Chapter Fifteen

Teagan

WE WERE HOME. Actually, we'd been home for about a week, and Hatch had decided it was time for Huck to ‘bleed.' He'd been accepted as a prospect, but now it was his time to choose his opponent to bleed in and that opponent was Cash. Of course, Cash was ready and willing to jump him in.

Daisy was freaking out about the whole thing, so Huxley, Cambry, and I headed to her place while the ‘ceremony' happened. I, personally, would have liked to have been there, but Hatch locked the club down.

"I think it's totally dumb that we can't be there while Huck jumps in," Huxley said, pouring Daisy another glass of wine.

I raised my glass. "Agreed, sissy."

"I don't want to be there," Daisy said. "This whole thing is a stupid tradition. Jumping in. Bleeding in. It's bullshit."

Cambry sighed. "I see both sides."

"How can you see both sides?" Daisy squeaked.

Cambry shrugged. "I mean, some guys go out into the wood to bare knuckle box. Others fight each other to get into the club. Some play hockey and beat the shit out of each other on the ice. It's a way to let off steam."

"Oh my god, I'm dating an adrenaline junkie." Daisy took the glass of wine from Huxley and drank deep.

We dissolved into tipsy giggles at the truth of her statement and then opened another bottle of wine.

Cambry's phone buzzed and she frowned. "What the fuck?"

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Gloria's blowing up my phone. I swear to Christ I never should have given her my number. She texts me every day. She keeps asking me if I know what time Cash will be home."

Daisy leaned over and glanced at Cambry's phone. "What the hell?"

"Why is she asking you that?" I asked.

"Probably because most of us have blocked her number," my sister said.

I gasped. "What?"

"True story," Daisy said. "She's weird and super clingy. I never gave her my number because I just don't give my number to anyone as a rule, but I overheard a couple of guys saying that she was needy. Wouldn't leave them alone after they'd, you know."

Cambry sighed. "Did Cash ever…?"

"No," Daisy and I said in stereo.

"She's just developed this weird obsession for him," I said. "It's creeping him out."

"I'm blocking her number now," Cambry said, and her fingers moved over her screen. "Done."

I took a deep breath. "More wine?"

"Hell yes," Cambry said, holding her glass up to receive another pour.

An hour later, Cash texted that he and Huck were on their way back to the condo, and I could tell the wine buzz had worn off and Daisy was back on edge.

"He's going to be fine," I promised.

She bit her lip and nodded but she didn't look convinced. When Cash and Huck walked through the door, both of them were a little bruised and battered, and looking far too happy for their own good.

Razor was on deck to drive Cambry and Huxley home since I was staying with Cash tonight, so we filed out of Daisy's condo and down to the parking garage.

"Are you sure you're okay to drive?" I asked as I handed him my keys.

"Katie made sure neither of us had a concussion or anything and I didn't drink."

Katie was Flea's sister, who had been a registered nurse for years, but gone back to school to become a Physician's Assistant, and she now worked in private practice with Gina, the wife of Cluch, the VP of the Burning Saints.

I frowned as I studied his face. He had a cut by his mouth and a bruise over his eye. "You look beat to shit, honey, are you sure you didn't get your bell rang?"

"I'm sure. We pulled our punches. Went easy on each other. Huck just had to bleed a little and I like the guy. I didn't want to hurt him."

My mouth dropped open of its own accord.

"What?" he asked.

"Did you just admit you're evolving?"

"Get your ass in the car," he ordered, giving said ass a smack before opening the passenger side door.

I laughed and slid into the car.

"Are you really okay with Huck now?" I asked as we drove.

"He killed a man for my sister, Turtle. I'm more than okay with him."

"That's all it took?"

"Well, no. I've watched him over the past few weeks. He's a good guy. And he took every ounce of shit I threw at him and didn't back down."

I nodded. "I saw that as well. I really like him, and your sister loves him like crazy. Almost as much as I love you."

Cash grinned, reaching for my hand. "Almost, huh?"

"There isn't another human on this planet who could love a person as much as I love you."

"Baby, don't say shit like that when I can't fuck you immediately."

I squeezed his hand. "Then hurry and get us home."

He did as I suggested, pulling my car into his garage, and then guiding me into the house and back to his bedroom. We removed clothing as we went, trying not to trip over anything as we tugged frantically at each other.

"On your knees," Cash ordered once we reached the bedroom.

I didn't hesitate, climbing onto the mattress and positioning myself on all fours. Cash settled himself behind, sliding two fingers inside of me. "Soaked."

"Yes," I said on a whimper. "Don't make me wait."

"I would never," he teased, burying himself deep and I arched into him, taking him even deeper.

Gripping my hips, he slammed into me, over and over, harder and harder until he built one hell of an orgasm in me, and I cried out as it hit, and it hit hard. Cash wasn't far behind me, rolling us gently to the mattress as we fought to catch our breath.

He slid out of me, and I rolled to face him with a giant grin on my face. "Okay, that has to happen more often."

He ran a thumb over my bottom lip. "Happy to oblige."

