I woke up to find myself spooning with Happy. I remembered last night clearly but I didn't really consider Happy to be the spooning type. His arms were wrapped around me and his chest was pressed to my back. I closed my eyes, enjoying the comfort. Happy's breathing was still steady and even. I let the sound coax me back to sleep. It was Saturday. Opie didn't have to be at the garage today and there was plenty of time to help Kenny with his essay. A couple more hours of sleep wasn't going to hurt anyone.
"Morning," Happy rasped against my shoulder. I squeezed his hand, silently returning the greeting. "You feel like fucking now?"
"Not really," I rolled around to face him. He paused for a minute before nodding. I expected him to shoo me out of the bed after turning him down but he didn't. He just closed his eyes. "Sorry."
"Don't be." He said, eyes still closed. I checked my watch and groaned. It was almost 10. "You got somewhere to be?"
"Yeah, I've got to help my nephew with a history essay today." I said, rolling onto my back. Happy's hand drifted to my hip. "Thanks for letting me sleep here."
"Thanks for not breaking my nose." Happy laughed. I turned my head to look at him and his eyes were open again, staring at my shoulder. I licked my bottom lip before biting it. "Did it happen overseas?"
"Yeah, second deployment. Through and through. No muscle damage." I explained. I wasn't surprised he hadn't noticed the scar during our first night together. "I'm not looking for a relationship, Happy."
"I'm not looking for an old lady." He agreed. I nodded. "Doesn't mean we can't fuck when you want it."
"Such a gentleman." I laughed. Happy chuckled and shook his head. "What's so funny?"
"Girl, if I was a gentleman you wouldn't have anything to do with me." He said, still laughing. He wasn't wrong. Growing up around the club and being in the Marines pretty much solidified my taste in men. I liked someone that was rough around the edges like me. "You know where to find me when you need some dick."
"Tacoma?" I laughed. He shook his head. I was confused. I could have sworn that's where he had said his charter was.
"I went Nomad last month. Need to be closer to my mother." He explained. I swallowed hard, confused as to why he was sharing that with me.
"Why not just transfer to Charming?" I asked, turning the logistics over in my head. It wasn't any of my business and I didn't know where his mother lived but not having a home charter didn't make sense to me. It would be like not having a home base or…well I guessed like not having a home. I twisted my mouth, realizing he and I had that in common.
"It's complicated." I had to agree. "Your face is cute when you're over thinking."
"Cute?" I laughed, sitting up. "Did a tattooed biker just call me cute?"
"Hush, girl." Happy chuckled. I reluctantly got out of his bed and started looking for my clothes. I found my jeans and pulled them on before searching for my shirt and bra. When I found my shirt, I noticed it was wet and smelled like vodka.
"Shit. I guess I missed my mouth at some point." I pulled Happy's shirt off and put my bra on, waving my shirt around in an attempt to dry it. Happy leaned forward and picked his discarded shirt up before throwing it at my head. I caught it right before it covered my face.
"Just take it. You can bring it back whenever." He suggested. I tried to keep my thoughts off my face. I didn't care if people knew or thought that Happy and I were hooking up but I didn't want anyone to think I was trying to be his old lady or anything. To me, wearing their shirts was like wearing a football player's letterman jacket in high school. "Just a shirt, girl."
"Stop reading my face, Happy." I pulled the shirt on with a sigh. He was right. It was just a shirt. We were adults. Happy laid back down and closed his eyes.
"I guess I'll see you around." I said, reaching for the doorknob. I paused and looked back. As I assumed, he was watching me leave. "What?"
"Give me your phone." He said, extending his hand. I handed it over and waited. He punched his number in and I heard his phone vibrating on the nightstand. Now we had one anothers numbers. I wasn't sure how I felt about the intimacy. He handed me my phone back. "Be safe."
I ignored the eyes on me as I walked through the clubhouse. Tig offered me a cup of coffee but I shook my head with a wave goodbye. I reached for the door but I opened before I could push it. Kip was standing in front of me with a black eye and swollen nose. I felt my stomach churn.
"I'm sorry, Kip." I blurted out. He raised his brow and shook his head. "I just kind of reacted."
"You're good. I get it. I should have known better than to just grab a combat sniper." He laughed. I assumed he had seen and recognized my tattoo. I still felt guilty for hurting him. "You feel okay?"
