CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Mandy
I'm lounging on the leather couch in the clubhouse, shooting the shit with Sera when her phone chimes with an incoming text.
Her red lacquered nails tap the screen and her gray eyes flick over the message, widening slightly. "Shit. My mum's been spotted in Montana, according to my grandfather," she tells me, her posh British accent tinged with concern.
I sit up straighter, my heartbeat quickening. "Montana? Why the hell would she go there?"
Sera shrugs, setting her phone down. "Mmm, only one reason. Knowing my wicked witch of a mum though, it’s not good."
She chews on her red-painted bottom lip, looking worried.
A knot of dread forms in my stomach.
Sally Bernard is a fucking loose cannon hellbent on destroying the Reapers Rejects and getting twisted vengeance for her dead husband.
Her popping up in Montana spells nothing but trouble.
My mind starts racing, thinking about Kash and the rest of the club.
The stakes just keep getting higher and the danger is ramping up to insane levels.
I'm not a ride or die biker bitch like some of these other ol’ ladies—I don't get off on the adrenaline of MC life.
But I know without a shred of doubt that I would rain down unholy hell on anyone who tried to hurt my man, or my little man.
Sera notices my distress and reaches over to squeeze my hand. "Hey, it'll be all right. The club will handle this shit, they always do."
Her words are meant to be reassuring but there's an undercurrent of uncertainty in her voice.
Before I can respond, the clubhouse doors bang open and Damon comes striding in looking pissed as all hell, barking into his phone.
"You got it. I'm sending some guys up, probably be there within the next few days," he growls before hanging up.
He takes in the tense scene—me and Sera huddled together on the couch, matching grim expressions on our faces.
"I take it you heard," he says gruffly, scrubbing a hand over his bearded jaw. "Your cunt of a mother has surfaced up in Billings apparently."
Sera nods tightly. "Gramps just texted me. No idea what fresh fuckery she's up to now."
"Just wants to be another pain in my ass," Damon mutters.
He looks tired, the stress and strain of dealing with this bullshit clearly wearing on him.
Just then, Doc and Shiver emerge from the kitchen, Doc carrying two steaming bowls of ramen.
The delicious scent of the broth and noodles fills the air, making my stomach rumble despite the stressful situation.
Those two have been spending more time together, working on mending fences after all the drama surrounding me.
Doc sets a bowl down on the coffee table in front of me, dropping a quick kiss to the top of my head. "Thought you could use some comfort food, baby."
I give him a grateful smile, the small gesture warming my heart.
This thoughtful man is mine and I'll be damned if I let anything happen to him.
"Shiver," Damon barks, pulling his attention away from the bowl Shiver was about to dig into. "You and Jolt are gonna be heading up to Montana tomorrow. Sally's been spotted there and I need boots on the ground up there ASAP."
"Whatever you need, Prez," Shiver says without hesitation, setting his bowl aside.
There's a hardness to his eyes, a lethal edge that comes from being a stone cold type of man. "Me and Jolt will handle shit."
Damon looks to Sera again. "Any clue what your mother would want in Montana? Why the fuck she'd go there of all places?"
Sera shakes her head slowly. "I think this may be part of her mad plan. She wanted to systematically hit every charter, bring the Reapers to their knees." Her words send a chill down my spine.
"Fuck!" Damon explodes, slamming his fist against the wall.
The raw fury and frustration emanating from him is palpable.
Shiver stands, squaring his broad shoulders. "Like I said, we'll take care of it. I'll go get my shit packed so we can head out first thing."
As I watch him walk away, a sick feeling churns in my gut.
This is really happening.
The danger is ramping up and shit is about to get very, very real.
I glance over at Doc, seeing my own worry reflected in his intense blue eyes.
He pulls me into his arms and I go willingly, needing his solid strength in this moment. "We'll get through this, Mandy," he murmurs against my hair. "The club is ride or die. We take care of our own, no matter what."
