I lit up a cigarette that Alvarez's cousin had smuggled in and leaned up against the bleachers. I'd talked to Katerina this morning as she headed down to Bakersfield, but it didn't help my nerves. I kept the conversation short to keep from hurting her feelings. I was pissed that she hadn't changed the locks, but not as pissed as I was that I wasn't there for her. The walls around me felt like they were closing in further and further.
Jax had come up to me after breakfast and put me further on edge. He pointed out that if I wanted to bring Recker around after I got out, I should probably let Clay know before we get released. I hated the idea. I was certain she'd be around when I got out, but I still wanted to protect her from being used as an asset. As beneficial as it may be to the club, I didn't want my woman used like a fucking prospect.
I hadn't said anything during lunch or while we were out in the dayroom before rec. Luckily, my silence wasn't anything new to the club, so no one really questioned it. Tig and Jax looked over at me every so often. Tig was worried I was going to lash out because of Kat's ex and Jax worried about how I was going to handle talking to Clay. They're concern annoyed me and wound me up tighter.
As happy as I would be to beat someone's face in to release my anger, I couldn't. I couldn't get thrown in the hole when I had a direct line to my girl and had only five more days before I saw her again. I smirked and shook my head as I realized how fucking whipped I sounded.
"Clay, you got a minute?" I asked after finishing my cigarette and flicking the butte away. He nodded and joined me a few yards away from the rest of our brothers.
"What's on your mind, killer?" He smiled broadly at me. I kept my expression neutral as I looked him in the eye. There was no comfortable way to talk about this.
"Thought you should know I'm with Recker." I said flatly. Clay's brow rose and he cocked his head a little bit.
"Since when?" He asked. I shrugged and calculated the weeks.
"Few months. Don't really know where to start counting from." I said honestly. Clay didn't scowl but I could see a hint of aggravation in his eyes.
"You just now telling me this?" His voice was almost a growl, but he tried to keep it in check to avoid pissing me off. President or not, Clay knew what I was. He respected it if not feared it.
"Yeah. She's not a dirty guard, Clay. She's just my girl." I looked him dead in the eyes, hoping he'd hear the message. Clay nodded and let out a sigh.
"It could be helpful if you could persuade her otherwise, brother." He brought a hand up to my shoulder and smiled. I shook my head.
"No. She's risking enough. I'm not putting that on her. Do me a favor and don't try it either." I said carefully. I wasn't in the position to make demands to the president, but my request was pretty suggestive. He nodded and glanced over at Jax for some reason.
"Okay, brother. Long as we can avoid it." He said, leaving himself an open door just in case. It was the best I could hope for. I followed him back to our group, feeling a little more relaxed. I nodded at Jax. He smiled and nodded back. Tig raised his brow as Bobby and Juice looked around a little lost.
I was able to eat a little bit of the pathetic Christmas dinner they served us. The turkey was bland and rubbery, but the mashed potatoes and carrots were edible. I smiled as I thought about the protein bars I had stashed in my mattress. I reminded myself to thank Recker for those again.
I texted Recker as soon as we got back in the unit. O'neal was running George 3 since they were short staffed, so we were locked up for the rest of the night. As arrogant as he was, he wasn't man enough to let us out until count. Tig started writing something at the desk as I sat on his bunk.
"Ma's gonna make my girl fat." I said with a laugh as I read about the dinner Ma had fixed for herself, Recker and my aunt. My mouth watered as I thought about her home cooking. Tig looked at me and smiled, surprised by my talkative attitude.
"She's at your Ma's for Christmas?" He asked, putting his pen down and focusing on me. I nodded and smiled at the picture of the ham on the table before texting her back.
"You gonna put a crow on that girl?" Tig asked. I looked up at him and twisted my mouth. Besides Kozik, Tig was probably the brother I was closest to, but I still wasn't fond of talking about personal shit.
"If she's still around she fucking deserves it." I said with a shrug. Tig rolled his eyes since I'd neither confirmed nor denied whether she'd get my crow or not. I couldn't tell him since I didn't even know my self. If anyone was ever going to get it, she was, but I didn't know if anyone ever would.
Tig and I worked out for a little while before I climbed in my bunk for the night. The battery on the phone was half dead and I knew I only had one fresh battery to last me until she got back. I turned the phone off, hoping to make it last a little longer.
I woke up about an hour before breakfast. Despite being locked up and having a general apathy towards holidays, I was excited for this Christmas morning. I turned the phone on and smiled as it vibrated over and over with text messages from Recker. Tig groaned at the noise.
