Page 7 of Blood & Honey (Saint’s Outlaws MC: Deadman’s Beach, AL #2)

Chapter Six

It shouldn’t bother me that Ashley was at breakfast with that little shithead she’s been dating, but it does. Fuck. She’s under my skin, and that’s never a good place to be. Getting involved with me never ends well for anyone.

Is Goose right? Should I make this marriage legal in an attempt to lure Shelby out into the open?

Who else would send texts to Ashley? And where the fuck is Slasher?

He’s not at the clubhouse, and no one has heard from him since last night.

Goose went to track him down when he left from here, but I’ve not heard shit all back from him either.

The motion sensor notification for the camera pointed at the driveway sounds. Ashley’s back.

She takes her sweet ass time exiting her car and walking up the stairs and onto the deck.

I glance over at Ash as he pulls himself up by holding onto the rails of his fenced-in play area and plops back down on his butt.

He jibbers and jabbers some nonsense, getting mad that he can’t stand for long periods of time.

What was my old man thinking, trying to start over with Shelby?

Was that bullshit all part of the lie and the scheme?

He may have been fucking her, but I still have a hard time buying her story that he loved her.

I should’ve asked more questions, but I couldn’t bear the sight of her. When I’d look at her, I wanted to wrap my hands around her throat and squeeze until there wasn’t a breath left in her body. The only thing that saved her was the off-chance Ash was my son and not my brother.

“Hey,” Ashley says as she enters the living room.

“Come sit.” I motion her over. She plops down on the couch next to me.

Fuck. Why does she have to be so damn pretty? So damn sassy.

“What’s up?”

“I need to ask you something.”

“Sounds serious.”

“Have you been talking to Shelby?”

Her mouth opens then snaps shut. I guess it isn’t what she was expecting. She chortles. “You would know if I were.”

“I mean it, Ashley. I need to know if she’s contacted you at all.”

“I wish she would so I could tell her exactly what I think about her for walking out on her son. Me? I can understand. I’m old enough to take care of myself. But to up and leave Ash.” She shakes her head.

I lick my lips. I can’t remember how much I shared with her last night. “She’s not showing up when you were hanging out with your friends or anything? Not even when you’ve stopped for gas? No contact?”

“Why are you asking me this?”

“Slasher thought he spotted her last night. And now I can’t find him.”

“Do you need to go look for him? I can watch Ash.”

“Goose is on it. You swear you’ve not seen her?”

“Not since the hospital when the baby was born.”

I study her expression and mannerisms. I don’t see the telltale signs of lying, but she is Shelby’s little sister, and she played me for a damn fool.

“Have you had any more of those texts?”

“No. Want to check my phone? I’ve told you everything.” She holds my gaze, and I feel like a pure bastard because all I want is to kiss her right now.

“If Slasher doesn’t turn up soon, I may have to go out, but if I do, I want you and Ash at the clubhouse.

” I get up and grab little man to keep myself from doing something stupid and crossing the line again.

Every time she gets close to me, my body hums to life like a damn live wire.

There’s a pull between us that is getting harder and harder to deny.

“Do you think he saw Shelby and that she’s the one contacting me?”

“Wish I fuckin’ knew.” I take Ash to the kitchen and pour equal parts of water and apple juice into his cup and give him a toddler cookie to enjoy in his highchair.

Most of it will end up squished between his fingers and smashed onto his clothes, but he loves to try to feed himself. “Have you had any more of those texts?”

“No.” Ashley follows me into the kitchen and wets a paper towel to wipe Ash’s face.

“I was going to do that.”

“I don’t mind it.” She smiles as she dotes on him. “How could she leave him behind?”

“She wasn’t given much of a choice. I wanted to punish her and take away everything and everyone she cared about.”

“And now you’ve succeeded,” she whispers.

My phone goes off with a text from Goose.

No sign of him at his place.

Ask to check the cameras at the gas station on Third Street. That’s where he was when he called me.

