Page 11

It was hard to believe that Tinker and I had been seeing each other for only ten days. In many ways, it felt like it had been weeks. When we weren’t working, we spent every moment we could together. To have privacy meant we spent most of it at his house. Annie and Gareth said they didn’t mind if he was at their house, but it felt weird. I wasn’t comfortable kissing, much less doing anything else in their home. Sitting in the living room with him and having them either stay in their room or join us made it hard to relax and get to know each other.

We spent time with them and the club, so it wasn’t as if they didn’t get to see us. But we valued our time alone more. We were learning about each other and not just what we liked in the bedroom. In the bedroom, we seemed to be matched in every way. Tinker told me about growing up, and I told him more about my family in more detail.

His dad divorced his mom when Tinker turned eighteen. According to him, his dad waited until there was no need to pay child support. However, my man told me he wished his dad had left years earlier because he made him and his mom miserable. Mr. Halliwell Sr. didn’t love her or want to be tied down, and he took his displeasure out on them.

His mom, on the other hand, Tinker adored. She was always there for him. He’d lost her when he was twenty-nine. She died of natural causes, but he said he was convinced it was of a broken heart. She’d married his dad out of love, only to have him destroy it. His dad was still alive, but he refused to have anything to do with him. Tinker told me how, at least once a year, his dad would reach out and try to get him to have a relationship with him. It would never happen.

We discovered we were both only children who wanted siblings and since we never had them, we wanted two or more kids. He knew about my aunt, uncles, grandma, and cousin. I told him what he didn’t know about my parents.

My mom, Carrie, and my dad, Tobin, had been on par with Tinker’s dad. At least Tinker had his mom. On top of my cold mom, my dad had been a disappointment, too, just in a different way. He divorced my mom when I was six. I guess he couldn’t tolerate her toxic attitude and behavior anymore. I could understand why. What I didn’t understand was the fact he thought it was better to leave me with my mom and have nothing to do with me.

I’d been crushed, and I kept asking for him constantly for two years until, one day, I stopped. It wasn’t until I turned thirteen that he re-entered my life. He claimed he knew he’d made a terrible mistake and wanted to make up for it. We’d been slowly growing close again, but he died in a car accident when I was fifteen. We never regained what was lost.

The night I told Tinker about my dad, he’d held me while I shed tears. Why some people who didn’t want kids had them, and those who wished to have them sometimes couldn’t, made no sense to me. What was God thinking? There were so many great people out there deserving of children, and for a variety of reasons, many of them stupid, in my opinion, they weren’t eligible to adopt. But many times, an abused child was allowed to go back to his abusive parents. Go figure.

When we’d talked ourselves out about blood families and the challenges and headaches with them, we then turned to chosen families, such as the Punishers and the brotherhood they had. But it went beyond the guys. The women and kids were included and cherished by all members, not just the ones they belonged to. Tinker shared more with me about his life and the type of people he wanted nothing to do with.

Annie and Gareth tried not to ask me too many questions, but it was hard, especially for Annie. She wanted to know if things were going well and if we were serious. I gave them enough information so they knew we were doing well, but I was reserved about telling them more. Maybe it was due to my inner worry that something would go wrong.

I stayed again last night with Tinker. He wanted me to ride with him to the job site, but I didn’t think it was a good idea. People knowing we were involved was one thing. His guys seeing him coming to work with the person paying them to renovate might cause hard feelings or resentment. You never know how things may trigger someone. I wanted to avoid those. He’d grumbled but went along with it in the end, as long as it didn’t continue forever. I had errands anyway and needed my car to run them. I did plan at some point to stop at the site and see how it was going.

I spent the morning at Gareth and Annie’s house working on my designs. I had so many already but got them down quickly when new inspirations struck. My sketchbooks, colored pencils, and markers were there. The two of them were working at the diner, so I had the whole place to myself. I planned to head over to see Tinker and the worksite after I finished my sketches and went to the post office to pick up a delivery. I figured it was swatch samples for the office. I was getting them in spurts from different places.