"You two never fucking sleep." He grumbled. I felt the movement of the bunk as he must have rolled over. I ignored him and grinned at the eight pictures she'd sent me. I rolled over and held the phone on my ear against the pillow as it rang.
"Happy Lowman! I'm going to kick your ass." Recker greeted me happily. Hearing the happiness in her voice made me feel like I was there with her.
"No you aren't. Merry Christmas baby." I smiled as I heard a bark in the background. She laughed.
"You don't get to get me a puppy and get away with it, even if it is adorable and blue. You realize I live in an apartment?" She asked, trying to sound mad. I laughed and nodded.
"Tell Ma I said to give you your other present." I told her. I heard Katerina growl as she must have stood up to go over to my Ma.
"Happy? Merry Christmas!" I heard my Ma's smile and almost teared up. I hadn't planned on talking to her.
"Merry Christmas, Ma. I'll be there for the next one. Promise." I said with a sad smile.
"No worries, Happy. I'm just glad you're safe. You want me to give Katerina the box?" She asked with a happy laugh.
"Yeah, Ma. Let me talk to her while she opens it. Te amo, madre." I said before she passed the phone to Katerina.
"Here she is. Te amo, Happy." I would have to thank Katerina for forcing me to talk to Ma.
"What's in the box, Happy?" Katerina asked as she returned to the line. I smirked but didn't say anything. I heard her intake a breath quickly.
"Katerina?" I asked after she didn't say anything for a minute or so. I heard the puppy growling in the background.
"What is this, Happy?" She was obviously crying. I figured she was probably doing that weird, happy crying thing.
"It's a key to my house. I want you to live with me, babe. Plus that little devil there with you will have a yard to play in." I said with a laugh. I knew that, as a cane corso, the dog would get well over a hundred pounds. My chest tightened a little as I waited for her to say anything.
"I love you, Happy." Her sob turned into a happy laugh. I smiled and punched the wall. I fucking hated sitting in this prison.
"I love you too, Kat. Give me the word and I'll have prospects start moving your stuff." I said as I twisted my knuckles into the cinder block wall.
"I'm not staying there without you, Happy. They can move it the week you get out." She said, sounding more relaxed and happy than I'd heard her in the past week or so.
"This battery's gonna die, babe. I'll call you tonight." I said as I pulled my hand back and covered my eyes with it.
"Okay, I'll talk to you later. Ma, Cici and Harley say bye." She said with a little laugh as the puppy started barking again. I laughed at the name she'd given the dog and ended the call.
"I wanna see my nephew." Tig said as his hand appeared at the edge of my bunk. I laughed and brought up a picture of Harley, our blue cane corso, and Katerina before handing the phone down to him.
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The day after Christmas found me pulling into a pet store at the crack of dawn. Happy had made sure Harley had bowls and a collapsible crate, but the poor little puppy only had one tennis ball. He rode in my passenger seat and behaved for the most part. I didn't have a leash or collar for him yet, so I just carried him inside and plopped him in a shopping cart. I laughed as he stood up with his front paws on the front of the cart.
I finished up in the treats and food aisle and headed to the cash register. I recognized a former inmate, a member of the AB, standing in line ahead of me. I tensed a little and picked Harley up. The guy looked at me for a minute before nodding and smiling a little at Harley. Luckily, he didn't say anything to me. I let out a breath of relief, considering that was the first former inmate encounter I'd ever had.
Harley and I made it back to the apartment without any excitement. He chewed on his blue and silver rope and lounged on his new bed as I got ready for Lauren's party. I heard my phone ringing as I brushed my teeth.
"Hello?" I answered with a mouth full of toothpaste. I heard Happy laugh as I spit into the sink.
"Morning, babe. You just waking up?" He asked through a yawn. I laughed and shook my head.
"Hell no. I've been up for a couple hours. Harley and I went to the pet store. You remember Williams, the AB guy with the scar on his face?" I asked as I flipped through clothes in my closet.
"Yeah, what about him?" Happy asked curiously. I tossed a black dress on my bed for consideration.
"He was in line ahead of me. He didn't say anything and I made sure to take a new way home and watch my back. It was just weird seeing him out here." I said, knowing he would worry about me being followed. He laughed a little.
"It going to be weird seeing me out?" He asked quizzically. I immediately regretted my choice of words.
"No, babe. It's going to be fucking wonderful. Harley will be happy to. He's been trying to chew on your present." I said with a laugh as Harley's ears perked at his name.
