Saving marvel satans dev.., p.10
Saving Marvel (Satan's Devils MC Second Generation Book 4), page 10
“He’s so sweet.” Like most women, my eyes are drawn to the wriggling bundle. “How old is he?”
“Six months.” Amy beams with maternal affection as she looks down at her son. Wizard steps to her side, puts his arm around her, and his expression is full of such love that a pang goes through me. Had Ralph ever looked at me like that? If he had, I can’t remember.
After placing his finger on his baby’s cheek, Wizard addresses his wife, “Babe, Virginia’s going to be staying with us for a while, can you fix her up somewhere to stay?”
Amy frowns and glares at Marvel. “Since he took up two suites, we’re kind of short of space.”
“Hey, everyone agreed…” Marvel starts to say.
Wizard shrugs. “We weren’t aiming on visitors at the time, and Bullet and Shooter are running behind on renovating some of the other suites.”
“It’s okay,” I say fast, not wanting to cause problems. “I can get somewhere in town.”
“Not going to happen,” Marvel snaps, while glaring at his prez. “Not with all those reporters tailing you.”
Wizard regards him thoughtfully. “Think we’ve already had this discussion.” He raises an eyebrow.
Marvel looks like he’s grinding his teeth, then he sighs heavily. “Virginia can have my suite.”
What? No. “I can’t chuck you out and leave you nowhere to sleep,” I protest.
Marvel shakes his head. “I can use a crash room. It doesn’t bother me.” But his scowl belies his casual words.
Amy states breezily, I think in an effort to cover the awkwardness, “Razza, is that Virginia’s bag? Take it to Marvel’s suite, will you?” Then to me she asks, “I hear you’ve had quite a day already, and coming on top of what happened yesterday, you must be done in. Want to come inside and have a coffee?” I notice she eyes me compassionately.
Marvel is still tense by my side, and I don’t feel like asking to be shown where I’m going to stay as it’s obviously his personal space, so I accept her invitation. I only met him the day before, and now I’m going to be taking his bed. It’s embarrassing.
As she indicates she’ll lead the way, and I move in her direction, Marvel speaks to me.
“You want me to drop this off in the suite?” This being my laptop bag.
I shake my head. “I’d rather have it with me. Sometime today, I’m going to have to start doing some work. I’ve deadlines to meet.”
“I’ll find Mouse for you. He’ll set you up with internet access,” Wizard suggests. “And anything else you might need.”
I nod my thanks, take my laptop bag from Marvel, hoisting the strap over my shoulder, and then follow Amy.
The interior of the clubhouse is nothing like I would have expected. For a start, it’s neat, tidy and clean. There’s a woman sitting on the floor, playing with another baby who looks up and grins as Amy walks in. Amy’s baby starts fussing immediately, his arms reaching out and his hands making grabby gestures.
“Calvin missing his old lady?” The woman on the floor chuckles.
Amy snorts. “Hawk will kill you if he hears you, Liv.” She laughs as she walks over and deposits her child down on the playmat. Both babies immediately start babbling and reach for each other.
The prez’s wife performs the introductions. “Virginia, this is Olivia, Hawk’s old lady, and their daughter, Layla.”
I’ve no idea who Hawk is, but I waggle my fingers anyway.
Amy spies two ladies, who look to be about my age, sitting by the bar with coffees. She indicates she wants me to follow her over to them. When we get there, she informs me, “This is Sam, Drummer’s old lady and Hawk’s mother, and Sophie, who’s Olivia’s mom and belongs to Wraith.”
Again, I give a small finger wave, knowing I’m never going to get everyone’s names and relationships straight. I chuckle. “You know, I’ve no idea who everyone is. So far, I’ve only met Marvel, Hound and Wizard.”
“You seem to be getting along well with Marvel,” the one introduced as Sophie remarks, and I notice her English accent.
“I barely know him,” I correct them with a small frown. “We were forced into each other’s company yesterday. Never met before then, and I honestly didn’t expect to see him after the bank raid had ended.”
“Poor you, being cooped up with him for hours,” Sam commiserates. “He can’t have made a very good companion.”
