
Without me voicing my question, he answers it. “Ella, I’ve come to see Jayden. There’s some things I’d like to get straight. I’ve been givin’ it a lot of thought.”
He’s not seeing her on his own. “I don’t want you talking to Jayden without me there.”
“Fair enough.” He nods. “I know I’ve gone about this all wrong. Can I speak to her?”
I consider his request. As long as I’m there to chaperone there shouldn’t be an issue. And seeing him might just cheer her up. I’d try just about anything at this point. “Alright.”
Paladin follows me back into the suite, and I call out to make sure Jayden’s decent.
“Paladin!” Twin expressions of delight and dismay alternate across her face. But she sits up in bed and starts taking an interest.
Stepping inside, the young biker smiles. “I’ve come to talk to you, Jayden.”
She gives him a ‘duh’ look, and then her eyes flick to me.
“I’m staying here,” I tell her.
She’s about to protest when Paladin pulls up a chair to the side of the bed and takes hold of her hand, effectively switching her attention from me to him. “Jayden,” he starts, then swallows a few times. “I like ya, girl, you know that.”
She gives a little nod and gives an eager encouraging smile. What he says next makes me warm to him.
“What happened to ya, Jayden, that was… Fuck it. You were taken advantage of, and whatever they made you believe, you were plied with alcohol and drugs and didn’t have a clear head.” As she goes to speak he covers her mouth with his hand. “Shush. Hear me out, okay?” When she dips her head he continues, “Jayden, as far as I’m concerned, you’re a virgin. No one’s ever made love to you the way you deserve.”
My eyes fill with tears as I listen to his words. It’s exactly the right thing to say.
She frowns, and says with a pout, “But I’m not a virgin. I know what sex is. I want what you said, to find out what it should be like.” Her face goes red, obviously embarrassed he’s being so frank.
“You’ve got to put it behind you, babe. You can’t pretend it never happened, but you need to move on and get back the time and innocence that was stolen from ya. You’ve got a few years yet before you need to worry about bein’ with a man.”
It’s clear she sees what he says as rejection. Quickly she pulls her hand away from his and covers her eyes. “You don’t want me. You want that whore…”
“Not what I’m sayin’ at all, babe. Please listen to me. Hear me out, okay?”
Lowering her fingers, she watches him.
“What I’m sayin’ is I can’t want you. Not legally. And it wouldn’t be right. When you’re ready you should meet boys your own age, go out on dates, hold hands, kiss.”
She says with a snarl, “I think I’ve gone past that.”
As I smother a gasp he continues to be patient with her. “You might think you have, but you haven’t, Jayden. You can get your life back. Ella here will help you, and so will I.”
“You?”
“Yeah, by being your friend. But that’s all I can be for another few years.”
“Another few years isn’t going to make my hymen grow back!” Her cheeks glow red. “I’m not an innocent teenager, Paladin. I shouldn’t have to wait!”
At the crudeness of her attack I go to open my mouth, but again he gets in before me. “The years will go fast, Jayden, love. This will be in your rearview, and you can start all over again. Discover what it should be like with a man of your choice, and one who cares just for you.” He gives her an intense look. “If I’m lucky enough, when you’re eighteen, I’d be honoured to be your first.”
Will he? I might have something to say about that. But I’ll keep my mouth shut for now.
“And in the meantime, you’ll fuck the whores?” This she spits out.
He shakes his head. “Didn’t fuck one the other evenin’.”
“You walked off with that girl!”
He looks down at his hands. “Fuck knows what I was doin’, Jayden. Nothin’ happened, I swear. Prez told me to make it look like I did. He thought I was gettin’ too close to ya. But hell, I don’t think that’s the right way about it.” He pauses, and then looks straight at my sister. “That’s why I’m here explainin’ things. Look Jayden, I don’t know if I can be faithful, hell, you might find you prefer someone else. But for now, I ain’t particularly interested in what the whores have to offer.” His face twists. “I’m a man, babe. All I can promise is, if I can’t shake the urge, I won’t rub it in your face.”
“You won’t wait for me.” Of course she latches onto that.
He continues to be patient. “Maybe, maybe not. Maybe it will be you that moves on. But anythin’ else would be wrong, Jayden. We can’t go there, alright?”
Once more her hands cover her face as she digests what he’s said. We both give her some time, and then she lowers her hands and stares in his face. “You think I’m a virgin?”
“I know that you are. Not in the technical sense, but in every other way.”
When she sits up and swings her legs off the bed I’m relieved to see she’s in a perfectly respectable tank and shorts. Resting her elbows on her knees, she interlocks her fingers and rests her chin on her hands. We give her a moment. I see Paladin’s hands clench and unclench, his jaw is tightened but he’s holding himself in check. I’m biting my tongue so I don’t say the wrong thing. Paladin’s getting through to her, where I had failed.
