Page 13
CHAPTER
TWELVE
ZOEY
I’m sitting at my desk trying not to laugh as I go through the paint swatches Icer delivered to me this morning, telling me to pick the colors of the houses I wanted that complimented my house. He is actually moving into the house on my right since the master bedroom’s window faces Elodie’s. He says he can better protect her if she’s in his direct line of sight. Then he grumbled something about her becoming a teenager and sneaking boys in or climbing out to meet one. He declared he’d nip that shit in the bud real fast. I wouldn’t be surprised if he added bars to her window or set up some kind of traps near it, and I may need to talk to Harrison to make sure Icer doesn’t go too far.
Nobody touches his princess unless they pass the test.
What test that is, I don’t know and don’t want to know. His heart is in the right place, and honestly, I don’t want to discourage him from keeping boys out of my house and her inside of it while I’m sleeping. It’s years from now that we have to worry about that, but the fact that he’s already thinking ahead eases the stress of when that day does finally arrive. Not that I think Harrison wouldn’t have had precautions in place. He’s just as protective over my baby girl as Icer is.
When the doorbell jingles, indicating someone’s come into the building, I leave the filing room, otherwise known as my office, and go in that direction. My feet pause when I see Riptide standing there with his arms crossed, taking in the room. I haven’t met him personally, but there are photos of him along the walls so I know exactly who he is.
“Welcome back,” I tell him as I hold my hand out to shake his. It’s the proper way to introduce yourself to your old man’s president. “Would you like anything to drink? I know you were on the road a long time, El Paso, right?”
“Thereabout,” he answers, clutching my hand with his gigantic one and shaking it. “Zoey. It’s nice to finally meet you in person. How are you liking your role here so far?”
Not taking offense to the fact he didn’t take me up on the refreshment offer, I answer, “I’m settling in, getting the hang of things. I’m grateful for the opportunity seeing as everything I did before was under the table and menial.”
Needing to do something active with my hands, I walk over to the fridge in the corner where we keep a stash of bottled water, I pull one out for him and myself. I pass him his, to which he nods his head and I see a flash of amusement cross his face.
“Good. I thought I’d stop in on my way to the clubhouse and introduce myself since you’re now on Kings payroll. I’d also like to have a chat with you if you have the time,” he decrees.
“Of course, after all, you do sign my paychecks,” I tease. He cracks a fraction of a smile but waves his hand over toward the couches without saying anything back. I tuck my lips in my mouth and walk to them and elegantly take a seat, pushing my skirt underneath my legs so I don’t accidentally flash him. There are some things your boss doesn’t need to witness.
“This won’t take long, but I wanted to make sure you understood a few things,” he supplies. “First of all, I want it understood that anything you see or hear while working here doesn’t get shared by you… to anyone.”
“I’m a vault,” I disclose, pretending to zip my lips. “It’s like Vegas, what happens here stays here.”
He must be taken aback by my verbiage because his mouth opens and closes a few times before he starts chuckling. “Good analogy. I like it. People’s lives may depend on you, Zoey. You do understand that, don’t you?”
“Honestly, anything that doesn’t have to do with me or my job, isn’t any of my business. I’m a nosey person by nature, I’m a woman and I won’t apologize for what’s ingrained in my DNA. Curiosity killed the cat, I get that and would prefer not to go through all nine of my lives. Sorry, I babble when I’m nervous.” I lean back, sigh, and lick my dry lips as I gather my thoughts. “However, I need you to understand that the most important people in my life are tied to this job and motorcycle club. Therefore, I’ll never purposely stick around and eavesdrop, nor will I ever share with anybody, not even you, anything I happen to hear. Icer, and Harrison, sorry, Indiana, are my family and I’ll do whatever necessary to keep them alive and out of jail so you don’t have to fear anything from me.”
“You’re going to be one helluva old lady, Zoey. I’m glad you found your way to us,” Riptide relays. “You’re just as valuable to my brothers as they are to you. This weekend, we have a family barbecue planned, join us and bring the little one. I’d like for you to get to know the rest of us.”
“I’d like that, thank you for extending the invitation, Riptide. I’m looking forward to getting to know the men I saw through my bathroom window,” I titter. “Did you hear about that?”
“I did. I’m glad we were able to clear out those individuals,” he grinds out through gritted teeth. “Icer and Indiana were displeased when they learned who was surrounding you. Tell me a little bit about what you saw.”
I lose track of time while Riptide and I crack up at the antics of his men as they dragged people from their homes. When I tell him how Icer had me convinced I had vermin living in my house, and my refusal to leave my car until they’d all been relocated or annihilated, he laughs so hard tears streak down his cheeks. “So, instead of telling you they needed to remove the pests in your neck of the woods, they convinced you that you had a rodent problem? That’s fucking classic. I’d expect that teasing from Indiana, but not Icer.”
“I’ve heard that about him, but I’ve never seen the side I’ve been warned about,” I state, still conflicted about the man I know versus the one I’ve heard stories about. I’ve seen no signs of his violent tendencies, but then again, according to Indiana, he’s on his best behavior around me and Elodie.
