Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Mandy

I knock on the door to Zoe's modular, balancing a tray of coffees and pastries in my other hand.

The ladies have decided to throw together a big dinner for the boys tonight, so I figured I might as well bring by a snack.

Camila and Kat said they needed coffee stat, and to be honest, so do I.

Kash hasn’t been sleeping well the past couple of days and instead of waking Doc up, I’ve been letting him sleep… which means I am the most tired I’ve ever been in my life.

The door swings open and there stands Zoe, her ombré hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun.

She ushers me inside. "Thank God, I'm dying for some caffeine."

The smell of fresh brewed coffee fills the small space.

Zoe's little home is cozy but tidy, the shelves lined with knicknacks and framed photos of the club.

A fluffy gray cat snoozes on the back of the couch.

My eyes land on Seraphina curled up in the armchair, wrapped in a fuzzy blanket.

Fading bruises cloud her alabaster skin and a red scar slashes across her forehead.

But her gray eyes are as sharp and fierce as ever as she accepts the latte I hold out.

"How you holding up, Sera?" I ask gently, taking a seat on the couch.

She shrugs. "Could be worse. At least I'm not locked in that bloody hellhole anymore. And the little nugget is doing okay." She rests a hand on her stomach, the smallest of smiles touching her red lips.

Zoe plops down beside me, reaching for a cheese danish. "We're all damn relieved to have you back. Those assholes are gonna pay for what they did to you."

Sera's eyes flash. "Oh, they will. Every last one of them, including my mum."

Her voice is laced with venomous promise.

A chill runs down my spine at the dark look on her face.

I have no doubt Sera is out for blood, and heaven help anyone who gets in her way.

Part of me admires her ruthless strength.

The other part is a little terrified of it.

Zoe casts me a loaded glance, clearly sharing my thoughts.

She leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "So what's the plan, Sera? How do we take these bastards down?"

Sera takes a long sip of her latte before answering. "My grandfather and I have already set the wheels in motion. We're going to dismantle their entire operation piece by piece, starting with the businesses."

"The casino, the brothels, all of it?" I ask.

She nods, a smug smile curving her lips. "We own the majority shares. They won't know what hit them until it’s too fucking late."

The scope of her vision is staggering.

"Fucking brilliant," Zoe declares with a low whistle. "You're one cold, calculating bitch and I love it. They messed with the wrong woman."

Sera's answering grin is sharp enough to cut glass. "Damn right they did. By the time I'm done, my mum will be wishing she never laid a finger on me. Her little empire will be nothing but ashes."

As I listen to Sera detail her ruthless plot for vengeance, a thrill shoots through me, electric and addicting.

This is the kind of high stakes drama I normally watch on my TV screen, and here it is, happening right in front of me.

Watching Sera's transformation from battered victim to avenging angel is like watching a phoenix rise from the flames—terrifying and mesmerizing all at once.

I glance over at Zoe and see the same hungry gleam in her eyes.

We're two of a kind, me and her, drawn to chaos like moths to a flame.

And Sera is the brightest inferno I've ever seen.

The more she talks, the more I can picture it—the Bernard empire crumbling to dust, Sera rising victorious from the rubble to take her rightful place as queen.

It's like something out of a dark fairy tale and I'm utterly spellbound.

For a moment, I allow myself to imagine being a part of it.

Finally putting my devious mind to good use, fighting by Sera and Zoe's side to take down the villains who hurt our friend.

The temptation is so strong I can almost taste it.

But then reality comes crashing back in and I shake my head, dispelling the fantasy.

I'm not a soldier or a vigilante. I'm just a camgirl with a talent for trouble.

Whatever Sera has planned, it's way above my paygrade.

No, my place is here on the sidelines, playing the supporting role.

Bringing Zoe and Sera coffee and pastries, lending an ear when they need it, but staying far away from the actual bloodshed.

I'm a lover, not a fighter.

Still, as Sera's voice rises with ferociousness, I can't help but feel a flicker of wicked anticipation.

The Bernard matriarch has no idea the sleeping dragon she's awoken in her daughter by putting her through that hell.

And when Sera unleashes her fury, it's going to be one hell of a show.

I settle back against the couch cushions and take a bite of raspberry strudel, letting the sweet flaky pastry melt on my tongue.

Outside the modular walls, the club bustles with its usual activity—motorcycles rumbling, men shouting and laughing, music blasting.

But in here, in this little female sanctuary, we’re having some much needed girl time, enjoying one another’s company.

The door to the modular swings open and in strolls Kat, Camila, Ivy and Indra, their arms laden with shopping bags.

"All right bitches, the cavalry has arrived!" Kat announces with a grin, plopping her bags down on the kitchen counter. "I think we’ve got everything we need for that massive dinner we have planned tonight."

Camila rolls her eyes but can't hide her smile. "We put all the groceries in the clubhouse kitchen already. I know you can’t possibly tell, but Kat insisted on stopping at every boutique on the way here. I think she single-handedly kept the Las Vegas economy afloat today."

"Hey, it's called retail therapy for a reason," Kat retorts, throwing herself onto the couch beside me. "Nothing like blowing your man's money on overpriced shoes to brighten the mood, am I right ladies?"

A chorus of "hell yeahs" echoes through the small space.

I chuckle and shake my head.

Kat's ability to fearlessly speak her mind is one of the things I love most about her.

With this group, there's never a need to hold back your feelings out of wanting to be polite.

As the girls unpack the spoils of their shopping excursion, I glance over at Sera.

She's been unusually quiet since the others arrived, staring pensively out the window, her fingers clenched tight around her latte.

