CHAPTER THREE

Sadie

My eyes take in my surroundings, not understanding everything I see. From what I know of biker clubs, this place does not fit the mold. Everyone here is smiling as I walk past them like they're genuinely happy to see me.

I thought I would be met with grunts and wolf whistles.

Maybe some groping and unwanted advances.

But there's nothing of that here.

I have to admit—I am somewhat taken aback.

Honestly, I never thought I would ever step foot inside a biker clubhouse. It's just not in me to put myself in this kind of situation. But my job is to provide the best for my students, and my student is Clover. From what little time we have spent together, she has so much potential, and I don't want to see her wasted in a place like this. I want to help her thrive and be the best version of herself she can possibly be. So, if she wants to escape the club and live a full life, she can.

As Clover leads us toward her bedroom, she spins facing me, a bright spark lighting in her eyes. "I'm so excited that you're finally here, Sadie. I do want to improve my grades. And I swear I have been trying. I don't want to do bad at school. I don't mean to. I… just get distracted, you know?" She opens the door to her bedroom, and we step in.

My eyes widen upon taking in her room. It's definitely small, and again, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it most certainly wasn't this. The walls are painted in a pastel teal color. She has a vision board on her wall with fairy lights pinned around the frame. Her bed is nicely made with a gorgeous comforter fit for a seventeen-year-old. She has a large desk against the wall, with a window overlooking the back of the clubhouse. The curtains are draped with more lights. Only this time, they fall down the curtains like a waterfall. I can't help but smile at the room of a teenager. She has made it her own, and from what I know of Clover so far, this room suits her to a T. I guess I expected the room to be stale, stark, bland, with no life. Clover's room is completely hers, and I love that she has a space where she can come to be herself.

Closing the door behind us, I step in while she rushes over to her bed and flops onto it.

I smile at how comfortable she is with me in her space. "Well, I am glad I'm here too. And I know you didn't mean to let your grades slip. But that is why I am here. To help." I walk over to her desk and hold the back of the chair with my hands. Pulling it out, I slide my backpack off, place it on the desk, and then sit. "I guess we need to address the root cause before we can start so we know how to tackle any obstacles that might head our way while I'm tutoring you."

Clover sits on the edge of the bed, sighing heavily as she nods at me. "Okay, what did you have in mind?"

With a genuine, kind smile, I look into her eyes. "What is it that distracts you at school? Why do you feel like you can't work properly?"

Clover gnaws on her bottom lip. Instantly, her eyes begin to well, and emotion builds inside her, but she doesn't let the tears fall. My thoughts wander back to her brother covered in blood moments before, my teeth grit in annoyance that this is more than likely the root cause of this poor young girl's anguish right now.

"Sometimes, I zone in and out. And I know it's because my sugar levels are fluctuating, and I can't control when it's happening, you know? When my sugar drops, my head feels foggy, and I can't focus. I have my medication, and that helps, of course, but it's not a miracle drug. I still fluctuate, and it's so distracting. And then, because sometimes I feel a little wonky, I stare aimlessly. I don't even know I'm doing it, and because of that, the teachers think I'm not paying attention, and the other kids pick on me. Some say I'm high and using drugs all the time because I belong to the club. This one girl started a rumor that I was possessed by a demon."

Widening my eyes, I let out a scoff. "Are you joking?"

Clover begins biting her bottom lip again, her eyes flooding once more, and instantly, I know she's one hundred percent telling me the truth. I sit for a second, digesting her words. Maybe there is far more to this than her being distracted by the violence she sees her brother in at the club. I still think that could be an underlying issue, but with Clover opening up about this, I don't want to push her about her brother and the club right now. She shakes her head, so I stand and move to the bed beside her.

I rest my hand on her knee and look in her beautiful eyes. "Okay… so the kids are assholes, and the teachers aren't listening. That about the gist of it?"

A slow smile creeps across her face, and she nods. "Yeah, that about sums it up."

"Do you have any friends at school? Anyone who understands what you're going through?"

She sighs. "They all keep their distance from me. I only started at the school this year and am new to everyone. I think being a part of the club is a pretty big deterrent for the other kids."

