Full A/N at the end. I want to thank Samantha Renk, KS, Robin D., Guest, and Hannah (glad to be back!) for the reviews. You guys made me smile! Also, a shout-out to Laurleo, my amazing beta for the pre-read.
Enjoy.
It takes 45 minutes for the damn law enforcement invasion to pull out of the lot and they leave a destroyed clubhouse and 15 code violations in their wake. As soon as they're gone Clay drops the bomb about Jax and Ope being held hostage on the boys. As a result it's Phil who is sent to get River off the roof and bring her back to the clubhouse. By the time Chibs gets back from the slightly unnecessary rescue mission it's died down enough in the main room for him to duck back to the dorms. It's been 3 hours and he feels terrible.
His brain is mush, between Romeo Parada showing up personally to save two brothers and Jackie-boy's engagement announcement Chibs is wondering if things will ever slow down. The Cartel in particular had his back up. Chibs has been a participant in large scale organized crime for almost his entire life and for a boss of Parada's importance to show up to protect a business partner seemed off. It was made more so by the "more repayment for our recent favor" Chibs had heard Luis whisper to Clay.
Chibs stops outside the unmarked door and takes a deep breath. Speaking of said favor, the woman is still a mystery. River is clearly not her given name but then again Chibs isn't his given name. He knows he should share the information with the club and see if Juice can pull up anything on her but part of him feels wrong about it all. She doesn't seem afraid of them, just curious, and it makes him uncomfortable.
Clay had told the club this was a protection detail for the Cartel but not protection from whom or why. Considering Clay's recent history of withholding key information Chibs is feeling less than generous with the president. He knows it's a very thin line but he backed the vote in chapel to keep them all safe and he's willing to follow his gut now to do the same. He needs her to trust him with more information. Settling on needing to check her injuries again as a way to buy time he raises his hand to knock before he realizes she won't be able to hear the sound.
Taking his chances, he tries the knob and finds the door unlocked. The lights are off but there's enough late afternoon sun coming through the high set window to put the room into twilight. She's in the narrow bed curled up under the covers and he stands there for a moment taking in how soft she looks and trying to figure out how to wake her up without scaring the shit out of her. He settles on shaking the bed, leaning on the foot-board to rock the mattress until she stirs.
She sits up slowly, blinking in the light to make him out. Her short hair is standing up in messy spikes and she rubs a hand through it which only serves to make it worse. She looks vulnerable and tired and he feels something protective coil up inside him. Her eyes focus on something behind him and go wide.
"Great minds, eh?" Clay is leaning in the doorway to the room and Chibs reaches out to flick on the overhead light sending the room out of twilight and into harsh relief.
"Wanted to make sure she made it down from the roof and hadn't given the prospect any trouble." It wasn't entirely a lie but Chibs knows it's not a whole truth.
"That was quick thinking. Getting her up there I mean." Clay is staring at her over his shoulder and Chibs resists the desire to shift so she's blocked from view. "Have you figured out anything about her? Tig said you two were passing notes earlier." Clay is staring at him expectantly and with the direct question Chibs has no excuse not to tell him everything.
"Girl says her name is River. Didn't get any more than that. It's hard with the whole not speaking thing." Chibs shoves his hands in his pockets and leans back on his heels.
"I bet. Helen Keller shit, I never thought I'd have to deal with this. I mentioned it to Luis this afternoon, they had no idea. Said they are going to try and find an interpreter to send around, would take a few days." Clay rubs at his chin as he talks. "Does she seem to like you? You looking to get a piece before we hand her back?"
"Dunno." Chibs is careful to keep eye contact with the president when he talks, this conversation suddenly feels dangerous and he can't figure out why. "She seems to like me a'ight. Likes Bobby too."
"We can't keep her here anymore. Bobby can't take her to his, in case his PO stops by. I was thinking maybe we could stash her at your place?" Clay is studying him carefully and Chibs nods along with the logic of this. There are only a few sons who don't have the risk of a surprise parole visit hanging over their residences.
"Aye, I can do that. Sneak her out while the rest are celebratin'?" Clay nods and his smile is back. Chibs feels his shoulders relax.