"Yeah. I slept in. Off to tutor my nephew on World War II." I laughed. Kip smiled brightly and stepped out of my way. "See you around, Kip."
"See ya, Casey." He said with a wave. When I got to Opie's house, he was standing outside watching the kids play. His brow raised, probably curious about whos shirt I was coming home in. I shook my head, refusing to gossip.
"I'm going to take a shower and drink some coffee. Let Kenny know I'll be ready to work on his essay in half an hour." I said in passing. Opie laughed with a nod. An hour later, Kenny and I were sitting at the kitchen counter discussing his essay. Ellie sat behind us at the kitchen table working on her math homework and listening to music. Opie walked in with grease and oil covering his hands.
"Did you leave some oil in the bike, Ope?" I laughed, rising from the barstool. He shot me the bird and walked to the sink. "I'm about to make some sandwiches for lunch. You want one?"
"Yeah, thanks." He said, scrubbing his hands and arms. I pulled the deli meat and cheese out of the refrigerator along with some condiments. I wasn't sure what condiments everyone would want, so I laid them out in a line on the kitchen island. I assembled sandwiches for everyone, leaving the top pieces of bread off to allow for condiment application. I stepped out of the way so that Ellie and Kenny could get their sandwiches first. Opie grabbed his sandwich next and joined the kids at the table.
"Thank you, Aunt Casey." Ellie said with a smile. I shook my head, not needing any thanks for what little I had done to help so far. Opie nodded at me and I shrugged, wanting the attention off of me.
"What are you three doing the rest of the day?" Opie asked after he finished his sandwich. Kenny explained that we'd be working on homework for a couple more hours and then going to the grocery store. "You need some grocery money, Casey? You don't have to buy everything."
"I got it. I'm not paying rent so I'm going to do my part to help." I explained. I also didn't have a job but it was irrelevant at the moment. I had enough saved to keep myself afloat for a while, even with grocery expenses. Opie nodded and stood up.
"I've got to take care of a few things with the club but I'll be back tonight." He said, placing his plate in the dishwasher. I nodded and collected Ellie and Kenny's plates.
"Do you want a dinner plate or no?" I wasn't planning anything special, just spaghetti. My menu was limited but luckily the kids probably liked the few things I could cook. I made a mental note to look for any recipes or cook books that Donna may have had. Eventually, the kids would probably need healthier meals than I could offer.
"Sure. You can just put it in the microwave. I'll probably be late." He said, grabbing his kutte off the chair. I nodded and waved him a silent goodbye. After cleaning up Kenny's essay with him and checking Ellie's math homework, we called it a day on school work. The kids were excited about going to the grocery store and they made sure that they had their wish list in hand when we left the house. I let them branch off in the store to find their selections while I gathered the more mundane necessities.
"Oh, sorry," a young blonde woman said, stepping aside so I could pick out some ground beef for the spaghetti. She seemed to watch me closely as I browsed the selection. I didn't think too much of it until I noticed a strange man watching her. I snuck a couple glances and noticed his gaze was more protective over her than creepy. I noticed his ink and felt my body tense up. I had seen similar ink on white hate in San Diego. "Good choice."
"Yeah, sure." I dropped the package of meat in a cellophane bag and placed it in the cart quickly. While part of me wanted to make a smart ass comment towards her companion, I knew it wasn't a good idea with the kids around. Instead, I finished shopping quickly and found Ellie and Kenny. Their arms were full of their chosen treasures that they deposited in the cart. "Get everything?"
"Yep! Thanks, Casey." Ellie said cheerfully before taking my hand. We walked to the cashier line as I scanned the area for the blonde and her unsavory companion. They were nowhere to be seen throughout the checkout process. It wasn't until I started loading the trunk with grocery bags that I saw them again. They were both sitting in a green minivan and I could have sworn they were watching me until I spotted them.
"Hey, I got this. Go ahead and hop in and start the car." I handed the keys to Kenny, accepting the possibility that he could accidentally knock the car out of gear and send it backward into me. It was a risk I was willing to take to get them out of the van's eyesight. I resisted the urge to flip the two strangers off when I returned the shopping cart to the corral.