Before I could say anything else, his doorbell rang.

"Are you expecting anyone?" I asked.

"No." He sat up and grabbed his phone. "It's probably Archer."

I slid off the bed. "I'm going to clean up."

"Okay," he said distractedly, then, "It's not Archer."

"Who is it?"

He craned his head to look at me. "Some red-head."

I scooted around the bed and looked over his shoulder at his phone. "Oh my god. Is that Gloria?"

"What? No, Gloria's blonde," he said, using his fingers to make the picture bigger. "Wait. Holy shit, that is Gloria."

I wrinkled my nose. "Ew, why would she come here?"

"No fucking clue."

I raised an eyebrow. "Has she been here before?"

"No. Jesus, I didn't even think she knew where I lived." He stared at his screen again. "Fuck. I'm going to ignore her and see if she goes away."

I moved to sit beside him, and we watched the screen. Gloria didn't seem to be moving, and then she rang the doorbell again before leaning into the camera. "Cash? Are you home? I stopped by the club because I know you were jumping Huck in, but Hatch said you'd left already."

"Don't answer her," I said.

"Wasn't planning on it."

We sat glued to the screen for a few seconds watching while Gloria continued to stand on his porch.

"I brought a few things to patch you up," she said into the camera.

"Oh, how sweet," I said, sarcasm dripping from my tone.

"Well, I'll just leave it here and you can get it when you're home," Gloria said. "Call me if you'd like me to come and help. Bye honey."

"Bye honey?" I snarled. "I'll ‘bye honey' her."

"Easy tiger." Cash wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me onto his lap. "She's obviously nuts. I have no idea how she got my address, but I'll find out tomorrow. I'll nip all this in the bud."

"I'd also like to know why the hell she dyed her hair red. That's creepy as fuck."

"Yeah, I'll find that out too."

I looped my arms around his neck. "Maybe I should come with you."

"No, you go to your dad's office like normal," he countered. "If she does something psycho, I'd rather you not be there."

I sighed. "Fine. But I don't like it."

"Noted." He leaned in and kissed me. "You wanna fuck in the shower?"

I rolled my eyes. "I guess."

"If you're not feelin' it, we can just go to bed."

"If you deny me your dick, we're gonna have a bigger problem, Cash."

He chuckled. "There she is."

I slid off his lap, but he tugged me back.

"Hey."

"What?" I asked.

"Gloria's no one you have to worry about."

"I know that," I said. "In the sense that I know you'd never cheat. But she's off, honey. Something's not right. I feel it in my gut."

He nodded. "Yeah, I feel it too. We'll be on guard, and I'll talk to Hatch."

I relaxed against him, kissing him quickly. "Thank you for not minimizing this."

"I trust your gut enough to know that if you're not feelin' something, then I need to hear that."

I smiled, stroking his cheek. "Love you."

"Love you too, Turtle. Now get your ass in the shower. I'm gonna fuck the worry right outta you."

"Ooh, goody."

He laughed and followed me into the bathroom.

* * *

Cash

I walked into the shop the next morning to find Gloria waiting for me, her hair styled eerily similar to the way Teagan did hers and I frowned.

"Hi Cash," she said, scurrying to keep up with me as I rounded the counter. "Did you get my care package?"

"How the fuck did you get my address, Glo?" I demanded, turning to face her.

She stepped back slightly and swallowed. "Um, well, I uh, got it from the file."

"What file?"

"In the back."

"Did you ask anyone if you could get my address from the file in the back?" I sneered.

She dropped her eyes to the floor. "Um, well, no."

"What the hell gave you the idea that you could come to my house uninvited?"

"Come on, Cash, Teagan's all wrong for you. You know it. I mean, she bought an ID to get into a club and she's not even twenty-one."

"Were you the one who ratted the girls out?" I hissed.

She shrugged. "They could have invited me."

"Jesus, you fuckin' cunt."

Gloria frowned. "Come on, Cash. Teagan's young and kind of a bit—"

"You shut your goddammed mouth." I grabbed her arm and dragged her (gently but firmly) into the parts room before releasing her. "Clue in, bitch. This is me calm. You ever come to my house again, I will fucking lose my shit, got it?"

"But Cash—"

"Ever," I snapped. "You are not welcome there."

"But we have something special."

"We have nothing, Gloria. I don't know where your fuckin' head's at, but I'm with Teagan, and she's it for me, yeah? You're nothing," I bit out. "Steer clear of me. And let me be clear, steer clear of Teagan as well. Got it?"

She nodded, but she scowled doing it.

"And I'd find a new hair stylist if I were you."

I stormed out of the room and straight back to the club. I decided to talk to my dad before taking this issue up the chain to Hatch. Lucky for me, he was in his office.

"Come in," Dad called when I knocked on the door. "Hey, bud."

"Hey," I said, flopping into one of the chairs across from his desk.

"Shit mornin'?"

"Gloria showed up at my house."

"What the fuck?"

I filled him in on the events of the weekend and Gloria's subsequent explanation. Dad sat back in his chair with a frown.

"And she's fuckin' dyed her hair red," I added.

