Chapter Thirty Five

FOUR DAYS AFTER THE punishment, Jagger was back on his feet. He couldn't lift any boxes in the parts shop, and he couldn't ride his Harley, but he could order his men around and make sure everyone did their job.

Katrina, needing fresh air, walked into Whale's Tail Coffee Shop. Cora waved from behind the counter. Katrina stayed back while customers received their orders and left.

"Hey, it's good to see you out and about." Cora leaned against the counter. "Does that mean Jagger is doing better?"

She moved closer. "If doing better means he's grouchy and stomping around the clubhouse complaining about everything he can't do, then yes, he's better."

"Sounds like Wire when he gets a head cold." Cora wrinkled her nose. "Are you seeking refuge here for a while?"

She nodded. "I'd love an iced coffee."

"Sure, it'll only take a sec." Cora stepped behind the machine. "Do you have a few minutes? I need a break and would love to catch up."

Katrina pointed toward the table and sat down with her back toward the window. There was no reason to hang out at the clubhouse. Most of the bikers were out or working in the shop. Nobody needed a drink poured, and the other ol' ladies were working or at home.

Skye came out and grabbed her backpack off a nearby chair. Another girl followed her, and they both left out the front door.

"Just a sec." Cora rushed to the door and stuck her head out. "Skye, don't forget to stop in the shop and tell someone you'll be at the pool."

Katrina's aunt returned, gathered the iced coffee, and sat across from her. "When I first started working here, those girls were practically babies. Now they're running loose in town."

"Who's the girl with Skye?" she asked.

"Dania's daughter. Both the girls use the coffee shop as headquarters while they go to all their summer programs." Cora slumped in the chair. "Have you talked to your dad yet?"

"I haven't seen him." She shrugged. "Well, a couple of times, but other people were around us. Besides that, he spends ninety-nine percent of his time in the bedroom with Rachel. Which is fine with me. I'm not exactly in the mood to talk to him after what happened."

"I get it." Cora looked down at her hands before meeting Katrina's gaze. "You were raised in the club, and I'm still getting used to everything. But I don't think I will ever understand some of the things Wire and the members do."

"It's not for us to understand," she said automatically.

For how much she complained about the way punishments were done, she would defend the way of Havlin members until she ran out of breath.

She drank the coffee. "Did you finish painting the room?"

The last time they had a chance to sit down and talk over breakfast, Cora had mentioned redoing one of the spare rooms in the house. She hadn't meant to distance herself from her aunt, but with everything going on, life centered around Jagger lately.

"I did. Wire came home early one day and took the job from me, even though I had all the windows open and a fan in the room." Cora bit down on her lower lip. "I have some news to tell you."

"Hm?" She took another sip of her drink.

"I'm pregnant. You're going to have a cousin." Cora put a hand on her flat stomach. "I'm only a little over two months, so it's soon yet, but I'm excited."

"I'm happy for you." Katrina sighed, smiling. "A cousin. Huh. I've never had one before. Pretty crazy to think that I had no family but my dad for so long, and now it's growing."

"I hope we can stay close," whispered Cora.

She nodded. Her family, which she thought of as just her dad and her, was falling apart. She wasn't sure she would ever have a relationship with him again. Lately, however, she appreciated having Cora in her life. And now the expectations of having a little one in the family.

"I better get back to the clubhouse and save the other guys from Jagger's wrath. Pass my congrats to Wire. I'm happy for you both." She stood, pulled a ten-dollar bill from her pocket, and placed it on the table.

Cora picked up the money and tried to give it back. "It's on me."

"If you don't want it, put it in a piggy bank for my soon-to-be cousin." She smiled and walked out of the coffee shop.

The salty breeze washed over her face. She wondered what her dad would say about having another family member, considering he hadn't accepted Cora yet.

As much as it surprised her, she liked the idea of having more relatives. Her stomach fluttered. Cora was going to have a baby.

She slowed and stopped before she got in front of the Havlin Motorcycle Parts Shop. Katrina pulled out her phone and searched her app, scrolling through the months. Double-checking, she turned and walked in the other direction. Then she stopped again, turned around, and headed toward the clubhouse.

That couldn't be right.

So much had happened lately.

She'd lost track of time.

She was never late.

Jagger had asked her about the implant. Not wanting anything to stop him from being with her, she let him assume she'd gotten a new one.

The one in her arm was only good for three years. It'd been five years.

Her last period was...?

She scrolled through her phone, where she kept track of her period, and her worries doubled. She had her last period the week before she came to Seaglass Cove.

Exhaling harshly, she looked at her stomach. Looked at the clubhouse. And then headed around the building and went straight to her car to go to the store. She needed a pregnancy test.