As I got in the car, the van pulled out of the parking lot. I waited and watched them leave in the opposite direction of Opie's house. Still, I waited a couple minutes before leaving. On the way back, I took several unnecessary turns, earning questions from Kenny and Ellie but ensuring that we weren't being followed. When we got back to Opie's I started dinner and tried to force myself to act normal. Ellie and Kenny were quiet, no doubt picking up on the change in my demeanor.
"Can we play outside after dinner?" Ellie asked as we sat down to eat. I shook my head but didn't think to provide an explanation. "Is someone coming to get us?"
"What?" I blinked and looked at her tear-filled eyes. I realized where she was coming from. She knew how her mother had died. Of course the kids would worry about their own safety. I shook my head. "No. No, I'm sorry. I just saw someone I recognized from high-school. We didn't get along and I'm just thinking about it."
"Oh. Okay," Ellie didn't sound completely convinced by my lie but her eyes dried and she slowly started to eat. I hated that I had to lie and I hated that she and Kenny had picked up on my mood. There was a little small talk during the rest of dinner before I let them go watch television while I cleaned up the kitchen. I quietly checked that the back door was securely locked before joining them on the couch.
I was extremely relieved when Ellie and Kenny went to bed. I had convinced myself that somewhere down the street, the man and woman were waiting in their minivan. I checked the back door again and flipped on every outdoor light I could find. Normally, I would move outside to check our surroundings but I wasn't comfortable leaving the kids alone, sleeping and vulnerable in their beds. Instead, I turned the interior lights off and sat on the couch, my handgun inches away from me on the coffee table. I listened closely for the sounds of footsteps or approaching cars.
"Jesus Christ, Casey. Put the gun down." Opie had thrown his hands up above his head and dropped his bags at his feet. I decocked the gun and peered outside behind him. "What the fuck is going on?"
"Where's your bike? Why did you get dropped off?" I asked, stepping toward the open door. I pressed my body to the wall and looked down the street, trying to stay as concealed as possible. Opie put his hand on his own handgun in his waistband and looked outside.
"My bike got a flat and I didn't feel like changing it tonight. Half-Sack drove me home in the tow truck. What's going on?" He repeated his previous question. I lowered my gun and kicked the door closed with my boot. I reached over and locked the doorknob and deadbolt, taking care not to enter the doorway.
I filled Opie in on what I had encountered at the grocery store. He listened closely but I noticed his body relax as I explained that the van had driven in the opposite direction. I started to get frustrated that he wasn't taking what I'd seen seriously. He sighed and it set me off.
"Don't dismiss me, Opie. I know what I saw. These two were watching me. They were watching the kids as we walked to the car. You don't know who killed Donna. Who says their people weren't behind it?" I tried to control my voice but I was close to yelling. Opie sighed and pushed his long hair out of his face.
"It had to be black. The shooting was ghetto." Opie said defensively. I rolled my eyes and threw my hands up in frustration.
"How is a shooting "ghetto," I asked with air quotes. "Let's say you could determine race or socioeconomic status from a crime scene. Wouldn't it make sense for someone to try and make the shooting look "ghetto"? That's what I would do if I was hitting a well known, violent motorcycle club."
"Casey, stop. It's been months." Opie snapped. The months felt like days and years at the same time. "No one is coming after you or the kids."
"I don't care if they come after me. I'll be the last face they see." I argued. He shook his head and stood up. "I know what I saw, Opie. They're bad news."
"Yeah, well the dude is a white hate prick. Of course they're bad news but everyone in this house is safe." He walked away, clearly done with the conversation. I rolled my eyes and took my place on the couch again, watching the door and listening for anything out of place. Opie returned a few minutes later with a reheated plate of spaghetti. He sighed and sat down beside me. "Look, would you feel better if I had half-sack stay on the couch tonight? Then you can get some sleep."
"No." I didn't take my eyes away from the front door. Opie stopped trying. He finished his food quickly and went to bed. I spent the better part of the next ten hours watching the door and listening. I was used to staying in one place for extended periods of time and they were never as comfortable as a large couch in a suburban home. Opie was the first one to wake up. He seemed frustrated to find me where he'd left me the night before. "Before you ask, I didn't sleep."
"Casey," His voice was softer than I expected. He sat down beside me and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I appreciate you caring and watching your surroundings but this isn't a warzone."
