Page 12 of Wild Side (Vicious Reapers MC #3)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

ZADIE

I busy myself in the kitchen for as long as I can.

Maverick has left to go to church, something that I may not know much about, but I know enough about it that, without a doubt, I am not welcome to join.

So I stay as far away from the bar, from the men and the women, as possible and make myself useful in the kitchen putting groceries away.

That is, until I hear a woman’s throat clear.

I’m not sure who to expect as I slowly turn around, but when I see them standing in front of me, I’m taken aback.

Beautiful doesn’t describe these women. It’s Dakota from earlier, but with another woman standing beside her who is absolutely stunning. They’re both smiling at me, and I can’t help but wonder what they’re going to say…

“Hey, Zadie, this is my aunt, Posey,” Dakota announces.

Posey is holding a tiny baby in her arms, and my heart squeezes at the sight. I have one of those growing inside me right now, and in a few months, I’ll be holding it much like she is. I can’t stop staring at the little bundle in her arms. I’m mesmerized and terrified all at the same time.

“Let’s sit down and chat,” Dakota quips.

She’s bouncy and happy, which is not something I’m used to. I don’t consider myself someone who is in a bad mood or angry by any means, but I’m not peppy at all. And Sable certainly is much surlier than I am.

Dakota walks to the small table on the other side of the kitchen.

It’s just a round wooden table with four chairs.

Then there are three more chairs at the bar.

Seven chairs aren’t a lot, but I guess nobody is really eating and entertaining in here, at least they don’t in the kitchen at my father’s clubhouse.

We all sit at the table. I’m not sure what to say. I’m not even sure what to think at this point, so I flick my attention between them and hope that someone will start the conversation.

Thankfully, Posey puts me out of my silent misery and talks first. Though once she does, I’m not sure if I should be thankful or maybe wish for more silent misery. But I don’t have a choice, she continues, and I don’t have the option to stay quiet.

“So, you and Maverick?” Posey asks, but she doesn’t leave it at that. She continues, “Does this mean you and Goose, too?”

“His brother?” My brows knit together, showing my obvious confusion at the question.

The women share a knowing glance, but I have no idea what they know. Until they explain it to me.

“Maverick and Goose, they always… together,” Dakota says.

I have little to no experience when it comes to sex, and my exposure to club life is about the same, but I know the basics on both, and I know that these men are free when it comes to sex. I have heard Sable tell me stories about two and even sometimes three men with one woman, and vice versa.

But… Maverick?

“Are you telling me they always share?” I ask.

Dakota nods, but it’s Posey who speaks. “They’re twins, share everything, honey.”

Oh.

My.

God.

Dakota reaches out and curls her fingers around my forearm when I don’t say anything immediately. She squeezes gently, gathering my attention. Lifting my head, I look into her eyes, my lips parted slightly. I don’t know what to say, what to do. I just stare at her, unsure of what comes next.

“Why don’t you tell us about yourself?”

My mouth opens and closes, then does it again, and I inhale a deep breath before I let it out slowly, then I try to give her a smile. It’s shaky at best before I force myself to speak.

“I’m from California,” I announce.

They share a glance, then they both smile and turn toward me. “I’m from California, too,” Posey states. “Where are you from?”

“Rivara,” I say.

Silence again. They share another glance. I’m not sure I even want to know what they are thinking. But I’m kind of over the interrogation thing, so I decide to just tell them everything.

I have no doubt that once their men walk out of church, they’ll know it all anyway. If these Reapers are anything like the ones at home, secrets don’t exist here, and they gossip more than any woman I’ve ever known.

“I’m twenty-one. My dad is the president of the Vicious Reapers Rivara chapter. Maverick was at the clubhouse a few months ago. We met… and now I’m here.”

Posey leans back in her chair, her eyes on me. “And now you’re here?”

“I’m pregnant with his baby. I thought I should tell him in person.”

Silence.

Their eyes widen as they stare at me. No more sharing glances, because they’re completely frozen. I press my lips together as I watch them for a moment. I’m not sure what to do. I also don’t want to talk just to talk.

So I wait.

In silence.