Sophie does a ladylike snort as if she’s in full agreement.
Their reactions make me bristle and feel I need to stand up for him. “On the contrary, he was great. I’d have lost my mind without him. And today, coming to help me? Well, he didn’t need to do that.”
The two women exchange a secret smile, then Sophie leans in and confides to her friend, “Do you think Virginia here has calmed the arsehole?”
I shake my head, slightly shocked at the way she refers to him. “Don’t you like Marvel?”
Sam sits up straighter, gives me an assessing look, then meets my eyes. “Marvel’s a good man, he’s just got a reputation for being difficult, and not being particularly friendly with women.”
I happen to know there’s a good reason for that, but it’s not my secret to share. I hide my grin, knowing I apparently know more about him then these women who’ve known him for years.
“How do you take your coffee, Virginia?”
Gratefully, I turn to Amy who’s moved behind the bar. “Black, one sugar, please.” As she prepares it for me, I ask, “You said you were short of space. How many people live here?”
Sam overhears and barks a laugh. “I don’t think we’ve got enough fingers and toes between us to give an accurate assessment.”
Sophie’s also chuckling. “Especially as the kids come and go.”
“Yeah, even those who’ve supposedly moved out still treat this as their home.” Sam grins.
Amy puts a finger to her mouth and creases her eyes. “Some of us with families have houses at the top of the compound.”
“I live there, with my man, and our three still-at-home daughters,” Sophie confirms.
“Both my boys have flown the nest,” Sam informs me. “But Eli and Olivia live a couple of houses down from me.”
“Throttle’s just built a new house, too,” Amy considers. “Close to his mom and dad’s.”
“Then there’s Rock and Becca. Their two kids both live with them. But Mouse lives off compound with Mariana and their three girls.”
“Maya’s working in Vegas,” Amy reminds Sam. “Then there’s Dad and Marcia and my sisters and brother. They live in Tucson too.”
My mouth has dropped open. “I never realised there were so many in the club, nor that it included women and children.”
“Oh, the club’s just for the men,” Sam informs me, breezily. “But the compound houses a lot of the families. Most of the single men live in the suites that you’ll have seen just up from the clubhouse. Dollar, Jekyll and Drifter, Cast, Hound and the prospects too.”
I’m amazed at how many there are. “Marvel said he had a big family. He wasn’t joking.”
Sam chuckles. “And it’s still growing. Throttle and Gwen are expecting a baby soon.”
“She’s got a couple of months to go, hasn’t she?” Sophie frowns as though calculating.
I expected Marvel’s brothers from our discussions yesterday, but I didn’t expect so many wives and kids, and certainly not grandkids too. No wonder there’s a family vibe in the clubroom.
My laptop bag is heavy. I pull it off my shoulder to put it down while I drink the coffee Amy’s placed on the bar in front of me.
Sam watches, then asks with a nod to the bag at my feet, “What do you do?”
“I’m a college professor,” I tell her, taking a sip of the welcome brew. “Well, was. I no longer have tenure. As I can’t teach anymore, I’ve taken up editing technical works.”
Sophie’s eyes have widened. “Professor?”
“Glorified teacher,” I say with a grin. “But now full-time editor which doesn’t sound so glam.”
“You had to give up your job too?” Sam’s question lets me know they know who I am.
As they hadn’t done what most people do, and immediately start quizzing me about Ralph, I’d been hoping I was here anonymously. That was obviously too good to be true.
“Yes.” I put my coffee cup down. “The university didn’t ask me to leave, that was my choice. But when I made that decision, it was still too new. What my ex did was primetime news, and everyone knew about it. I took it hard and couldn’t deal with giving a lecture, knowing the students were hanging on my every word, hoping I’d let juicy details drop.” I pause to shake my head. “There’d also be reporters roaming the hallways. When they started stopping my students and questioning them, I knew what I had to do. It was too distracting for everyone, and too upsetting for me. I gave up my position, and instead, took a job I could do remotely, and not need to speak to anyone.”
