Chapter Thirteen

 

Several hours later Landon was pissed off, but Anna was back in his bed, and the dog they’d found was right beside her.

“I want to call him Boo,” she said.

“Boo? Why Boo?” Landon sat on the edge of the bed. He’d never taken the time to really care about having a pet or loving one.

“I don’t know. Just look at his face. Every time I look at him, I just want to go, peekaboo.” She giggled. “I love him so much already.”

Landon didn’t like how much affection she was bestowing on this lonely dog. He wanted her to look at him like that. Anna had gotten beneath his skin, and he couldn’t walk away. He didn’t understand why, but watching her today, seeing how she defended the vulnerable dog, and put herself in danger, he finally realized what he’d been fighting. Anna wasn’t going to disappear after a couple of decent fucks. She wasn’t someone he wanted to use for pleasure.

She had gotten beneath his skin because he’d allowed it.

He’d fallen in love with her crazy vegan self, and he didn’t want to lose her.

“You know, he can stay at the clubhouse all the time. My place as well.”

“My apartment,” she said, and she pouted. “They don’t allow pets.”

“You can move in with me.”

“Landon, I don’t…”

He pressed his fingers against her lips.

“Don’t worry about it right now. It’s something for you to think about.” He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her lips.

“What does this mean?” she asked.

“You and I both know what it means.” He stared into her pretty eyes, knowing he’d be more than happy to wake up and fall asleep to her in his arms every single day.

Even when he was apart from her, he thought about her constantly.

“I love you too,” she said, frowning.

He chuckled. “Admitting your feelings shouldn’t make you look like that.”

“I’m sorry. All of this, it’s … new. I’ve never felt this way with anyone, and I’ve been trying not to feel anything with you. Everywhere I turn people tell me how you use women until you get bored. I don’t want to be a woman you use.”

“I would never use you.” He laughed. “I did in the beginning, but you were always different.”

She lifted up, careful not to hurt the dog. “We’re going to make this work. You and I?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready to do the whole old lady thing.”

“I haven’t asked you to be my old lady,” he said.

She chuckled. “Of course. How silly of me.”

“Will you be my old lady?” he asked.

“Landon!” She shoved at his arm. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“You better believe it.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “I love you. I’ll even make sure I’ve got a sewing room back at my place.”

“You know, we’ve never been to your place.”

“I’ll rectify that problem as soon as I see Duke.”

“Once he knows you and I are together, I can leave, can’t I?”

“Yes. You’ll be bound to the club just like everyone else.” She took a deep breath, and he pushed some of her hair back off her shoulder. “Do you think you can handle that?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“This means Holly and Mary are going to keep interrogating me for recipes, right?”

“Pretty much. They’re more than successful with what they do.” He cupped her face, kissing her lips. “I’ll be back in a short while.”

“You’re going to go and do something bad, aren’t you?”

“I’m going to go and take care of some business.” He got to his feet. Greg was an asshole, and he hadn’t liked him from the start. He’d agreed with the rest of the club to allow him to prospect for the simple fact that just because he didn’t like the guy didn’t mean he couldn’t have a chance to prove him wrong.

All the man had proven to Landon was he really needed to trust his fucking gut a lot more.

Leaving the bedroom, he closed it behind him and went in search of Duke.

Not a big surprise to find him in his office. There was no sign of Holly, and he guessed she was back at their home with the kids while Duke remained to deal with Greg.

“You’re back.”

“Tests ran on, and the clinic we took him to was filled with injured pets,” Landon said. He’d sat in a waiting room for close to five hours. Anna wouldn’t leave to go and find someplace else, just in case each person had only a couple of minutes between appointments.

He was tired, and after hearing the truth fall from his woman’s lips, he wanted to go back upstairs and fuck her.

Of course, he’d have to be careful because of Boo now in his bed.

“Greg is tied up downstairs. I don’t need to warn you about what you’re about to do. You haven’t made any kind of claim on Anna. The guys will want him punished for even thinking to hit a woman, but they won’t accept any death blow for a pussy, you know that.”

“Anna’s my woman. She’s the love of my life, and I’m willing to die for her. What he did, he went to hurt my woman, and he hurt a dog. We’re a club with a reputation for doing bad deeds, and there are levels we’re willing to fall to. Hurting a dog is not one of them.”

Duke sat back.

“When should I organize the party?” Duke asked.

“Tomorrow night. I don’t want to give her time to freak out about what is going to happen. Don’t have it crowded either, but we’re also going to need some people willing to get it on. Can you make sure that will happen?” Landon asked.

“You’ve thought about this?”

“I never thought I’d want to have a woman to keep as mine, but Anna, I don’t know what the fuck she did to me. One moment I’m happily fucking my way through every single female I can get my hands on. Now, I can’t even look at another woman. I don’t want anyone else. My entire life is about her, and being with her, loving her.” Landon rubbed the back of his head, feeling the growth beginning to return. He once had a nice head full of hair, but after losing to a bet with Knuckles, he ended up shaving his head and getting the ink. He hated not having hair, but he always kept his bargains and deals. “I tried to knock her up.”

“Tried to?”

