Page 26 of Colton (Raging Barons MC #17)

-:- NYX -:-

“Penny, you cannot stay here. You need to come with me to the clubhouse as I’m having my cleaver and knife throwing lessons.”

“What on earth are you talking about?” Penny asks.

Ruger chuckles, and I give him a dirty look, but hey, he’s a biker he couldn’t give a shit.

I’m scowling at him badly at this point.

“It’s Sunday morning training. Last week I was learning how to throw cleavers and knives.

It was great fun, and you know we can use anything in the kitchen as a weapon. ”

Penny is looking at me as though I’ve gone mad, but I keep nodding that yes, it’s good fun and it’s defense. “Come on, Nyx. Why do you need to learn that?”

“Well, for a start, if your shit of an ex-boyfriend breaks in and tries to steal Arabella I’ll nail him to a cabinet.”

Penny straightens to her full height of 5’2” and throws a fierce look toward me. “Okay, I’m coming, and I want in on these lessons.”

Ruger again chuckles and looks over at Colton who is smirking at me. “Win-win, Nyx,” Colton states. He is right. If both myself and Penny can defend ourselves, then we can ensure Arabella’s safety.

“Come on, let’s get moving. I’ll travel with Penny and Punkin, and Colton, you travel with Nyx. If we stay together on the road, we’ll be alerted if anything untoward happens.” Ruger picks up the bag that Penny has prepared for any eventuality, and she picks up Arabella from the stroller .

“Colton, can you take the stroller, please?” Looking at Colton who is still staring at Ruger, “What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Punkin? Where the fuck did he come up with that? Was he talking to Penny or the baby?” Colton asks, looking startled by the name, ‘Punkin.’

Giggling, I step around him to the doorway and point at the stroller. I don’t wait for him to grab the stroller or lock the apartment, I head outside to the truck and stand, waiting for him to catch up.

A truck appears and another one of the bikers I’ve not met steps out of it, giving me a chin lift. But it’s the trailer on the back that fascinates me. It’s to put Colton and Ruger’s bikes on, as they are obviously not happy to leave them here unattended.

“Yo, Stitch. How did you get dragged into bringing the truck and trailer?” Colton asks as he steps up to the truck, placing the collapsed stroller in the truck bed.

“Well, it gets rather boring sitting around waiting for one of you to get hurt, so I offered to do more running about after you all. But don’t take that for granted or you’ll regret it,” Stitch smirks.

The bikes are on the trailer, and Stitch has headed off for the clubhouse. Ruger is behind in an SUV. Now, I’ve no idea where that one came from, or who it belongs to, and I’m not asking. We are following behind them both in my work truck.

Along the way, I hum to the music playing on the radio, and watch the scenery pass by. Nothing untoward occurs, and I’m thankful for that. On arrival at the clubhouse, a few of the men, or brothers as they call each other, appear and help take the bag and stroller into the clubhouse .

Penny is looking at Ruger who has taken Arabella and has her lying across his chest. “He looks kind of good with her, don’t you think?” I ask Colton, without thinking it may cause embarrassment or offense.

Penny gives me a shocked look, and Ruger smirks right before he kisses the top of Arabella’s head, and states clearly, “Come on, Punkin, come with Uncle Ruger.”

Colton busts out laughing, and I must have a shocked look on my face, as Penny is giggling as she turns and follows Ruger into the clubhouse. I give Colton a dirty look, just because! Then head to the area where the training was held last week.

****

Two hours later, I am covered in sweat as well as gasping for breath. Nobody told me this week we were working on cardio exercises. Running, jumping, skipping, hopping, and anything else you can think of. Wow! I am well and truly exhausted.

Penny looks as bad as I do, but some of the ladies are more than a little fit. Star, who is super fit in my opinion, is hardly breaking into a sweat. She’s not showing signs of needing a break, unlike me and Penny. Turning to look where Penny has thrown herself down, I follow her lead.

“You never told me we’d have to do this, Nyx. I’m not that fit after having Arabella, but a few months of this and you can call me Super Woman.”

Both Penny and I notice the ladies are wandering inside, so we pick ourselves up and follow them.

Colton, I notice is standing on one side of the area where we have been training, and he’s not puffing and blowing either, yet he’s been helping train a group of men on one side of the area.

Giving me a smile as I disappear indoors, I can’t help but think he’s finding this amusing.

Cooling off with a glass of ice-cold soda, sugar-free too, I look at Penny, who is watching Ruger with Arabella.

Now, it’s more than amusing as each time someone tries to take Arabella, Ruger makes a growling noise and they move away.

Arabella however, kicks and coos each time he growls.

It’s fascinating if I’m being honest. She seems to like the attention he is giving her.

Every time he growls, she kicks and coos.

When she kicks and coos, he takes her little hand and blows raspberries on her palm.

Turning when I hear Colton telling someone named Chaos about the gnome in my ladies’ garden, I listen to them both laughing at how the neighbor must have reacted when he saw a gnome’s head peeking over the fencing.

Before I can join their conversation someone says my name and I turn to see Mia. The lady I was told was the First Lady of the club. She seems to be a sweetheart, but then I’ve only spoken to her for a moment or two.

