“You just fuckin’ forfeited those fuckin’ bags. I’m gonna make sure Sandra and the other Rebels make great use of the shit you bought. Get the fuck out,” Judge snarls, his voice filled with pain and rage.
Ice drags the bitch to the door and tosses her ass outside. He didn’t hurt her despite all the screeching and screaming. He stands blocking her from entering again and watches her make her way to her car. I stand behind him and watch as she gets in the car, starts the engine, and guns it through the parking. The fucking bitch barely misses the row of bikes as her car fishtails and then she almost slams into the gate as it opens for her.
“Good fuckin’ riddance,” Ice mutters, turning to face me with anger still radiating from him.
We head back in the clubhouse to find the Prospect on the phone. The second he sees us, he quickly hangs up and shoves it back in his pocket. Ice and I share a look as he heads off in the direction of the offices past Judge’s. Hopefully he’s getting Razer to hack into the fucker’s phone so they can hopefully get something off it. It won’t be me though. I’m done with this shit. Pulling out my own phone, I turn and head back out the door. No one will overhear me talking to Lash.
Calling my President, I wait for him to answer the phone. When it rings so long I think I’m about to get his voicemail, he picks it up. I don’t even let him say a word before I start in.
“I’m fuckin’ done here, Lash. As soon as I get off the phone with you, I’m packin’ my shit, tellin’ Judge I’m out, and headin’ the fuck home. I didn’t sign up for bein’ gone a damn month. You and everyone else has been there for your ol’ lady when they’ve been pregnant and I’m fuckin’ not there. I haven’t been there when Vince made contact again, and I’m hours the fuck away. I’ve been chasin’ every fuckin’ lead here with Ice and we’re constantly gettin’ the run around,” I yell into my phone.
“Death, I know you wanna be home with Kelsey. We’ve got everythin’ covered here and Kelsey is doin’ fine. Stay and take care of the shit at Judge’s. You’re the one who chose to go there and handle this shit,” he says, muffled noise in the background of the phone.
“I’m not fuckin’ doin’ it, Lash. The only fuckin’ reason I came here was because Sabotage just had his woman give birth to triplets. Were you really gonna send your own brother away when your nephews and niece were just born. There really wasn’t a fuckin’ choice in the matter,” I growl out, my voice harsh as fuck. “I’m fuckin’ done here. Take my fuckin’ cut if that’s what you want. I’ll turn it in as soon as I get back and move all my shit out. I’ll take Kelsey and Brent away from Braedon and you’ll never fuckin’ see us again. That shit will suck for Jaelyn who’s just gettin’ back on her feet at the shop and could use the help from Kelsey. You’ve got a few hours to decide what you want to do, but I’m leavin’ here.”
Hanging up my phone, I take a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm the rage flowing through me. Judge doesn’t deserve to have my wrath thrown in his face even though I’m just as pissed at him. He knows Kelsey is pregnant and the situation she’s got going on with her ex. Instead of using his own guys to help track this fucker down, he called us in. Sabotage and I might be the best trackers of our club, but it doesn’t mean he can just pull us whenever the fuck he wants. Not for this fucking long.
Walking back inside, I head straight for my room. I don’t have much to pack since I’ve been living out of my bag since I got her almost a month ago. Making sure I have all of my clothing and toiletries packed up, I zip my bag closed just as a knock sounds on the door. Calling out for whoever it is to come in, I take another look around the room to make sure I have my phone charger and shit for when I get home.
“Just got a call from Lash,” Judge says, walking in the room and closing the door behind him. “Said you told him you were leavin’ here and would turn your cut in when you got back to Braedon. That you’d take Kelsey and Brent and leave Braedon.”
“I did fuckin’ say that. Judge, I got no problem helpin’ your club out. I’ve been here multiple times to fuckin’ help you guys out in the past. Right now, I’m new to havin’ an ol’ lady who is pregnant and nearin’ the end of it. She’s got an ex blowin’ up her phone with threats to our son and her. Where the fuck am I? I’m here helpin’ you. Everyone else there gets to be with their ol’ lady and enjoy their pregnancy with them. And they don’t have half the shit goin’ on that Kelsey does.
“I’ve been chasin’ lead after lead with Ice, trackin’ on my own, and given you new leads. Now, it’s time for me to go the fuck home. To be with Brent and Kelsey, watch our son come into this world. Every single thing I’ve done here has led to a fuckin’ dead end. Am I pissed we haven’t caught this cocksucker yet? Abso-fuckin’-lutely. Pretty sure Ice is chasin’ a new lead as we speak with Razer’s help. Judge, I can’t fuckin’ stay here. Talkin’ a few minutes a night on the phone with my girl and not truly knowin’ how she’s doin’ with all the bullshit. I’m goin’ home to her. Where I fuckin’ belong,” I tell my brother, not taking my eyes off him once so he knows how serious I am.
“Never seen you like this, Nolan. I like this look on you. I’m not gonna say shit about you gettin’ outta here. Honestly, I’m surprised you lasted this long. Thought you’d be gone a few weeks ago. Exactly what I told Lash when he fuckin’ called me. Man’s pissed as fuck you hung up on his ass before he had a chance to say anythin’ in response to you. All I’m gonna say is have a safe ride home and I’ll see you soon. Gonna head out in a few weeks because I wanna be there when my nephew is born,” Judge says, pulling me into a hug.
