I hate the idea that he’s been hurt, or worse, that he might not be breathing anymore. He’d wronged me and the club, but he deserves a chance. I start to fidget, knowing every minute passing is a moment when he could be suffering more harm.

  “What do you want us to do?” Amy approaches, having drifted away to pick up her changing bag. “You must have something in mind. You said you needed our help.”

  I splay my fingers. “I was thinking there was advantage in numbers, and that woman power might achieve something. If we all went there to speak to them—”

  Sam bursts out laughing, her eyes wide. “You want us to take on our men?”

  Amy shoots a look at her. “It’s a rule we don’t get involved in club business.”

  All the old ladies murmur in agreement.

  Sophie looks between Sam and Amy, and then toward me. “You want us to interfere to prevent what you see is an injustice?”

  Marcia snorts. “They’d tan our hides if we interfered in what they’re doing.”

  “We stay out of club business,” Olivia says.

  “Always?” I challenge, wondering whether they’ve all been brainwashed. I know the saying stand by your man, but these women seem to be taking it to extremes.

  Amy’s baby makes a grumpy sound and intakes a breath as though preparing to cry. “I’ve got to go change him,” she explains before walking off.

  “I’ll come with you,” Sam offers.

  I suppose her baby takes priority, but as the two most influential women walk off, I can’t stop worrying about what Jaxon might be going through. “Won’t you help me?” I appeal to the others, not comforted by their expressions. What can I say to persuade them? I don’t know where this freaking storage room is, and the prospect’s not going to escort me.

  “You really want us to go break in on the men, don’t you?” Darcy asks, looking thoughtful. Out of anyone, surely, she should help? She’s a fire chief for goodness’ sake, hardly a wilting flower.

  Then there’s Marcia. She’s an ex-cop.

  “Women must have some influence around here,” I suggest, desperate to get through to them.

  Olivia scoffs as she walks back to settle Layla on her lap on the sofa. “Not much power for women in an MC.”

  “I don’t know,” Sophie says, with a wink toward Darcy. “We could threaten to withdraw access to our fannies.”

  “Jesus, woman, speak for yourself.” Marcia snorts. “But if you’re talking about pussy—”

  “You say pussy, I say fanny.” Sophie winks.

  When you’ve been a mother for a few months it apparently doesn’t take long to change a baby. Sam and Amy quickly return, Sam now holding Calvin.

  “Please…” I’m not beyond begging and know Sam and Amy’s positions in the club make it them I need to persuade.

  But Amy silences me with a raise of her hand. “We can’t interfere.” It’s said with finality.

  If an old lady is expected to blindly follow her man, then I can’t see how a relationship would work with Marvel. I couldn’t agree to do that. Sure, there might be things he can’t tell me, but I won’t ever admit he’d always be right.

  The idea that mine and Marvel’s relationship might have to end before it can really start, and partly because I’d never be able to fit in with these other old ladies, makes my tongue loosen.

  With a snarl, I snap out, “What are you, some form of Stepford wives?”

  Instead of being upset, Amy snorts. She approaches, her finger jabbing at me. “Certainly not. It’s a matter of trust. You saw something in Jaxon. I know my man. If it’s there, he’ll see it as well.”

  “Drummer too,” Sam states, looking up from blowing raspberries against the baby’s stomach.

  “Peg’s fair,” Darcy confirms.

  “I trust Heart.”

  I stare around at them. They’ve forgotten one thing. “But Jaxon doesn’t think he has anything worth living for. He might intentionally mislead them.”

  Marcia breathes in. “Like Heart.”

  All eyes go to her. Amy grimaces and exchanges a glance with Sam. “That puts a different complexity on things.”

  Sophie frowns. “Sounds like we might indeed need to go kick some arse.”

  Sam goes over and puts Calvin down beside Layla who’s playing on a mat on the floor. She stands, lowers her head, and frowns for a moment. “We’re going to be getting into trouble, Sisters.”

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Tash says. “The worst we can get is a spanking.” She winks. “And I see no problem with that.”

