I walked into Chibs and Lauren's apartment with Harley on my heels. He hadn't left my side ever since before Happy and I knew we were pregnant. The only time Harley would stay home or keep his distance was when Happy was with me. Today, Happy was out on a run with the club and I was getting to visit Lauren and the baby for the first time.
"Hey doll!" Lauren gave me a hug and scratched Harley behind the ears. I tossed my bag and truck keys onto the entrance table and followed her into the living room. She looked tired but happy.
"Is my godson asleep?" I asked as we sat down on the couch. Lauren laughed quietly and nodded.
"Thank god. He throws bigger fits than his father. I just got him down. Did you find out if you're having a boy or girl yet?" She asked excitedly. I laughed and nodded with a smile.
"We're having a girl. I thought Happy was going to pass out. He's already talking about getting a gun just for scaring off boys in the future." I laughed and shook my head as I spun my wedding rings around on my finger.
"Ryder and your daughter are meant for each other. We should go ahead and arrange their marriage." Lauren winked at me as I shook my head.
"You're trying to give my husband a heart attack aren't you? Speaking of which, did you hear about Clay?" I wasn't sure how much she knew, so I chose my words carefully. She nodded and leaned back against a pile of pillows.
"Yep. I can't really say I'm too sad or surprised though. Chibs tried to tell me it was some deal with the Irish gone bad. I had to remind him I wasn't stupid." She rolled her eyes and glanced over at her phone that was vibrating on the table.
"Yeah, Happy came in covered in blood. Hopefully shit will settle down now." I pointed at her phone and raised my brow. "Are you going to answer that?"
"Nope, it's my mom. She keeps wanting to come see the baby." Lauren said with a shrug. I nodded slowly and silently wished my parents were around to meet their granddaughter and see me so happy.
"I've got to go car shopping and I fucking dread it." I grumbled to change the subject. Lauren almost spit her wine out on the carpet. Harley perked up and looked between the two of us.
"You need a mini-van." Lauren could barely get the words out through her laugher. I narrowed my eyes at her and shot her a bird.
"You're hilarious. I'm thinking about getting an Armada but I don't know yet. Happy said I need something big enough for the kid, Harley and both of us." I flipped through the newspaper she had sitting on the coffee table to look for a decent suv.
"So, have you talked to your sister recently?" Lauren asked suddenly serious. I shrugged and turned another page.
"I talked to her at the hospital. I was planning on going by Juice's place to see her later. Why?" I read over an ad for a Mercedes G class and wondered if Happy would veto that car. Lauren sat up and looked over at me.
"Maybe you should wait until the guys get back to go see her, K." I closed and folded the paper while turning my head to look at Lauren. She was biting on her lower lip and I could tell she was nervous. I put the paper down on the coffee table and narrowed my eyes at her.
"Why do I need to wait, Lauren. Kiara's my sister." I noticed Harley stand up and move closer to me as I started getting stressed. Ryder's cries bellowed through the apartment and Lauren looked relieved to have a reason to bolt out of the room. I followed her down the hall and leaned against the door as she picked her son up out of the crib.
"I shouldn't have said anything." She said as she bounced the baby on her hip. I admired the way she calmed him down so quickly and wished the same trick had worked on me. I crossed the room and kissed the blue eyed boy on the forehead before heading out of the room.
"Katerina! Wait!" Lauren called as I grabbed my bag and keys. I didn't stop or slow down. My mind was racing with reasons as to why I should wait for the men to get back before going to see Kiara. Harley could tell I was upset and whined a little as he jumped into the passenger seat of the Raptor.
"Open the door, Kiara!" I yelled as I pounded my fist into the door. I heard shuffling inside and narrowed my eyes at her refusal to let me in. The anxiety I was feeling slowly started to morph into anger.
"I'm sick, Kat. I don't want ya to catch it." I could hear a slight lisp to her words and I kicked the door with the toe of my boot. Harley barked and I waved him down.
"Open the fucking door before I get the spare key from Gemma, Kiara. You aren't sick." I growled as the door opened slowly. I walked inside and spun around to bitch at her for not letting me inside. My heart dropped to the floor as soon as I saw her.
"Kiara! What happened?" I felt tears building up in my eyes and bit down on my lip. She had a swollen, black eye and a busted lip to go along with it. Harley shoved his head into my hand in an attempt to comfort me.
"It's not as bad as it looks, Kat. I'm okay." She said as she limped over to the couch. My tears started falling at how damaged she looked. It wasn't that long ago that I was beaten and broken.
"Bullshit, Kiara. Why didn't you call me? Tell me what happened." I begged as I sat down next to her and pulled her into a hug. She sighed and shook her head.
"This bitch was hanging all over Juice when I was standing right there. She wouldn't stop saying shit to me and rubbing all up on him. I just couldn't deal with that shit so I shoved her off." She took a deep breath and shook her head again. I swallowed hard and waited patiently for the rest of the story.
"I was carrying the groceries out of the market last night and she jumped me from behind." She looked away from me and pet Harley under his chin. I stood up and started pacing to calm my nerves.
"Why the fuck didn't you tell me? Why didn't Juice tell Happy?" I snapped as she got Harley to shake her hand. She looked up and me and hitched her shoulder.