"What'd you get me? You didn't have to get me anything, Kat." Happy sounded curious and back to normal. I giggled and looked over at the black ka-bar sitting on my bedside table. I still had some time to wrap it.
"Can't tell you that babe. You okay with me going to Lauren's party?" I asked, hoping he'd be honest with me. I heard the faint noise of his hand running over the stubble on his chin.
"Yeah, it's fine. I just wish I was going to be there. She still fucking Chibs?" He asked, trying to get the subject off of him. I granted him that and nodded.
"Ever since the day after we got back from taking that medicine to your Ma. She really likes him. Normally she's pretty detached." I said, turning back to my closet and pulling out a pair boots. I knew Happy didn't really care about how Lauren felt about Chibs, but it distracted him from being inside all the same.
"Fuck, I think we've got shakedowns today. Any tips on hiding the phone, CO?" He sounded agitated and I heard him start moving around. I sighed and sat down on the bed. Normally, I'd take his phone before any shakedowns happened.
"There's a loose bolt on the right side of your ceiling light. Put it up there and make sure it doesn't make a shadow. As long as they follow the schedule I have set up, you and Tig aren't due until the day I get back. Let me know babe." I heard him grunting a little as he must have been climbing back on his bunk to reach the light.
"Alright babe. Take Harley with you tonight. Chibs wants to meet him. Have fun." He said. I nodded and said goodbye quickly. Harley was watching me as I paced around.
I knew the situation was out of my hands, so I decided to just get in the shower. Harley picked up his rope and pattered into the bathroom behind me. He hated it if I was ever out of his sight.
After a long shower and blow drying my hair, I started getting dressed. My phone vibrated with a text message, letting me know that the cell next door was searched, not theirs. I sent him a quick smiley face back and felt a weight lift off my chest. Whoever was on post stuck to the schedule.
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"Morning." I said, nudging Tig with my foot. He groaned and squinted at me. I smirked and turned back towards the mirror. I was shaving my beard as carefully as I could with the shitty razor they allowed us to have in here.
"What fucking time is it, Hap?" Tig yawned and rubbed his hands over his face. I looked at him through the mirror.
"Six. You're helping me with this shit." I said, motioning to my scalp. Tig raised an eyebrow as he sat up.
"Last time I checked, I'm not your barber. You trying to look pretty for Recker?" He said with a bright smile and nod. I narrowed my eyes at him and finished the last swipe over my jaw.
"I'll let you dog sit if you do it." I bargained with Tig as I held the razor out to him. He took it and rolled his eyes.
"It's not fair to use that puppy as a bribe." He said with a laugh. I shrugged and sat down in the chair as Tig rubbed shaving crème over my head.
"You mention this to anyone and I'll kill you." I said as he moved behind me and started shaving my head. He fluttered his eyelashes at me through the mirror. I closed my eyes and ignored him.
Thirty minutes later, my head was shaved down and the razor was shot to hell. Tig had run his mouth the whole time, but it was the price I paid for waking his chipper ass up. I sat on the bed and wrote out a letter to Ma while I waited for seven o'clock. The clock seemed to stop at a quarter til.
"Morning!" Recker's voice rang through the cell door as she opened it up with a smile. I jumped down off the bed quickly, never taking my eyes off of her. Tig looked between us before giving her a smile and a wave.
"Morning Recker." I said with a smile as she leaned against the doorframe. She nodded and sighed a little as she had to move on. I didn't even mind that much. Just knowing she was in the unit with me today made me happy.
I pulled on my shirt and headed out to the dayroom for breakfast. Recker was sitting at her desk and clicking the computer mouse. I glanced back at the screen and realized she was going through pictures. I recognized Harley and a picture of my ma. She gave me half a smile as I headed back to the table.
A couple hours after breakfast, Recker locked everyone down for shakedowns and inspection. She went through the first two cells down stairs pretty slowly. I knew she did it so the time she spent in our cell didn't seem abnormal, but it still frustrated me. I heard her customary knock on the door and stood up from my seat on the desk.
She was barely in the door before I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to me. Tig moved to face the door, just in case anyone came into the unit while she was in our cell. I breathed in deeply, taking in the smell of honey from her shampoo. Once I had my fill of looking at her and smelling her hair, I moved a hand up from her ass to the back of her head.
Recker moaned into my mouth as I kissed her. I was hard as soon as I'd touched her, but kissing her was all but killing my balls. She wrapped her hands around my biceps and pressed her chest into me. I pulled back and bit my bottom lip as I ran my hands over her hair.