I burrow closer, breathing in his comforting scent of leather and smoke and man.
"I know," I whisper.
And I do know, deep in my bones, that I've found where I belong with Doc and the Reapers Rejects.
I grip Doc's shoulders, tension coiling through my body as I watch Booger stride purposefully into the main room of the clubhouse.
His normally jovial expression is stony as he makes a beeline for Sera.
"Got a sec?" he asks, jerking his head toward the hallway leading to the dorms.
Sera glances up from her phone, arching one perfectly sculpted brow. "Of course." Rising gracefully to her feet, she follows him out of earshot.
Unease skitters down my spine.
Something's up, I can feel it.
Doc must sense it too, because his arm tightens around my waist.
"The fuck's going on now?" he mutters under his breath.
I just shake my head, eyes glued to Booger and Sera's retreating forms.
A minute later, they return, Sera's face an expressionless mask while Booger looks downright grim.
He makes straight for the bar where Damon is nursing a whiskey, leaning in close to talk to him in low, urgent tones.
Damon's eyes narrow and his jaw clenches tight.
Fishing his phone from his cut, he punches in a number and brings it to his ear. "Zane? We got another problem..."
As he starts pacing, barking orders into the phone, I turn to Sera. "What's going on? Did you get news about your mom?"
She sighs heavily, sinking onto the couch beside me. "So, she’s not just in Montana, she’s pulled in another club to be her muscle"
"Shit." I scrub a hand over my face.
This is bad.
Sally Bernard is the last person we need skulking around, stirring up more trouble. "Do you know which club?"
"Booger said they’re called the Corrupt Kings MC." Sera's lips twist bitterly. "She's probably spinning her web of manipulation and deceit to turn them against you lot."
A spike of fear lances through me, but I force it down.
Doc clears his throat, “The Corrupt Kings are already against us. We've had a longstanding issue with them for many years..”
“Holy fucking shit,” I murmur, unable to believe just how crazy this is getting.
Shaking off the chilling thought, I change the subject. "How are things going with getting her old companies all transferred over to you and your grandad?"
"Should be finalized by end of day," Sera replies with a satisfied smirk. "Which means the bitch is officially cut off. No more making decisions on behalf of the businesses.”
I can't help but smile at that.
Karma's a bitch named Seraphina and she always collects her due.
The reality of just how serious this situation is becoming sinks into my bones like lead weights.
Everything with the club, the depths these people will go to protect their own and annihilate their enemies...it's simultaneously terrifying and awe-inspiring.
I may not be a fighter by nature, but I would burn the whole fucking world down without hesitation to keep that precious boy safe.
Although...a fierce surge of mama bear protectiveness roars to life inside me at the mere thought of anyone trying to lay a goddamn finger on Kash.
Doc's warm palm cups my cheek, drawing my gaze away from the chaos and up to meet his vivid green eyes.
They shine with something, but I’m not sure what.
Though, I know he'd burn the world down before he let anyone hurt me.
I press a grateful kiss to his calloused palm.
"Hang tight, sweetheart," he murmurs. "I'll be right back."
With that, he strides over to join the war council forming around Damon, his broad shoulders set in a tense line.
Shiver claps him on the back in solidarity before following him.
I wrap my arms around myself, suppressing a shiver.
This is it.
This is my fucking life and it’s terrifying.
I’m just going to have to suppress those thoughts for now.
Spark comes walking up to me, eyeing the group of men over by the bar. “Hey, I wanted to talk to you. Zoe told me Doc’s cool with you two shooting, the whole women thing or whatever, but how does he feel about me in that scenario?”
I almost forgot about Spark.
Zoe and I shot the other day, but we didn’t include Spark.
He chuckles lightly, “Your expression tells me you haven’t talked to him about it. I’m gonna do that, though, okay? I don’t want it puttin’ any strain on your relationship and it feels like the right thing to do.”
I shoot him a soft smile. “Thank you, Spark. I really appreciate that.”