He looks up at the ceiling and exhales. “Splicer, our medic, found a cocktail that settles the beast inside of him. I only want him taking it when he’s doing errands, I don’t want him using the blend when he’s on missions. My understanding is that they haven’t had to give him anything since I’ve been away. Your girl may be his miracle drug. I’m hopeful that we don’t have to keep injecting him with anything and that now that he’s found a connection with Elodie, he’ll mellow.”
“He’s been really good to her and she’s eating it up,” I reveal. “After my grandparents passed, it was just her and me and I didn’t have the time nor the finances to spoil her.”
Her playroom is an absolute work of art at this point, and her bedroom, which Icer had the prospects come in and paint so it would be more princess-like, now boasts a turret in the corner that Icer found someone to build, so she has a reading nook. A reading nook for a child who’s not even five. I’m pretty sure Icer will toss out the three-gift rule I keep trying to enforce when Christmas comes around, but I figure I’ve got quite a few months to get him reined in so hopefully, I’ll be successful.
“Talk to me about your parents, Zoey, are they going to be an issue? Indiana told me they forced your hand and made you move back home. Any idea why that is?”
“I’ve thought about it, and the only thing I can come up with is that they want something to hold over my head. I get a monthly allowance from them for being here,” I impart.
“Does Indiana know that tidbit?” he inquires, and when I twist my head and look in the other direction, he blows out a breath. “Is there a reason you haven’t told him that?”
“Because he can’t save me from everything,” I explain. “Now that I’ve been offered this position and am earning my own money, I don’t have to let them interfere in my life in any way whatsoever. I no longer have to tolerate their ‘monthly check ins’ where they give me a bundle of cash. My survival is no longer dependent on them.”
“Are your folks aware of that yet, Zoey?”
“No, they aren’t, but they will be in another four days,” I fess up.
“You won’t be having that meeting with them alone. Do they call first or show up on those set days?” Riptide asks.
“Depends on their mood,” I drone. “They called last time so I doubt they will this time.”
“Is there a certain time of day they make an appearance?” This is starting to feel like an interrogation, but since his heart is in the right place, I don’t give him any attitude when I shake my head no. “You’ve got an attached garage, correct?”
“Yeah. I don’t use it often though because the door jams and only opens half the time,” I convey. “Why?”
“We’ll get that fixed, Zoey, but plan on taking the day off on Monday, and count on having a few houseguests.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I quickly apprise him, not wanting him, or any of the Kings, to spend their day with me when they have businesses to run. It’d be a waste of their time. “I’m not scared of them. They’re more of an annoyance than a threat.”
“That headache they give you will go away when they realize who’s at your back, Zoey. No one fucks with the Kings,” he expresses, giving me a stern look, one I’m sure he uses on his men more often than not. “There’s not a soul who resides in this town that isn’t aware of what we’re capable of.”
“Even the Onyx Dragons?” I sass.
“Not even them. We’re not scared of them, Zoey. We’re cautious and biding our time, there’s a difference. I get that this may seem like I’m stomping on your independence, but I swear to you that’s not my intention. But if this situation with your folks bothers you, it’ll trickle down to Icer and Indiana. I’m not so much worried about your old man’s reaction, but the people of Canton would evacuate en masse and it’d become a ghost town if I were to let Icer off his leash.”
I snort and expect him to be laughing, or at the very least smiling about what he just claimed, but when I glance over at him, his face is drawn and one-hundred percent serious. “You’re not joking? He’d clear the entire town out?”
“Without a doubt,” he says, lifting and lowering his shoulders with indifference. “You haven’t seen it yet, but since you’re sticking around, you will. He’s not a man to be messed with when his temper flies off the handle. There’s no containing him when he’s broken that lead and goes nomad. If he thinks there’s any kind of threat to you or your daughter, all bets will be off as to how he’ll react except to say he’ll go nuclear.”
“What does that mean? I feel like I’m asking that question a lot,” I complain.
“You may want to get used to that,” he mentions with all the seriousness he can muster. “I’ve been around these guys for years and I’m still asking what things mean and why they do the stupid shit they do.”
“Are we ever going to have a simple life with these bozos, Riptide?”
“I’ve asked myself that same question for what seems like a lifetime, Zoey.”
“So that’s a no?” I ask, tossing my arm over my eyes trying to mentally block out the core image of my future.
“Time to pull your big girl panties up, Zoey. You’re in for one helluva ride,” Riptide suggests.
“Lovely. I’m already raising one child, and now, it sounds like I’m going to have to play Mama to a clubhouse full of rugrats.”
“I wish you luck with that,” Riptide commiserates, patting my knee. “And if you figure out how to get them to listen, would you mind sharing that with me?”
Letting my arm fall down on my lap, I tell him, “If you’re a good boy.”
“Well, shit. Looks like I’ll never learn your secret to success then,” he counters. I don’t know why we both find this amusing, but we do, and when Harrison walks in to help me lock up the building and follow me home like he does every day I have a shift, he finds us leaning on each other, both of us laughing so damn hard our stomachs are cramping.