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“Fucking Nickel,” Murder growls as he continues with church. “All he did was save me the damn headache of calling him on his shit. We all know he had gone down a bad path. One he chose not to come back from. Bitch he’d started fucking and taking money from is married to a man we don’t need to make an enemy. There will be no retaliation or retribution. Nickel paid his debt with his life and we move on with our lives. We will honor him best by celebrating the man he was and the life he lived. I already made arrangements for his cremation as he had no family but us. I know we have the matter of naming his replacement. I think you’ll all stand with my decision to name East as my acting Vice Prez. All those in favor say aye. All opposed speak now.”
The room goes quiet. Murder goes around the table, resounding ayes fill the room.
Murder slaps me on the back and hands me my VP patch. Church comes to a close. It will be up to me to organize a ride in the spring in honor of Nickel. Weather isn’t permitting for it now. Came a hell of a snow last night. All I want to do is take Wylla Mae home and make her forget what she heard and saw last night. That wasn’t how I expected her first night in the clubhouse as my Old Lady to go, but in a way its better she knows what she married. Not that she hasn’t been around the club but never in that capacity.
Prez hands me a needle and thread to sew my patch on my cut. “Your Pops would be real proud of you, son. I’d like to get to know Wylla Mae better now that she’s older, and I won’t have to go through Alexa to achieve it. Think she’d be open to that? I just don’t want Ruthie catching wind, feel me?”
“I’ll talk to her but can’t promise anything.”
“All I ask, brother. Let me know.” He fishes in his pocket for something and drops a set of keys in my pocket. “Keys to your office. Suspect you’ll want a pay raise with two kids on the way. Poor bastard.” Murder shakes his head. “You know I can get rid of Lynn if she’s a problem.”
My head jerks up. We don’t fuck with women or kids so I’m not sure what the fuck he’s meaning.
“Just saying I could move her to a new city. Fresh start with or without the kid. Your call. I kept Alexa close cause part of me couldn’t stand the thought of my kid out there and me not able to watch her grow up.”
“I’ll handle Lynn my own way.”
“Your call, but Wylla Mae won’t take kindly to Lynn in her face or you keeping her on the side.”
“You want to ask me if I’m still fucking Lynn just ask me. We been through this shit before with Alexa. You fuck Lynn?”
“Not my type. So, are you fucking her?”
“Not since I got with Wylla Mae.”
Murder nods. “Get that patch sewn on. Set something up with Wylla Mae. I want to make amends with my daughter.”
“Right.”
**
“He wants me to what cook dinner or something and invite him over so what he can ask me about all the things he missed out on?”
“Can’t say. Just promised I’d talk to you so I’m telling you he wants to get to know you now that he doesn’t have to go through Alexa to arrange a visit.”
“But he still doesn’t want anyone to know he’s my dad. Can’t you see how messed up that is, East?”
“Know he cares about you. Doesn’t make it right but he’s looking out for you. Offered to relocate Lynn so she wouldn’t be in your face. Wanted to know my plans. Asked me if I’m fucking her on the side.”
Her brows shoot up. “Relocate her? What’d you say?”
“Told him I’d handle shit my own way. I won’t cut my kid out my life, and I won’t take him from her unless she’s a shit mother. Not my style.”
“Of course not.” I can see the disappointment on her face.
“You want me to make her disappear? You gonna raise the kid with me?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t gotten that far in my thinking. I have finals this week and Lynn is the last person I want to think about.”
“No but it’s something we need to discuss.”
“You’re right, East. I told you I don’t know if I can accept another woman’s kid.”
“But you married me knowing.” I bend down and kiss the top of her head as she scrolls through her study notes on her laptop.
“Because I love you. I want to make it work, honey. I hate her. I hate the thought of her. The idea that her baby is yours is like having my insides torn out and hacked into pieces.”
“Baby.” I move around the front of the couch and take her computer, placing it on the coffee table. I go to my knees and drop my head on her shoulder. Fucking guts me to know I’ve hurt her so damn bad.
Her arms come around me, sweet lips at my ear. “We’ll make it work somehow.”
“You hungry?” I change the subject.
“I can eat. What do you have in mind?”
“I could go for a steak sandwich and fries. You want to share a salad with me?”
“Yeah. You order, I gotta study.”
“You want your usual?”
“Stromboli, peppers and onions.”
