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Holly
I put my phone to my ear and waited for Samson to pick up. I was scheduled for a shift that night, and though I knew about the recent trouble at Grinders, I doubted that they would be closed. The people who worked there weren't all club members, including Samson. When the Desert Rebels had purchased the bar years ago, they'd kept Samson on because he’d worked there since the beginning and knew what was what. He'd turned out to be a good asset for them.
I liked Samson. He was a tough old man who'd become like a surrogate father to some of the girls who worked at the bar. He looked out for and was protective of them, but he could also dish out tough love when it was needed. He expected to be treated as he treated others, with fairness and respect.
"Hello?"
The frog in his voice revealed that I'd probably woken him up. "It's almost noontime, Sam, and you're still in bed?" I teased with a smile.
He groaned and cleared his throat. "Holly? Jesus, this is early for me, sweetheart. Everything okay?"
"Yes. I'm just calling about my shift tonight. Am I still scheduled?"
I could hear him moving around on his end, and then he released a deep breath. "Yeah I still have you down, but figured you wouldn't be coming in while you’re on lockdown at the clubhouse."
Damn. I knew that I wasn’t supposed to leave, but I hated letting Samson down, and I needed the work. I only had one more week at Grinders before I started my new job at Crickets, and I didn't want to have to dig into my savings. Still, I doubted Demon was going to let me leave the clubhouse. Lockdown meant no one in, and no one out, unless it was one of the men. The last thing anyone wanted to do was to get on Demon’s bad side by ignoring his orders.
Samson made a sound between a laugh and a grunt. "I can almost hear you thinking, sweetheart."
I laughed and confessed, "I may have been contemplating sneaking out for just a minute." Even though I had thought about it, being kidnapped twice in my lifetime was enough. I wasn't about to tempt fate. I supposed I was going to have to dig into my savings after all, because rent was coming up.
"I hope you're smarter than that," Samson grumbled. "We'll miss you, but we will get by."
I knew they would. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything stupid. I have Ava to think about now. This was my last week," I reminded him. "I guess you should go ahead and replace me."
He snorted. "Sweetheart, the club created that position just for you. I won't be replacing you."
That didn't surprise me. The Desert Rebels took care of their own, and they still considered me family. I had to wonder if it was because I'd been with Sax for so long and had also formed deep friendships with members in the club.
"Don't be a stranger," Samson said in his gruff voice.
"Oh, don't worry. I'm sure there will be girls' nights in my future," I laughed. We said our goodbyes and I let my mind drift to my new job at Crickets. God, I prayed that we were done with lockdown by the time I was supposed to start, because it was going to be a problem if we were. I knew that they couldn't keep me in the clubhouse if I really wanted to leave, but did I really want to cause bad feelings with the people who were my friends? The people who I loved? They were looking out for me and Ava.
I smiled down at Ava. I'd brought her outside for some fresh air and sun, laying her on a blanket with some toys. She'd played and looked around for a little while, mesmerized watching the other children running on the playground. Gradually she'd drifted off. The noise of their laughter and chatter hadn't bothered her in the least.
I reached for my iced tea. I was sitting next to Ava with my legs criss-crossed, or "criss-cross applesauce" as one of the older kids on the playground had laughed out earlier as he'd run past me. The mothers with children on the playground were obviously taking turns watching them, because I'd watched two arrive and then two take off more than once. Our little group was doing the same thing, and I'd volunteered to take the first shift. A playpen had been brought out, and both Izzy and Samuel were playing contentedly in it. One of the prospects had erected a large beach umbrella over our area to protect us from the hot desert sun.
The ground around the playpen was littered with the toys that Izzy and Samuel had tossed out. I'd picked them up a dozen times before I’d realized they were just going to keep doing it as long as I picked up after them, so I quit. A couple of the bigger kids had run over and picked the toys up once or twice, too, but they were smarter than I was, giving up much sooner.
I watched one of the mothers, Kathy, I believe her name was, fan herself. "There's room over here if you want to get out from under the sun," I called out.
She returned my smile and walked over. "Thanks. I'm not a sun worshiper as some are. I don't care for the heat either, but when you have kids you can't keep them cooped up inside."
