Chapter Seventeen

Geek

W AKING UP, EVERYTHING is already in complete chaos. The ol’ ladies and Prospects are cleaning every inch of the clubhouse while also preparing food for everyone to eat. Vault did make sure to remind them not to go overboard because Skylar will need her time in the kitchen so she can relax and get away from everything going on with her daughter and the asshole who’s after her. Alana isn’t helping the ol’ ladies right now. She’s locked in our room ordering groceries, things we’ll need for the kitchen, and anything else she can think of that we can’t wait on. Ghost left after taking a quick shower and cup of coffee to wait at the house for the delivery trucks to show up. With all the furniture arriving today, he’s got Jinx and Zayden with him so they can help get the truck unloaded as quickly as possible. I’m currently in the clubhouse with a few of the guys who haven’t left for work waiting on Cage, Joker, Skylar, and Pops to show up. With a cup of coffee in front of me, I’m watching all the chaos unfold because there’s nothing else I can do. Especially now that Annabell is about to tell the Phantom girls they won’t be here for the next few days or however long it takes to deal with this shit.

“Listen the fuck up!” Annabell calls out when the girls blatantly ignore her. “Liz, this is your last fucking warning. If you don’t shut up and sit down, you’re out bad as of right now. No one in this club will touch you and I can guarantee that all the other clubs in the area will also ignore you. You’ll have nothing left other than to find a pimp. Now, we have another club coming into town. While usually you’d be here to help entertain them, this isn’t the case in this situation. You’re not going to be here. The club is paying for you to stay in a motel. If you’re needed at the clubhouse, we’ll send someone to pick you up. I can guarantee you right now it won’t be all of you at once. Liz definitely won’t be here if I have my way. Get to your fucking rooms and get some things packed up. You won’t be allowed back once you’re removed from the compound.”

“You really think we’re not gonna be in the clubhouse when other clubs are showing up?” one of the other Phantom girls questions Annabell with a smirk on her face. “We’ll go to Vault with this and you’ll finally be put in your place.”

“This order is from Vault!” Annabell yells, her face turning red with anger as she stares at the ignorant bitch standing next to Liz. “The guys in the club coming here aren’t single for the most part and none of them will touch you once they find out what you’ve done to Alana. Two of them are her brothers and the rest are all family. If they want to get laid, they know how to find women to fuck for the night. You are now on probation along with Liz. So even if we call some of the girls here, you won’t be one of them.”

“Vault!” the same girl yells out as Liz cocks out a hip and plasters a fake frown on her face while also making her eyes tear up. “Annabell just told us that we’re not allowed at the clubhouse until you say otherwise and that I’m on probation with Liz. Neither one of us has done anything wrong and Annabell’s on some kind of power trip. Can you please tell her that she’s wrong? The guys coming in will need us.”

“The fuck did you just say?” Vault questions her, his voice low and lethal as he stares at the bitch while walking up to his wife and wrapping her in his arms. “Annabell has final say over all of you. I’m the one that said you’re fuckin’ leavin’ because that’s what we all voted on in church. None of us want your skank asses here when we’re dealin’ with shit you have nothin’ to do with. As far as Liz and you not doin’ anythin’ wrong, I have a feelin’ that’s hardly the truth. We all know Liz has confronted Alana more than once at this point and doesn’t know how to keep her mouth fuckin’ shut. And from what you just said about my wife to me, I know you’re not innocent either. In fact, I’m gonna say right now that you and Liz are both on probation even longer than the original time we decided on. Right now, you won’t be let off until Annabell, myself, and the rest of the members say. I’ll also be includin’ Alana in that decision because of Liz. Watch your fuckin’ step movin’ forward or you won’t be comin’ back here at all. Now go pack your shit because you leave in ten minutes. Anyone not ready will have nowhere to stay.”

The girls all scramble from the common room because they can tell the kind of mood Vault’s in. He’s pissed as fuck and they don’t want to push him anymore than what that bitch already has. Even Liz had a look of fear in her eyes before she disappeared down the hall to her room. I have a feeling those two won’t be lasting much longer in this clubhouse. They’re getting too bold and acting as if they don’t have to follow the rules of the clubhouse or anything Annabell adds on because she doesn’t have a dick swinging between her legs. When it comes to them, she has all the power and it’s time they understand that shit once and for all.

“Where are Alana and Ghost?” Valor asks, walking up to where I’m sitting and taking a seat next to me.

“Alana’s up in our room puttin’ together an order of groceries and shit to be delivered to the house today. Kian and Deegan are up there in the hallway so no one can get close to her. Ghost is at the house with Jinx and Zayden. All our new furniture and shit we ordered are gettin’ delivered today so we can move in tonight or tomorrow. With the clubhouse fillin’ up the way it’s about to, we thought we could use the extra room here while we stay at home. My parents and Ghost’s are also headin’ this way too. They’ll stay at the house with us and Pops. Cage, Joker, and Skylar want to stay in the clubhouse for now. Skylar wants to be close to the kitchen in here when shit gets too hard to handle. Plus, it’s been so long since she’s been able to spend time with all of us, she wants to be here. I think she knows it’s the only way Alana will leave the house instead of lockin’ herself inside and not leavin’ again,” I answer him, my voice low as I look around the room at all the chaos going on as the ol’ ladies and Prospects work to prepare everything.