“Shit,” I mutter.

“Bad news?” Ashley questions.

“Pack a bag. I’m taking you to the clubhouse. I’ll text Candyce and see if she can swing by and pick up Ash from you there.”

“I don’t mind watching him. We can go swimming.”

The thought of the guys seeing her in that little red bikini of hers has me snapping at her, “It’s not your job. Besides, it’s no place for a baby.”

She rolls her eyes but doesn’t argue. “Whatever.”

“You can’t use the pool. It’s being shocked,” I lie.

“There’s an ocean.” She laughs then smirks at me.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“All smug.”

“Pfft. Can I invite Melissa to the clubhouse?”

“Is she eighteen?”

“Yeah.”

“Does she know how to keep her mouth shut?”

She nods.

“Don’t make me regret saying yes.”

“Thank you. Thank you,” she squeals and rushes me for a hug, catching me off guard. Her arms loop around my neck as her body presses against mine.

I smile at down at her, placing my hands on her wrists, bringing her arms off me slowly.

My wife gazes at me dreamily with expectation.

I can’t hate myself any further than I already do when I give in to her this time and press my mouth to hers.

I kiss her lips but deny her when she prods at the seam of mine with her tip of her tongue.

“I can’t kiss you back?”

“Later. Get changed.” I release her and give her a playful slap on the ass.

I’ve already earned a special place in Hell. I might as well reap the fucking rewards.

Candyce met us in the parking lot to get Ash. She’s Kevlar’s sister, and I know I can count on her to treat him as good as her own, and Ash is used to her. Not as much as he is Martina, but when I first brought him home from the hospital she pitched in to care for him as often as needed.

I escort Ashley into the clubhouse. The guys have gotten used to seeing her around over the years, especially this past year. It’s crazy to think it has been two years without my father.

We don’t get five feet in the door before I clock trouble. Felicity is here, and she’s marching toward us looking pissed off.

“You took off without so much as a goodbye last night.” She has hands on both hips as she observes Ashley’s hand wrapped tightly in mine. If I’m doing this, I might as well get it over with.

“He may have started the night with you, but he ended it buried inside of me,” Ashley tells her, and the whole bar goes quiet.

“Run along, little girl. The adults are speaking.” She waves a hand, making a shooing motion.

“Don’t disrespect my Ol’ Lady like that.”

Felicity bursts out laughing. “Wow. Of all the ways a man has tried to blow me off, this really takes the cake.”

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

“Is she even old enough to drive?”

“I’m old enough to have him screaming my name when he gets off,” Ashley smarts off full of biker bitch attitude that earns her some approval based on the reactions of my men.

“Look, sweetheart. It’s real cute that you put some stuffing in your training bra, but you better watch how you speak to me.”

“Your services are no longer required,” I tell her.

“My services?” She shrieks. “I’m not a sex worker.”

“Could have fooled me, bitch.” Ashley shoves her, and I hook an arm around my feisty wife’s waist, hauling her securely against my front before she gets scrappy and finds herself in a barroom scuffle.

“Can someone get this bitch out of here and make sure she doesn’t return?” I growl.

“Sure thing, Prez. Let’s go.” Poe grabs Felicity at the elbow and starts shuffling her out the door.

“Unhand me,” Felicity squirms, but Poe maintains his grip on her.

“Stupid move, woman. Stop embarrassing yourself. Don’t show up here again or you won’t like the consequences,” my Sargeant at Arms advises.

The guys who are here are still standing around with curious expressions on their faces, and I know I owe them an explanation. Right now, though there are bigger things at play besides my having claimed Ashley.

“A word,” Hemlock approaches me.

“You find Slasher?”

“He’s in the hospital. I don’t know his condition or what happened. Goose is going to meet us there.”

“Fuck.” I release Ashley. “Do you want to stay here or come with me?”

“I’m with you.”

I nod. “Let’s go.”