Page 62 of Insidious Heart
“She’s a nurse so she runs quarterly physicals on the girls and makes sure everyone is healthy, that no one is using drugs or anything else like that. Sofie, Snipe’s wife, helps when she can but she does other things for the Kings so she isn’t here very much. She is looking into childcare for the dancers and stuff though, toying with the idea of starting a daycare with some of the other gals in the MC for the girls who don’t have any kind of outside support. Sof calls it hermama mission.”
Ember laughs but I don’t join in.
No, I’m too busy staring at her slack-jawed and in shock.
The Wulven Kings arenothinglike the Demon Seeds.
Sure, the kids are all homeschooled, and Beau essentially forces the women to raise them all together, but not like this. They teach or they go on runs. They can’t have real jobs, and don’t get to pursue any kind of education outside of graduating high school. The only reason I was allowed to go to nursing school was because my father wants me to be able to fix up the members when they need it since the club doctor is getting a little too old to keep doing it. The women of the DSMC are the definition of the stereotype to be perfectly honest—property and just as ruthless as the men that claimed them—and the worst part about that is they also fight amongst themselves and are constantly in competition with each other in a no holds barred kind of way. My mother and Rochelle were probably the only exceptions to that sort of behavior, but even then they were so terrified of my father that they never spoke up or tried to rally the way these women have.
It blows my mind that not only are the Kings’s women involved in the business, they’re running certain aspects of it right alongside various members of the EC.
Which makes me ridiculously judgmental and naive because I always assumed all clubs were like the Seeds.
Shows what I know.
Not that I would know any different, but still.
“What?” Ember frowns as she tilts her head then smirks. “Don’t they involve their wives in Seeds’ business?”
A very out of place giggle bubbles up my throat as I shake my head. “No way, not like this.”
“Like how, then?”
“Think 1970’s Hell’s Angels.” I laugh a little harder as my new friend raises both eyebrows in surprise. “Oh yeah, it’s like being transported back to the Stone Age.”
“So this is a real culture shock for you then, huh, Stevie?” Ember starts giggling too. “I can’t wait to tell the girls. They’ll be super disgusted.”
This has me sitting up straight and leaning toward her, my laughter coming to an abrupt halt as fear lances through my chest. “Don’t, please.” She frowns at me but I reach out and grip her forearm as I shake my head. “Please don’t tell them any of that. I’m not supposed to talk about the club or anything that goes on in it. I shouldn’t even be talking to you about it. I… I—”
“Hey,” Ember says softly as she frees her arm and takes my hand in hers. “I didn’t mean anything by that. And I won’t say anything if you don’t want me to.”
I search her grass-green eyes for a minute then let go of her hand and start to relax. “I’m sorry, I just… my father, he gets really paranoid about the club and, yeah…”
“I understand, hon. My lips are zipped, ok?”
I nod and blow out a breath but I know Ember doesn’tfullyunderstand. No one does and if I wanted to give her a clearer picture I’d end up digging myself a hole that Beau would gladly bury me in.
“So…” I turn back to the main floor and search the crowd again. “You said the Kings’ president is gone and the only guys here are Spider, Marbles, and Jackal?”
“Yeah, and a few others but I don’t see them. They’re around here somewhere for sure though. Snipe likes to have more numbers present than that whenever he can.”
Just as I’m about to continue with polite conversation by asking who else is here, my spine stiffens as the unmistakable feel of a fingertip glides down my exposed skin at the back of my dress and my space is crowded by a couple of unknown men.
“Marbles said to let the girls know they’re ready.” A tall blonde with a man bun and light beard says as he leans across the bar next to me. He reaches behind it, flashing Ember a smile as he grabs a glass and bottle. “Apparently the Seeds are getting antsy now that their women have left.”
“I’ll text Elias. He’s on dressing room duty.” My friend smirks while she watches him fill the glass with the clear liquor before grabbing a bottle of cranberry juice and adding a splash. “But first, since you so rudely interrupted my conversation, how about an introduction?”
My heart starts to race as he faces me because I do not do well with this sort of thing, but the crooked smile he gives me, the warmth in his dark brown eyes, they put me at ease. “Sorry, sweetheart.” He holds out his free hand and waits for me to take it. “I’m Pork Chop, but you can call me Chop.”
“Stevie.” I barely squeak out as I shake his hand.
Chop grins. “As in Stevie Nicks?”
I nod and slowly pull my hand back into my lap.
“Cool. I like that. The White Witch is a legend.”
“Chop is an enforcer for the Kings,” Ember says as she goes to refill my glass. “And this ray of sunshine here”—she nods to the guy looming next to him with a scowl—“is Pope. He’s their Chaplain, and probably the friendliest caveman you’ll ever meet.”