“Good. You’re all gonna need your family around you when the shit finally hits the fan. It’ll be good to see Stryker, Sally, Playboy, and Sam too. Is Caleb comin’ down with them or has he already moved?” Valor asks as Beckett drops off a bottle of water to him before heading back to the bar again.

“Caleb already moved. He’s met up with the guys he served with and they’re in the process of startin’ their own club. Caleb’s like Savage in that way. He doesn’t want to follow in our dad’s and grandpa’s shadow. He’s been on his own for so long now that it wouldn’t benefit him to stay in Benton Falls. The men he’s with now have become his chosen family and they all know what they dealt with overseas and how to best help one another. I also heard one of the members of their team who didn’t make it home has a widow close to where they moved and she’s about to have a baby any day now. Caleb and the others want to be there for her since he was Caleb’s best friend,” I inform Valor as the thought of my oldest brother leaving us behind fills me with pride and sadness.

When Caleb came home, we all kind of thought we’d get to spend more time with him and have our family become whole once more. Yeah, Caleb won’t be in another country any longer, but he’s not exactly really close either. I understand why he’s choosing to move away and start his life over somewhere away from Benton Falls, but he had the chance to come here and turned Vault down.

“He needs time. None of us have ever served in the military, but I can’t imagine the transition home is easy at all. Add in that they lost members of their team and that’s only gonna add another layer to all the shit goin’ on in Caleb’s mind. I could tell he was off when he was here before. We’ll all have to get to know the new man he is and it’s gonna take time before he’ll let us all in again,” Valor says as King and Vault join us and take the water Beckett just brought over for them.

“They’re here. Cage doesn’t want us to head outside or make a big deal out of them arrivin’ because he knows Alana is gonna be emotional as it is. Skylar, him, and Joker will head up to your room in a few minutes so their reunion is done in private,” Vault tells us as his voice becomes low so not everyone can hear what he’s saying. “You gonna head up with them?”

“No. I’ll let them have their time and be there for my girl when she needs me. Alana’s gettin’ good at tellin’ us when we’re needed and what she needs from us,” I say as the door opens and my girls’ family enters the clubhouse.

I stand from my chair and head over to meet them. Cage pulls me in for a man hug before Skylar pushes her man out of the way and wraps her arms around me. Her tears are already falling and I know this has been hard for her.

“I’m so glad you and Ghost have been there for our girl, Colton. She’s gonna need you more than ever when this is all over with,” Skylar says when she pulls back and lets Joker pull me into a man hug, slapping me on the back harder than normal.

“You both best be treatin’ our girl like a fuckin’ queen,” he says, a smirk on his face before Pops steps up and gives me a hug.

“Don’t listen to that fool. He’s scared and doesn’t know how to deal with it. Almost had to lock him in a room when we first got to Alana and he saw what shape she was in. I know you’re both treatin’ my baby the way she deserves to be treated and you won’t let anyone close to her,” Pops says, pulling back and leading me to the table I just left. “The rest of you go up and see your girl. I’ll be right here when she’s ready to come see me. Skylar, make sure she knows I’m here because I know those two idiots won’t.”

“I will, Pops,” she answers him, disappearing up the stairs with her men so they can spend some time with their daughter.

Vault, Valor, and King all greet Pops as Beckett rushes over to find out what he wants to drink. The Phantom girls’ eyes light up when they realize the guys from the other club have started to show up. Annabell and Ezra rush them through the room as Pops glares in their direction. I love this man because he doesn’t hold back about anything and his glare makes the girls trip over themselves in their haste to get out of the clubhouse.

I t's been hours since Alana’s parents and Pops got here. Once she was done with the order, they all came down to the common room. Shortly after she joined Pops and me at the table, Ghost got here. He lifted her from her seat and took it before pulling her back on his lap. Cage and Joker started laughing at him because they do the same thing with Skylar. I’ve been trying to be respectful and didn’t want to do that in front of her parents.

“Cage, Joker, Pops, can Geek and I have some time with you before Alana gets too tired and dinner is served?” Ghost asks the men in front of us with a knowing look in his eyes as he glances in my direction.

“Of course. We’ll be back soon, ladies. Don’t get into too much trouble while we’re gone,” Pops says, standing from his seat and making his way to Alana to press a kiss against the top of her head while resting his hand on her shoulder for several seconds.

Standing up, I follow the men down the hall to one of the offices. Closing the door behind me, I head over to stand next to my best friend. I know what this talk is about and this is what needs to be done.

“Cage, I’ve talked to you and you gave us your blessin’ over the phone to be with Alana. Geek and I have loved her for as long as I can remember and wanted to spend as much time with her as possible when we were growin’ up. She’s always been our endgame but we were givin’ her time to live her life and experience the world before we tied her to us. We both know the three of you along with Savage, Brandon, and Kyle are the men in her life who mean the most to her. You’ve all been the center of her world since the day she was born. We’d like to join that world in every way possible. So, we’re comin’ to you today to get your blessin’ to not only make Alana our ol’ lady but eventually to marry her and give her our last names. Or take hers if that’s what she wants,” Ghost says, a soft smile on his face as he thinks of our girl in the common room with her mom.

