Iona
T ogether, Lindy and I had banged out a plan by midday, and I was so excited about it. We’d even allocated days to do certain things. We had called Rosalea and included her so she didn’t feel left out. Rosalea was now working with Soar at the tattoo parlour and enjoying herself immensely. She loved being a receptionist and bossing everyone about, and Soar had privately admitted to Warden that Rosalea was a real support.
I’d sniggered when I told my best friend that, as she’d blushed. In our previous jobs, criticise more than praise was practised. I’d not gone back to work, staying instead to help Warden out. Each week I ordered the food delivery and ensured that the laundry was done, although I was doing it more than the whores. Considering the amount of time I spent around the clubhouse, I was rather shocked I had not noticed the Service Men as I’d taken to calling them.
Warden had surprised me because he was all about being an alpha and swinging his dick. The others were the same. Even the sisters could bust balls like a man. But having guys who were basically club skanks was shocking to me because, as I said, so progressive.
A smile crossed my lips. Lindy had put the whores in their place, and the clubhouse looked cleaner than it had done for a few weeks. I could smell polish and bleach in the air. As Lindy pointed out, it was now my job to manage the bitches and make sure they did their work. I’d been uncertain since getting with Warden on how far to go. Nobody could or would dispute that Lindy was Queen Bee. No way was I stepping on her toes.
Lindy had earned her place, and despite my role as Warden’s old lady giving me rank over Lindy, it didn’t sit well to insult her by stealing her position. But I’d noticed Lindy deferring to me for certain things, and I was hoping we’d find a balance. Rosalea just deferred to both of us.
My job now was helping Warden in his office with his invoices and keeping the accounts. I knew that the club managed illegal shit, but that never crossed my path. Lindy had her own office and somehow, I thought, she dealt with that side. Warden paid me for my role, but I also had access to his card if I needed anything.
It had been something that we’d fought over. I wanted to earn my own money; Warden didn’t want me to leave the compound, not after the threat McKay issued. He’d kicked off at Rosalea working for Soar. Warden had only agreed on the condition she worked the same shifts as Soar. Plus, Soar’s artists weren’t exactly men people argued with. Each of them would have been welcome to join the Royal Bastards if they wished to.
But I wasn’t allowed off the compound without an escort, one of the family, and there was no way I was going to get a job elsewhere. Warden had said he’d let me, but my employer had better get used to me having a biker bodyguard. That settled that. I ended up working at the clubhouse for the MC.
And to be honest, I was scared of leaving the compound. What McKay had done to frighten me had given me nightmares. Warden slept soundly, but I woke up sweating and crying silently. If Warden knew how affected I was, he’d go crazy, and I did not want that. I needed Warden alive and whole, not hurt or killed. RMBC was one percenter, I wasn’t stupid; I knew what the diamond on their cut meant. But there were lines they didn’t cross. For McKay, there wasn’t a single boundary he wouldn’t break.
I glanced up as Fists came towards me.
“You doing that room?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m going to get it ready in a moment, and then I need to pop into town. Um, Fists, would you mind…” I replied.
Fists had begun walking away when I started speaking but stopped.
“What?” he demanded.
“I don’t want to go alone,” I muttered, and Fists stared at me. He didn’t say anything for a long time, and I squirmed.
“Get the guest rooms ready, Iona, and I’ll take you into town,” he said gently.
I was shocked that Fists had agreed and even more so that he’d been gentle. Fists and the old timers were certainly holding a grudge and did not care who knew it. They were never outright disrespectful or hateful, but they’d leave a room or ignore me completely.
“Thank you. I’m just…” I tried to explain, and Fists shook his head.
“McKay.”
“Exactly. He scares me,” I whispered.
“McKay should. The asshole is dangerous and unpredictable. Even with our boys’ and girls’ talents, I wouldn’t ever underestimate him. RBMC can take him out, and one day we will. But for now, we don’t need to start shit.”
“He still thinks Rosalea’s his daughter,” I offered.