I could tell by her pale complexion that she wasn't an outdoorsy type. She was pretty enough to be a model, and it was obvious that she took care of herself. Her short, blonde hair was shaved on the sides and long on top in a flipped over style, and her hourglass shape belied the fact that she'd had any kids, much less the three I’d seen her with today.
"Lockdown isn't easy for anyone," I agreed, making room for her on the blanket.
"Especially for my crew." She had three boys. "Holly, right?"
I nodded. "Kathy?"
She nodded in turn. "How old is your little one?"
"Ava is six months."
"She's a sweetheart. My boys are four, six, and eight." She looked out at the playground, as if searching for them. "I hope this last one is a girl."
My jaw dropped with surprise before I could stop it. "You're pregnant?"
Kathy laughed with a nod. "Just found out. I told Dale this is it. No more. I'm not going to provide him with a baseball team."
We both laughed at that. I didn't recognize her husband's name. "What does Dale do?"
"He's a writer when he's not playing warrior. Once in a while the club calls him in to help out with something. Of course, he doesn't share the details with me because it's considered—" She did air quotes, "’club business.’"
I detected a measure of bitterness in Kathy's tone. "You don't like him being part of the MC?"
She inhaled a deep breath and released it, pulling her gaze away from the playground. "I know when he's called in that whatever he’s doing is dangerous. I don't like that part. But then there are the other things, like the charity runs, and helping out in the community, the club barbeques..." She shrugged. "I don't mean to complain."
I understood how she felt. Belonging to an MC wasn't for everyone, and when your man belonged that meant you did, too. "How long has Dale been a member?"
"Fifteen years," she said without hesitation. "How about your man?"
I didn't feel like getting into it with her about my situation with Sax, so I just said, "About the same."
Samuel and Izzy were both on their feet and watching us, and I wondered if they'd finally tossed all their toys out. I got up and went to them to make sure that they weren't getting overheated. They seemed fine, but I got them each a bottle anyway, and while they threw themselves down to drink, I went around and picked up all their toys. "Last time," I laughed, throwing a look over my shoulder at Kathy.
About that time I heard familiar giggling, and looked over to see JoJo and Ellie walking in my direction. My smile disappeared when I noticed that Goldie and Cherry were also walking a ways behind them. Great. What were they doing out here?
"How are they behaving?" JoJo walked directly to the playpen and glanced down at her son.
"We decided to give you an early break," Ellie smiled, doing the same thing as JoJo. "Hi, Kathy." She reached for Izzy, touching her skin, and I knew that she was doing the same exact thing that I'd done only moments before, checking to make sure she that her daughter wasn't hot.
"Ladies." Kathy's friendly tone included them both in her response.
"What time is it?" I asked.
Ellie glanced down at her watch. "Five till one."
I rolled my eyes and snorted. They were supposed to relieve me at one. "Thanks for the early break."
Ellie giggled but ignored me. "They look like they're getting ready for a nap." She looked at JoJo. "Should we leave them or take them inside?"
"I say we leave them. By the time we get them inside and set up they'll have got their second wind."
Someone began to cry on the playground, drawing our attention. Kathy immediately got to her feet. "That one is mine. See you ladies around." She rushed to the playground, where her youngest was crying. The other mother had already made her way there and was examining his knee.
"She has three boys," Ellie murmured in awe, stepping away from the playpen.
"Four. Don't forget her husband. Men are just big boys," JoJo joked, following Ellie over to where I was sitting. Her gaze flickered briefly toward the picnic tables. "I don't know who thought it would be a good idea to put the smokers next to the playground," she complained.
I took a quick look. Goldie and Cherry had both lit up a cigarette and were puffing away. They were close, and judging from their smirks, they'd heard what JoJo had said. "At least they have clothes on now," I murmured low, remembering the way Goldie had been dressed that morning.
"Yeah, we heard about that. Demon was pissed when he found out. He has strict rules about the club whores not running around half-naked when we're on lockdown."
I glared at JoJo. "A bikini top that barely covers your nipples and boy shorts up the crack of your ass is not half-naked. She may as well have been nude."
"I'm surprised he even allows them to be here when the wives and families are here."