A sinking feeling rolls in the pit of my stomach. I want to broach the subject, but I don't want her to lose her trust in me, so I approach cautiously. "Do you think the kids at school are scared to hang out with you because of the club?"

Clover shrugs. "I think they don't understand the club and are too caught up in what they think it should mean. Everyone has an opinion on Defiance. That just because the brothers wear their 1% patch, that means they're thugs, and the women are whores. We're not like that. We're a family. We look out for each other. Honestly, I think my family dynamic is far more functional than the kids at school with their divorced parents and custody battles going on all the time. The fights I hear some of those parents having over the kids are crazy…"

She pauses before continuing, "And that's what I don't get. They think their lives are much more functional than mine because they live what's considered normal. Well, I would take my life over theirs any day. They just get all the attention because both parents are fighting for their kids to want to be with them more. It's stupid."

My eyes narrow on her when something registers with me, something that I think Clover desires from all of this. "Is it stupid, though?"

She furrows her brows. "What do you mean?"

"Getting attention from people who love you. From people who actually want to be around you?"

Clover sits for a moment, swallowing hard. "No, it would be really nice."

"Talk to me about your sister."

Clover's face lights up like a bright spark. The joy emanating from her is genuine and unwavering as she smiles at me. "I didn't even know she existed until she came into our lives a little while ago. It's a whole story, but the short version is that our father sold her to an elite training facility when she was nine. She was raised there to do specialist jobs, and when she was hired to do that kind of job on Alpha, our president, they fell in love. Then, once all the pieces started unraveling, she returned to where she was trained, and when Haven looked into the files about her past, she discovered that Maverick and I are her biological siblings."

I let out a small gasp before jerking my head back in shock. "Your older sister was an assassin?"

Clover widens her eyes. "I didn't say that. Did I say that?"

I let out a small laugh. "You didn't have to. I can read between the lines."

Clover sighs. "Haven doesn't do that anymore. Now she works with the pigs and sometimes helps Loki with the computer stuff."

"And none of this fazes you?" I ask her honestly.

Without missing a beat, she shakes her head. "Not at all. I feel completely safe here with these people. Where I don't feel safe is at school, surrounded by kids judging and making fun of me. That is where I feel completely and utterly alone. You asked if it would be nice to get some attention. School is where it would be nice to get attention. I have it in spades at the clubhouse, more than I could ever need. I have my best friend, Rhyan, here. I have Ellie, who is kind of like a mother figure to me." She lets out a small laugh. "Kind of like a mother figure to everyone, if I am honest. And Dutch, her husband, he's my father figure. Then there are all the club brothers, who are like my crazy uncles. And then the club girls who are like my aunts, I suppose?" Her face lights up with undeniable happiness.

"Like I said, it's one big family outside my real family. And when it comes to Mav and Haven, those two are constantly around me, giving me support and letting me have whatever I need. Like you, for instance. I know Mav was annoyed by the fact we had to hire you. For some reason, he thinks you have it in for the club. But because he knows you're here to help me, he put his grievances aside because he knew you coming to help would benefit me." She smiles wide.

"Living at the clubhouse is the coolest thing ever. I feel completely safe here. No one judges me for having diabetes. I get help whenever I need it. The girls are super supportive. What's not to love? So you see what I mean? About the club always putting mefirst?"

Letting out a long exhale, I have to admit my head is spinning. It's no wonder this poor girl is struggling. She has no friends outside this club. We are just building a relationship that's to be centered around her academics, but really, she may simply need an outlet.

With her rushed words of excitement for the club and her family, everything I thought I knew is being tested. From Clover's accounts, these guys aren't greedy, violent toward their own, or all about themselves. They don't treat everyone like they're another pawn in some sick game.

I'm still not convinced after walking in and seeing the guys covered in blood that my initial thoughts aren't justified. But maybe, just maybe, Clover has a few valid points to make.

"Okay, well, you certainly know how to make a convincing argument. I'll give you that. But this is not getting your work done, is it, Miss?"