“That was so unfair on you.” Sympathy streams from Sophie’s eyes.
“You don’t have much luck, do you?” Amy steps back around this side of the bar, and after a quick glance back to make sure her son is otherwise engaged, gives me an amiable smile. “On top of that, what was it you spent, six hours in Marvel’s company yesterday?”
Sophie laughs.
While I appreciate the change of subject, my lips press together. They’d intimated before they don’t like the man. My eyes harden. “I couldn’t have wished for a better companion under the circumstances.” Again, I’m annoyed on his behalf.
Sam laughs as if I’ve made a joke, then her sharp eyes find mine. She stares at me for a moment, then frowns. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“As a heart attack,” I reply, my voice firm.
Amy’s staring at me. “I’ve known Marvel almost all my life.” Her glance encompasses the other two women who both nod their heads. “I don’t think any of us have ever actually had a conversation with him.”
“Or not one that’s not composed of grunts.” Sophie chuckles.
For a moment after I defend Marvel, the conversation falters. I notice there’s a gleam in Sophie’s eyes and I can’t be sure why. But luckily, at that point, one of the babies starts to cry, and the other joins in as though in sympathy.
Amy and both grandmothers are distracted, falling over themselves to fix whatever is wrong, which appears to be that both of the kids have filled their diapers at the same time. It amuses me that after finding the cause, Sophie and Sam both step back, allowing Olivia and Amy to deal with their charges.
While changing mats and diaper bags appear, the two women come back to the bar, but their discussion now centres around the differences between being a grandmother rather than a parent, and the obvious benefits, as they can take over when both babies are clean. Having nothing to contribute, I turn away and catch sight of the clubhouse door opening.
In walks a pretty young woman in her early twenties. She walks past the two moms changing diapers and exaggeratedly pinches her nose.
“Mom.” She leans in and hugs Sophie and shoots a look over her shoulder. “I am so never having kids.”
Sophie laughs, and with one arm around the newcomer, says to me, “This is my second girl, Zoey.” At my raised eyebrow, she adds, “I’ve two more for my sins. Eliza and Hilda.”
Sam takes it on herself to explain. “Wraith wanted a boy. Sophie called it a day after four girls.”
“Only because Drummer kept yanking his chain.” Sophie glares at the other woman, but her eyes are soft, showing she’s joking. “Rumour is you gave up after two as Drummer didn’t want to risk having a girl.”
Sam shrugs, but her wink my way suggests that there’s probably a lot of truth in that statement.
When I was young, I’d expected, like most women, that I’d have a family, but Ralph was adamant he didn’t want kids. He’d convinced me that he and I were enough. Looking at these women who seem to have so much more than me, I chock up one more thing to resent him for.
Though as things have turned out, at least it’s only me that’s been affected by his crimes.
How on earth would you ever explain what he’d done to kids?
Chapter Eleven
Marvel…
“We’ve got empty fuckin’ suites,” I hiss at Wizard as Amy leads Virginia away. “What the hell is all this about, chucking me out of my own room?”
Prez shrugs. “You brought her onto the compound. You accepted responsibility for her.”
I’m hastily rethinking this idea. “I didn’t fuckin’ expect to give up my bed.”
He smirks. “Well, share it with her.”
“Share it?” I snort. “That woman doesn’t even like being touched, Wiz.”
He tilts his head to one side. “Yeah, I kinda picked up on that. What’s that all about?”
After a heavy sigh, I tell him, “Her fuckin’ ex used to come home and get down and dirty with her after fuckin’ those corpses. How do you think that made her feel?”
A pained look crosses his face. “Fuck.” He pauses before suggesting, “Dirty as shit?”
“Yeah. That’s about it,” I confirm, my lips pressed tightly together.
“Jesus,” he breathes. “He fucked her with the same dick he…” He can’t even say it, which says a lot by itself.
I add, “And touched her with the same fuckin’ hands.”
He whistles through his teeth. “You gonna help her, Marvel?”
I crease my eyes. Before this morning and that news bulletin, I never expected to see her again. Didn’t think for a moment she’d be here in the midst of my family. It’s all happened so fast, I haven’t had time to process that she is, let alone how I feel about it.