“I was flattered in the beginning, you know? Stupid looking back.” She bites back a sob. “And then I couldn’t get out, not with them threatening my mom and Ella.”
Paladin reaches out and places his fingers gently under her chin. “He was a monster, Jayden, preyin’ on young girls.”
She thinks for a bit longer. “I’ve never had a ‘first time’, have I? Not in the right way.”
“That’s my point. But you will, Jayden, when the time’s right.”
“With you?” she asks, hopefully.
“I’ll be hangin’ onto that idea. Four years ain’t that long a time.”
“Three years and eight months.”
He grins at her correction. “In the meantime, we’ll be friends?” He holds out his bunched hand and waits. After a brief hesitation, she bumps it with her small fist.
“Friends.”
Paladin glances up at me. I feel like giving him, them both, a hug, but refrain. Already Jayden looks more content and relaxed. Perhaps I will consider having children after all.
Jayden jumps to her feet, showing more enthusiasm than she had earlier. “I’m hungry. Can you give me a minute to change and then we’ll go have something to eat?”
I just about manage to not roll my eyes. “Sure, Jayden.”
“I’ll meet you down there.” Paladin gets up, leans over and places a chaste kiss to her forehead. “See you in a few, babe.” And with that parting shot, and a nod toward me, he leaves.
As I wait for my sister to do her stuff in the bathroom, my stomach growls, and I wish she’d hurry up. I swear she takes longer than I do. When I’m on the verge of banging on the door and asking what the hell she’s doing in there, she comes out. She looks brighter than she has in days. That talk with Paladin seems to have lifted a weight off her shoulders.
Arm in arm, we walk down to the clubhouse. Apart from a prospect tidying up, no men are around, but in the kitchen Carmen’s standing, peering into the fridge.
She glances around as we walk in. “Why, aren’t you the sight for sore eyes?” She smiles at Jayden, seeming to notice the change in her too. “You two hungry? I’m just getting a sandwich for myself.
“Sure, that sounds great.” I go over to help.
Our stomachs filled, I hear the men wandering out, realising they must have been in one of their meetings. As the voices grow louder, I realise I’m still feeling relaxed, when once the sound would have had my heart racing. I’m getting used to this place.
Paladin is the first to appear. He crosses over to Jayden, who’s leaning on the counter next to the sink. “You’re lookin’ better.”
And the fact it’s down to him makes me beam. They start up an innocent conversation about new music they’ve heard, and I let their discussion wash over me as I drink my second cup of coffee. I’m at one end of the room, so have my eyes on the youngsters and able to see the through the doorway. I can’t miss Drummer as he approaches, his face going thunderous as he’s just in time to see them bump hips to celebrate a band or something they have a liking for in common.
Rage beams out of his steely eyes and his fists are clenching.
Oh no.
I jump to my feet and rush over to him. When I’m close enough I put my hand on his chest to stop his forward momentum, feeling his hard muscles flexing through the thin material of his tee.
What am I doing? I’m trying to stop a huge biker who’s vibrating with anger.
He looks down at my hand, and then at me. His eyes look as cold as ice. “Got somethin’ to say, Ella?”
From somewhere I summon the courage. “Yes,” I hiss, tapping his chest to indicate I want him to move backwards. I jerk my head at the pair behind me. “This isn’t what it seems.”
He could push past me so easily, but one side of his mouth turns up. It’s ridiculous to think I could stop him doing anything, but my desire to prevent my sister being upset overcomes my fear. When he gives me a quick nod and steps back into the clubroom I sigh with relief. When I’ve got his attention I give him a rundown of what’s gone on today.
“You trust Paladin?”
“Yeah. Out of everyone, he’s got through to her, Drummer. The things he said… He showed he’s got an old head on those young shoulders. Let them be friends, Jayden needs that.”
He brushes his hair back with both hands, staring into my face. “Well, fuck me. Thought I was gonna have to give him a beat down. Lad’s done good it seems. I’ll lay off him for now. But Ella, the moment he crosses the line…”
“I’ll be killing him myself.”
A laugh bursts out of him, and my mouth quirks as I realise what I’ve just said.
“Everythin’ alright over here?”
“Yeah, Slick. Ella’s got everythin’ under control.” The corners of his mouth turn up and I realise Drummer’s giving his approximation of a smile. “You’ve got a damn fine woman here, Brother.”
Slick pulls me into his side. “Know that, Drum.”
As I lean into his comfort, my adrenaline rush fading, I notice the door to the clubhouse opening, and Sandy and Sam are coming in.
“Drum wants to talk to you women,” Slick tells me.
“What? Why?” The prez is polite enough, but doesn’t usually go out of his way to talk to us old ladies.
But Slick doesn’t enlighten me, just takes my hand and starts leading me into their meeting room.
“You’re letting us in here?” My eyes open wide as I see the large table and comfortable chairs where the brothers would sit. There’s pictures on the walls of members I don’t recognise. And when I see Adam’s I realise they must be the ones who have passed.