Clover chuckles, shaking her head. "No, it is not."

"All right, let's pull your books out and get started. You have me for the next four hours, so we can work through what's really getting you stuck."

Clover stands. "Let's do this!"

One Hour Later

"This math is kicking my ass." Clover groans, throwing her textbook onto the desk in a huff. She slides back in her chair with her head down and shoulders drooping. "I am never going to understand this. My brain is just too… foggy."

Exhaling, I close the textbook. "Okay, so this is what happens at school, right? Your energy tanks?"

Clover nods. "Yeah, and then I have to check my levels, and the kids are dicks about it."

"Shouldn't you test your sugar level now if you're feeling foggy?"

Clover groans, slides off her bed, and makes her way to her desk. She opens the drawer to pull out her supplies. I sit back, saying nothing as she gathers her testing meter, test strips, lancing device, and her lancet. She places them all out in a neat row on the desk, then spins, rushing off for the bathroom. Inhaling as I hear the faucet turn on. She's clearly washing her hands—I can see why the kids at school would get on her back about this process. They don't understand it, and that's purely the education department's fault for not teaching them about illnesses like Clover's.

She steps back out into the main bedroom, her hands thoroughly washed before she sits at the desk, moving quickly through the motions. She takes the testing strip and slots it into the end of the testing meter, turning it on. She then applies the lancet to the lancing device and pops the lid back on. Pricking the side of her pinky without hesitation, a small spot of blood seeps out, and she grabs the testing meter, placing the blood against the test strip.

Reaching over, she swipes out a tissue from the box, dabbing up the remaining blood, and then Clover grabs her cell, recording her result.

"How's it looking?" I ask her.

She smiles. "All good, a little low, but there's no need to call 911. Unless they're gonna send out a super-hot firefighter to bring me some candy. Might just need a little pick-me-up." I snort out a laugh as she yanks out the testing strip with a tissue and then places it and the lancet into a sharps bin that sits on top of her desk.

Slapping my hands on my thighs, I sit taller. "I mean, who doesn't love a hot firefighter, though, right? But, alas, some of us need to continue our studies. How do you feel about baking?"

Clover groans out her disapproval. "I have to be careful because of the sugar. But I have my insulin pump. Which is yet another reason the kids at school give me hell."

I stand, then smile. "Lucky I'm a baker then, and even better… I know a lot about diabetes. Let's go check out the club kitchen."

A slow smile crosses Clover's face, and she stands before stepping off with a pep in her step. "We're lighting the kitchen on fire?" she mocks, and I wink at her as we walk out the door, Clover seeming happier than moments before when she was almost out for the count. It doesn't take long before we enter the beautiful, state-of-the-art kitchen.

I am in complete awe, stopping midstride to take it all in.

Before I have time to gather my thoughts, Clover grabs my hand and yanks me in farther. I let out a small laugh as she pulls me to the island in the middle of the area.

A woman is making a coffee, and she turns, her swollen, pregnant belly fully on show. She lets out a long yawn. "Don't mind me. I need something to wake me up. This baby is trying to suck the life out of me, I swear. And when I can only have one cup a day, I savor it."

"Hi, I'm Sadie. I hear pregnancy can be draining."

She snorts out a laugh like that was the most underrated comment ever. "I'm Ingrid, and darling, my first two pregnancies were draining, but I was in my youth back then. I'm fifty-five now. This pregnancy is like Brendan Fraser's version of The Mummy. You know when you first see Imhotep, but he hasn't regenerated and is all bones and decaying flesh. Like, the life has literally been sucked from him? Yeah, that's what an advanced maternal-age pregnancy does to you."

I try to hold back my laugh while Clover furrows her brows, tilting her head like she's completely confused by this conversation. "What's an Imhotep?" she asks, and I can't hold back my laugh this time, giggling.

Clover's clearly too young for the iconic movie. Honestly, it was released before I was born too. But it is one of the only good memories I have from my childhood. My mom was only ever happy watching Rick O'Connell fighting his way through the sand and pyramids of Egypt. A weak smile crosses my face at the memory as Ingrid lifts her coffee toward Clover with a grin. "Ahh, the joys of youth. But seriously, Clo, what is Mav even doing with your movie-watching habits if he hasn't introduced you to The Mummy yet? I need to have a good talking to that boy."