“Good. Let him think that. It’ll protect Rosalea. If McKay finds out she’s not, all bets are off, and he’ll come for both of you. The kid’s murder is unsolved. McKay will put you both in the ground if he discovers Rosalea’s not his. That’ll start a war where it will end with the last man standing,” Fists said.
“I get it.”
“Good. Go ready that room and find me. I’ll be here,” Fists ordered and walked off.
◆◆◆
Two hours later, I was sat in a reinforced SUV with Fists and Pipe, both riding their Harleys escorting me into town. I received some strange looks until people saw the cuts on Pipe and Fist’s backs, and then they turned away quickly. Nobody wanted to gain the attention of the RBMC.
I parked in Main Street as Pipe and Fists pulled in next to me. Fists opened my car door, and I climbed out.
“Where to?” he questioned.
“I need to visit some food shops and place a large order,” I answered, and Pipe wrinkled his nose.
“You couldn’t do that online?” he mumbled.
“No. I wanted to ensure they didn’t ignore my orders,” I stated, and Pipe nodded.
“Yeah. What’s this for?” he asked.
“Christmas.”
Pipe and Fists stared at me in surprise.
“Thought it was only you and Warden?” Pipe asked.
“No. Where did you hear that from?” I responded, confused.
“Warden. Prez said you were planning Christmas,” Fists replied.
“For all of us,” I explained, and both men looked at each other.
“Don’t know what I rightly feel about that, Iona,” Pipe mused thoughtfully.
“No? Don’t you remember a huge assed breakfast, lots of presents and dinner being served? Everyone falling to sleep in armchairs and on sofas? What about the evening meal where there were loads of food and drink, and we had music and people danced? Or we played games first and then did that,” I said.
“You remember that?” Fists replied, surprised.
“Yeah. Don’t you?”
“I do, kid. Just didn’t know that you remembered all that,” Fists murmured softly.
“I did. And I want it again this year. Lindy, Rosalea and I are planning this down to the finest detail. And making sure we get our food orders is paramount,” I said and headed towards the butchers we always ordered from.
Truthfully, we’d never had an order go missing, but you never knew what levels spite might rise to at Christmas. If someone got the chance to ruin the club’s happy time, I’m certain they would. Being face to face when I placed my order ensured things wouldn’t go walk abouts, be misplaced or get lost. I’d be able to sign off on the delivery, and having two brothers with me would make any shopkeeper think twice about screwing me over.
After the butcher, I popped along to the other shops we used. I was pretty passionate about supporting local businesses and rarely bought from a chain store. Warden also encouraged us buying locally, mainly because we owed a lot of businesses in town.
As I crossed the road heading towards my favourite delicatessen when, I walked straight into Pearl. I froze as she stepped back and went to walk past before she realised it was me. A sneer appeared on her face as she took in my cut.
“Didn’t take him long,” she said.
“A pleasure to see you too,” I replied and felt a presence at my back and guessed Fists and Pipe were there.
“Your warden let you out,” Pearl sneered, trying to be clever with her words.
“I don’t have much to say to you, and I’m rather busy,” I responded, stepping away from her.
“Wait! My daughter? Rosalea?” Pearl asked.
“What about her?”
“Is she okay?” Pearl questioned, and Fists snorted.
“You’re seriously asking if Rosalea is good after she discovered the truth? That you lied to her father, to Warden, and to everybody else because you were a jealous bitch? That you destroyed a good man simply because you couldn’t accept his love. You knew who you got involved with, and if you had doubts, you shouldn’t have dated Berserker. Your jealousy drove you to destroy everyone and everything around you. And you dare stand there and ask how Rosalea is?” I snapped.
Pearl didn’t flinch or look away. She held my gaze.
“I asked you politely, how is my daughter?”
“Rosalea is very happy with her family. She has settled in perfectly well, almost as if she’s never been away,” Pipe said.
Pearl flinched then.
“And she is planning a Christmas bonanza with this one. It’s like they’ve never been away,” Fists added insult to injury.
“Was I talking to you?” Pearl jibed.
“I do not care, but you stopped our Prez’s old lady,” Pipe replied.
To my utter amazement, Pearl ignored them and faced me. “Rosalea is planning Christmas with the MC?”
