Chapter 9

Nine

Fletch

E very brother has his eyes fixed on me. "It went well, but she didn't give up any information," I explain with a shrug.

"She kicked you out when her ex turned up," says Grizz with a laugh, and I instantly regret filling him and Axel in before church.

"But she relaxed around me, that's the main thing."

"We need something on her," Axel says, and Grizz nods in agreement.

"Like what? I told you, she's by the book."

"A sex tape?" he suggests.

I laugh. "Are you joking?"

"Do I look like I'm fucking joking?" he snaps. "A threesome?"

"Not a chance," I snap.

"Did I fucking stutter? Are you choosing this bitch over the club?" He glares, daring me to give him the wrong answer.

"Pres, ain't it an offence to film her without her consent? Besides, I don't think she's into threesomes."

"Then convince her," says Grizz with a smirk. "Nyx, you're usually up for that kind of shit."

I glance over at Nyx, who's staring at me with the same uncertainty I'm feeling. "Sure, VP, whatever," he mutters.

"We can use that to keep her in line," adds Axel.

The knot in the pit of my stomach is growing by the hour, and I suddenly feel sick. I've already hurt her deeply, and now, I'm going to do it all over again. "She might've worked shit out with her ex," I say, and I can't help the feeling of hope at that thought.

"Then get round there and make a scene. Do whatever you have to do to win her back," says Axel.

I give a nod, even though my heart isn't in it. Usually, I'd be up for this sort of shit, anything to protect my club and my brothers, but something about what we're doing to Gemma feels wrong, and it ain't often I get a conscience.

I knock loudly, and a second later, Gemma practically rips the door open. She scowls. "What are you doing here?"

"I just came to check on you, but if you're gonna be a bitch about it . . ." I turn and head back down the garden path.

"Wait," she snaps, and I slow, hiding the smile as I turn to face her. "I'm fine. I called in sick to work," she admits, heading inside and leaving the door open for me to follow.

Inside, she's filling the kettle, and I take a seat at the breakfast bar. "Nice place," I remark, looking around the large kitchen. "Are you sick?" I ask.

"No, I'm tired and pissed-off."

"Because of me?"

She shakes her head. "No. I spent the entire day on the telephone cancelling my wedding. I've lost thousands."

"You didn't sort it out with perfect Pete?" A part of me feels relieved until I remember what I have to do.

"Nope. He ended up explaining why he isn't happy, and I couldn't see a way forward."

"Sounds intriguing."

She half smiles, turning the kettle off before it's boiled. "If I'm going to tell you about that, I need a real drink." She reaches into a cupboard and retrieves a bottle of scotch. It's not my tipple, but I don't argue as she pours us each a glass and hands me one.

She heads out the room, and I follow her into the living room, which is perfect with not a thing out of place. "I hate this room," she explains, grabbing a pile of magazines and spreading them across the shelf. "It had to be tidy all the time."

I smirk at the pile of magazines. "And that's your way of rebelling?"

She laughs and grabs some cushions from the large sofa, dropping them on the floor, then she laughs again. "I'm going to leave them there overnight."

"Rebel," I tease.

We sit, and she takes a sip of her drink. "He wanted more kink."

I grin. "And you didn't?" My heart thuds harder. How the fuck can I convince her into a threesome if she doesn't even like a bit of kink?

"Oh, I have no problem with it, but not when he wants me to control the whip. No, thanks."

I relax at this information. "I think you'd suit a Dominatrix situation," I say with a grin.

"And then he insisted we still marry and take part in some kind of threesome with his mistress."

I arch a surprised brow. "Wow."

"Exactly."

"You're not into the threesome scene?" I ask carefully.

"Are you?" she asks.

I shrug. "I don't mind it if everyone is consenting."

She sits straighter. "You've done it?" I nod. "With another man and woman or two women?"

"Both."

She rolls her eyes. "Of course, you have."

"Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like to have two men worshipping you?"

Her cheeks pink as she stares down into her glass. "No."

"Liar," I say with a smirk. "I get why you wouldn't want to dominate him, though."

She looks up. "You do?"

"You want to be taken care of. Under all that strong female energy you got going on, you want a man to take control in the bedroom." She visibly swallows. "So, having two men take control of you can be exhilarating."

"I'll take your word for it." She knocks her drink back in one.

"You wanna get some food?" I ask.

She smirks. "Are you asking me on a date?"

"Nope, that would be wrong seeing as you're on the rebound. But I'm hungry, and you're gonna get shitfaced again. You can't do that on an empty stomach."

"I called in sick," she mutters. "I might get seen."

