I'm in the shower when I hear a knock at the front door. I'm not exactly in any position to answer it.
"I got it!" Shanes steps are heard running towards the front door.
"See who it is first!" I call after him.
If Shank is on the other side of that door, he's gonna throw a fit because Shane answered it.
I quickly turn the water off and wrap a towel around me before practically running to the living room. Why? I don't know.
Seated on the couch is Schiz, talking to Shane about some comic book Shane has in his hands from his room. He looks up and me and his eyes are stuck to my legs before pausing at my chest and finally settling in my face. Heat floods my entire body from his gaze. He offers me one of his sexy smirks. I smile back.
"Morning." He says.
"Good morning. Imma get dressed right quick. Shane, where are your shoes?" I ask him. My son glances up from his comic book in horror at me.
"Mom! Go get clothes!" He rushes to his feet and starts pushing me towards my room. I hear Schiz laughing from the hallway.
I allow my son to push me into my room and close the door behind me before laughing myself. Because it's funny he doesn't want guys looking at me. I love that kid.
I put on some ripped jean shorts and a black tank top to attract the sun and hide any sweating I might do with all the moving.
Walking back out to the living room, I find Schiz still there, but a few others have joined too. Shank among them. I recognize Panik and Lynol but the rest are strangers. How had I not heard their motorcycles?
Shanks gaze burns into my body and I see the lust in them. He may not want me as his old lady but he definitely wants to sleep with me. Sucks to be him. I'll never make that mistake again. Not that I regret my son. I glance around the living room for Shane but I don't see him.
I turn to look in the kitchen but he's not there either. "Shane!" I call down the hall.
"I'm putting my shoes on like you said. Do you have clothes on now?" He calls back. My face heats up and I avoid looking at the guys taking up my living room. Schiz snorts.
"Yes, son." I reply.
My front door bangs open, making me jump out my skin, and in struts Lacie. I glare at her but my hearts not in it. She beams at me before coming over to stand beside me.
"Where's the wine?" She immediately asks. I laugh.
"All gone. I drank it all last night." And came close to kissing Schiz, I silently add. She groans.
"You're an alcoholic." I tease her. She shrugs, not disagreeing. Panik laughs as he comes over to wrap his arms around her waist. She leans into him with a satisfied smile. My heart drops a little. I want love like that.
Derek could have offered that- DID offer that- but I couldn't return those feelings. Because you still love Shank, my subconscious says. I roll my eyes at myself. Too bad he never held any feelings for me. And made it clear yesterday he never will. He made it Crystal where I stand with him.
Shane comes out, holding his rabbit. "I'm ready." He announces. He has on a blue plain shirt and kaki shorts.
"Is Mr Jingles coming too? He gonna help lift a box?" I ask sarcastically.
My son rolls his eyes at me. "Don't be ridiculous, mom." He says and puts Mr. Jingles in his small cage so he can go in the car. Shank full out laughs and ruffles his sons hair as he passes. Shane doesn't respond and I watch Shank slightly cringe at the rejection from his son.
"Where are going?" Shane asks me, holding Mr. Jingkes in his cage. I open my mouth to reply but Shank beats me to it.
"No where. Everything is coming in here." He says. I snap my jaw shut and glare at him
"No its not. The bank is taking the house." I say slowly, calmly. I don't want to fight in front of Shane.
"I bought it. It was low at a low price so I bought it before they could raise it. Now you don't have to look for a place." His words are matter of fact.
I gape at him. "I didn't ask you to do that. What makes you think I even want this house?" I snap.
He glares at me. "Its not about what you want it's about what is best for Shane. He needs a home. Excuse the fuck out of me, Missy!" He snaps back. I glance at our son and cut my next smart ass reply short.
Shank is kinda right. But I don't want to owe him shit.
"So we can stay!" Shane starts jumping in joy, shaking his poor rabbit. I force a smile for him. What I really want to do is stab his father.
"Shane, why don't you take Mr. Jingles outside and play with Sydney and Mike?" Lynol crouches down infront of my son. Shane glances at me for permission, and I nod. He takes off out the door to play.
"This isn't fucking over, Shane." I snap at the tall mean muscle of a man. He just smirks.
"The boys came to help get the shit in here and take out what you don't want." Lace clears her throat, interrupting our stand off.
"Perfect." I snap. Now I have to deal with a bunch of bikers in my house. No- Shanks house! I cant believe his ass.
The guys start hauling boxes and furniture in the house and I just stand there, directing them into different rooms. Around 5, Lace orders a bunch of wings and pizza for dinner (which the chivalrous bikers pay for) and we have to gather the kids in the house and force them to be still long enough to eat.
Shank comes up behind me and places a hand in my hip as I lean in the doorway watching our son. Heat emerges and electricity sparks everywhere but I still shove him away.
"I did it for Shane, babe." He sighs in my ear, his breath on my neck gives me chills. I step away from him to create some space between us.
"I get that. But you should have asked me first anyways." I respond. What if I had already found a place? Then he would have bought this house for nothing. And hows he got that much money? Do they all have that much money? If so, then why the hell are they butt hurt over 30k? Assholes.
"I'm sorry. I was just trying to help." His voice is hard. I shake my head.