“I don’t think that’s any of your concern. You’ve burned your bridges with me, and my business isn’t yours,” I stated. Inside, I was shaking.
Pearl had been a huge part of my life and had replaced my parents as a mother. But I looked at her now and realised how manipulative and cruel she was. According to Pearl, everything in the world revolved around her. I recognised the kindness she had shown me hadn’t been that at all.
It had been about having another person adore Pearl and boost her fragile ego. The years of Pearl guiding me had been about Pearl getting one over on Warden and Berserker. She’d used me to hurt Berserker and Warden. I’d never meant anything to her other than being a weapon to hurt good men.
As for Rosalea, I’d no idea if Pearl really loved her child or not. But Rosalea and I had been badly damaged by Pearl’s actions, and we weren’t the only ones. Berserker had gone to his grave thinking Rosalea was McKay’s daughter, and Warden had believed it for ten years. Instead, Rosalea had been Berserker’s child all along. It was time Rosalea could never get back with her father or Warden. And all because Pearl was a total bitch.
“Don’t back chat me!” Pearl exclaimed.
“You mean nothing. Now, if you don’t mind, I have a family Christmas to plan,” I said and stepped past her.
She reached out a hand, and Pipe knocked it away.
“Do not touch her. As far as you are concerned, Iona does not exist,” he warned, and he and Fists took my sides as we walked off.
“Iona!” Pearl called. I didn’t stop and kept walking.
“Are you okay?” Pipe asked as we approached the shop I wanted.
“Yup.”
“Girl, you’re shaking,” Fists said.
“I hate confrontations. But it doesn’t mean I can’t hold my own. But that woman, for most of my life, I idolised her, and she was a lying, manipulative bitch. She shook me. That was the first time I’ve seen her since the truth came out. To be honest, just want to go home and hide away. But that would be letting her win, I didn’t lie and cheat. I was stupid enough to be gullible and believe her, but I wasn’t out to destroy anyone. I won’t let her shame me,” I replied.
Fists reached out and caught my arm. Without a word, he pulled me in close and hugged me tightly.
“You look like you needed that,” Fists said as he released me.
I offered a tremulous smile and held back tears.
“Let’s offer my cheese,” I whispered.
◆◆◆
Pipe was winking at a waitress as we sat in the diner to order food. Despite it being late afternoon, the Old Timers had decided they wanted lunch.
“Did you see that?” I asked as the woman walked away with our drink orders.
“What?” Fists asked.
“The diner is up for sale,” I pointed out. There was a small sign in the window.
“Huh,” Pipe replied.
“Weird. Because it’s always so busy in here,” I mused as I looked around. All but one table was taken, which seemed strange the business was being sold. It was a gold mine.
“You come here often?” Pipe inquired.
“I used to come at least three times a week with Rosalea for lunch, and we’d have dinner here on a Thursday,” I said. “It doesn’t make sense that the owner is selling because this is a nice little money maker.”
The waitress returned at that moment and snorted.
“What do you know?” Pipe asked, and she looked around.
“The owner has a gambling habit, horses, and it does not matter how successful this place is. He gambles the profits before they even hit the bank,” she murmured and placed our drinks down in front of us.
We ordered our dinner, and I could see how impressed they were by the quality of it.
“Decent chow,” Fists replied.
“They do really nice food. It is a shame they’re shutting. Rosalea will be upset too,” I declared, feeling sad. Why are people such idiots?
“If it’s a good money maker, Warden might be interested,” Pipe said.
“Oh. That would be great, especially if you keep the staff on. The cooks certainly would be hard to replace,” I suggested.
“The owner doesn’t cook?” Fists asked.
“Not that I’ve seen. He’s rarely here. The waitress over there seems to double as a manager.” I nodded to a woman who was serving a family with a friendly smile.
“I’m gonna hit the john, and we’ll make a move unless you’ve got anything else to do?” Pipe inquired as he rose to his feet.
I shook my head as Fists headed towards the till to pay and I glanced out the window and froze.