"I'll take you somewhere the police never go."

She bites her lower lip while she considers it, then she jumps up. "Let me get ready."

She returns twenty minutes later in jeans and a vest top. She stuffs her feet into heels and grabs a handbag off the side. "Let's go."

Ten minutes later, I slow the bike outside The Bar, and we get off. Gemma straightens her hair as I put her helmet away. "I'm getting better on that contraption," she tells me.

I grab her hand and lead her inside. It's not too busy and we manage to get a table. I head to the bar, where Grizz is watching her as she takes a seat. "Two whiskeys. Make hers double," I say.

He grins. "Is that how you get her to sleep with you?"

"Do you want me to get the tape or not?"

He pours two drinks. "You like her," he states. I ignore him, and he adds, "You look at her the way you used to look at Luna." We don't talk about the fact I liked his old lady when he was still trying to push her away.

"She's an ex. There's history, but it's nothing."

"If you think this could go somewhere, just say the words and Pres will come up with another plan."

I shake my head and take both drinks. "The club is my priority," I tell him, heading back to Gemma.

"He doesn't like me," says Gemma, taking her drink as I sit down opposite her. I glance back at Grizz, who's still watching us while he wipes glasses.

"He doesn't like anyone."

"Except her," she says, nodding towards Luna.

I smile. "Everyone loves Luna. She's an angel sent to save our arses."

Gemma eyes me for a second before saying, "You love her."

I frown, shaking my head and taking a large gulp of my drink. "Don't be ridiculous. She's with my VP."

Her eyes widen in delight. "Does he know you love her? Does she know?"

"Shush," I hiss, and she grins wide. "I don't fucking love Luna, okay. We just . . . well, we have history."

"Oh god, tell me the kid isn't yours?"

"Of course not. Do you think I'd still be alive if she was?"

She leans back in her chair and continues to smile. "I can't imagine you with a child."

"I'd be a shit dad."

"You think?" She suddenly looks more serious.

"There was no one to show me how to love as a kid," I admit, "so I don't reckon I could love my own."

"It can't be taught, Fletch. It comes naturally."

I stare out the window. "Yeah, well, what if it doesn't happen for me and I have a kid who I can't love?"

"Is that why you've never settled down?" she asks, her tone gentler.

"Do you think you'd have had kids with your kinky ex?"

She laughs. "No, probably not. We're both too career focussed."

"He's a surgeon, right?"

She nods. "He was going into private work, lip fillers and stuff. He wanted to open his own surgery."

"And he had no interest in kids?"

"Maybe." She shrugs, her nose scrunching slightly. "We didn't discuss it properly, but I have a feeling he would've wanted me tied to the house the second I married him. He always loved the idea of dinner parties and me waiting for him at the door each evening. Of course, I was always working too, and he hated that."

Luna comes over and places a tray of warm bread and dips between us. "Hi," she says, smiling at Gemma.

"Hi," she replies. "This smells amazing."

"Just give me a shout when you want topping up." Then, she heads back into the kitchen.

"I can see why she appeals to you," Gemma says, bringing me from watching Luna. "She's pretty."

"If Grizz hears you, he'll break my fingers," I tell her, grabbing a chunk of bread and dipping it in the vinegary oil. "And probably scoop out my eyeballs with a spoon."

"Tell me what happened between you, so my life doesn't seem so tragic."

I sigh, chewing the bread before saying, "We fucked is all."

"Bullshit. You caught feelings."

"Maybe," I admit, shrugging. "But she loves Grizz, and he loves her. I missed out cos I was always thinking with my dick and not my heart."

"Who do you fuck now?" she asks, biting into some of the bread.

"What?" I ask, almost choking.

"Don't you have club bunnies, or whatever you call them, to meet your every need?"

I laugh. "Yeah, we do. And currently, I ain't fucking anyone but you."

She almost smiles again. "Don't be reading into it," she says, smirking. "I don't need you getting attached or anything."

I laugh louder and she joins me. "You planning on breaking my heart, Snap?"

She nods. "I owe you one."

"Yah know," I say, pausing to look her in the eyes, "it's easy to forget we're supposed to be enemies when we're like this."

Her smile fades. "Take out all the bullshit and we're just two old friends catching up."

"It's like old times, though, like we were never apart."

"Things seemed to get serious between us really quickly back then. One minute, we were having fun together, and the next . . ." She trails off. "Well, the next, you got cold feet and ran."

"I didn't run, and we don't need to go over it again. I already apologised for being a prick. You've forgiven me anyway, remember?"

She smirks. "I don't remember forgiving you."