  “You’re coming with me?” I can hardly allow myself to believe it.

  Amy drops her arm over my shoulder. “We sure are.”

  “Er, no.” Nathan, who’s clearly not been out of earshot steps forward fast. “I can’t let you ladies go to the storeroom.”

  “No permission required, Prospect,” Sam snaps at him.

  As Sophie and Darcy approach with determination in their eyes, Nathan steps back, his arms spread wide, trying to guard the clubhouse entrance.

  “You really going to put your hand on us?” Sophie queries, raising an eyebrow.

  The prospect’s hands rise as if to fend them off.

  “Out of the way,” Sam demands.

  “I’m never going to be patched in,” Nathan complains, his face contorting as he tries to work through his options.

  He’s stuck between a rock and a hard place.

  The only way to prevent all of us going out of the door is to physically apprehend us, and apparently, if he does so, he’ll be answering for it later. It’s not an enviable position to be in, but as far as I’m concerned, I’d rather he loses his chance of patching in than Jaxon lose his life.

  In the end, he steps back.

  Amy and Olivia have collected their babies, and I find myself following them and the others along a well-trodden pathway snaking up behind the blocs.

  The infamous storeroom looks innocuous as we draw close, resembling a large garage-type building from the outside. At the entrance, our progress is again impeded as Razza and Butcher are standing guard. With a sigh of relief, Nathan, who’d trailed behind us, goes to stand shoulder to shoulder with them.

  With a snort and a shake of her head, Sam pushes past them, daring them to physically stop her. It seems no one want to put their hands on a former first old lady.

  “Wise choice,” she informs them as she places her hand on the handle. “Ladies, we going to do this?”

  “Yeah, too right we are.” Or similar words come as a chorus.

  I push myself to the front, suddenly scared about what we might find. I’ve visions of Jaxon bloodied and hurt, or already dead. Worried about his state of mind, I wonder if he’d egged them on to deliver what he would feel was just retribution.

  As I blink to acclimate my eyes to the dark of the interior, the sight of men huddled around something on the floor comes into focus. My heart rises into my mouth.

  We’re too late.

  “What the fuck? Get out of here,” one of the men closest to the door says.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Marvel…

  As Rock shouts, brothers spin around. More than a few hands end up resting on the butts of their guns in their holsters. From my position, it’s hard to see what’s going on until a path is cleared to allow Prez to intercept the intruder. Or intruders as it turns out.

  My mouth drops open as I see Virginia along with a bunch of the old ladies.

  To my recollection, it’s the first time any of them have stepped inside the storeroom—the hallowed realm of the brothers—used for activities which strictly come under the heading of club business which is definitely not any of theirs.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Prez roars, his eyes targeting his old lady, who very wisely, or not, is carrying his infant son in front of her like a shield.

  “Righting a wrong,” she retorts sharply, dipping her head toward Virginia.

  “There’s no fuckin’ wrong to be righted, or none that’s any of your business,” Wizard’s voice thunders.

  “What have you done to Jaxon?”

  I blanch, hearing Virginia’s voice. Where’s that fucker, Nathan? I’m going to fucking kill him. I knew this woman of mine wasn’t going to leave shit alone, which was precisely why he’d been allocated to guard her.

  I push myself through the crowd. “Get out of here, Virginia.”

  Spying me, she steps forward, and brothers part to let her come to me as if I’ve any control over her. She stops when behind me she sees Jaxon, still on his knees, still in the same position as he had fallen. I don’t miss the breath she releases as she sees he’s still breathing.

  Ignoring me, she addresses herself to him, her brow furrowed and her voice anxious. “Are you okay?” She scrutinises him carefully. Hopefully she’ll note that though he’s been bashed around a little, he hasn’t suffered any mortal wounds.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I ask her, pulling her away before he can answer.

  Drawing her shoulders back, she glances around disdainfully. “I’m saving his life. And you from making a mistake.”