"Its whatever. So do I pay rent?" I ask.
"Of course fucking not, Missy. Christ!" He growls then spins me by my arm to face him.
"It was a serious question." I snap at him.
He just stares down at me with those hard brown eyes of his. A scowl on his face. Like always.
"Well, the answers no. And I bought a house off Lynol for me to live so that Shank can spend some time with me. I want this to work." His words are passionate and fierce. Another house?
"And what is this exactly?" I motion between the two of us.
"You're the mother of my son." He repeats my words from a few days ago back at me. I cringe.
I only said that because he was trying to get in my pants and I'd rather be nothing but his baby mama than be just one of his many side pieces.
He exhales heavily and rubs a rough hand down his face, scratching his jaw. I nod and back away before turning the fuck around and going into the kitchen where the others are laughing. Margo has joined us now, off from work.
Shes a detective in sex crimes. Lace told me back when all the shit with Kale happened, Margo had quit but a while after she was asked to come back. Apparently she's really good at what she does. And sex crimes doesn't conflict with the club. Good to know they aren't pedophiles or rapists.
"Uncle Shank!" Mike exclaims as we enter the kitchen. Shank smiles at the little boy fondly. Now I see the resemblance between them. And between Mike and Shane.
"Hey, buddy." Shank squeezes the back of the boys neck lovingly. Mike beams at his uncle, adoration obvious. "Now that you have a place, can I come stay with you?" The boy asks. Margo frowns at this but Lynol just places a hand over hers on the counter.
Shank cough awkwardly. "Sure, Mikey. You can spend some nights with me. Shane will be coming too, so you guys can have sleep overs together. Just us guys." He answers.
Mikey seems happy enough with this answer and him and Shane start talking about things they can do. Margo excuses herself outside. I shoot a glance at lacie before following.
When I reach my front porch, she's wiping at her face.
"Margo?" I call cautiously. She sniffles then offers me a weak smile.
"I'm sorry. I've just been raising Mikey for so long since Kale, he's like my son and sometimes I forget that he's not. Him asking to live with Shank was like a bucket of cold water." She shakes her head as if what shes saying is ridiculous.
"Why didn't Shank take him. When Kale died?" I ask. Probably should be more sympathetic and less nosey. She just shrugs her heavily tattooed shoulders.
"He wasn't ready, I guess. So Lynol offered to take him. We thought it would be temporary but months passed and Shank never asked for Mikey, so Lynol and I bought a bigger house and we've had him since. Shank watches him, though, anytime we need him. And he's there every holiday. He's capable. I think he's just scared. Now that he has Shane, he might be ready and want him. I don't know if I can handle that." She mutters the last part.
I know I should say something to comfort her, but in reality, Shank has every right to take Mike if he really wants to. I know she loves him and losing him would probably feel like being torn- God if someone took Shane I'd kill- but Shank is that boys blood. So I settle for the truth.
"Shank didn't look like he was ready to take Mike in there." I say. She nods in agreement. One day, when Mike gets older, he might want to live with Shank though. And if shank is ready, he'll take him in. But that fact might upset her further, and I'm not trynna do that.
"I'm just being hormonal. I found out I'm pregnant again. And I haven't told Lynol yet. He's gonna be so stoked." She laughs a little. I smile at her. Having a baby is always a good thing. A true joy.
"Congratulation!" I yell her excitedly. She beams.
"Thank you. His birthday is this weekend, I think that's when I'll tell him. In a unique way, too." Her eyes are full of mischief. I grin, always up for fun.
"How can I help?" I ask. She blinks, clearly startled by my eagerness. Maybe I've overstepped.
Then she beams again. "Really?" She asks.
Her doubt makes me think back to Shanks words about how Margo doesn't have many female friends and most of time is spent with the club. Shes younger than the other old ladies.
"Of course! Lacie too." I reply.
Back in the kitchen, Lynol kisses Margo, full on tongue, and she blushes with a laugh. Their love is so beautiful. Lynol glances over at me and mouths a thank you. I silently nod.
"Mom, can I go to Shanks this weekend?" My son tugs my hand for attention.
His eyes are huge with excitement. Glancing at Shank, I watch him watch me. Has he even moved in yet? I look back at my son, his eagerness almost contagious.
"I have to talk to Shank first, but maybe." I wipe some dirt off his cheek. His face falls a little but he picks it right back up.
"Maybe is better than no." He bounces off again.
"I have a feeling he doesn't hear 'no' often anyways." Lace comments from her stool, a beer in one hand.
"So he's spoiled. You're point?" I sit beside her. She shakes her head. He never hears no often because he usually never asks for crazy shit or shit he already knows I'll say no to.
"We should go out!" Lace suddenly declares. I laugh.
"Where?" I ask. She shrugs.
"Whens the last time you've been out?" Margo asks me.
"I go out more often than you think. Derek took me to all kinds of rallies and parties at the club. Shane had a babysitter." I inform their shocked faces.
Shank doesn't look happy at the sound of Derek's name. Too fucking bad.
"Wow. Who would have thought?" Lace smirks at me. Panik takes her beer from her, telling her she's had enough. She glares at him, but I see the love in it. Give it some time, and Lace is gonna be Paniks old lady. Lucky bitch.