CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Bea

One Week Later

The last week here at the club has been equal parts eye-opening as it has been amazing. Making the move from San Jose to Los Angeles has been the absolute best thing for me.

And for Loki.

I already see a huge uplift in his mood, which is the best thing I could have ever hoped for. It doesn't mean all the demons in his mind are gone. I don't think they ever will be. But if my being here to help him when he needs it is an anchor for him, I am more than happy to finally step up to the plate.

Learning everyone's roles at the club has been fun, and figuring out my place in this ecosystem of Defiance is daunting. But it's also exciting to be a part of something.

Something that Loki values and loves.

Something that I'm sure I am going to grow to love too.

I've already seen how far the people of this club will go to help me. Even before I was an Old Lady, Haven put herself in harm's way for me. Literally sent herself to prison to see if she and Valerie could find out anything on the inside regarding Atlas' gangs and their involvement with the breach of my app.

Haven has been undercover inside for one week now, and she is still gathering intel and information. But from what I can tell from our calls, she is having an absolute blast in there.

Figures.

For now, though, all I can do is sit back and wait while Loki and Haven do their best to figure this out for me before time runs out on the deadline, and I have to announce to our clientele that we've had the breach.

If we can't figure out who is behind it before then, I'm going to have to go to the authorities and make everything official.

If that happens, I will definitely be ruined.

But I don't want to think about that today.

Right now, I want to spend time with my new family and continue to get to know them.

Making my way over to a table in the clubroom, Rhyan, Montana, Sadie, and Maverick sit drinking and laughing together as they often do. I've noticed in the clubhouse there are a few friendship groups, and this one seems to be quite tight.

Stepping up beside them, Sadie glances up at me, patting the bench seat beside her. "Hey, Bea, take a seat. We were just talking about how Loki has lightened up a bunch since you decided to stay with us."

Maverick snorts out a laugh. "No kidding. He's even going easy on Wes, and we all know that Loki takes being the trainer of the prospects way too seriously."

Montana chuckles. "Wes might be getting cut some slack, but I know Hayes is still receiving the stink eye."

Rhyan shakes her head with a giggle. "Probably because Hayes doesn't know what the hell he's doing half the time. Poor Loki has to practically babysit the guy, ensuring he doesn't shoot himself in the damn foot."

We all chuckle, peering over our shoulders toward Hayes while he mops in front of the bar, making more of a mess than he's cleaning up.

Furrowing my brow, I exhale. "Poor guy… at least he is trying… I guess?"

Sadie shrugs, her hand instinctively shifting to her stomach. "You gotta feel sorry for him. He watched you move through the ranks, Mav. And then you, Montana. All his brothers are gaining their patches, and he's still over there… mopping floors."

Widening my eyes, I plaster on a bright smile. "He'll get there. He may not be the typical brother you guys are used to, but I have a good feeling about him… he'll prove himself. He wouldn't have stuck it out here for so long if he wasn't willing to go the extra mile for Defiance."

Maverick and Montana grin while Sadie and Rhyan giggle.

But it's Sadie who speaks, "You haven't been at the club for long. You've been an Old Lady for even less. But somehow, you already have the heart of Defiance, Bea. Loki did good choosing you."

My lips turn up in the widest smile, my stomach fluttering in butterflies as I glance toward his den, knowing he's inside working away. "I don't think we had a choice. Our lives have been tangled together since we were born, and no matter how hard the universe tried to keep us apart, we were always going to end up back in each other's arms..." I let out a small laugh, then continue, "Destiny has a funny way of leading us down different paths. Paths that sometimes we didn't choose for ourselves, paths we didn't even want to take, but in the end, those paths brought us right back to where we belong… with each other. It's like every moment, every struggle, and every heartache was a stepping stone that led us here, to this very moment… to Defiance. And now, I can't imagine a world where we aren't together, where our souls don't recognize each other in a crowded room." I fight back my smile as my soul soars and my heart thumps rapidly. "He's my home, my safe haven, and now I'm here. I think this club is going to be my sanctuary, too," I say honestly, from my heart.

Rhyan and Sadie both slump their shoulders, smiling wide at me. But Montana and Maverick sit back in their chairs, shaking their heads. Montana lets out a feint snort, tilting his head toward me. "That's too fucking poetic for me. I gotta go drink a beer and find my balls. You coming, Mav?"

Maverick bursts out laughing in reply while Rhyan slaps her Old Man across the chest. "Don't be an asshole!" Rhyan snaps.

Montana winks at me, and he and Maverick stand. "Oh, Dragonfly, maybe I'm just jealous you don't talk about me with such devotion," he teases, his smirk growing.