“Thanks,” I mutter, grabbing my bag and heading out as Judge follows me.
I almost take my cut off now, but at the last second, I don’t. I’m going to wear my cut and represent my family for as long as I can. If this is the last time I ever wear this leather on my back, I’m going to treasure every fucking second of it. No, I don’t regret my choice to give up the club for Kelsey, Brent, and our unborn son. Not a single other one of these guys would fucking be gone for this long without leaving and going home. That wasn’t an option for me because I wanted the damn job done. And I sure as fuck couldn’t bring Kelsey here because of everything going on with Vince.
I’m ready to be back in Braedon and with my ol’ lady. Just like I’m ready to fucking deal with Vince once and for all. That fucking Rebel is going to fucking get what’s coming to her when I get back. One way or another she’ll be telling me everything I want to know about the fucker. It won’t be hard to break her. Not when she’s saying I’m supposed to be her man. A few choice words and she’ll fucking cave for me.
Chapter Twenty-Two
ANOTHER DAY SPENT baking in the clubhouse’s kitchen. I’m listening to music and baking up a storm. There’s really not much else for me to do in the compound. I’ve already cleaned the house from top to bottom, put the rest of the stuff from the apartment away, and made sure I placed a grocery order with the Prospects so there’s food in the house if Death happens to come home earlier than I’m anticipating. While he doesn’t say much to me about club business, he has voiced his frustration over the current situation he finds himself in at his brother’s club. He’s frustrated, angry, and ready to come home. I can’t say I blame him. I’m ready for Death to come home too. To be here for us and make it to the appointments for the baby with me. This video calling bullshit is getting really old. Though, I’m not going to say anything to him to make him feel worse or guilty. Death needs to focus on the task at hand so he can get home.
Everything I’ve been baking lately isn’t even all for the shop. Most the stuff gets eaten by the guys here at the club. When I’m stressed out and don’t have anything else to do, I bake, clean, or cook. There’s only so many frozen meals I can make and so many times the house can be cleaned. So, I’ve started taking out my frustrations in the kitchen. Talon is once again with me today. Boxer, Shank, and him are the main men watching over me. Part of me believes Talon’s doing it because of Death. He wants to be the one watching over his brother’s ol’ lady. Shank has been pretty adamant about watching over me too. I know out of all the guys here Shank is the closest to Death. It’s in the way they interact when they’re together. Even if words aren’t exchanged, those two men have a bond most others won’t ever have with another person.
“Kels, are you doin’ okay?” Talon asks me as Jaelyn and Sabotage walk in the kitchen.
Today’s Sunday and the shop is closed as normal. I’m not sure why Jae’s here because she had no clue I’d be here doing all this. It’s not like I planned it out or anything. I could have easily stayed at Death’s house and baked all this shit at a much slower pace because he doesn’t have double ovens or anything there. It’s why I’ve chosen to accept the club’s offer of using the kitchen.
“I’m okay,” I tell him, my eyes tearing up with those damn pregnancy hormones. “Just a rough day.”
“Okay, boys. Time for you both to get out of here,” Jaelyn states, her voice hard enough to let them know she’s serious. “Sit at the end of the bar so you can still see in the kitchen where we are. My girl needs some time to collect herself and that doesn’t involve the two of you being in here.”
With grumbles under their breaths, Talon and Sabotage leave the kitchen and I watch them sit where she told them to so they can still make sure no one comes in here. Jae walks over to me and wraps me in a hug for a minute before pulling back and looking at me.
“What’s going on, Kels?” she asks, keeping her voice low.
“I just miss him. We didn’t think Death would have been gone this long. He thought it would be an in and out job with him tracking down a guy and getting back here without missing too much. Some days are just harder than others,” I tell my friend as I continue baking a ton of cookies and cupcakes.
“It’ll be okay, Kels. I’m not supposed to know this shit, but I overheard the guys talking. Death is on his way home. He called Lash and told him he’d turn in his cut because he wasn’t staying there another day. Didn’t even let Lash get many words in the conversation before hanging up and I’m guessing leaving Briar Glen. He’s on his way back here now, Kels. For you, Brent, and your son. That man is on a fucking mission to get to you so he doesn’t miss anything else,” Jaelyn tells me as my heart breaks.
“Jae, that’s not what I want. I’d never force him to choose between the club and me. There’s no damn choice to be made. I’m literally not worth him giving up everything he loves and being close to his brothers. I’ll leave here right now if that’s what it takes for him to keep his cut. I’m not going to do a damn thing to make him give this up. I’m not worth the sacrifice he’d be making,” I tell her, sobbing now because this isn’t what I ever wanted to happen.
“He’s not leavin’ the club, Kelsey,” Lash says, startling me as I turn to face him. “Death is completely right. None of us thought he’d be gone this long. However, we shouldn’t have expected him to remain away either. That man cares more about you and your boys than anythin’ else in the world. I’ve never seen him this way. For the first time in his life, he’s fightin’ for what he wants. Am I pissed at him? Yeah, I am. That’s what happens in families though. We fight, make up, and choose what battles are truly worth fightin’. Death made his choice and didn’t let anyone get in his way. He’s got nothin’ but respect from me, Kelsey. So, let Jaelyn finish this up and get your ass home. The only thing I want you doin’ the rest of the day is restin’ and gettin’ yourself ready for your man to get home.”