"Isn't it?" I asked, allowing myself to lean back and rest my body against the couch cushion. "Opie, tell me honestly that the club isn't at war with some gang or another."
"That's different. No one is going to come hit us in Charming. They know better." I cut him off by shaking my head.
"They already have, Ope. My sister, your wife, is evidence of that." I noticed my own voice crack. "I know you didn't see this coming. I know that maybe the club didn't expect for someone to hit families. It happened though. If that's not the definition of war, I don't know what is. And before you try to correct me, remember I deployed four times in the last eight years. I know what war looks like."
"I'll stay with Ellie and Kenny today. I think you need to get some air. Clear your mind." Opie said. He raised his hand, stopping my argument. "I hear you, okay? You have a point. I'll let Jax know so Tara can watch out and everything. I'm not going to let anything happen to you or my kids."
"I don't need your protection, Opie. Just worry about the kids." I stood up and stretched, remembering how good it felt to stand after laying prone or sitting still for hours on end. "I'm going for a ride. I'll be back later."
"Alright, be careful." Opie said with a weak smile. I nodded and grabbed my handgun, placing it back in its holster on my hip. By the time I got to my bike, I knew I wasn't going to clear my mind. I was going to do counter-surveillance.
It took less than half an hour to find the van. I was somewhat surprised to see it sitting on Main St. in front of a shopfront that appeared to be under construction. I couldn't place what had been there when I was younger. I checked my surroundings and noticed that the diner had a perfect view of the van from the row of booths along the windows. I walked in, warning myself about the bell on the door before the shrill jingle made me jump. My usual waitress greeted me brightly.
"Do you mind if I take this booth over here?" I pointed to the booth with the best view of the storefront and the van. The waitress smiled and led me over, placing a menu in front of me. "I don't know what I want to eat yet but I'm dying for a coffee, please."
"Coming right up, sweetheart." She turned on her heel and headed behind the counter to make me a coffee. I would have preferred an espresso but I knew better than to ask for one. I knew they only had a few normal coffee makers and pots. I glanced at the menu and quickly made a decision so I could focus on the van. Moments later, the waitress was back with my coffee and her order pad. "What did you decide on?"
"Pancakes and four scrambled eggs, please." I handed her the menu and offered her a polite smile. I sipped the coffee and enjoyed the warmth and pending energy. It wasn't great coffee but it could have been sludge at that point and I would have been thankful. As soon as the pancakes arrived, so did Happy. He didn't hesitate to join me in my booth. I ignored him until he reached for my plate. "Do it and you'll lose a finger."
"I ain't scared of you, girl." Still, he moved away from my plate and waved the waitress over. He ordered a waffle and eggs.
"Did Opie send you to find me?" I asked, bringing a forkload of pancakes to my mouth as I stared out of the window. I noticed him shaking his head in my peripheral vision. "Then why are you here?"
"I don't cook." He said simply. I nodded. He didn't seem like the type to cook. "Why would Opie send me to find you?"
I explained what had happened over the course of the last eighteen hours. He listened attentively and even followed my gaze out of the window. I finished filling him in just as the waitress returned with his breakfast.
"So, you stayed up all night and then you rode around to find the van?" Happy asked, cutting his waffle. I nodded.
"Let me guess, you think I'm overreacting too?" I rolled my eyes. He surprised me by shaking his head.
"Would have done the same thing." He said, drowning his waffle in syrup. "What did you do in the Marines?"
"Scout Sniper." I said, avoiding looking at him. A lot of men had a lot to say about women with certain MOS's in the military, not just the Marine Corps.
"I think I may have to fuck you on this table." He growled. I turned to look at him with a laugh. It was the first time I had laughed since before the kids and I got to the grocery store. He smirked and started eating his breakfast. I realized most of mine was still untouched. I continued glancing across the street at the van and store but I let myself eat. "So, what's next?"
"Wait until they leave and follow them." I said around my scrambled eggs. He nodded, seemingly agreeing with my plan. "Thanks for not looking at me like I was crazy or having a PTSD episode."
"You're crazy." He laughed. "Not about this though. Probably the only person I'd trust to identify a threat other than me."
"Well, thanks." I wondered silently what his role within the club was. He gave me a dangerous aura so I didn't think that being an enforcer was out of the realm of possibilities. If that was true, we probably had similar thought processes. "Do you think they could be the ones behind Donna's shooting?"