"I missed you." Recker's voice was a purr as she kissed my neck. I nodded and kissed her lips softly.
"Same here. No more vacations, woman. Who's watching Harley?" I asked to change the subject. Tig knew I cared about her, but he didn't get to see me being a bitch.
"Lauren and Chibs. They're taking him to some park." She said, running her nails down my back lightly. I twitched at the teasing feeling and shook my head.
"Katerina, you're killing me. You're staying late tonight, right?" I asked, hoping I remembered correctly. She nodded and kissed me quickly.
"Yeah, I'll be here until two. I gotta get out of here before central control thinks you've killed me in here. Day shift actually watches cameras." She said with a laugh as I smacked her ass. She smirked back at me before nodding to Tig and closing the door to go fake some paperwork.
"We could have a fucking bomb in here and they'd never know." Tig said with a laugh. He took a seat at the desk and continued his letters to Dawn and Fawn.
I was in an uncharacteristically good mood throughout the day. Whenever I could get away with it, I was staring at Recker. Despite Ma's obvious efforts, it didn't look like she'd changed at all. The only thing out of place was the yellowing of the bruise under her eye. I tried not to focus on it considering I had a while before I could take care of her ex.
As soon as the lights went out for lockdown, I was off of my bunk at waiting at the door. I waited a couple minutes and pushed the door open. Recker had counted after the other CO, so she didn't even bother pushing the door closed after confirming the count. My eyes focused on the clock as I took the stairs two at a time.
"You in a hurry?" Katerina asked with a light laugh as I walked up to her. I looked down at the clock on her computer and waited until the time rolled over.
"Happy New Year." Katerina smiled before I kissed her. I bit down and pulled on her bottom lip a little before letting her go.
"Happy New Year, Happy." She winked and I rolled my eyes, glad to have her and her corny jokes back. I sat down in her chair and pulled her onto my lap.
"Show me." I said, pointing at the computer screen. She laughed and nodded as she brought up the pictures she'd been looking at earlier. I watched the screen while she flipped through pictures and commentated on some of them. Seeing her smiling with my family and Harley made the shit I had to deal with a lot easier to handle. I kissed her on the side of the neck as she played a video of Harley growling in his sleep.
"Is that Lauren?" I asked as the pictures moved from Christmas to some party in a bar. She nodded and laughed as she changed it to the next picture of Chibs and Lauren kissing and flipping the camera off. I smirked and shook my head.
"Happy," Katerina started as she turned around to look at me. I could tell something was wrong before she even continued.
"What?" I said leaning back in the chair and rubbing my hand over her leg. She traced her fingers over my jaw and looked me in the eyes.
"I'm worried you won't like me once you're out." She said in a low whisper. I narrowed my eyes at her and shook my head.
"That's stupid, Kat. I wouldn't have asked you to live with me or let you meet my Ma if I wasn't sure. You sure that's what you're worried about? Not if you can handle me and the club?" Her cheeks darkened a little as she shook her head.
"No, I'm not sure. This isn't my life, Happy. I'm not the one that gets to find a guy and fall in love and everything be peachy." She said while rubbing her hands over my chest and shoulders. I shook my head and huffed. Her accent was coming through, so I could tell she was upset.
"That's not anybody's life, Katerina. Look, I'm the last person to claim to know shit about relationships, but I know that's not how it works. Jax and his old lady are the closest thing I have to go off of and it sure as fuck isn't peachy. You gotta want it and work for it. Even when shit hits the fan and I'm on the road for a week, you gotta be there when I get back." I said, realizing I was new to the whole relationship thing.
"Lauren was telling me about how the clubhouse has croweaters or something." Katerina stopped speaking when she noticed my scowl. I pushed her off of my lap and stood up. She looked up at me as I shook my head.
"Stop worrying about that shit. I don't give a fuck what Lauren said about them or what you think you might know. If there's one thing I won't do, it's fool around on my old lady." I growled. Her eyes widened as I started to cool off.
"Is that what I am, Happy?" She spoke softly and looked away from me. I sighed and took her chin in my hand, tilting it upwards so she had to look at me.
"That's what you are, Katerina. You okay with that?" I raised a brow at her in question until she nodded her head. I kissed her hard as I pulled her to me. It was one hell of a way to start a year, fucking my prison guard old lady on her desk. I didn't try to hide my satisfied grin as I closed my cell door behind me.
Just so you know, the next chapter will have a time jump and soon after that our boys will be out! I know everyone is looking forward to Katerina and Happy being together in Charming and so am I :)