I’d just put away my sketchbook after a satisfying sketching session when I heard a knock at the door. I wondered who would be knocking this time of day. Everyone knew my aunt and uncle were working, and I had no clue who would be there for me. Maybe someone had the wrong address or needed directions. Hurrying to answer it, I pleasantly smiled when I opened the door. This being Bristol, I didn’t worry about crime. Yes, Bristol had it, but not in this area of town. Gareth and Annie had told me how safe it was where they lived. The smile immediately dropped off, and a scowl replaced it. Standing there was Warrick, aka Rick. What the fuck did he want?

“What’re you doing here?” I asked.

“Is that any way to greet someone? I know you moved to this hick town, but surely you have a few manners left, Haven. You and I need to talk. Let me in,” he replied.

“Rick, you and I have nothing to say, so you don’t need to come in. Where’s Jubilee? Out causing drama somewhere else, I hope. Why would you come here? How did you know where I lived?” I was positive Gareth hadn’t given any of them his address. I knew I hadn’t.

“Don’t worry about how I got your address. Jubilee is helping her mom. You’re the one who likes to cause drama. I came so we could settle this problem with the inheritance once and for all. It’s ridiculous. Your grandma had more than you and Gareth. We don’t know how you brainwashed her to cut everyone else out of her will, but it’s not right.” He stepped closer. I think he thought I’d step back and he’d be able to enter the house. I stood my ground. When he saw I wasn’t moving, he frowned.

“Haven, stop it. Let’s go inside and talk. The whole neighborhood doesn’t need to know our business.”

“There’s no such thing as our business, and you’re not stepping foot in this house. This house belongs to Annie and Gareth. They dictate who’s allowed inside, and I know you’re not on the list. As for the neighbors, I couldn’t care less who hears us. You’re the one in the wrong. Let them see what an ass you are,” I said with a smirk.

I’d never feared Rick, as he liked to be called. He’d never tried to get physical with me. Could he? Maybe, but he’d be in for a surprise if he did. I wasn’t a meek pushover, despite what he thought. He may have fooled me once, but never again.

His frown turned into a scowl. He moved further into my personal space. I was about to remove him in a way that would leave him with a lasting impression, but I was distracted by the roar of a motorcycle. Automatically, I thought of Tinker and wondered why he’d be coming here at this time of day. He knew I was meeting him later.

Scanning the street, I saw a bike coming closer. I was able to see it wasn’t his, but the biker on it was familiar. He came roaring up into the driveway. As soon as he came to a stop, the engine cut off, and he was off his bike, striding toward us. Rick had taken a step back from me.

“Sandman, what’re you doing here?” I asked.

“I came to see what this clown was doing on your doorstep. I thought it would be better if I chased him off rather than have Tinker tear his head off when he gets here,” Sandman said, smiling at me and then sneering at Rick. “Motherfucker, you’d better clear off,” he snapped to Rick.

I watched Rick try to stand taller. I didn’t know if he thought it would make him more intimidating or appear larger, but it didn’t matter. Sandman had him beaten in every way.

“I don’t know who you think you are, but this isn’t any of your business. If you don’t leave, I’ll call the cops,” Rick threatened.

Sandman threw back his head and laughed. When he finished, he taunted Rick. There was no other word for it. “Go for it. I might go to jail, but not before I make sure there’s a reason to arrest my ass. You’ll be in the hospital, and I can promise you’ll never be the same again.”

At this point, though I was enjoying the sweat on Rick’s forehead and the way he was growing paler, I needed to know something. “Sandman, how did you know he was here?”

He gave me what I thought was an indulgent look. “Hav, you live with Annie, a friend of the club. We’ve got her place under surveillance to ensure her safety. We always have. However, if we didn’t, do you honestly think a woman belonging to one of us wouldn’t have her residence watched and secure? If you’re not staying with Tinker, you’re watched to ensure your safety. When the alert went out that this shithead was here, I was the closest, so I came over. Your man should be here soon.”