Rhyan's eyes widen as she stands from the table in disgust. "Devotion? Are you kidding me? I literally cleaned up a dead body in an apartment suite for you, or have you conveniently forgotten about that, huh?" she snaps at him.

I snort out a laugh as Montana clears his throat, jerking his head toward me, but Rhyan waves her hand through the air absentmindedly. " Oh, seriously? You're worried about Bea hearing what we get up to in our spare time? She's an Old Lady, Montana. She's not gonna tell anyone. But you, you are in deep grovel territory now, sir. Or do you want me to go and talk to my father about how you just screwed up?"

Maverick laughs under his breath, patting his best friend on the back. "I'll grab that drink with you another time, brother. In the meantime, good luck," he states, still chuckling under his breath. He gestures a kiss to Sadie and then heads off for the bar.

Montana steps in closer to Rhyan, sliding his arms around her. She pretends to fight him off, but his grip on her is tight. "You wanna go see Amber and Selene at the salon? Get our nails done? Maybe a massage with Sven and Tania, release some of the tension in those sexy muscles of yours?" He narrows his eyes on hers, a mischievous smile playing at the corner of his lips.

Rhyan's tough fa?ade cracks, and she bursts into a fit of giggles. "You prick. How am I supposed to stay mad at you when you pull that shit on me?"

Montana shrugs, waggling his brows. "That's why you love me, Dragonfly," he chimes, then leans in to kiss her.

I smirk, turning back to face Sadie, leaving the two of them to make out behind me, and I whisper to her, "Did he say get our nails done… as in both of them?"

Sadie burst out laughing and nods. "Yeah… it's a thing. But Montana is a really good guy, and he adores Rhyan. Would literally do anything for her, including getting his nails painted to keep her happy."

Glancing back over my shoulder at the two of them while they head for the exit, I find myself smiling. It's pretty awesome seeing how these burly bikers are completely committed and loving toward their women.

I know because I feel it from Loki.

Turning back to face Sadie, I smile. "And what about you and Maverick? I saw the way you slid your hand over your stomach just now. Am I missing some expectant information there?"

Sadie beams brightly, her face giving off that maternal glow. "Oh, yeah, you weren't here when we announced. I'm around two months along now. It's only brand new."

Tilting my head, I reach out, my hand gripping hers. "Oh my gosh, Sadie! That's such wonderful news."

"Thanks, we're excited, though not as much as Clover. After everything she and Mav have been through, becoming an aunt is incredibly thrilling for her. Her diabetes can be limiting, and Maverick's overbearingness doesn't help. He's improved, but he's still incredibly protective. I know it's because they only had each other for most of their lives, but now they have all of us. He needs to learn to let her live a little, especially as she's growing into a woman with her own needs. The last thing she wants is for him to stifle that."

I nod, knowing exactly what that's like. "Trust me, as a younger sister to an extremely protective older brother, having him dictate your life can really derail it. And the people around it. Just look at what happened to me and Loki as proof. Clover is such a sweet girl, and she has so much going for her with her internship. I hope Maverick will give her the freedom she needs to flourish."

Sadie sits back in her chair, letting out a long puff of air. "You and me both. We hardly fight about anything anymore, but the only thing that does bring tension between us is Clover. I love that girl like she's my own sister, and I fight for her every chance I get, which puts me at odds with Mav. It can be hard, especially with a baby on the way. I love him with everything I have, but man, that boy is fucking stubborn when it comes to his baby sister."

Letting out a laugh, I nod. "Yeah, I know all about it. The thing is, from personal experience, the more he pushes her, the more he denies her, the more she's going to do exactly what he doesn't want. Theo flat-out refused for Loki and me to be together, and by the age of what? I don't know, I think it was eleven or twelve, we had shared our first kiss. The night of prom, we slept together and then kept doing it any chance we could behind his back." Sighing, I slump my shoulders. "The night before I left for college, I took a pregnancy test."

Sadie's eyes widen in shock, but I put my hands up to placate her.

"No, no, it was negative. But my point is, I did all this behind Theo's back, and he only just found out a couple of weeks ago in Loki's den when the punch-up happened. Keeping secrets from him was not the best way, but if Maverick forces Clover into the same pattern I was forced into, you just don't know what kind of path she could go down."

Sadie pouts, sitting back in her chair and letting out a long exhale. "Well… shit."

With a soft smile, I grip her knee. "I am more than happy to have a chat with Maverick. Would you like me to?"

Sadie sits taller, finding some inner courage. "No, I think this needs to come from me. But thank you for telling me this, Bea. I hope I can get through to him."

"Good luck, and I am here if you need me. Any time."

Sadie stands, smiles, and then turns to head for the bar as my cell vibrates in my pocket. Pulling it out, I note the number is blocked, which generally means one thing.