"Yea, you do that. No one is going to judge you if you get yourself a treat brother." With that Clay leans forward with a knowing look to put a heavy palm on Chibs' shoulder before turning to drift back out into the main room.
As soon as the older man is gone Chibs spins on his heel to face the bed. River is sitting up all the way and she's got a look on her face he hasn't seen yet. She raises an eyebrow at him and he shrugs not sure how to explain what just happened. She nods towards the door and makes another new face although this one he can easily place as disgust. He reaches back to close the door and settles into the chair by the bed so they're eye to eye.
"I came to check your ribs but it looks like we're going on a trip instead." Her eyebrows go up again and he knows she's asking a silent question. "My place." She nods slowly and he gets the impression she's not sure about this new idea. His eyes scan the room and he finds the pad and pen from the night before. He holds them out to her and waits as she writes.
Going to get yourself a treat?
He blows out as he reads and looks up to see her dark eyes squinted at him, eyebrows up in question.
"Yeh got that huh? Better at lip reading than you let on aren't yeh." It's a fact worth remembering. She starts to write.
Occupational necessity.
"What occupation's that lass?" She shakes her head before he even finishes speaking and is writing, he watches as the words form but doesn't let her finish "Need to know... yea I get it. Why?" She flips the page and starts again.
Don't want to make it harder for you to keep your word.
He doesn't have to think hard to know she means about killing her. He'd said no earlier and she's not a dumb woman. He nods.
"Aye, I suppose I get that. Come on, I've got to sneak yeh out. There's old ladies about. Can yeh ride a bike?" He knows he's confused her from the look on her face but she just nods and he hopes she means, yes, she can ride.
Clay drifts back out to the main room of the clubhouse trying to blend in like he'd never been missing. He takes in the room, his eyes landing on Jax and Tara by the pool table playing doubles with Opie and Lyla. Tara had done well earlier, pulling that good news about their engagement out of her ass. It had broken the tension in a way Clay hadn't been expecting. Still, it was going to take weeks to get the clubhouse back into shape after the Sheriff's axe-happy visit.
Overall, the president really isn't sure how he feels about the engagement news. He wants Jax to find happiness, he really does, but he's nervous about the younger man's commitment. Wanting out for a distant one-day is different than not having your head in the game now.
He scans the room again and gives a friendly nod to Tig over the back of a croweater. The Sergeant at Arms is a simple man at least. Most of them are Clay thinks, taking count and finding most of his brothers already engaged by the ladies who service the club. This is why he'd made the Cartel deal in the first place to keep these men whole and able to come home to pussy. Sure, he'd kept a few things close to his chest but the end justified the means and here he was looking out over a room full of mostly content soon to be very rich men.
A hand slides up his back and Clay smiles as Gemma slinks an arm around his waist.
"Where you been baby?" His old lady's voice is thick with drink and Clay smiles at her.
"Had to take care of something in the back." He pauses for a moment trying to decide how much more to say and settles on enough of the truth to get his Gemma's help. Bobby had said the girl was without clothes. "We've got a guest courtesy of the Cartel." He feels her stiffen and then relax.
"That so?" Her voice has an edge to it and Clay wonders if this news might be enough to get her off the trail of those fucking letters she'd mentioned recently. The last thing he needs is her stirring up shit and adding more drama to his already full plate. He doesn't know what JT wrote to that Irish gash and he'd rather not find out.
"Yep. Holding on to a pretty little package. Might need your help finding her clothes. The Scot is taking her back to his place to avoid our friendly neighborhood Sheriff." Clay drags the words out hoping Gemma will get hung up on the idea of having a chance to help the club.
"She can have these clothes as long as you help me take them off soon." The teasing note in her voice lets him know he's succeeded this time. Her hand slides into his back pocket and he tucks his chin in to give her a wolfish smile.
"I think we can make that work." He spares one last glance for the room making sure everyone looks engaged and then lets his hot wife lead him down the hall towards distraction.
Again, thank you to everyone who reviews. I've been having a rough couple weeks and checking my email to see a review has been an amazing pick me up. I hope you're all liking the story so far.
We're going to learn a lot more about River soon.
All reviews are welcome and appreciated. Until next time.