Chapter 3

"Brother, you're gonna want to get out here," Colt shouts from the other side of my door after banging on it, waking me up.

Last night had been one hell of a night, and I needed some sleep. Thank fuck the clubwhores, also known as slobber crawlers, knew the score and got out of my bed when I told them to. I might fuck ‘em in a bed, but they sure as fuck don't sleep here when I'm done. No damn way am I stupid enough to let them do so. They'll start getting the idea I want them there. That would be a big nope on the subject.

Throwing the blankets off my naked ass, I get up, snatch a pair of jeans from the floor and pull them on as Colt bangs on the door once again. Colt's damn lucky I didn't wake up with a hangover. Otherwise, I might end up knocking his ass out for waking me up.

I stalk over to the door, yank it open, and demand, "What the fuck is so damn important?"

Colt lowers his arm and shakes his head. "You're not going to believe this shit. Hurry up and get to the main room." He doesn't wait about for me to ask further questions. Instead, he pivots and all but runs.

Throwing my door closed once again, I move to my dresser and grab a shirt from the top. I need to seriously put my clothes away but haven't had time. I make quick work of getting dressed and head out of my room, making sure to lock it behind me.

I'm hoping I've got time to get a cup of coffee before finding out what the fuck has Colt coming to get me. Unfortunately for me, it's not the case. The moment I step into the main room, I'm met with the shocking sight of that fucker Simon standing just behind a woman who's sitting and talking with Avery and the other women.

What the fuck is going on here?

With a quick shake of my head, I move toward where my Prez and VP are standing near the bar, eyes focused entirely on the women. "Why is he here, and who's the woman?"

"The woman is his sister, Gwyneth, and is a frequent flyer at the coffee shop," Hammer grumbles. "Avery demanded a moment with her before we barged into the damn questioning."

"Of course, you didn't say no." I grunt and motion to the prospect for coffee.

"Avery said she's a first responder. She's a good person," Hammer remarks as I'm handed the mug.

"Well, do we want to break up the party and find out what the hell is going on here?" I know I sure as fuck do. We were supposed to be meeting for church this afternoon to discuss what Cy found and get a plan together to find this Gwyneth person. Now, she's here, and I'm wondering if she's in on it all alongside her brother.

I wouldn't put it past some rich bitch to try it to save herself.

"Let's do it. I've given them plenty of time," Hammer responds, kicking away from the bar.

I follow him and Malice to the table, my eyes pinned on the woman as she lifts her face, and I get my first full glimpse at her face. Beautiful. Makeup, if she has any, on light and natural looking. Her eyes are a greenish blue, and with her hair in one of those messy buns I see the others doing with theirs. Unlike her brother, she's decked out in jeans and a T-shirt. The closer I get to it, I'm able to read ‘Primal Fit'. I recognized the name, though I hadn't been in there before. I knew it was owned by a guy named Rico, who also taught self-defense to those who wanted it.

The woman stands and steps around the table, holding her hand out.

"Sorry about that," she starts and nods toward Avery and the others. "I should have told them I needed to speak with you first, but I know your wife and the others," she says and clears her throat. "I'm Gwyneth Kent."

"Know exactly who you are," Hammer grunts, but still shakes Gwyneth's hand. "You wanna explain to me why the fuck you and your fuckface of a brother are in my clubhouse?"

"Hammer," Avery snaps.

"No," Gwyneth says to Avery, giving her a small smile. "It's okay. He has a right to be pissed." Returning her attention to Hammer, she loses that smile. "That's what I'm here for. Seems my family has decided to cause problems not just for you but for me as well. My brother was simply trying to protect me, but he should have gone about it in a completely different way than he did." She pauses for a moment before asking,"Can we sit down rather than stand while I explain everything?"

Hammer nods, and we all take a seat at a table, including Simon, who sits as close as he can to his sister. "All right, now, start talking."

Gwyneth nods and starts talking. She explains what Simon has told her and forces him to explain the rest of it about their family and the debt they're in.

"I was just trying to protect my sister from him," Simon finishes.

"I don't want to cause problems for the club or anyone else, but this man is trying to use my brother to get what he wants. On top of that, he's threatening me to get his way. I'm not about that. I deal with enough bullshit when out on calls. This is the last thing I need. So, I brought Simon here for a couple reasons. One for him to apologize. He knows better than to be an ass. Second, so we can put a stop to this. I, for one, don't want to see anyone hurt because of some asshat or have him come at me."

"How old are you?" Hammer asks, sounding slightly amused, but I've got to admit I want to know how old she is as well. She's got that young look to her but seems to have her head on her shoulders.