It was as if he’d conjured them out of thin air with his words. The roar of motorcycle engines caught my attention again. I watched as the seconds ticked by until more bikers came into view. No surprise, leading the way was Tinker. I could see the pissed look he wore even at a distance. Rick stepped further away.

Sandman grabbed his arm and shook his head. “Stay right here. You didn’t listen. Now, it’s time to pay the price. I hope you have a will.”

Tinker came to a squealing halt next to Sandman’s bike. The others found spots along the sidewalk and behind them in the driveway. He shot off his bike, barely waiting for it to come to a stop and shut off. He stormed toward us. I knew if I didn’t do something, Rick would be a bloody spot on the ground. I didn’t care about him, but I didn’t want Tinker to go to jail for such a little prick.

I rushed toward Tinker. His arms opened, and I jumped into them. I was the one to grasp his neck and pull his head down so I could latch onto his mouth. He hoisted me up, using his hands to hold me there by my ass cheeks. My legs went around him. There were wolf whistles and cheers from the guys as we kissed. I didn’t know how long it lasted, but it eventually had to end. I hated to let go, but I knew we had to deal with Rick. Maybe this had calmed my man enough that he wouldn’t commit murder.

There was a different fire in his eyes when we parted, but it was already turning to the other kind. “Vance, don’t get into trouble because of him. He’s not worth it. I’m fine,” I whispered, so only he heard me.

“Witch, I won’t make promises I can’t keep. It’s good you’re alright. If not, he’d already be on his way to the compound. He must be a dense motherfucker. I’m going to get the point across this time. If it doesn’t stick, it’s on him what happens next time,” he muttered.

I wasn’t used to having anyone protecting me, let alone a whole group. Glancing at the others, I saw they weren’t much happier than Tinker. They stared holes through Rick, who Sandman still had in his grip.

“Put me down,” I told Tinker.

He slowly let me slide down his body. I knew why. He wanted me to feel how hard he was. When my feet touched the ground and I stepped away, I patted his bulge lightly. I thought I did it covertly enough, but the snickers I heard told me I hadn’t. Even though my face turned red, I winked at the guys, making them chuckle. I had to own it if I was going to be a biker’s woman.

As Tinker walked toward Rick, I went to follow. Mayhem halted me with a hand on my arm. “Stay here, sweetheart. Let your man deal with this. If you get hurt if things go south, he’ll be doubly pissed.”

We were close enough to hear and see everything, so I remained where I was. Tinker stomped up to Rick until he was inches from him. Rick appeared ready to hurl.

“I don’t know what your malfunction is, fuckhead, but I’m here to fix it. I thought I made myself clear the day we met on the street. You and your bitch aren’t welcome. Haven wants nothing to do with either of you. Gareth wants nothing to do with you. That means there’s no reason for you to show your face in this town, let alone come to my woman’s home and speak to her,” Tinker growled.

“W-we have family business with them. Something we need to get fixed,” Rick said. His eyes darted all over the place before landing on me.

“Hey, eyes on me. They won’t help you, and neither will she. I know all about your supposed family business. It’s bullshit. The money isn’t yours. Her grandmother gave it to the people who meant the most to her and had time for her. That was never that bitch Jubilee or the rest of that pathetic family you’re tying yourself to.”

“Gareth was never around, so why was he given money? And Haven, sure, she stayed with her, but she got free room and board for years from it. How does that make her more entitled than Jubilee or the others?” Rick replied.

“Because she did it out of love. She did more for her grandma than you know. She put her life on hold to do it while the rest did whatever they pleased. They got some keepsakes. They need to be glad they got those and move the hell on. I’m not standing by and allowing you or them to harass Haven. You’ll go back and tell the rest of those parasites that any more visits, calls, texts, or emails will stop. Forget they exist. Get on with your lives. If you don’t, you won’t like my response. You’re lucky I’m letting you go this time,” Tinker snarled.