On a bike opposite the diner was McKay. He was flanked by his VP, Knife, and another biker. McKay was staring straight at me, and terror rose inside me. My throat tightened as I let out a tiny squeak, and McKay smiled. I swear he could smell my fear from where he was sitting. He raised his arm and saluted me before making a movement to imitate zipping his lips. Then he slashed a finger across his neck.
A hand landed on my shoulder, and I nearly screamed as I glanced up and saw Pipe. His other went to his cut, which he opened a little, and I spotted a weapon there.
McKay’s smirk disappeared, and he glowered, but Pipe's warning was clear. I was protected by the RBMC, and I was a member of the club. Pipe yanked me back against him and held McKay’s gaze.
McKay sneered and reeved his bike before speeding away. His message had been sent. McKay was watching the compound and me. But Pipe had sent his own. One that McKay hadn’t liked.
McKay had no right being in Camden, and the fact he had appeared was cause for grief. This was RBMC territory, not Screaming Barons. I’d no doubt Warden would retaliate against this. He had to. Or McKay would think that he’d got one over us.
“Car now,” Pipe said as Fists returned. I nodded and hurried out of the diner. On the way back to the motor, I kept swivelling my head, looking for another sign of the Screaming Barons, but there wasn’t any.
We drove to the compound quickly and Warden was waiting with Undertaker. I’d not even switched the SUV off and Warden was dragging me from it. He drew me in close, and I relaxed into his arms, letting him comfort me.
“Bad day, baby?” he murmured, and I nodded. He stroked my hair as he turned us to face Undertaker.
“Get Dynamo and Vogue. We’ve got a point to make,” he ordered to Undertaker. Our VP nodded and disappeared.
“You can update me fully. Let me deal with Iona,” he said to Pipe and Fists. “Thanks for protecting her brothers.”
“Nothing less than we’d do for your woman,” Pipe replied, and he and Fists headed inside.
“If I weren’t claimed by you, he’d have left me hanging,” I muttered and let out a bitter laugh.
Warden sighed, he couldn’t disagree.
“Shit will take time, Iona. You knew that. But they’re slowly coming around. This Christmas thing is a step in the right direction,” he replied.
“I know. I just want things to be perfect.”
“Perfection doesn’t exist, baby,” Warden responded.
“Yeah, it does. I see it every day in you,” I said.
Warden chuckled and kept rubbing my back. “First my mom and then McKay. You didn’t see anyone else, did you?”
“Nope, but I think Elvis might have popped up if we’d stayed,” I quipped. The terror was subsiding. Just being in Warden’s arms did that. He made me feel safe. There was nothing that couldn’t be overcome with Warden by my side.
Warden was my safe space. The compound helped, but Warden was the one who’d always come for me. He was everything I dreamed he would be and more. Nobody could hurt me as long as Warden was around. The terror finally fled as Warden kissed my forehead. This man would slay dragons for me, and demons would quake in fear if they crossed him.
And I did not mean his powers or the abilities of the club. Warden was strong and capable and knew his own strengths and weaknesses and owned them. That was something a lot of people didn’t or wouldn’t face.
“When you go out, you’ll need two on you at all times. Don’t risk yourself, baby. Obey your escorts, they’ll only be looking out for you,” Warden said.
I nodded and felt better.
“What about Rosalea?”
“I think she is safe. As long as McKay thinks she’s his daughter, he won’t move on her. But he might try sending her a message, too. Meanwhile, I’ve one of my own to send,” Warden replied.
“Should we warn her about Pearl and McKay?”
“Yes. Soar will keep an eye on her, and we’ve bullet proof glass in the parlour. Even so, he needs to be aware as well.”
“Soar doesn’t have an ability if I remember correctly,” I muttered.
“Nope, but I’d hate to be anyone who pisses him off. His temper is a damn ability on its own. If Soar goes Nuclear, then everyone’s gotta duck and run,” Warden replied with a chuckle.
“Wow.”
“Come on, baby. Let’s head in. I’m sure Lindy will want to hear everything,” he said and walked me towards the doors with his arm around my shoulders.
In that moment, I was safe and brave. Fuck Pearl and McKay. They weren’t going to ruin my life.