She's not lying. That movie has a whole vibe that's truly amazing.

Clover smirks. "I think my taste in movies and Mav's are very different," she states, walking to the refrigerator, pulling out the jug of orange juice, and pouring herself a glass.

Her pick-me-up.

Ingrid dips her head. "I don't doubt it. So what are you girls up to?"

I step forward. "Do you mind if I make something? I need to check for ingredients first. But I am hoping it will help Clover with her schoolwork?"

Ingrid nods. "Of course, sounds great. Can I stay to help? Might wake me up and give me something to concentrate on other than the fact this little man is pushing on my bladder with the force of Thor's hammer."

I glance at Clover to ensure she is comfortable, and she smiles, then continues to drink her juice. So I turn back to Ingrid. "The more the merrier."

"What are we going to make?" Clover asks, reaching out to the shelf to grab a sly candy.

I think she was underplaying the lowness of her levels. But it's good that she knows the little things to boost her sugars. However, I will definitely be keeping an eye on her. But for now, I will keep going and not pay any unnecessary attention to her. It's exactly what she doesn't want because it's what she gets at school. So, I continue. "If we have all the ingredients, we'll make double chocolate cupcakes."

Ingrid moves to the pantry. "We have a lot of ingredients, especially for Clover because of her diabetes. I bet we have everything you need. List me off what you require, and I'll check what we have."

Pulling out my cell, I grab the recipe and list each item we need. Ingrid and Clover rush about the kitchen, pulling the wet and dry ingredients we need and the baking trays.

Normally, I bake alone, so baking with others is a nice change. And I have to admit, Ingrid seems so freaking nice, and though I was shocked to see her pregnant, she appears happy, despite the pregnancy being a little rough on her.

"The baby's father… is it one of the brothers here?" I ask as we place the final ingredients onto the island counter.

Ingrid smiles. "His name is South. We transferred over to LA from New Orleans at the same time as Maverick and Clover. So we have a special bond, don't we, Clo?"

Clover nods, cuddling into Ingrid's side. "I love everyone here, but Ingrid and South really feel like home."

"And I have to admit… when I knew South and I were transferring because of his sister's illness, it was good knowing there was another couple of NOLA club members here to help make the transition smoother," Ingrid states, answering my unspoken question on why they all moved.

"Honestly, seeing how close you all are, having that support system in place must be great."

Ingrid dips her head. "There's nothing like it."

Clover claps her hands together in excitement, taking me by surprise. "Okay, so I have this social media following. The page is called ‘Life at the Clubhouse,' and I randomly post about different things that happen at the club. Mainly about the guys doing stupid shit in the clubroom. That's what gets the most likes. Obviously!"

I snort out a laugh. "Obviously," I reply.

"But I think my viewers would love to see some of this. Are you okay if I take videos and snaps of us baking today, Sadie? Don't worry. Faces are always blurred out. Club policy. The brothers wouldn't agree to be filmed unless their faces and patches are removed."

Raising my brow, I smile at her ingenuity. "How many followers do you have?"

She pulls out her cell and opens the app. "Just under one hundred thousand. I am trying so hard to reach that milestone. I keep telling my viewers that if I reach one hundred K, I will get the guys to do a personal thank you message. Whether they will or not…" She shrugs. "I might have to bribe them, but we will see."

Ingrid chuckles, nudging Clover's side. "They'll do it for you, Clo. You know they will."

Clover grabs her cell and takes pictures of the three of us and the island ready for us to bake. Then she smiles wide as I continue to be surprised by this club. But again, we are getting distracted, and I'm meant to be teaching Clover.

"Okay, so baking is a lot about math. There's measuring, and if you get those measurements wrong, then the bake will fail. So, the math has to be precise. You following?"

Clover nods, placing her cell on the counter, and begins to pay attention. "That makes sense. But I don't really understand why I need math in the first place. It's not useful for anything."

