Chapter Eight

Savannah

SLEEPING MOST OF the way to Pine View did nothing but fill my body with aches and pains. I couldn't get comfortable in the seat and slept almost straight up and down. Not the best position to sleep in when I'm not hurt. After what Conrad did to me, it's even worse than normal and I'm going to suffer the rest of the night and tomorrow. Valor and I didn't talk when I woke up just before getting into our new city. The music was playing softly in the background and I just took in my surroundings despite it being dark and not being able to see hardly anything around us. We were on a highway and each side either had nothing but trees or shops and restaurants of every kind. I can't wait to explore this city and see everything it has to offer. Especially since Annabell told me we don't have to travel forever to get to a mall. There isn't one in Benton Falls and we have to travel for the large stores we want to shop in. Now, the girls and I won't have to do that. It might be kind of nice.

"I'm gonna take us straight to the house so the girls and you can get some more sleep. How are you feelin'?" Valor asks me as his fingers twitch on the seat next to him and I know he's stopping himself from resting his hand on my thigh like he used to before everything exploded between us.

"I hurt. Well, ache is a better word, but it sucks because I'm so tired and just want to sleep," I answer him as he takes his eyes off the road for a second to look over at me.

"I'm sorry you're hurtin', Love. If I could take the pain from you, I would in an instant. Have you thought about what you wanna do for work after you and the girls get settled in and they start school?" he questions me, his voice filling the truck as the girls continue sleeping in the back all cuddled up to one another.

"Well, I was doing the books for the club and working outside of that. I thought about talking to Vault about doing the books here that way whoever's doing them will have more time to do club business or whatever else they need to do. The system Slim was using was outdated and I've upgraded everything so it's easier. Maybe I can do the same thing here," Savannah tells me, pride filling her voice as she talks about something she loves doing.

"I'm sure Vault would love the help. I've been doin' the books and it's a pain in my fuckin' ass. I hate doin' all that accountin' shit and it takes me forever. I've been tryin' to set up the security firm and get more clients, but it's been hard between doin' the books for everythin' and tryin' to help the garage when Vault was hurt both times. I have no problem givin' that job up to you if Vault goes along with it. Take Slim in with you so he can tell him how it's made things for the club since you took over for them," Valor tells me, giving me information I didn't know before now.

"You started a security firm?" I ask him, turning in my seat carefully to look at him.

"Yeah. I love doin' that kind of stuff and it shows the town we're out to help them as much as we can. I've gotten quite a few of the businesses with systems installed and we monitor them around the clock. There haven't been any major problems so far and no one's had to go out after we get them installed. The clubhouse, club property, and all the houses that have been built will be set up with the best system I can find. The compound and clubhouse have already gotten a system installed and it's been upgraded since everythin' happened with Vault and Annabell. Now I can start settin' up the systems on the houses that are done. Ours will be the first one I get taken care of," he informs me, looking at the road and not bringing attention to the fact that he's calling his house ours. I don't honestly know how I feel about that right now.

"I'm glad you found something you love to do. Have you talked to Kingston about helping you when he patches in and moves here?" I ask him, wanting to keep him talking as nerves start to fill me the closer we get to the compound the girls and I will be living in now.

"We've talked about it. He's excited to get into it when he moves here. Every time he comes up with a new idea or finds a better security system, he's callin' me and we talk about it. We've got so many different systems that we work with dependin' on what the client wants and they're all top of the line. Kingston's actually been workin' on new ways to install trackers and all that shit. Annabell has one now and I'd like to put one on you and the girls. It would be in a piece of jewelry so you can wear it on your body. I'm not gonna force the issue, but it would make me feel better in case somethin' happens and I'm not around," he says, shocking me because we've talked about this before and he was actually trying to force it on me. Now, Valor's giving me an option and I think it's his way of showing me he's trying to change and become better for me and the girls.

"Can I think about it? I'm not gonna say no this time. I just need to wrap my mind around wearing something I know you can track my every movement," I tell him, not sure why I'm making such a big deal out of this.

"Of course you can. I will do everythin' in my power to protect the girls and you, Love. If that means havin' you wear a tracker, I'll do it however you want. And I promise you now that I won't look at where you are unless somethin' happens. I've got everyone's location who's in the chapter here. They've got trackers in their boots and one in their watch if they wear one. Vault used both of his when Annabell and him were taken. It's how we found them so fast. Also think about me puttin' one on the girls. With everythin' they do through school and shit, we need to be able to track them if Conrad somehow finds you and gets to them," Valor says, his voice going even harder as he thinks about someone hurting one of the girls.