“What does that mean?”

Tinker leaned closer to Rick. “I know what you did to Haven. If I had my way, you’d be buried in a hole right now where no one would ever find your body. You still may end up there.”

This revelation made Rick shake, and the guys mutter. They had no idea what Tinker was talking about.

“What did he do to her?” Diesel asked.

“Yeah, tell us what that piece of shit did to Haven,” Hail added.

“Sweetheart?” Mayhem said as he stared at me in concern.

Tinker turned enough to see his brothers and me. He gave me an apologetic look. He knew I was embarrassed by how stupid I was, even though he’d told me more than once I wasn’t.

Usually, I would’ve kept my mouth shut. However, how they came to check to be sure I was alright warmed my heart. I liked the club. They treated me better than my actual family did, except for Gareth. That was what made me tell them. I didn’t linger on unnecessary details. I stuck to the facts and laid them out as concisely as possible. When I was done, they were in an uproar. There was swearing, glares, and threats made against Rick.

“Guys, I appreciate how you want to defend me. Thank you. You’re so sweet. But I can promise you, Rick isn’t worth dirtying your fists on. If he marries my cousin, he’ll earn a worse fate. He’ll wish he was dead. She might not be treating him like shit yet, but she will. I say let them enjoy each other,” I told them with a smirk. My speech eased the tension.

Tinker was back to facing off with Rick. “You’ll get in your car and leave. Go back and tell the others what I said. Bristol, Haven, and Gareth are no-contact zones for you. They’ll make contact if they want to speak to any of you, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. If you fail to do as I say, you’ll bring your fate on yourselves. Make sure your affairs are in order if you do.”

Sandman had let go of Rick and moved off after Tinker got to him, which meant Rick was free to move. He backed away with his hands up. Then he stumbled over his feet as he ran to his car, which was parked on the street rather than in the driveway. He got in and started it. Before taking off, he rolled down the passenger window to yell out, “You’ll regret this,” and then he shot down the street.

The Punishers started toward their bikes, but Tinker called them back. “Don’t bother. If he does something, he’ll be done.”

Tinker went over to Sandman. He held out his fist. “Thanks for getting here and making sure she was alright, brother. I owe you.”

Sandman hit his fist off Tinker’s as he shook his head. “You don’t owe me anything. I was glad to do it. Besides, you’d do the same for me if I had a woman. Maybe one day you can return the favor when I have one. Or Haven could dump you and be mine,” he said as he winked at me. I had to laugh while Tinker bared his teeth at him.

“Watch it. You can be in that hole with the douche who just left,” Tinker warned, causing Sandman to laugh.

As tension eased, we both thanked his brothers. They waved them away and got back on their bikes. They saluted us before taking off, leaving Tinker and me alone. He came walking over to me. “Let’s go inside, babe. We need to talk.”

“Okay,” I said slowly. Did he want to rehash what happened or know what Rick said before anyone got there?

He left me to lead the way inside and to the living room. I sat next to him on the couch and angled my body so I could partially face him. He did the same.

“Haven, why didn’t you call me when you saw it was him? And why open the door? He could’ve hurt you,” was what came out of Tinker’s mouth. It wasn’t what I expected.

“First, I didn’t know it was him. I was busy trying to convince him to leave after I found out. The next thing I knew, Sandman came rolling up and took over. Then, Sandman is telling me you have this house watched. You and the others came riding up right after he told me that. Why am I just finding out?”

“You didn’t know it was him? Didn’t you check before you opened the door?” he asked.

I knew he wouldn’t be happy for me to confirm that, but I wouldn’t lie. I nodded.

“Goddamn it, why would you do that, Haven? It could be anyone. Just because it’s daylight doesn’t mean someone out to harm you isn’t on the other side. You should always check. I don’t want to find you not doing it again,” he growled.

“I made a mistake. I’ll try not to do it again, but I was distracted. You haven’t answered me about watching the house.”