"He was gone for the run by the time I got home. Lauren stopped by with Ryder this morning and promised me she wouldn't tell you." She narrowed her good eye and scoffed. I stormed over to her and grabbed her shoulders.
"Who is she, Kiara?" I refused to break eye contact with her until she answered my question. She shook her head and started crying.
"She said if I did anything or told anyone she'd rat on the club. Jesus Christ." She sobbed and looked away from me. I nodded and decided she wasn't going to tell me anything else. Harley jumped up and headed towards the door as I grabbed the truck keys. Kiara tried to grab on to my arm, but I was already out of her reach.
I slammed on the brakes and skidded to a halt in the middle of the lot. What prospects were left behind ran out of the clubhouse and stared openly at me. I cut the engine and unlocked the glove box where I knew Happy kept a Glock. Harley picked up on my energy and switched from goofy puppy to guard dog in an instant.
"Katerina, what's going on?" Phil, a new prospect, asked as he hurried to the truck. I slammed the magazine into the gun and opened the door. Harley growled and jumped out behind me to keep anyone he deemed untrustworthy away from me.
"You may want to call Happy so he can get a hole started for this bitch." I snapped at Phil before storming past him and making my way into the clubhouse. I walked into the kitchen and scanned the room.
"What's going on, doll?" Jordan asked as she put a case of beer into the refrigerator. I smiled and looked over at her.
"I'm looking for the slut that pushed up on Juice yesterday." I kept my voice level and adjusted my shirt so it was covering the Glock behind my back. Jordan raised her brow at me and closed the refrigerator door.
"Uh, I guess you mean Melissa. She's back in the laundry room I think." Jordan said with a shrug. I nodded and thanked her before heading back to the laundry room. My palms were itching and I slowed down as I thought about the baby. Harley stopped and leaned against my legs to keep me from going any further.
"Can I help you?" Melissa asked as she walked into the hallway with a laundry basket on her hip. I could see that her knuckles were bruised and she had a cut on her cheekbone. Harley started growling deeply and showing his teeth.
"So, you think it's okay to beat the shit out of my sister and threaten her if she said anything?" I asked loudly so she could hear me over Harley. She took a step forward and he started barking and snapping. The leather of his leash was cutting into my hand as I held him back.
"Honey, I don't know what you're talking about. She needs to come to terms if she can't please her man. Where's your ol' man, by the way? I really miss the way he tastes." She purred with a wink. She took another step forwards and Harley started lunging and jumping. I dropped his leash and pulled the gun.
"You realize I don't care to kill you, right? Yeah, the blood spatter will get the clothes dirty but they can be rewashed. The thing about it is, I almost can't not kill you. What with you threatening to rat on the club and all." I smiled and racked a round into the chamber. She smirked and rolled her eyes. I didn't take my eyes off of her as I answered my phone.
"Hey baby." I said, knowing it wasn't going to be anyone but my husband. I could hear wind and motors in the background.
"Katerina, I don't know what's going on but don't do anything until I get there. If you want somebody dead I'll do it but it can't happen in the clubhouse and I don't want you to risk it." Happy called over his bike. I could barely hear him, but I got the message.
"Okay, Hap. When will you be here because Harley doesn't exactly listen to me when he knows I'm upset." I said as he snapped and barked again. He was inches away from her and I knew one quick move from her would send blood everywhere.
"Give me ten minutes, Kat. I love you." I nodded and ended the call.
SOASOASOASOASOASOASOASOASOA SOASOASOASOASOASOASOA
I almost laid my bike over from the speed at which I took the turn into the lot. Our truck was parked in the open space between where the bikes lined up and the row of cars against the fence. I slammed the stand down and pulled my helmet off quickly.
"Harley! Down, now!" I yelled over his barking and growling as I rounded the corner and saw him bearing down on the blonde bitch that'd I'd already had to threaten over Katerina. Harley blew out a frustrated huff and sat down at Katerina's feet.
"Thank god you're here. You're wife's fucking crazy." The woman said as she smirked a little. I shook my head and turned to Katerina who still had a gun trained on the bitch's chest.
"If she calls me crazy again I'm shooting her, Happy. I'm not fucking kidding! She doesn't get to beat the shit out of Kiara, threaten to rat on the club and then call me crazy." Katerina snapped as she glanced over at me.
I nodded and pulled her chin around so she was looking up at me. I kissed her lips and almost lost my train of thought at how incredibly hot she was when she was pissed off and protecting her family. She moaned a little and I deepened the kiss. I heard the bitch in question move and quickly pulled my gun on her before breaking the kiss and turning my attention back to the bitch I should have made disappear long before.
"Kat, go tell Juice to get Kiara down here and tell Jax I need to talk to him." I nodded back towards the bar area and Katerina sighed but put the Glock away and headed down the hall. Harley didn't hesitate to follow her instead of stay with me.
"Happy, come on, baby. I would never rat on the club. That bitch had it coming. She ain't an old lady and she's prancing around here like she's god's gift to man kind." The croweater was rambling and obviously took my gun aimed at her more seriously than she did Katerina's.
"Katerina filled me in. Take Phil with you so he can finish shit and you can get back for church at six." Jax said as he walked up next to me. I nodded and felt a dark smile pricking at my lips. Normally, I was against hurting women but in this situation, I was fine with making an exception. I'd already warned her once about Katerina and she dug her own damn grave as far as I was concerned.