Slick leads me to a seat and sits down beside me. The other old ladies filter in, Sandy’s accompanied by Viper, and Carmen with Bullet. Sam takes a place next to her old man. Lastly, Wraith comes in leading Sophie by the hand.
“To what do we owe this honour, Drum?” Sam relaxes back in her chair and raises an eyebrow. Her easy manner helps ease some of the tension in the room. This isn’t normal, and looking around, I’m not the only one to feel confused and decidedly out of place in this male-oriented room.
“We’ve just agreed somethin’ in our meetin’ that concerns you ladies.” Drum pauses, and his gaze lands on each of us in turn. “You were at the funeral so already know. Yesterday the fuckin’ heat tried to serve me with a custody order for Amy.”
We nod. Carmen swears, “Fucking cops interfering. Anyone could see that woman’s not fit to raise a child.”
Sam’s face has gone tense. It’s easy to see how much she cares for Amy. She couldn’t be doing more for her if she was her own flesh and blood. “She’s not taking her, Drum.”
The prez lays his hand over hers and turns to face her. “No worries, darlin’. She’s stayin’ with you.”
“Us,” she corrects, her head tilting to the side.
“That’s what we’ve got to talk about.” He takes a deep breath. “Now they’ve got the custody order and they might come to try to take her, we’re bettin’ Archer will come with a fuckin’ search warrant next, so we’re plannin’ on gettin’ you, Sam, and Amy out of here for a while.”
Sam’s head goes back and her eyes widen. She’s as much in the dark as the rest of us.
“And you, Ella,” Drum jerks his chin toward me, “if the police come search the club, Jayden needs to be kept out of sight too.”
I give a slow nod, he’s answered the question I was going to ask.
“Now you ladies know we don’t share club business, but we’ve been thinkin’ it’s best if Ella, Jayden, Carmen, Sophie, and Sandy, are off the compound too.”
The three old ladies named last look surprised now. Carmen opens her mouth then snaps it shut again, realising Drum won’t be divulging the reason, however much we plead.
“Where we going, Drum?” His old lady’s accepted it, now she just wants the details.
The prez looks at Sam, and then winks at Sophie and smirks as he replies, “To Vegas. Red’s chapter.”
“Vegas? Really? We’re going to Las Vegas?” Sophie’s eyes light up, and she’s all but bouncing in her seat. Then her face falls. “Will we be on lockdown there?”
Wraith laughs. “Want to get out and see the bright lights?”
“Yeah, I’ve always wanted to go to the strip.” She looks excited and hopeful as her eyes silently plead with her old man. Her smile’s infectious. Vegas sounds like it could be fun. And a break is just what Jayden needs If we’re allowed to go out.
“We do this right and no one knows where you’ve gone. I reckon we can relax things a bit. Let you out on the town.”
Us women look at each other, and then back to Drum. From the expressions on all our faces I reckon all the women are thinking the same thing. It could be like going on vacation. Then it hits me. It’s not just Vegas we’re going to, but another biker club.
Slick understands when I still, and squeezes my hand. “Red’s a good man, Ella. And the brothers in Vegas are just like the brothers here. They’ll respect that you’re mine and won’t lay a finger on you.”
“Same goes for everyone,” Wraith agrees. “Red knows the score. He’ll keep you safe, and if you want to paint the town red,” he gives a quick laugh at his unintended pun, “he’ll make sure you have good brothers with you.”
“How long? I’ve got my business.”
“I hope only a few days, Carmen. When it’s safe you come straight back.”
“The restaurant?”
“Marsha can handle it, can’t she?” Wraith waits for Sandy’s nod.
Sophie’s narrowing her eyes. “If you’re keeping the women safe and out of the way, what about the sweet butts? Will they be coming too?” If the answer is yes, it doesn’t look like she’ll be happy about it.
Drum and Wraith appear to be having a conversation, but no words are spoken, just a few uninterpretable grunts and chin lifts. How do they do that? After a moment, the prez gives his assent with a nod.
“Yeah, we’ll get all women off the compound. They can provide their services to the Vegas boys for a while.”
Wraith puts his arm around Sophie. “They won’t bother you, darlin’. Red will put them to work.”
The casual way they’re talking about loaning out their whores chills me. I feel a moment of sympathy for the girls, but it’s only fleeting. They like and want this life, though I’ve no idea how they can do it. I shudder.
“Whores might like the change.”
Sandy nudges her old man. “And what are you going to do with no whores and no old ladies?”
That Viper gets blow jobs from the sweet butts is no secret, but that doesn’t stop his face going red, and everyone laughs.
“When we leaving, Drummer?” Sam asks the practical question.
“Tomorrow. So make what arrangements you have to and take enough stuff for a few days. If you need to get more, you can buy it in Vegas.”
And I’m not the only one whose eyes light up at the thought of shopping in the city that never sleeps.