  “This man fuckin’ kidnapped you to kill you and left me for dead.” My voice is louder than even I expect. But hell, she seems to have more respect for Jaxon than she does for me.

  She pokes her finger into my chest. “Jaxon was misguided. I’ve already told you that. You’re wasting time talking to him. It’s the man who was pulling his strings that you want.”

  “And don’t you think we know that?” Wizard roars, his eyes roaming over the women who’ve accompanied Virginia.

  There’s Amy, Sam, Sophie, Darcy, Marcia, Becca, Sandy, and Tash. Oh hell, Olivia’s here as well, with fuckin’ Layla who’s starting to wail. I hear each of their old men grumbling, and quite honestly, what we’re doing here goes completely to shit.

  Hawk pushes past me to go to his daughter, who quiets once she’s in her daddy’s arms. Olivia’s expression is partway relief and part put out.

  “Why the fuck are you all here?” Prez demands, with a shake of his head. “Ladies leave.” He optimistically claps his hands and jerks his chin toward the door.

  Virginia turns and glares at the women who stand their ground. “Not until you let Jaxon go.”

  “And why should we let him walk free?” Wizard rounds on my woman before I can ask her myself.

  She stands with her hands on her hips, the most confident stance I’ve seen from her. I can’t help but admire her as she takes on my prez. “The MC has given me its protection, yes?”

  “Yes,” Wizard says, his eyes narrowing.

  “Then I’m claiming Jaxon so your protection can extend to him.”

  “Claiming him as your fuckin’ what, woman?” I yell, incensed.

  She rounds on me. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll adopt him.”

  “You can’t adopt a fuckin’ grown man.” Peg’s snorting with laughter. I’m glad someone’s finding this amusing.

  “And sorry to tell you this, Virginia,” Wizard’s also finding it hard to keep the smile off his face. “You can’t claim anything when you haven’t yet got an old man.” He raises an eyebrow in my direction.

  Virginia’s not cowed. Her jaw juts out as she points to me and says, “Then I claim Marvel.”

  Snorts go up around me.

  “Not the way it fuckin’ works. Man does the claimin’,” Throttle shouts out.

  “Too fuckin’ right,” Blade echoes, then follows it up with an “oomph”, and, “What the fuck did you do that for, woman?” I notice Tash shaking out her hand while Blade rubs his arm ruefully.

  “And you can stop laughing,” Darcy says to Peg. “It’s about time us women stood up for something.”

  “And what are you standing up for?” Drummer asks in a deceptively easy drawl.

  “Making sure you do what’s right by that man over there,” his own old lady replies.

  “Or?” Drummer snakes his hand around her neck, but Sam stands her ground.

  It’s Sophie who offers the trade-off. “Or pussy’s off the agenda until you all come around.”

  Wraith barks a laugh. “Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face, Soph. Think you’d give in before I would.” He chuckles loudly.

  Sophie flicks her blond hair over her shoulders and shoots him a two-fingered salute. I’ve always wondered whether she considers the back to front V sign worse than flipping him off, or slightly more ladylike.

  “Come on. Women out. Now,” Hound, without an iron in the withdrawing pussy rights argument, suddenly yells out. “This is no place for ladies.”

  But the women have formed a line. Rock manages to pick Becca up and flings her over his shoulder, but when Heart goes to do that to Marcia, she takes on a threatening stance.

  “Don’t you fuckin’ dare.” It might be many years since Marcia was a cop, but I’ve seen her in the gym, and she still keeps her skills up.

  Hawk’s trying to reason with Olivia, and Drummer’s got his head bowed speaking to Sam, but not one of the females are making a move to leave of their own volition.

  The truth is, I’ve become of the mind that the shit Jaxon’s been through is more penance than most men should take. Though I’m not sure if showing him mercy will do him more harm than good.

  I pull Virginia to the side. “You serious about taking him on?” I know she can’t actually adopt a fully grown man, but I wouldn’t put it past her to try to mother him in other ways.