“I have given you my blessin’ to be with Alana and I won’t ever take that away from you. I’ve watched the two of you over the years and always knew that’s where this was headin’. You’ve done your best to protect Alana and let her live her life the way she needed to instead of pushin’ her to be at your side the second she turned eighteen. The best thing you could’ve done is follow the path you both chose to and I know you’ll continue to protect and love her for the rest of your lives. You both have my blessin’ to claim Alana and eventually ask her to be your wife,” Cage responds, his smile growing as he looks between the two of us.

“Alana is my baby girl,” Pops begins. “Out of all the kids in my family, both blood and chosen, she’s the one who has confided in me more than anyone else. Even about things these two and Skylar don’t know. I’ve kept her secrets guarded over the years and have known from the day she was eight years old that this was gonna happen. See, when Alana was eight, she came to talk to me and told me that she was gonna marry both of you when she got older. That you were gonna be just like her daddies and give her the world. You’re both already doin’ that and I can see how much she’s already changed since leavin’ Clifton Falls. She has an air of confidence that has never been there before. Alana has never been a pushover, but she’s also never gone out of her way to defend herself. From what I hear, she’s doin’ that more and more these days. I couldn’t ask for two better men for my baby girl than the two of you. You both have my permission to claim her and marry her when the time is right.”

Joker remains quiet as he stands next to his dad. He looks between the two of us and for the first time there is no hint of amusement on his face. Joker is the one who always has something to say to make everyone laugh and the tense situations more comfortable with his quick wit and well placed humor. Right now, there’s none of that as I look at Ghost before turning my attention back to Alana’s dad.

“I’ve never been acceptin’ of my girls havin’ men in their lives. However, like Cage and Pops, I’ve watched you two and you’ve always been as close to Alana as you could get when the clubs were always together. You have watched out for her and done everythin’ you could to make her happy. When she was sick or unhappy in the past, the two of you didn’t ever leave her side. Even when we tried to get you away from her because of the possibility that you’d get sick as well. That thought never once bothered you and you remained loyal to her without hesitation or question.

“If I’m ever gonna give someone my blessin’ to be with Alana, it would have to be the two of you. I know you’ve been sharin’ girls for almost as long as you’ve been havin’ sex. Havin’ a relationship with a woman is very different than spendin’ a few hours with one in bed. Are you sure you’re ready to be there every fuckin’ day? That you won’t leave when shit gets too hard or she can’t tell you when things are too much for her? Once you claim Alana, that’s it. The two of you will never be able to leave her and you can’t just toss her aside because the shit has hit the fan,” Joker questions us, his voice void of emotion.

“We haven’t left her side with all the shit goin’ on with Terrence and havin’ no clue where he is. We’ve gone out of our way to ensure she feels comfortable in the clubhouse and don’t force her to leave because she hates to be away from the compound. The only time she leaves is when she goes to work. We’ll always support her dreams and make sure she has everythin’ she ever wants or needs. When the shit hits the fan or things get too tough, Ghost and I will remain at Alana’s side because there is no one else for the two of us but her. We both understand that the relationship we have with Alana will be different from bein’ with a girl for a few hours before leavin’ or kickin’ her out of bed. From the second we wake up until the minute we go to bed, our lives will revolve around Alana because we love her. Both of us have loved her for as long as we can remember,” I state, my voice strong and determined as I look at Joker so he can see the truth of my words.

Again, Joker doesn’t say anything as he looks between the two of us. I can’t read what he’s thinking or how he feels about what I’ve just said.

“I’ll give you both my blessin’. Just know you also have to talk to Savage, Brandon, and Kyle. I would make sure you talk to Grim and Venom as well. Those men are all her family and their opinion matters to Alana more than anyone else. You might want to include Skylar and her sisters, too. But, I think you both know that,” Joker says, still keeping his face a blank mask as Ghost and I nod in response because Joker’s not wrong about that. “And if you ever hurt our girl, I will bury your bodies where no one will ever find you again and gladly go to war with your family over that fact. Alana has been through too much already and deserves to have a peaceful life filled with nothin’ but love.”

“She does. And that’s what we’re gonna give her,” I promise as the five of us exchange man hugs before making our way back to the common room.

Alana looks between all of us with a soft smile on her face before she gets out of her seat and hugs both of her dads and Pops. Our small group sits together and catches up, no one mentioning Terrence or anything going on with that situation. We talk about the house and moving in tomorrow, promising to show it to Alana’s family. Others come up to talk to us every now and then through the night, but no one stays long. They’re all giving us time to simply relax and be with family before the shit hits the fan. Ghost and I will have our families here tomorrow and Brandon and Kyle should be arriving the day after that. The next few weeks are gonna be crazy as hell and I’m here for it because Alana is gonna be right in the middle of everything going on. Like I said, there’s nowhere else Ghost and I would rather be.