“Can you and Penny follow me to Axel’s office, as he’d like a word with you both.” Mia turns and walks out of the kitchen. I urge Penny to follow me, after Ruger states Arabella is safe with him.

Stepping into the office, Colton steps in behind me. I take a seat and Penny sits beside me. Mia sits beside Axel and gives both Penny and me an encouraging smile.

“Ladies. I have Specs, our tech wizard, looking into what is going on with this fucker Darren and his mother. Once we know who they have paid to find you and trash your house, we’ll be able to make plans as to how we are going to deal with this mess.

” Axel looks at Penny, and she gives him a small smile, and a sweet, ‘Thank you.’

Mia speaks gaining my attention. “A lot of us have had trouble in the past. Nothing we have caused ourselves either, so we understand what it feels like to have things out of our control. Penny, you have made a friend of Nyx, and she is more than happy to help you and Arabella. We as a club, and yes, we are an MC, but we are not like Sons of Anarchy, or other one percent club. You can ask for help any time you need it, and any of us will be happy to look after Arabella if you need it, too.”

Penny sniffles a little. “Thank you. You are all so very kind, and I more than appreciate everyone’s concern. I don’t understand why Darren’s mother was so adamant she wanted Arabella, because she wanted nothing to do with me.”

“What work did you do, Penny?” Axel asks.

“I worked at a deli before I was pregnant with Arabella. I have my high school diploma, and I have a certificate in office administration. I wanted to be a CEO’s personal assistant when I was younger, and was aiming to achieve that.

I was using the deli salary sparingly, as I had used all my savings to get the certificate in admin. ” Penny surprises me with her answer.

“That is very good to hear. We may be able to offer you a decent job in a few weeks and don’t worry about Arabella as we can create a nursery here. We’ve had babies popping up all over the place.” Axel turns to Mia. “You have anything to add?”

“No, I don’t think so. We need the information on the ex, and the details from Lincoln, PT, TwoCents and Specs.”

I say nothing, as this really doesn’t involve me personally. I’m only involved as I am a friend of Penny. Colton grips my shoulder and gives it a small squeeze, drawing my attention away from Axel and Mia.

“Come on, ladies, let’s go have a cold drink and join the others. I’ll introduce you to everyone, Penny. They all met Nyx last week.” Mia kisses Axel on the cheek, but before she can step away, he drags her onto his lap and kisses her soundly.

Mia, looking flustered has me giggling right until Colton grabs ahold of me and kisses me senseless. Which, of course, has Penny and Mia laughing at my expense.

****

An hour later, both myself and Penny are laughing at the antics these ladies get into.

They are obviously all friends and look out for each other.

Winter, who works at the Range is speaking about a ‘Men’s only,’ evening at TJs, which has all of them perking up about a ‘Ladies’ only,’ evening.

They are threatening all sorts of antics if the owners don’t agree.

It appears that Mia, Star, Eden, one of the brothers, and the MC are the owners.

Star grins, then laughs. “We’ll make it happen.

” When everyone groans I’m not sure why, but I’ve learned not to ask.

Heather is my boss, and she’s hilarious. I never realized she was a part of the MC, but she is a great person and I like her more than a little.

The room suddenly grows quiet, and I turn along with Heather to see what is wrong. Mia is looking at Eden, who has a shocked look on her face, along with most everyone else. Eden asks, “What did you say? ”

Mia gives Eden the tiniest of smiles. “I’m disbanding the girl gang. I thought it was a great idea, but on reflection I don’t think it’s needed.”

“No.”

“Oh, no, you are not.”

“What? Why?”

Mia swallows before continuing to speak.

“You all know I’ve been having counseling.

Well, with the Cookie trouble, and then the issue about the prospect comment I feel that it’s not worth my continuing along this route.

I have more than enough to do at Axel’s side, and being Momma to the twins and Summer.

I don’t need more on my shoulders, and my counselor has told me to just let go of things that stress me.

So, the girl gang is one thing that stresses me. ”

I look at Penny who mumbles under her breath, ‘Girl gang?’ But I shrug my shoulders as I don’t know either.

“No, Mia, we are not getting rid of the girl gang. If you cannot do it anymore how about Paisley or Gemmy be in charge since they are women of an officer of the club.” Kya gives a nod to Paisley before giving one to Gemmy.

Gemmy, however, smirks broadly, “Well, that is a mighty fine idea, Kya, and since you are BS’s woman, and he’s higher in the officer position than TwoCents and Stitch I nominate you do it.” Before you can say Jack Shit, all the women throw their hands in the air and say ‘Aye.’

“Well, that is good Kya, and congratulations. Everyone meet the new leader of the girl gang,” Mia states with glee on her face.

But Kya is looking shocked, well right before she turns to Gemmy and launches herself onto her, taking them both down to the ground and rolling around laughing like a pair of hyenas.

I look at Penny, who looks at me, right before we turn back to watch the two women rolling about laughing. “What the hell!” I mumble to myself, at the same time thinking I’ve arrived at the madhouse.