If there's one thing I can say about the man who's been in our lives since we were taken off that truck, it's that he truly loves my sisters. He's been there for them as much as he can be over the years and I know Ava and my other two sisters were still talking to him after he moved here. They don't know that it's not a secret, but I'm letting them believe I'm completely in the dark about their calls to Valor. It didn't happen very often, but he always accepted every call they made to him. Especially Miracle if she had a bad night filled with nightmares. Instead of coming to me, she'd call Valor and he'd talk to her for hours until she could fall back asleep again. She's the one who always does those video calls with him and I love that he was there for her from so far away. Yeah, I know I said he forgot all about us when he moved here, but it's because I was so mad at him. I'm the only one who didn't talk to Valor after he left and that's on me.

"You can put one on the girls. As long as you do it in a piece of jewelry or something like that. I don't want you injecting that shit under their skin," I tell him, shivering because when we were in the truck with the other women and kids, I overheard the assholes who took us talking about tracking devices and that's why I've put up such a fight in the past about them.

Leaning my head against the window, I watch the scenery again as silence fills the truck once more. I'm sure Valor is thinking about what kind of jewelry he'll put the tracking devices on for the girls. His mind is always going with one thing or another and he'll think about it until it's done. Valor gets so involved in things he's doing that he forgets everything else around him. I've witnessed it countless times over the years and it's so fucking cute because he startles easy whenever I used to try and get his attention. One time, he even screamed like a girl when I came up behind him and put my cold hands on his stomach. I died laughing while he glared at me the rest of the day. Closing my eyes, I try to get back to sleep even though I know it's not gonna happen.

"Love, it's time to wake up. Savannah, we're at the compound," Valor says, his hand on my shoulder as he tries to wake me up.

"Huh?" I mumble, my voice filled with sleep as I try to open my eyes and see where we are.

"We're in Pine View at the clubhouse. The house isn't quite ready so we're gonna have to stay the night in the clubhouse. Tomorrow we can go to the house and check it out. Buzz was installin' the security system and one of the windows shattered when he was puttin' the lock alarm on the window. I don't know what the hell happened, but we're not stayin' there tonight with an openin'," Valor tells me as he holds the passenger side door open and waits for me to wake up enough to get out of the truck.

"Okay. Is there an empty room in the clubhouse for the girls and I to share?" I ask, not sure how this is gonna work since we're not at his house and will be in the clubhouse for the night.

"You're all gonna stay in my room. I can crash on the couch or somethin'. I want you in my space and will do what I have to in order for you to be comfortable. Vault's waitin' inside for ya. The girls already ran in to see him and Annabell," he answers me, the cage surrounding my heart starting to open a little because Valor is going out of his way to make sure I'm good and he's not trying to take anything from me this time.

"Okay. I need to talk to him anyway. Maybe now would be a good time for us to talk since Slim's here and I don't know how long it will be before he's leaving," I say more to myself than Valor as he holds out his hand for me to take so he can help me down from the truck he borrowed from the clubhouse in Benton Falls.

Together we walk in the clubhouse and I take in every detail. The common room is larger than the one back home. There are tables filling the entire center of the room and I take in the stairs directly in front of me along with the two different hallways. One is off to the left of the common room and the other one is tucked along the side of the stairs. There's a bar on the right of the room with a woman standing behind it. Couches fill the left of the common room and I take in the massive TVs mounted to the wall in front of them. The room is clean and not cluttered as I walk in with Valor's hand on the small of my back. Everything in here is new and undamaged. I like it.

"Savannah, I'm so happy you're here," Annabell says, walking up and pulling me in for a hug.

I've missed my friend and hold her tight as tears fill my eyes. I try to hold them in, but that doesn't work. They spill over my lashes and roll down my face to land on Annabell's shoulder. My own shirt is getting wet where Annabell's tears are falling on my shirt. For a few minutes, it's just the two of us and no one else comes near our reunion.

"I've missed you, Annabell. How are you doing?" I ask her when we finally break apart and look at one another.

"I'm good. Coming here was the best choice I've ever made. It's funny how things work out," she says, a knowing look in her eyes as she glances over my shoulder at Vault and Valor standing together and talking.

"Yeah. I'm gonna see if I can talk to your husband about something really quick. Tomorrow we need to spend time together and catch up," I tell her, turning to face the brothers where they stand together as chaos fills the common room with all the kids looking at everything.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow. I'm gonna head to bed. It's been a long day and I'm more than ready for bed," Annabell says, yawning before she can stop herself.

"Angel, I'll be right up. I'm gonna talk to Savannah for a minute," Vault says as Valor and him walk up to join us.