I scoot closer and gently bump her shoulder with mine. "Hey, you okay sweetie? You've barely said a word since the wrecking crew blew in."

Sera sighs heavily and turns to face me, her gray eyes stormy with emotion. "I'm just so angry, Mandy. Angry that my mum would dare to do this to me. To put my child at risk like that."

Her hand drifts to her still flat stomach, a protective instinct. "The doctors said it's a miracle the baby survived, after everything. That I could have easily lost it. And now..."

She shakes her head, jaw clenched. "Now I want to make her pay. I want to take that bitch down completely, once and for all. And she’s doing this all to avenge my father… but I can imagine he’d be furious if he knew she almost killed me and my unborn child."

The venom in Sera's normally refined voice takes me aback for a moment.

This is a side of her I've never seen before—a fierce mama bear ready to tear apart anyone who threatens her cub.

"I get that, trust me," I reassure her, rubbing a soothing hand down her back. "But you know the club will always have your back, right? None of us will rest until your egg donor pays for what she did."

Sera nods, some of the tension easing from her shoulders. "I know. And I'm grateful, truly. But this is personal now. I can't just sit back and let everyone else fight my battles."

Her eyes take on a determined gleam. "I have my own plans in motion too. My grandfather has been feeding me information, gathering evidence against my mother and her corrupt empire."

This catches my interest. "Is your granddad helping beyond the stuff with the businesses? I remember Camila said he's the one who gave them the address where your mom was keeping you hostage?"

"He did," Sera confirms. "But that's not all. He's been my mole on the inside, keeping tabs on my mother's activity, her accounts, properties. Anything that could help take her down. He’s acting like he can’t believe what I did, playing out the whole double agent angle. My mum will never suspect him."

She huffs out a frustrated breath. "But ever since the club rescued me from that damn wellness center, my mother's gone suspiciously silent. Vanished without a trace. She's even abandoned her businesses, leaving everything in chaos. That’s how me and my grandfather are making our moves so effortlessly. The shareholders don’t like the position mum’s left them in."

An uneasy feeling prickles at the base of my skull.

I've seen firsthand how cold and calculating Sera's mother can be.

For her to just up and disappear like this, without so much as a power play or parting threat...it worries me that she has something else tucked up her sleeve.

But I try to push those fears aside for now, focusing on supporting my friend. "Hey, we'll figure this out, okay? You've got some pretty fucking brilliant and badass minds in your corner. If anyone can smoke out the wicked witch of Westminster, it's this crew."

That manages to coax a small smile from Sera, and a heartfelt laugh. "I suppose you're right. Between my grandfather's intel, the club's strategic prowess, and my own thirst for vengeance...my mother won't know what hit her. And we’re not from Westminster, but God that was a bloody good joke."

"Damn straight," Kat chimes in, clearly having been eavesdropping on our conversation.

She leans over the back of the couch, her expression serious for once. "Listen up, Sera. You're a Reaper now, you hear me? The ol’ lady to one of our prospects, carrying the next generation in your belly. That makes you untouchable."

Kat's eyes flash with fierce loyalty. "So you just focus on growing that little prince or princess, yeah? Let us handle the rest. Because trust and believe, we won't let that cunt lay another finger on you or the nugget, even if we have to burn all of England to the ground to do it."

Sera blinks rapidly, clearly touched by the outpouring of support. "Thank you, Kat. All of you. I've never had real female friends before...I didn't realize what I was missing until now."

Kat quips, lightening the emotional mood. "Aww, shit girl, you're gonna make me ruin my mascara."

She vaults over the couch to plop between Sera and me, throwing an arm around each of us.

"Now, enough of this doom and gloom crap! It's Saturday, the kid's are at Gemma's, and we've got an entire confectionary cornucopia just begging to be devoured. So let's stuff our faces, watch trashy reality TV, and cook up a nice dinner for everyone in a couple of hours. What do ya say?"

The tension shatters as we all burst into laughter.

So I settle in, squashed between two good friends on this beaten up couch that's seen more action than Jenna Jameson.

It’s just another lazy Saturday with my fellow ol’ ladies on the compound.

The day continues in a whirl of laughter, gossip and food.

Kat’s idea to binge watch trashy reality TV turns out to be surprisingly entertaining, further cementing the bond between us.

Sera loosens up more with every passing hour, her laughter echoing through the modular.

As the sun starts to sink, painting the sky outside with hues of purple and pink, I help Camila in the clubhouse kitchen start prepping dinner.

The smell of roast chicken wafts tantalizingly from the oven, mixing with the aroma of garlic bread that Ivy is buttering at the counter.

"Damn, it smells so good in here," Zoe comments as she strolls into the kitchen, a sleepy Kash clinging onto her shoulder.

She's just woken him up from his afternoon nap and his chubby cheeks are flushed from sleep. "What's on the menu tonight?"

Camila grins at her over her shoulder. "We've got roast chicken with mashed potatoes, green beans, salad and garlic bread.

"And for dessert," Ivy chimes in, "we've got a chocolate mousse that's going to make you drool."

Zoe grins and bounces Kash gently on her hip. "Sounds great, I'll shoot off a text to the guys and let them know dinner will be ready soon."

She disappears down the hallway, Kash's soft giggles fading with them.

I can't help but remember how this felt when this was all new to me, when I was the outsider looking in.

Now, I’m one of the ladies, and I can't imagine being anywhere else.

As if reading my thoughts, Camila glances over at me, her eyes softening. "You look like you're a million miles away," she notes.

I chuckle and shake my head. "Nah, just appreciating what we have here. It feels...it feels like home."

She gives me a knowing nod. "Because it is. This is our home, and you’re part of our family."