Ingrid grins when I place the flour on the counter and exhale. This is a different conversation, and maybe one we needed to have first. "Okay… let's back up a bit. Math is important, but depending on what you want to do with your life, it may not be a top priority. What we need to figure out, Clover, is what you want to do when you leave school. Are you going to college? What courses do you want to apply for? Where do you see your life heading? These are big questions that you're going to need to start figuring out."

Clover shrugs with a small smile. "I already know those answers."

I widen my eyes, feeling proud of her. "Great! So, where does your path lead you at the end of the year?"

Clover glances at Ingrid, then back to me, and she shrugs. "Maverick works on the bikes as a mechanic. He's so skilled, and I want to be just like him." Her eyes gleam, her chest thrusts out, shoulders back. "I want to be a mechanic."

Jerking my head back a little, I shift my eyes to Ingrid. A look of disappointment crosses her face as well as mine. Though Ingrid says nothing, I can tell she's thinking the same thing as me. Clover isn't the right fit for a mechanic. Not that she couldn't be one if she wanted to. Women can do anything they want to, but Clover's skills are more suited to being creative. This is where she will flourish.

But, for now, if being a mechanic is what she has her heart set on, I will try to help her the best way I can. "Okay. There are some great courses to help you get your qualifications, but I will need to help get you up to speed. Mechanics use a lot of math, so unfortunately, we are going to have to focus on this a little more if this is what you want to do with your life."

Clover stands taller. "This is one hundred percent what I want to do."

"All right then, let's apply some baking with what little knowledge I know about bikes and see if we can get this to stick in your brain."

Clover bounces on her toes. "Put me in, Coach."

I snort out a laugh and move for the ingredients. "So we're going to double this recipe for the cupcakes. That way, we can work out the math for this equation, also because there are a lot of people here at the clubhouse, and we need more cupcakes than the recipe calls for."

Pulling over a piece of paper and a pen, I line it up in front of us. "So, one and one-third cups of cake flour doubled represents the following equation." I turn to the piece of paper and write it out for her…

Clover stares at me like she's having a minor panic attack, but I smile and talk her through it. "It's not as scary as it looks, I promise. Think of these numbers like they are a part of the baking process. So three goes into eight twice, with two remaining equaling two-thirds. So the final measurement is two and two-thirds cups of flour."

I see the cogs turning in Clover's mind while she's trying to piece together the puzzle. I continue to apply this to something she can use in everyday life. "So now, if we apply this method to mechanics, and we're talking about sockets on a Harley, for instance, if Maverick is using 5/32 inch, 3/16 inch, and 5/16 inch sockets. The 5/16 inch is twice the size of 5/32 inch. I'd like you to write down the equation showing a visual that is twice the size."

Clover widens her eyes, and they dart to Ingrid, who smiles before giving her an encouraging nod. Clover inhales deeply, then moves to the piece of paper and begins to slowly jot down the equation.

It takes her a few minutes. She is meticulous, taking her time to really think through her answer, and then she slides the paper my way, biting the bottom of her lip, the pen in her mouth, as she anxiously waits for me to check.

I look up at her and nudge her shoulder. "You got it, Clo."

Her eyes widen. "No! I didn't? Did I?"

Ingrid smirks as I pat Clover on the back. "Well done. See? You can do this."

Clover lets out a long breath, her eyes blinking a few times like she is losing focus, but I reach out, grabbing her hand to pull her back. "Let's keep baking. We need to get these cupcakes into you, and I am sure the guys out there are going to love them too."

Clover nods, her eyes meeting mine like she is shocked I didn't tell her off for zoning out just now. She pulls me into a tight embrace. "Thank you. Thank you for not treating me like an idiot."

I pull back from her, looking her square in the eyes. "Hey! You are not an idiot. You are extremely smart and capable, Clover. I don't ever want you to think that just because people at school treat you differently, you are any less worthy of becoming someone amazing. Okay?"

She sniffles, clearing her throat from the lump firmly caught in it. Then she says, "Let's get these cupcakes in the oven. I am dying to eat one."