"Noticed that," Dad said.

"It's creepy as fuck."

"Yeah." He rapped his knuckles on the desk. "I think we should bring this to Maisie's attention. Have her watch the situation."

"I want her gone."

"Just gotta make sure we do it clean so she doesn't make trouble."

I dragged my hands through my hair. "Fuck."

"You need a few days off, you take 'em."

"I will if it comes to that. I gotta get that Mustang finished."

"Okay, you do that, then do what you gotta do."

I nodded. "Thanks."

"I'll have a word with Maisie. That way it won't look like it's comin' from you."

"I appreciate that."

"Things good with Teagan?"

I grinned. "Things are great."

"Good." Dad smiled, rising to his feet. "Mom wants to do family dinner. You and T, Huck, Ducky, Arch. Soon."

"Teagan'll be all over that."

"Perfect."

I followed him out of his office, stopping for coffee in the club kitchen before heading back to the shop.

As we walked into the lobby, we noticed Razor at the front desk checking in a customer, but Gloria was nowhere to be seen.

"Booker?"

We turned to the sound of Maisie's voice, and I frowned. She looked worried.

"Everything okay, sweetheart?" Dad asked.

"Can you both come in here, please?"

We made our way into the back office and Dad closed the door behind us. "What the fuck's goin' on, Maisie? You look tweaked."

"I checked the cameras and found Gloria had gone through the employee files." She sighed. "Which, as you know, she does not have authority to do. She used a crowbar to open it."

"Yeah, she showed up at Cash's place after Huck's jump in," Booker said.

Maisie gasped. "Bloody hell, love, she did?"

I nodded. "Wanted to help patch me up."

"Well, that's beyond the pale. And rather scary."

"I can handle Gloria," I said. "But she's creepin' Teagan out."

"Well, she won't be doing that anymore. I have fired her, and Buzz is making sure she gets off the property, but I need the alarm codes and locks changed." She grimaced. "Sorry, love."

"Where's Hatch?" I asked.

"He'll be here soon," she said. "But I don't want to call him because he's on his bike and he might be irritated enough to do something stupid. I need him alive for a very long time."

Dad frowned. "You drove here alone?"

"No, Booker, I know the rules," she sassed. "Razor picked me up. Hatch had ‘shit to do.'"

I sighed. The club was in one of the worst parts of Portland and our parents were lethal when it came to the rules about our women never driving here alone. They came as a convoy, or they were driven. Teagan was the only person who'd ever really pushed it. But her pushing it was gonna stop.

"Okay, sweetheart, it's no problem. I'll get on changing the codes. That's the easy part. We'll tackle the locks when Hatch gets in."

"Okay. Guess I'll be looking for a new front desk person." She wrinkled her nose. "Bloody hell."

"Teagan'll be back tomorrow," I reminded her.

Maisie smiled up at me. "Teagan wants to work on the cars, love. I won't take that away from her."

I chuckled. "This is why you're beloved, you understand that right?"

"And here I thought it was because of my cooking."

"That too."

She laughed and Dad and I headed back out to the front.

Thirty minutes later, Hatch walked in and noticing the lobby clear of customers, bellowed, "Why the fuck did my code not work at the door?"

Maisie walked out of the office and settled her hands on her hips. "Take it down a notch, darling. I had to fire Gloria, so I asked Booker to change the codes."

Hatch frowned. "You didn't wanna clue me in?"

"Not when you're on your bike and it's threatening to rain, no," she said, standing her ground. "Now, come here and kiss me and I'll fill you in on what happened."

Hatch's face softened and he closed the distance between himself and his woman, pulling her into his arms. "Hey, Sunshine."

"Hi, love." She patted his chest. "We've got a customer walking in. Come on back and I'll fill you in."

I grinned and headed into the parts room to grab what I needed for the Mustang, my phone buzzing in my pocket as I walked inside. "Hey, baby."

"Hey."

I frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just bored," Teagan said. "With a giant, capital B."

"Well, you've missed one hell of a drama here," I said, grabbing two headlights, then making my way out the side door and to the auto bay.

"Really? What happened?"

I filled her in on everything and she let out a quiet groan. "See? I should be there. Not researching all this crap for Dad."

"Then, quit, baby. You know what you want to do. Have you signed up for classes yet?"

"Yes."

"Then, work here full time until classes start."

"I'll talk to my dad and Hatch."

"Good." I grinned. "Anything else I can solve for you today?"

"Not unless you can swing by and fuck me real quick."

"Baby, you need me to do that, I'll do it."

"Need it, yes. Also need to wait for it, yes." She sighed. "Am I going to see you tonight?"

"You want me to come pick you up and take you out for dinner, or do you want to eat at mine?"

"Ooh, out, please," she said. "But I've got my car, so I can meet you."

"I'll find a prospect to come and pick it up. Drive it back to my place."

I heard the smile in her voice when she said, "Okay, honey, that sounds good."

"I'm gonna let you go and finish this car."

"Love you."

"Love you back."

We hung up and I got back to work, a giant grin on my face.