“You’ll do more than try. If you want to stay here, you keep the doors locked, the alarm on, which it wasn’t, and you don’t open the door unless you know who’s on the other side and it’s someone you trust.”

“How do you know the alarm wasn’t on?” I gasped.

“Spawn put in the security alarm system in this house, and he has it tied into the system that monitors our homes, businesses, and the compound. He was alerted that someone was at home, but the system wasn’t armed. He was checking it out when the cameras showed dickhead on the doorstep. He sent a mass text to me and the club to tell us. Sandman was close and said he’d check it out and stay with you until I arrived. Spawn was pissed he was delayed in following up on the alert. I don’t think you understand the club, me. We protect our friends and family. You’re mine, Haven. You live outside the protection of the compound. I have to believe you’ll be safe here. Not using the things at your disposal or being distracted doesn’t fly.”

“I made a mistake, Vance. I didn’t do it on purpose. I’m not used to having an alarm, so I forget to set it sometimes. As for opening the door, I’ll try my hardest not to do it without checking. You should’ve told me about the house being monitored.”

“I didn’t think about it. I assumed Annie or Gareth had. When they moved, the club told your uncle what we wanted to do. He wants Annie safe, so he has no objections as long as we have no cameras inside the house. And you’ll have to do better than try.”

“Okay, then what do you suggest I do?” I smarted back.

“Simple. You move to the compound behind the fence with all the security we have. You saw what we’re doing. The fence is being changed out. The solid block wall is better protection. This way, I only have to worry about you when you’re away from there,” was his comeback.

I sat there stunned into silence. Surely, I’d misunderstood him. He wasn’t suggesting I live on the compound. Was he? Tinker watched me closely as I tried to sort out my thoughts. Finally, after a good minute or more, I spoke.

“Vance, you’re not serious. I can’t move to the compound. It’s for members and their families, not girlfriends.”

“You’re not my girlfriend. You’re my old lady. The club voted. It’s official. All I’m waiting on is your property cut. And I don’t say what I don’t mean. Move in with me. I already told you to work on redecorating the house. What did you think I meant when I told you that?”

“I thought you wanted it decorated! Moving in together should wait until we’re sure of us.”

He slid closer and lifted me to straddle his lap. Once he had me settled where he wanted, he continued, “I’ve never been more sure of anything. Claiming you is my sworn oath, showing everyone what you mean to me. You’re not getting away from me, baby. As for why I asked you to decorate, I want you to make it into the home you love and will be the most comfortable in. Make it your dream home. Say yes,” he softly said seconds before he kissed me.

He didn’t fight fair. I couldn’t think when he kissed or made love to me. This kiss wasn’t a peck-on-the-lips-and-go kind. He took his time and made sure that when he lifted his head, I was dazed and willing to do anything he wanted. We were breathing a little hard, and my body was on fire. I wanted to strip naked and have him take me right on the couch. The erection straining his zipper told me he felt the same. His hands cupped my breasts through my clothes, and his thumbs stroked across my nipples, making me moan.

“Move in with me,” he repeated.

“I can’t. I just moved in here. I’m looking for a place. I was just waiting to start the business first,” I muttered, trying to verbalize my jumbled thoughts.

“Fuck that. You’re living with me. Do I have to pack your shit and move it for you? I will. Whichever way you look at it, we need to be together. You’re at my place more than you’re here anyway. We have privacy there. Annie and Gareth will regain their privacy. It’s not much further to work from there. It’s way safer.”

I put my hand over his mouth to stop him. He licked my palm, the shit. I couldn’t believe I was about to do what I was, but here it went. “Fine, I’ll move, but I tell Gareth and Annie. And I’ll pack my things. A lot of it is in storage anyway.”

He smirked, then winked. I was the one growling, which made him chuckle. I prayed I hadn’t made a mistake or that he thought he could boss me around and I’d always fall in line. That wasn’t happening.