"They’re considered club property, honey," I reminded Ellie. "And the club protects their own." I knew that Ellie and JoJo understood what the deal was. Hell, they'd both been old ladies long before I’d come on the scene.
I heard the sound of snickering behind me, and I knew that I should stop before my mouth got me into trouble.
"That's right, bitch," I heard Goldie say behind me.
JoJo gasped, but I chose to ignore Goldie.
"I belong to the club more than you do now. You're not even an old lady anymore."
It hadn't taken her long to find out about me and Sax.
"Enough," JoJo warned, shooting Goldie a scowl. "Holly is family. You have a problem with anyone being here, you take it up with Demon." She gave an evil grin. "Or better yet, take it up with Sax, since he's VP."
I rolled my eyes and barely held back a groan. JoJo was a sweetheart for coming to my defense, but I wasn't sure that mentioning Sax was a good idea.
"When I'm with Sax we don't talk."
I winced, literally winced, at Goldie’s response.
"We're too busy sucking and fucking."
"I seriously doubt that," Ellie countered assuredly. "Sax has been in love with Holly for years. I can't see him wasting his time on a skank like you."
Goldie threw her head back and laughed loudly. "Love and sex are two different things. And Sax is an animal in bed. He was in my bed last night."
My cheeks were burning as I kept my back to her. "Yes, you already made that clear this morning."
JoJo and Ellie reacted with the same stunned, open-mouth, round-eyed expressions. Goldie shrugged with a cunning gleam in her eyes.
"I'll have him in my bed again tonight, too..." She paused for effect. "Or maybe I'll let him fuck me on his bike. That was our favorite place when we were on the road on the way here."
Sax and I had fucked many times on his bike. The idea that he'd had another woman on the back of his bike, and the visual of them together turned my stomach. Finally, I'd had enough, and I turned to face the bitch. "You're a beautiful woman, Goldie. Your insecurities and bitchiness takes away from that. You should have more respect for yourself than to be with someone who only wants to fuck you. You haven't been at the clubhouse long, and yet you've already turned into a slutty whore who only wants to sink her claws into a biker and stir up trouble."
I heard JoJo and Ellie snort behind me.
"You're the jealous bitch making a fool out of yourself with a man who doesn't want you anymore." She took a puff of her cigarette and blew it out in one long stream.
"For your information, Holly is the one who broke it off with Sax."
I knew Ellie was just trying to help.
Goldie shrugged with indifference. "And she fucked up by having another man's brat."
Thank God for her sake that she hadn't said bastard. I resisted the urge to get up and slap Goldie's face. She was trying to provoke me into a reaction, and I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction. I glanced down at Ava and smiled. Looking at her made everything okay, made me feel good inside. Even Goldie's harsh, hateful words didn't hurt as much.
"I'm going back to check on Snake." They were the first words Cherry had spoken since she and Goldie had walked up. She'd been with the MC long enough to know to keep her mouth shut and mind her own business.
"Wait for me!" Goldie got up and quickly followed Cherry. "Maybe I'll find Sax and suck his big cock." Her laughter drifted away the further she walked.
I clenched my teeth.
"Honey—" JoJo reached over and touched my arm. "You know these bitches talk trash half the time. They're the jealous ones, because they know they're not good enough to be old ladies."
I smiled at her attempt to make me feel better. "I'm good," I lied. "I just didn't realize that staying part of the club after I broke up with Sax was going to mean so much drama."
Ava began to stir. It was time for me to take her inside to change and feed her.
"Why don't you leave her?" Ellie suggested as I got up and reached for Ava's diaper bag.
"She's going to want some food in a few minutes. I've got some applesauce and cereal in the kitchen. Maybe you can take her for a little while tonight while I get my shower?"
"Sure, honey. We're going to watch some Disney movies tonight with the rest of the kids, see how long they can occupy our little monsters."
"If they're the cartoons they might hold Ava's interest for a little while." I scooped my daughter up and gave her a kiss. "See you guys later."
As I walked toward the front of the building, my attention was drawn to a buzzing noise coming from the direction of the warehouse. Reid was spray painting the side of a van. Noticing me looking his way, he gave a wave, but continued working. As I continued walking, I thought to myself that he must have been doing work for someone outside of the club, because I'd never seen anyone in the club driving a white van.