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CHAPTER EIGHT

ELSIE

The kids giggle as they play on the play set the clubhouse has at the compound. I was shocked to see a steel wall come up from the ground when Dutch flipped a switch. It took seconds to appear. They said it’s for protection for the kids.

I know that I should not want my kids around a club that invites danger, but I also know the members will do whatever it takes to protect one of theirs.

I look around and see some of the guys cleaning their bikes, or working on them. There is one prospect who is cleaning the windows, and one by the gate. I was told he is also there for protection.

Solo and two other members have been missing for three days. It makes my heart hurt a little knowing he didn’t come to say goodbye before he left to do whatever he needed to do. He told me that I’m not ready for him, and to a degree, I agree with him, but I also can’t ignore how he makes me feel.

For years I felt dirty, not worthy of a man’s attention, but yet, I crave Solo’s. I have since that day at the hospital and I saw how fiercely protective he was of me and the kids. It was something triggered deep inside of me. Adele told me one day, that it was like a switch goes off in the Huskins’ men’s heads when they meet their women.

Whenever I think of Solo, my body heats up like never before. Not that I have a lot of experience. I have only ever been with Nigel.

“Mum, did you see how high I went?” Ricky calls out to me.

“I did, sweetheart. You are going to give me a heart attack one day, kiddo.” He giggles.

Ruthie climbs over the climbing frame, waving at me like a loon. Her smile is infectious, and I smile back. Seeing them so happy and carefree makes my heart full and happy.

I want to wear that smile for Kane. With him gone, I have had time to think over what he said to me, that I wasn’t ready for him. It got me thinking and I am ready for him. Being able to heal away from everyone and not have pressure has made me see that I am worthy of love, even if that comes in the form of a big biker who looks intimidating to most, but not me. I see Kane for who he is.

“Girl, why are you walking like that?” I hear from behind me.

Without making it too obvious, I look over my shoulder and see three of the club girls talking, giggling about something.

“I had Solo the last night he was here. He came into my room late and he was like a fucking beast. My ass has felt it for days after,” she brags.

My heart cracks and my stomach rolls from her words.

So he did leave me to go to another woman, then he left without saying anything. A woman he is no doubt used to shagging. I lick my dry lips, as my mouth and throat go suddenly dry. I try to concentrate on my kids, but it’s like my ears can only focus on their voices.

“Oh god, I remember when he used to fuck me. I would feel it for days.” The club girl’s voice is sing-song as she remembers what he felt like.

I pull at the hem of my dress, my vision blurring with tears.

God, I always get fooled by these men. Karma must have bets on how much she can make me suffer.

I rehash the words he said before he left.

“ Fucking minx. You are not ready for what I want to give you, baby. I need to go before I lose all control and scare the living shit out of you.”

He won’t need to touch me to scare me away; it will be the lying and hiding things from me. I know we’re not together right now, but I had hoped that from the way he has been with me, it might be a possibility; that we could be something.

“He likes his cock sucked too. Loved me licking it. He says I give the best head. He once said that if he got an ol’ lady, he would still come to me because he loves my mouth so much.”

I gag, vomit rising in my mouth. Tears rush down my cheeks, and I quickly brush them away. My heart is cracking wide open.

He told me I wasn’t ready for him. Was that code for him saying he would be fucking other women while he waits for me? If that’s the case then he can fuck off. Over the years, I was sure that Nigel cheated on me, but I was too fucked up to confront him. I am stronger now.

I will not live my life under the thumb of another man.

I brush away my tears as they giggle some more.

I shouldn’t let their words get to me, but they penetrate my soul when the girls carry on speaking, their words hitting their mark.

“When Dutch found out that he’d knocked up that bitch of an ol’ lady, Solo said that he would never have kids. They suck all the fun out of a biker’s life. So when he fucks me, I am making sure that I make him glove up. No way do I want a kid to get in the way of me taking a cock like his,” one girl says.

He doesn’t want kids? I have seen him with my children and he acts like he cares for them. Hell, he even said that they were his kids to protect as I was his woman.

His mixed signals are going to cause not only me, but Ruthie and Ricky, so much heartache and pain. None of us deserve this.

Was this some kind of game from the start? Get the poor, weak, battered woman to fall for him, then he would leave her high and dry, saying he got what he wanted because I was emotionally scarred?

Shit, I’m going to be sick.

The club girls giggle more. I chance a look at them and I make eye contact with one. She smirks at me, cocking a brow, letting me know that she knows I heard them.

I know I have no claim over Ka—no, he is no longer Kane to me—over Solo, but I had hoped that one day I would.

“Ruthie, Ricky, come on, let’s go inside. I will sort a snack for you,” I call to them, needing to get away from these women.

Adele and Una warned me about them. I was shocked when Adele told me that Kink cheated on her a few times with club girls, before he sorted his shit out and she took him back. Adele is strong and fierce, and a little weird about sex in public, but each to their own.

I know they have this connection, but I know deep in my soul I will never take back a man who cheated on me again. Nigel broke a part of me when I found out he was doing it, but my life was already tied to him.

The kids come rushing towards me. They see I’m upset the second they come to a stop in front of me.

“Mummy, what’s wrong?” Ruthie asks, concern lacing her voice.

Ricky looks to the side, seeing the barely dressed women, and a frown hits his face and his nostrils flare. Pride swells in my chest at seeing a more protective side coming out of him. Even in a short time, these men have made him see that he is stronger than he was led to believe.

“What are you looking at, brat?” one of the women calls out to my son.

My defences go up, and I step in front of them both.

“You do not speak to my kids.” My body is already filled with so many different emotions after hearing their bragging about being with Solo, but hearing her address my son makes the anger take precedence.

“Then tell him to stop perving on me then. You need to learn to keep your kids on a leash, fatty,” she replies. Her and her friends giggle, and it makes my blood heat in my veins.

“What did you just say?” I grind out, stepping forward, then remember that I have the kids with me. I do not want them to see me lashing out. I need to show them that hitting people is wrong, unless they hit you first. Then it’s game on.

“So, you’re deaf as well as fat. Fuck knows what Solo sees in you. I guess it’s why he came to me after he left your room.” She smirks, and I want nothing more than to wipe the look off her face with a vat of acid.

“You can say whatever the hell you want about me, but you do not say anything about my kids. You don’t even look at them.” I refrain from swearing even though I know the kids hear it around the clubhouse.

“I can say whatever the hell I want. Your brat was perving on me. It’s disgusting. I guess he learned that from his dad.”

My blood reaches boiling point. I am shaking with anger as hot lava fills my veins.

“Mum,” Ruthie whispers, sensing the change in my body.

“Go inside,” I tell them. They listen, thankfully, running indoors. The second I hear the door close, I move.

Their eyes widen in fear, but they stand their ground. Seeing their reaction, I unleash everything I have been holding in.

“You just called my ten-year-old son a pervert. Do you hear how fucking wrong that is? Your job is to literally fuck men for the sake of fucking them and you call my son a pervert for looking at you? Believe me, he was not looking at you for his pleasure; he was looking at you because my son could sense that you three were being bitches. As for the whole Solo shit that you have been spewing, you can fucking have him. I’m not interested in a man who can’t stay faithful. Been there, done that shit. I am stronger now and no one will hurt me or my kids.” I snarl at them and lean forward, putting me and the main bitch nose to nose.

My body is vibrating in ager, my chest heaving with hard breaths as I stand up for myself and my kids.

She goes to speak, but fear flashes in her eyes as they focus on something behind me.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention, and I know who is behind me without looking.

Shit, just my bloody luck.