Maybe this is what stunned silence means, because they’re both just watching me, staring at me, unmoving, unthinking, and I think maybe even unbreathing. Then they both smile. It’s slow, small at first, and then it consumes them, until they are grinning like fools, their eyes wide and sparkling.

“Another baby,” Dakota cries. “More family.”

MAVERICK

“So what is your grand plan if we don’t do the shop?” Piggy asks.

The guys look at one another, glancing around.

“I’m open to suggestions,” Bullet states.

“But at this point, I’m guessing that I’m not the only one who wants to cut losses with the supply and demand of this equipment and dealing with the port authority and whatever hoops they’ve decided to throw toward us when it comes to importing shit. ”

“What about a strip club?” Viking asks.

“Fuck that,” Goose grinds out. “There is no way I’m dealing with a whole fucking club of bitches like that. No strip club, no stable.”

Agreed.

“We need diversification. Maybe we don’t do security parts. Maybe we are the security,” Bullet suggests.

“Like protection?” Ivy asks. “I don’t hate that.”

“I don’t either, but are there enough people here who need that?” I ask.

Bullet shrugs a shoulder. I have no fucking idea what the answer is here.

We aren’t skilled mechanics like other clubs.

We’ve always thrived on supply and demand.

We’ve always done a little drug trafficking on the side, and it’s done well for us.

But shit is drying up, and it’s time for us to shift.

I get that.

I just don’t know the answer.

“Private security firm,” Lightning says.

“If that changes into something else, then it does. But I like the sound of that, and we have contacts. Sure, Thunder Rock doesn’t have a ton, but during the thick of summer and the thick of winter, we have plenty of tourists coming.

The bars, clubs, and music venues all need security.

The rich bastards who own their mansions on the hills need it, too.

And we can monitor their places and whatever else they want. ”

“Do you think this could bring in enough to make up for the security supply?” Bullet asks.

Lightning clears his throat, sliding his palms down his thighs before he jerks his chin. “I want to say yes, but it won’t be immediately.”

“I got bills to pay,” Razor grinds out.

“I got a baby coming,” I blurt out.

My eyes widen at my words. I can’t believe I said them out loud, no warning, no buildup, no fucking nothing. Goose growls beside me. I can’t even look at him. I know, without a doubt, he’s hurt, confused, and angry. This was never meant to be part of our plan.

“A baby?” Viking asks.

“A baby,” I confirm.

“The bitch from California?” Goose asks. “That why she came here, to tell you that you knocked her up a few months ago when you fucked her once?”

I know what he’s getting at. I don’t have to comment on that shit, so I don’t. I have no doubt he’ll have some choice words later, and I’m not sure I want to hear them, to be honest.

“Yes,” Bullet begins. “Zadie is the daughter of Halo, the president of the Rivara chapter. We’ve got some shit to smooth over there, but I know that Maverick will make it right.”

Ivy whistles but doesn’t say anything. No doubt they’re all thinking the same thing as Goose.

That this is a gigantic fuckup and that Zadie may not be pregnant with my baby.

Hell, I said as much to her face, but I know it’s mine.

And even if it’s not, the fact that I haven’t been able to keep her out of my head is a fucking sign.

She’s mine.

“Back to the club,” I grunt.

“We keep the trafficking; we make the most with that anyway. We work as a private security firm. We keep the name but take off the supply. Thunder Rock. Just Thunder Rock,” Lightning says.

“I like that,” Ivy murmurs.

I don’t know if it’s going to work. I also have no idea if it’s going to completely sink, but I’m willing to try. The shit they have going on now isn’t going to work. It’ll put us in a hole that I’m not sure we’ll be able to crawl out of.

“I like the trafficking aspect. I think that maybe we could do that on a bigger scale while we work up the other shit,” Bullet says. “Let’s take a vote.”

Every single man votes for it.

And it passes.

We’re keeping the building, but the security supplies are out. I let out a heavy sigh of relief. I didn’t want to have to go back to Virginia and kiss Kyle Alexander’s ass. If I’m going back, I’d rather kick his ass again.

The meeting is adjourned.

The room empties out without anyone saying a single word about the baby situation. But Goose stays behind. I can feel his eyes on me. Turning to him, I arch a brow and wait for him to speak. I know my brother has something to say. He’s ready, locked and loaded. I brace for impact.