All I know is that I didn’t like what I saw when those reporters were hounding her. Immediately, I knew she’d already suffered so much, and I wanted to help. She’s as innocent as any other victim. I’d acted on impulse without really understanding what the driving factor was. It’s not like me to have such empathy with anyone, especially not a female.
Prez has asked me whether I’m going to help her, and fuck if I know. Even if I wanted to, I can’t see beyond giving her sanctuary until the current furore dies down. Soon, another news story will hit, a politician will be caught doing something stupid, and she’ll leave and move on.
All I can do is help her for now. Though it’s all too likely, wherever she goes, however she tries to hide, at some point, someone is bound to recognise her and stir the same shit up again, and once again she’ll be all on her own.
“She deserves someone on her side.” I take a step away from him, letting my eyes roam over the desert beyond. “But I’m not that man.”
Like me, Wizard seems entranced by the view we see every day of our lives. “She got family or friends?”
“No one,” I answer him. “Not anymore.”
He heaves a sigh. “Far as I can tell, she’s in prison as much as her old man.” He turns his face to look down the track. Though out of sight from here, he’s indicating the gates and the swarm of press waiting behind.
Automatically, I copy him and ask about the unseen horde. “I wonder how long it will be before they give up?”
Prez muses out loud, “The bulk of them will probably soon leave, but there will be one or more persistent fuckers hanging around.” He turns back to me. “I’ve called everyone in. We need a sit-down to discuss how to handle the mess you’ve brought to the compound.”
In all my years in the Satan’s Devils MC, I’ve managed to stay in the background. I’ve veered between supporting them or poking holes in plans. I’ve never been the centre of attention. But because of an impulsive decision about the woman I neither know nor owe anything to, that’s all about to change.
Fuck my life.
A motorcycle engine sounds. Idly, I watch as Bullet arrives, backing his bike into his parking spot. I notice he doesn’t look happy as he comes across.
“Best get another prospect down to the gates, Prez. Fuckin’ assholes tried to tail me through.”
With a roll of his eyes, Prez takes out his phone and taps on it for a moment. Before he’s put it away, Nathan exits the clubhouse and heads down the track at a run.
“Going to cause us problems if we don’t get this sorted,” Bullet remarks, watching the prospect.
“That’s why we’ve gotta get round the table to talk about this woman of Marvel’s.” Prez slaps my back. “We’ll meet in an hour.”
Ain’t my woman, I grumble to myself, but a look at Prez’s fixed face makes me realise there’s no point in making a protest.
As I enter the clubhouse, I ignore the vibration in my pocket, knowing Prez will just have sent out a group text summoning all for the forthcoming meeting. When I spy Virginia at the bar with a cup of coffee in her hands. I pause, assessing the situation, but she seems relaxed and doesn’t look out of her depth.
I’m already moving toward her as she looks up. “You doing okay?” After addressing her, I jerk my chin toward Sophie and Sam.
“I am, now I’m re-caffeinated.” She grins as she holds up her cup. “And these ladies have been keeping me company.” She leans toward me and says quietly for my hearing only, as if not wanting to appear rude, “But I would really appreciate somewhere quiet to get some work done.”
“Mouse in his office?” I ask Sam. Until Amy married Wizard, Sam was the first old lady and usually still has a handle of everything that’s going on. So when she nods, I’ve no reason not to believe her. After giving her a chin lift, I turn back to Virginia. “Come with me. I’ll take you to see Mouse. He’ll set you up with Wi-Fi.”
She empties her cup, puts it down, says a “see you later” to the women she’s been talking to, then accompanies me across the clubroom and down the hallway to where Mouse works.
As I knock on, then open the door, I wonder how some things never change as a cloud of scented smoke greets us. I grin as Mouse puts down one of his infamous joints, leaving it to smoulder in the ashtray. I swear you can get high just from entering his office. The only difference over the years is the increasing smattering of grey streaking his long ebony hair. But then, that’s happened to all of us.