"Tell me about your job."

She takes another chunk of bread and pulls it apart, placing smaller pieces into her mouth. "Now you wanna talk about my job?" She grins.

"What made you join up?"

"I wanted to prove myself."

"To your father?"

She nods. "I wanted him to see I wasn't a fuck-up, but it didn't matter in the end. He still thinks I am, and I've done more than enough to prove him wrong, but he doesn't want to see it."

"You were so secretive back when you were a teenager, and you always seemed terrified of him."

Gemma

I stare down into my drink. I'd love to open up and tell Fletch all about my father and everything he's ever done to break my heart, but then I'd have to be honest about Ruby, and that's something I'll never tell him.

I knock my drink back, enjoying the buzz I feel as the warmth hits me. "Refill?" I ask, standing.

He shakes his head, and I go over to the bar. The alcohol is running through my veins, and I feel braver as I place my empty on the bar top. "Well, well, well, if it isn't little Miss Raider," Grizz drawls, grabbing the whiskey bottle.

"That's it?" I ask with a laugh. "That's all you could come up with?"

"I got plenty of names, sweetheart, but all of them seem too good for you."

"What is it you hate so much, Grizz? My job, or the fact your Enforcer is fucking me?"

"Why would I give a shit if he's fucking you?" he snaps, topping up my glass.

I smile. "Aw, that's right, cos if he's fucking me, it means he isn't lusting after your old lady, right?"

His eyes narrow. "What's that s'posed to mean?"

"Can I get that?" I glance to my left at the biker who's almost pressed to my side and arch a brow. "Nyx," he introduces, winking.

"I can pay for my own drink," I say cooly.

"I didn't ask if you could afford it," he tells me, placing a bank note on the bar and sliding it to Grizz, who snatches it and rings it through. I look back over my shoulder to find the table where I left Fletch empty. "He asked me to keep you company," Nyx tells me, "He had to take a call."

"I can look after myself," I mutter, taking my drink.

Nyx slides his arm around my waist. "Look, ignore the VP, he's a dick sometimes," he almost whispers, glancing to Grizz to make sure he doesn't overhear. "But Fletch is a good judge of character, and if he likes you, so I do." I relax slightly and half smile. Nyx pulls out the stool beside him. "Take a seat. Watch me drink myself into oblivion."

"Oh yeah?" I ask, sliding onto the stool. "What are you drinking to?"

He leans over the bar and grabs a bottle of sours and two shot glasses. "Fuck knows. Maybe you can come up with a reason."

I watch as he pours two shots and slides one to me. "Oh, I don't really want?—"

"You can't let me drink alone. Besides, stolen shots are the best." I smirk and knock it back, wincing at the sweet taste. "That was to new friendships," Nyx announces, topping both glasses up again. He picks one up and nods at me to do the same. He gently knocks my glass with his and asks, "Now, what are we drinking to?"

I think before replying, "Dumping cheating exes."

"Hell yeah."

My mobile vibrates in my bag, and I pull it out to see Karen's name on the screen. "Shit," I murmur. "I have to take this."

I slip off the stool and head for the bathroom. "Hi, Karen," I answer, trying to sound unwell.

"How's the migraine?" she asks.

"Not great," I mutter. I hate lying, especially to my boss, but I just couldn't face work tonight.

"I spoke with your father," she announces, and I cringe. "He told me you were fine earlier. He also mentioned you were having problems at home."

"Jesus," I mutter, staring at my tired face in the mirror. "Why would he tell you that?"

"Maybe he's worried?"

I roll my eyes. He's never worried a day in his life, especially not for me. "Look, Peter and I have split up, but I'm fine. I just needed a day to get myself together."

"Oh, Gem, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"No, I'm fine. It was a long time coming."

"Take some time off," she says gently.

"No."

"Your father thought it would be best, and I agree with him."

"I don't need time off. I'm fine. I'll be back tomorrow."

She sighs. "Okay, but the offer is there, and if I think you need it, I'm going to make it happen."

I disconnect and groan. He's looking to get me off this case.

When I return to the bar, Fletch is back, and he and Nyx are now sitting at the table together. I sit beside Fletch, and he smiles, throwing an arm around the back of my chair. It's an alpha move, reminding me of when he was younger.

"Tell me about how you two met," Nyx says, topping up my shot glass.

"No," says Fletch firmly.

I laugh, nudging him playfully. "Don't be so grumpy. Fletch was the local bad boy."

Nyx grins. "Really? Tell me more."

"All the girls loved him," I say in a teasing tone, "and he was always in trouble with the police."