Smiling, I nod, and we move about getting everything done before placing the cupcakes in the oven. Then, the three of us sit back, chatting until they are ready to come out. We begin icing and having a ton of fun while Clover continues taking as many pictures and videos as possible for her socials.

Eventually, Haven walks into the kitchen, her nose shifting upward as she takes in the aroma of the cupcakes. "Something smells good," she states.

"Sadie's been teaching me a ton of stuff. I have learned so much today, Haven, and it's been so fun while doing it." The sound of Clover's voice and how happy she seems makes me believe I can bring a bit of joy to Clover while she's learning.

Haven's eyes shift to me, and she tilts her head, gesturing for me to follow her out of the kitchen. I hand the icing to Ingrid, and she and Clover continue while I walk out of the room to meet Haven.

Wondering what I am about to walk into, Haven smiles, easing the tension. "Clover looks happy. Thank you for that, Sadie."

"Honestly, she's so easy to work with. It's genuinely my pleasure."

"How is she doing? Really?"

Glancing back into the kitchen, I smile, then turn to Haven. "She's good. She's picking up the things I am teaching her quite easily. She definitely has moments where her concentration lapses, but I can pull her back quickly. I think the problem with Clover is she lacks attention. Not here, but at school. And any attention she does get is completely negative."

"Do I need to go and kick someone's ass at the school?" Haven asks.

The problem is she is completely serious.

I shake my head. "No, that's not necessary. I will take my findings to Mrs. Bedford and let her know what's happening. No need for the club to become involved. I think that will only hinder Clover more at this point."

Haven scowls, annoyed that she can't go and kick in some teenage heads. "As for her schoolwork, is she doing okay?"

"I am really happy with how we progressed today. And I feel like we have bonded."

"Well, if you and Clover have a connection, I am all for it."

I might broach this subject with Haven now so we can address it if necessary. "Has she told you what she wants to do when she leaves school?"

Haven furrows her brows. "No. She hasn't really told us much at all."

"She says she wants to follow in Maverick's footsteps and be a mechanic."

Haven weakly smiles while nodding like she isn't surprised. "Clover idolizes her brother. He got her through the toughest of times. So, I'm not surprised she is trying to emulate him. I just don't know how he is going to take that. I think he wants her to make something of herself."

"She could be anything she wants to be."

"Just not Maverick, Sadie." Haven narrows her eyes on me. "You see where I am going with this?"

"Are you saying if she ends up doing mechanics, she will be stuck here at the club?"

Haven shrugs. "It's not a bad thing. This place is great, but she is dependent on us all. I want her to flourish. To be the amazing woman I know she is capable of being. She can't thrive if she is tunnel-visioned on staying by Maverick's side. And he is so protective over her, he can't see that he's the one keeping her here."

I subtly nod. "I understand. So while she thinks she wants to be a mechanic, deep down, there must be something else she wants to do?"

Haven exhales. "That, my friend, is the million-dollar question we need to figure out. And your biggest hurdle is going to be my dumbass, stubborn brother."

I let out a small laugh. "Maverick, I can handle. Getting to the bottom of what Clover wants to do at the end of the school year is something we will need to figure out sooner rather than later if she needs to switch subjects or take on more elective social activities to boost her chances if she wants to apply for college."

"Thank you for taking such an active role in her future, Sadie. You've been here for a couple of hours, and I can already see you're going to be good for her."

"It's Clover doing the work. I'm just giving her a little guidance. I see a lot of myself in her, so I want the best for Clover, and whatever my views on this place and my initial reactions to the people in it, I still think she will be better trying to make something of herself separate from the club."

Haven nods. "I agree. We somehow have to make her and Maverick see that."

Clover pops her head out of the kitchen. "You guys seem deep in conversation. Did I do something wrong?"

"Not at all. Just telling your sister how well you're doing, actually."

Clover beams with pride. "Can we take some of these cupcakes out to Mav?"

I glance at Haven to make sure our conversation is finished. She subtly nods, and I turn back to Clover. "Sure, let's do it."