"I'm twenty-six. If you need to know more, I'm a paramedic. I work at Station thirty-two here in town. If you need to, contact Captain Grady, he'll verify this as well as the fact I also teach self-defense at Primal Fit and train with Rico. Oh, and I'm an Aries. Anything else?"

Damn, I've got to admit this chick is something else. Definitely a woman who takes no shit from anyone.

"Yeah, how do we know you're not trying to use this as some ploy of some kind?" Malice asks harshly. "No offense but I know exactly who your family is. Your grandfather is a senator, and if I remember correctly, your father plays golf with mine and my uncle."

Gwyneth stiffens and looks directly at Malice. "You want proof you can trust my word? Call Captain Grady," she states and gives us all a look. "Better yet, I'll give him a call. He can come here himself and confirm for you all."

"I've got Grady's number," Dagger remarks and gives a sly grin. "As soon as she mentioned his name, I sent him a text. He's on his way here and said no one better touch his girl." Turning his phone for us to see it, he shows us the proof the other man indeed said what he said.

"Right, so Grady's on his way here. Now, what?" I mutter, returning my attention back to Gwyneth.

"Now, you all can tell me what I need to know in order to protect my own ass," Gwyneth prompts, leaning back in the chair, arms crossing in front of her, pushing her lovely ample-size tits upward.

"You don't need to handle anything. We've got this covered. No need to bring some socialite into it," Malice mutters snidely.

I find it amusing when Gwyneth's gaze narrows on my VP. "You might want to refrain from putting me in the same category as those hooty snobs who think their shit don't stink. Unlike them, I know the difference in the smells of roses and peonies, but they still grow in the same dirt animals shit."

There's no stopping myself from snorting at the comment. I've got to admit she's hilariously ballsy, and I got to respect that.

Malice stares at her for a long moment before finally nodding with a grin. "Gotta say, I've never heard it put that way before."

"Gwenny is definitely nothing like those women we grew up with," Simon speaks up, looking at his sister with pride. She gives him a bright smile and jerks her chin in our direction. Something is said in the look, he nods and clears his throat. "I shouldn't have come in the clubhouse as I did or the way I spoke and acted toward Honor. If you'll please forgive me, I'd appreciate it. All I wanted to do was protect my sister."

"Next time, come to us before things escalate out of control." Hammer growls as the doors open, and in steps not just Rick Grady but also his son, Ross Grady. Both men looked furious.

Gwyneth gets to her feet and moves toward the older man, who wraps an arm around her and kisses the top of her head.

"You okay, sweetheart?" he asks as a father would his daughter.

"Yeah," Gwyneth says, stepping away. "Tell me you didn't tell Angie where you were coming."

Ross snorts. "No, we didn't call her. That doesn't mean Mom doesn't know, and she's waiting impatiently at home for an explanation."

"Great, the last thing I need is to worry Mrs. G," Gwyneth mutters.

"Why don't you fill us in on why Dagger is asking me about you and what you're doing here?" Grady demands.

The next fifteen minutes are spent filling the two other men in on the problem at hand. By the end of it, both men look ready to strangle Simon, but Gwyneth saves his ass again.

"Simon's not to blame for this problem. It would be my parents. I'm willing to bet my grandfather doesn't even know about the problems those two have caused. He might be a man of power, but he was never about material things unless it meant something to him politically. He's about the politics." As she's done since she started speaking, she's defending her brother.

I can see these two love each other and would do whatever they could for the other even if one doesn't think it through what he's doing.

"Gwyneth," Ross speaks up. "You realize this is messed-up, don't you? Some dick wants you as payment if your brother doesn't bring him one of these men's women."

"It's actually my woman he wants," Malice states.

"And Savage's," Simon grumbles. "He wants the women separated from you all."

"He also offered you a bonus if you got rid of the brats, if I'm not mistaken," I remind him with a sneer.

Simon's face pales further, and he nods. "I couldn't do it. It's why I came clean to Gwenny." Straightening in his seat, he lowers his gaze. "I don't want anything to happen to her. I can't do what he wants, and she needs protecting. Some would call me a pussy, and honestly, right now, I'm scared shitless and don't give a damn who knows it, but I'm leaving town to get away from not just Johnathan but also my parents."

Running, yeah, that's what I'd call a pussy move if I knew of any.

Silence descends on the table, and I keep my gaze on Gwyneth, seeing surefire in her eyes. She looks ready to explode on her brother but doesn't.

She's definitely a woman of control, and I can't help wondering what it would take to break through to the woman beneath the ballbuster I can see she is.