  “It’s not enough to let him go,” she says quietly. “That man’s just one step away from ending his life, Marvel. He’s got nothing to live for.”

  Or so he thinks. I eye him, seeing while it’s his fate all the bedlam is about, he’s staring at the floor without any expression on his face. If I’ve never before seen a man who’s given up, I’m looking at him right now. It dawns on me that blank face is one I’ve seen before when I’ve looked in the mirror, years ago when I was deserted and betrayed by the woman I thought I’d loved.

  At least I didn’t lose her and a kid. The loss of a fortune is no comparison at all to the loss of a wife and child.

  The Devils had saved me. Is there any chance of us giving Jaxon salvation now?

  Glancing at Virginia, I know what I have to do. At a volume seriously risking making my head pound again, I shout out loudly, “I’m claiming Virginia.”

  Wizard turns and grins broadly, showing he was forcing my hand all along. “Need a vote on that, Brother.”

  “I propose we do that now,” Hawk suggests.

  “She going to keep doing this?” Throttle grumbles. “Stirring the women up?”

  “Your Gwen’s not part of it,” Hawk reminds him.

  “Only ‘cause she’s got too much respect for her man,” he responds cockily, puffing up his chest.

  Darcy snorts. “Only because she’s not on the compound right now.”

  Throttle turns and glares at his mom.

  “Motion’s on the table. Who says aye?” Wizard tries to get some semblance of control. Ayes come from all sides, but I’m not certain they’re unanimous, and some are certainly said begrudgingly along with murmurs about how the storeroom had never been invaded before Virginia came along. A bunch of female voices join in, all on my woman’s side, which make everyone glare, and Peg and Hound to thunder out that women don’t get voting rights.

  It’s hard to tell what the outcome will be until Wizard asks for the contrary vote, and this time no voices are heard.

  “What does that mean?” Virginia asks me with a hopeful look in her eyes.

  I snigger. “It means you’re stuck with me. You’ve just been voted in as my old lady.”

  “Yes!” Sophie fist pumps the air. Then her face falls. “Are you sure you want this?” She adds in an overloud whisper, “He can be an ass.”

  Virginia turns and gives Wraith’s woman a grin, then looks back to me. “What does this mean about him?” In case I wasn’t aware who she was talking about, she points to Jaxon.

  “Well, I won’t be fuckin’ adopting him.” I stare at Wizard, who gives me a shrug. Reading his facial expressions, I know he’s leaving the decision to me. Jaxon took my woman, and it was me he knocked on the head.

  I notice Throttle and Hound watching me. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I walk over to Jaxon.

  “You gonna cooperate and help us take this Brown down? Make shit safe for my woman again?”

  Jaxon raises his chin and meets my eyes. “Yeah.”

  It might just be one word, but the manner in which it’s said leaves me in no doubt he’s sincere.

  “And what then?” Virginia puts herself between us. “What happens after you’ve got Brown?”

  I take a breath and hope I’m not going to regret this. “Then Jaxon walks free.”

  She grabs at my shoulders. Her wide eyes meet mine. “Scout’s honour?”

  “I was never a fucking scout,” I tell her with a growl. “But you have my word as a Devil.”

  “Thank you,” she breathes sincerely. Then she rises on tiptoes and presses her mouth to mine.

  Headache be damned, I respond to her, taking control. Clasping the back of her head, I quickly lose sense of everything except for my old lady, her taste, her scent, and her touch as she leans into me. My cock starts to swell.

  “Well, it looks like Marvel’s going to get laid, but what about the rest of us?” Blade shouts out, eyeing Tash and winking.

  “After you threatened me?” Tash puts her hands on her hips.

  “Hey, that was with a spanking, and you know you like that.”

  As Tash draws in air sharply, Rock opens his mouth. But before he can speak, Mouse steps up, his eyes intent on his laptop.

  “That fuckin’ picture of Brown isn’t good enough for an image search. He’s got his head half-turned away. And I still can’t find any mention of any of his family members among Robert’s victims, nor of any that have gone through the funeral home.”

 

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