"Okay. I'll wait for you to take a shower. I know you don't want me to get in alone," Annabell says, standing on her tiptoes to give her man a kiss before heading upstairs.

"So, Valor said you wanna talk to me about somethin'," Vault says, folding his arms over his chest and looking at me.

"Yeah. In Benton Falls I started doing the books for the club and businesses. I was wondering if I could do the same thing here. It would free Valor up to do other shit and I can start the same program here that I did for Slim and the guys. It makes everything so much easier," I tell him, not sure if this is something Vault will actually go for because I'm not a member of the club or an ol' lady.

Vault thinks about it for a minute, looking at his brother for guidance. Valor doesn't say a word because he can't make this decision. Vault is the club President and it's up to him if I can do something like this. That's why I went to Slim when I got my degree in the first place.

"I don't have a problem with it, but this isn't a decision I can make on my own. Tomorrow we'll have church and I'll put it up for a vote. As long as no one else cares, I'll let you do what you need to do. Buzz can set you up with a computer and make sure you have everythin' you need. I don't see the guys votin' this down because none of us like doin' paperwork and doin' the books for the businesses takes a lot of time. Valor can walk you through what he's been doin' up until now and then you can take over from there. For now, get the girls settled in Valor's room and get some rest. I'm sorry all this shit is happenin' to you, Savannah, and we're happy you four decided to come here," Vault says, pulling me in for a quick hug before he talks to Slim for a minute and disappears upstairs.

"Come on, Love. I'll take the girls and you up to my room. We'll get them settled in and you can get some rest. How are you feeling?" Valor asks me as he takes my hand and calls for my sisters to follow behind us.

"I'm exhausted and sore. I've got aches where I didn't know my body could hurt. This shit sucks," I answer him honestly, not bothering to pull my hand out of his as the rest of the adults try to gather up their kids so we can all get some sleep now that we're here and not in vehicles.

Thankfully nothing happened on our way to Pine View. Killer and Stryker made sure we weren't followed by anyone so Conrad should have no clue that I've left Benton Falls with the girls. We even left my car at the house for now. Eventually I'll get it back, but Valor doesn't want me going anywhere without him right now because we have no clue if Conrad is going to find me or what he'll do the next time he gets close enough to put his hands on me. I think it's time for me to start working out and practicing my self-defense again. When Conrad came at me, I forgot all the lessons I was taught and kind of froze and did nothing but try to get away from him. I don't ever want to do that shit again because if my sisters had been with me, I wouldn't have been able to protect them at all.

The girls follow us up to the second floor and Valor leads us down the hall until we're almost at the very end.

"That room at the end is Annabell and Vault. This room is empty," he says, pointing to the first door after Vault and Annabell's room. "This is my room. I've got a bathroom in there so you don't have to worry about goin' anywhere else for a shower or to use the bathroom."

Valor pulls out his keys and unlocks his door. Stepping back, he lets us enter the space before him and I take it all in. He's got a large bed on the wall across from the door that's made as if he hasn't slept in it even before he left to come see us in Benton Falls. To the left of the bed there's a desk covered in paperwork that he quickly gathers and places in a drawer of the desk so we can't see what it is. At the end of the bed is his dresser with a TV mounted on the wall above it. A closet door sits partially open on the side of the dresser. Next to the bed is a door standing open and even with the lights off, I can tell it's the bathroom. A couch sits under the window in his room. There's not much in here, but it's enough for my sisters and me.

"I'm gonna grab the suitcases from downstairs. You girls take a shower if you want and get ready for bed. I'm gonna be on the couch in here. The bed should be big enough for all of you to sleep in. If not, I can see if we have an extra air mattress or somethin'," Valor says, shocking me because I thought he was talking about sleeping on a couch in the common room instead of one in here with us.

"Okay. Thank you, Valor," I tell him, not bothering to fight this because Valor will win since I know there won't be enough room for him to sleep in the common room with everyone from Benton Falls here.

Valor leaves us alone and I let my sisters take quick showers before me. By the time Ava is done with her shower, Valor is back with the suitcases and I take hers into the bathroom so she can get changed into her pajamas and let Chloe go in after her. Ava climbs into bed and is asleep before her head even hits the pillow. The rest of my sisters are the same as they quickly shower to wash the day off before putting their pajamas on and falling into bed dead on their feet. I really don't want to take a shower, but I need one. After the last few days, my muscles are screaming in pain and the hot water should help ease them enough for me to get some sleep. Valor is the last to get in the shower as I climb in bed with my sisters and fall asleep as quickly as they did. It's been a long few days and I need rest more than anything else right now.