“I didn’t even realize it was what I was doing, but it’s so fucking clear to me now. I’ve tried to pretend it was all for fun, but it’s not. I love that woman more than anything in this world. I want her tied to me in every way manageable. Will you get Holly to bring a couple of tests tomorrow? There is a chance I knocked her up.”

“I have a feeling you and Anna are going to provide me with no end to entertainment.”

He laughed and nodded. “You got that right. I want to go and deal with Greg.”

“He knows too much to be allowed to leave,” Duke said. “I’ve already got Diaz working on his place. It will look like he simply skipped town. His bike is already crushed and gone.”

Landon left the office and made his way down toward the basement. Greg was sweating when he caught sight of him.

Preach was sitting on the stairs, reading a magazine and sipping at coffee.

“What’s the verdict? You slap me on my wrists, tell me how bad I’ve been, and then, what? I can leave?”

“You’re not leaving,” Landon said.

“That woman, I don’t even recognize her. She’s not club property. She’s nothing.”

“She’s mine.”

“No.”

“Yes, I staked my claim on her ass, and you know what this means. You went after one of the club women, and because of that, you’re going to have to pay.”

Landon didn’t want to make this last. He had no intention of getting blood on his body, so picking up the knife from the table, he approached Greg. The man was screaming, crying, begging. He’d gone from being cocky to scared, and Landon relished the change, watching him. “This is what happens when you don’t control yourself.” With a single swipe of the blade across the man’s throat, Landon killed him.

This wasn’t the first time he’d killed nor would it be the last. He would protect Anna at all costs.

****

Later that night, Duke leaned against his pickup truck, waiting for him to show up. Holly knew where he was and what he was doing but none of the club knew. He’d bring them all up to speed, but the fewer people who knew about this meeting, the better.

He’d been waiting an hour before the car finally pulled down the dank round. Duke knew he was starting to get old. The chill was seeping into his bones, and he was tired. All he wanted to do was go and curl up with his woman. Dealing with this shit again, he knew he couldn’t back down. Maya was family, but she’d brought this to his attention and part of him wanted to throttle the little bitch.

The man climbed out of the car, keeping the door open as he approached. “I have to say this is new and a huge surprise,” Lash, the president of The Skulls said, as he approached.

Duke held out his hand, and Lash shook it.

Neither of them wore their patches. This was a private meeting, not about turf or war, but to find out answers about Lash’s family.

“I didn’t think you’d come.”

“You didn’t exactly give me much of a choice. I don’t like riddles, never have. I’ve had people in my past who have tried to use that method before, and believe me, don’t use it again if you want to keep your life.”

“And here I thought you were above killing.”

“I take care of my family. It’s what I do.” Lash stood, hands at his sides. Duke had no doubt the man was packing some weapon.

The Skulls weren’t feared for no reason.

“Do you want to tell me why the fuck I drove all the way out here on a cold night? I’ve got a family back home waiting for me.”

“Is there a chance Ned Walker would be trying to take my town for any reason?”

Lash didn’t give anything away. “Ned Walker?”

“The old fucker called me a couple of years back. He wanted to do a meeting. My guess was, he wanted my club to take over from you.”

“And your response being no.”

“Exactly. I’m no one’s fucking pet to do as they please. It’s one of the many reasons I’m not in with the Billionaires.”

“We were never Walker’s pet. As for our deals with the Billionaires, it’s a sweet one, but that’s your loss,” Lash said.

“With your sudden twist of being the good little pets of the law now, I’ve got a drug problem running through Vale Valley. I want to know what Ned has planned and why You’re the only bunch of people I know with a direct connection with him.”

Lash laughed. “You know I’ve killed men with my bare hands for less. You insult me.”

“Ned Walker works for The Skulls.”

“Listen to your own words. You can’t call us pets and then accuse us of having Walker work for us. The relationship between Walker and the club extended from Tiny. Not me. I’ve been in control for some time now, and our association with Walker ceased. He’s family, nothing more. We don’t party with him anymore, nor with drugs. We’re out, and we’re clean. Whatever business you’ve got with him, take it up with him. I get your frustration, I do, but jumping around like this, makes you look weak.”

“That’s it.”

“Duke, this is not my turf. This is not my club. You got a problem with your club, deal with it yourself. If you can’t, give it to me. I’d take this club from you in a heartbeat.”

Duke stepped right up to the Skull son of a bitch. “This is my club. Not yours.”

“Then act like it. Ned is not part of my club. He’s no member of mine. You deal with him in any way you see fit.”

“And Tiny?”

“They’re family. This is not club business. We’re good.”

Duke nodded. “I didn’t mean to insult you.” He had to gain the upper ground one way or another.

Lash smirked. “I’ll accept your apology. When it comes to Ned, don’t try to complicate things. He’s a simple man at heart. I’m shocked the old fucker is still breathing. Next time you arrange a meeting like this, I’ll kill you.”

Lash walked away, climbing into his car. Duke wanted to shoot the other fucker now and get it over with, but he also had no reason to start a war with The Skulls. He had his answers. If Ned was the person bringing drugs into his town, then he was working for another MC, or someone else was working on their own. Either way, he got his answer. The Skulls wouldn’t mess with him as he found shit out.

Whoever was bringing drugs into his town, he’d find them, and when he did, it was going to be a bloodbath.