"Can't rule them out. I'll find out when they showed up if." He didn't ask if he could help. He didn't tell me what to do. He genuinely wanted to help. I smiled.
"Great. That would really help." I said with another smile. Happy was intense and still somewhat mysterious but somehow he made me comfortable. I glanced back out of the window and noticed the tail lights on the van were on. Happy must have followed my gaze.
"Go. I'll get your breakfast." He said with a nod. I started to slide out of the booth and felt him catch my hand. "You need help, you let me know. I mean it."
"I will." I hurried out of the diner and jogged over to my bike, energized by my conversation with Happy and the task at hand. I waited to start my bike until the van was pulling off. I followed behind them, keeping a couple cars between us. Fifteen minutes later, they pulled into a familiar neighborhood. I had been there before. A friend had once lived a couple streets over. I cut the engine and let the bike roll to a silent stop about a hundred yards from the van. Unfortunately, only the female got out. I watched her enter an innocent looking house and sent Happy a quick text. I made sure he knew I didn't need help yet. I just wanted someone to know where to look for me if something happened.
My leg bounced anxiously as I debated whether or not I should get a closer look at the van and the house. Tactically it made sense but I reminded myself that this wasn't Afghanistan or Iraq. This was small town USA where a neighbor could easily call the police or alert the woman to me sneaking around. I settled on coming back at night. I knew two places to find the girl and likely her skinhead companion. It was enough at the moment. Instead of going back to Opie's right away, I headed to the clubhouse, hoping that Happy would be there with some information.
"Well, you aren't covered in blood." Happy said with a smirk as I walked into his room. I rolled my eyes. "They got here in the last four weeks. Juice said they moved from the Frisco Bay area. League of American Nationalists."
"Sounds like white hate to me." I thought out loud. Happy nodded and rose from his bed where he'd been lounging. He put his hands on my hips and pulled me closer. "Thought you only wanted to fuck me in the diner."
"We can go there now if you want to give them a show." He growled nipping at my neck. I felt my body relax and warm to his touch. I shook my head before leaning it away from his mouth to give him more access to my neck. "Not too stressed?"
"You already know drinking and fucking are my favorite stress relievers." I purred, loving the feeling of his lips and teeth on the thin skin of my neck. His hand wrapped around the opposite side and he wedged his thumb under my chin. In that moment, nothing outside of the small room mattered.
I left Happy's room feeling much more relaxed than I had when I entered it. He was fun. I didn't have to beg him to be rougher or softer. He seemed to read my body like a book and knew just what I wanted and how. I was still smiling about the climax when I nearly ran into Gemma head on. She chuckled.
"Well, well, well," her eyes shifted to look past me. I didn't have to turn around to know that she was looking at Happy. "You know. You two actually make sense."
"Easy, Gemma. Just having fun." I said, knowing that Gemma loved to play match maker or match breaker whenever it suited her. She rolled her eyes with a laugh.
"Sure, honey. You're forgetting I know you. I don't think any other man in this club could handle your level of trouble." Gemma was still smirking. Happy smacked my ass on his way past us. I knew he was playing a game, enjoying the tension between Gemma and I. "I mean it. He'd be good to you."
"I don't need anyone to be good to me. I just need someone to quiet the noise in my head from time to time." I wasn't sure why I said it. It was too honest. Too open. Gemma's smile faltered and her brow relaxed. Our relationship had its ups and downs when I was growing up. At one point she had her hopes set on Jax and I getting together until she decided I wouldn't be a malleable daughter-in-law. She was always there for me though, at least when my decisions weren't at odds with her wishes.
"I'm around if you want to talk but honestly, I think that man may understand some of what you've been through more than I could." Gemma said, squeezing my bicep fondly. I didn't say anything. I just nodded and left. Regardless of how fun Happy was and how we did seem to have some things in common, I wasn't looking for a relationship. I was good with a friendship with benefits. Hopefully, Gemma would learn to respect that.
Once I got back to Opie's house, I took a shower and crashed in the guest bed. My lack of sleep finally caught up with me. I fell asleep quickly and probably would have slept until time to take the kids to school if it wasn't for Tara calling me in the middle of the night.