“You got it.” I grab my cell and step out on the porch to smoke while I call in our order. I have a missed call from Lynn. I don’t want to deal with her brand of bullshit right now. She’s done enough damage for today and she’s not even here.
Lynn- Is it true? Did you put a ring on her finger? I always thought that’d be me. I thought we had something good, East. I’m having your child. I’m giving the family you always wanted.
Fucking hell. Bitch needs to give it up. She doesn’t have a damn thing I want. I scrub a hand over my face and dial Giovani’s. The order will be ready in twenty minutes. I flick my cigarette into the snow and go back inside to grab my keys. “Food’ll be ready by the time I get there. You coming with or staying here?”
“I’m staying.”
“You need anything else?”
“I’m fine. Drive safe.”
“Be back soon. Love you.” I go in for a quick kiss.
“Love you, honey.”
“Come lock the door behind me.”
“Why, you afraid the Boogeyman will get me?”
“No. He lives in Tennessee and he’s a friend.” I wink and her face pales.
“You’re joking?”
“Nope. He’s a Devils Reject.”
“Is that a club?”
“You’re learning. Lock the door.”
Those pretty doe eyes roll heavenward. “Fine.”
“Good girl.”
I close the door and wait till I hear it lock behind me before I start down the steps.
“East.” My head snaps up at the sound of my name. Fucking Lynn. I wish I had never taken her to my bed. I wish a lot of things, but I can wish in one hand and shit in the other and see which fills faster.
“Go home.”
“This is supposed to be our home together. Is she in there?”
“Lynn swear to fuck, you need to leave. Nothing here for you.” Bitch is pissing me off. She has no reason to be here. None whatsoever.
“Tell me it’s not true.” Her gaze shifts to my left hand, noticing my wedding band. Bottom lip trembling, she shakes her head from side to side. “No. No.”
“Told you once and this will be the last time. Go home.”
“How could you?” She runs toward me, her short blonde hair whipping across her face. “It was supposed to be me,” she screeches, pummeling her balled fists against my chest. “I’m having your baby.”
“Never asked you to. Was always safe with you. Always honest.”
I hear the front door open behind me. “East.”
“Back inside, baby. Lynn was just leaving.”
“He’ll get tired of you. Once the baby comes, he’ll toss you aside and come back to me. You’ll see.” Lynn backs away. Her voice lowers. “You’ll come back to me.”
I shake my head. Arguing with her isn’t worth the effort. Crazy fucking cunt. I tried being a nice guy. I can see now that isn’t going to work.
“Don’t come around here no more. I don’t want to see you. I don’t want to hear you. Don’t call. Don’t text. I’ll have my lawyer contact you from here on out.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Lynn, it’s time for you to go. East made himself clear.” Wylla Mae lifts my arm over her shoulder and tucks into my side. “Don’t turn him against you by forcing his hand.”
“Fuck you. Go play with some building blocks and let the adults talk.”
Wylla Mae goes to open her mouth but I stop her. “Don’t disrespect the mother of my child. Wylla Mae is my wife and having my baby so you speak to my Old Lady ever again it’ll be with respect.”
Lynn physically jerks as though I have smacked her. “She’s pregnant? Is that why you married her?”
“Don’t owe you no explanations, but no. Married her cause’ she’s the love of my life. Her having my baby is a precious gift. I know that it hurts to hear, but you need to know there is no chance in hell of there ever being anything between us but a custody arrangement and child support. Nothing more.”
“Why her? Why don’t you love us?” Her hand moves to the curve of her belly. “I’m giving you a son.”
That’s news to me. She said she wanted to be surprised at the birth. “Maybe so but it changes nothing between us. One day I hope you find a man who appreciates what you got but it’s never gonna be me.”
Her head drops at my words. “I’ll go.”
“You do that.”
Wylla Mae and I watch her back her car out of the driveway. “She’ll be back,” my wife whispers and fuck if she isn’t right and I wish she wasn’t.
“C’mon. Let’s go pick up our dinner.” I lock the front door and Wylla Mae waits by the passenger side of my cage for me. “Tomorrow I’m calling Xenon to install an alarm system and change the locks. Not taking any chances with that bitch.” He’s in town out of the Tonopah, Nevada chapter of the club. Brother is an IT genius. After the shit with Nickel Murder called him in to upgrade our security at the Devil’s Playground.
“You think she’d break in?”
“Who knows what she’ll do. All I know is I don’t trust her not to be stupid.” I unlock her door and open it. Maybe Murder had the right idea about sending Lynn away.