Haven, and she's calling from the prison.

Swiping the call, I answer. "Hello?"

"You have a call from an inmate at the California Institute for Women. Are you willing to accept this call?"

"Absolutely, yes," I reply.

A crackling sound muffles down the line, and then I hear her. "Yo, what up, bitch?" Haven chimes down the line.

I snicker at her usual greeting. "Hi, Tammy-Lynn, really keeping in character there, aren't you?"

"You know, sometimes you just gotta live the life you're given."

"That's deep," I reply, and Haven bursts out laughing.

"It's some fucking bullshit I read off some inspirational poster that's pinned up next to the damn phone. Anyways, fuck it! I have a message for my man if you wanna give it to him for me, seeing as the fucking jerk off won't answer my damn calls."

Furrowing my brows, I'm a little surprised because I know Alpha, and he'd definitely answer her calls. I think she might have someone beside her listening in. "Yeah, sure, Tammy-Lynn, fire away."

"You tell that sonofabitch that I don't want no stinking visit from him. He needs to keep his punk ass away from me because I'm making all kinds of friends in here, and I don't need his sorry ass no more."

Raising my brow, I tilt my head in confusion. "O… okay?"

"And you make sure to tell him that I know he's messing around with that stupid Eleutheria bitch, and if he knows what's good for him, he will send that trampy, trashy motherfucker in here, so I can slap that whore myself, and show her who his daddy is!"

Trying to fight back my laugh because I have absolutely no fucking clue what the hell she is talking about, I say, "Okay… I will tell him about his whore, and that you want to… assault her."

"I'm gonna rip her motherfucking extensions out—"

"Okay, inmate, time's up!" Someone calls in the distance, and then the call cuts out.

Sitting back in my chair, I let out a long exhale, shaking my head. "What in the hell?" I whisper to myself, followed by a small chuckle.

Standing from my seat, still not really sure what that was all about, I try to remember everything she said as I make my way to the Chapel stairs. Upon reaching the top, I knock gently, seeing Alpha pop his head up from the mass of paperwork in front of him. The poor guy always seems like he is endlessly working through accounts and contracts, and God knows what else. I guess that's what you get for being top dog.

"Bea. Come on in," he states.

I enter, walk around to his side, and take a seat in Loki's chair beside him. He looks at me with a raised brow. "You okay? You look a little… perturbed."

Scoffing, I sink back in Loki's chair and nod. "You could say that. I just got the weirdest call from Haven."

He sits taller, his eyes focused on me with clear intent. "She okay?"

"Definitely playing her character. Though, I have a feeling she was being watched because she was one hundred percent more Tammy-Lynn than usual."

Alpha groans. "God, I bet that was fun," he mocks.

Grimacing, I shrug. "Was it, though?"

He chuckles. "All right, what did she say?"

"Okay, let me try to get all this right in my head. Firstly, she said to tell her man not to come and visit, she didn't need him and that she was making a heap of friends."

Alpha shrugs. "Hmm… vague, but okay, anything else?"

"Oh, yeah, this is where it gets weird. She said to tell you that she knows you're messing around with some stupid Eleutheria bitch." His eyes widen at the mention of that name, but I continue, "And that if you know what's good for you, you'd send her into the prison so that Tammy-Lynn could… well, I'll say it nicer than she did, beat her up."

Alpha burst out laughing, sitting back in his chair, his hands gripping the back of his neck as he relaxes completely. "I knew she'd fucking do it, my little lamb."

Pursing my lips, I sit taller, completely confused. "Umm… do what?"

He sits forward, placing his hands on the desk, a bright smile crossing his face. "The thing is, Bea, Haven spoke to you completely in code, but I understood every single word. Because I know her like the back of my damn hand."

"Then, what the hell did she say?" I snap.

"She wanted you to come talk to me because she knew only I would understand the code. That's why she was making the conversation about her man being an asshole. The next clue was about her making a heap of friends in there. It means she's cracked someone and has the information we need. But I only twigged on that when I heard you mention Eleutheria. That was the name she gave me when she was sent to kill me as an assassin—"

"She what?" I blurt out.

"Not important right now. What is important is that I know she has broken someone. She used her techniques to get the information from someone inside."

"Oh, Jesus," I whisper more to myself.

"She wants you to go in there so she can hand over the information. She doesn't trust it over the phone. That was the last clue. Telling you to send Eleutheria to see her so she could fight her. That's Tammy-Lynn's cover. She's a badass and wants to fight everyone. But you, as Bea, still need to go in to sign up Tammy-Lynn onto the app. It won't be out of place for you to visit again. Whatever information Haven has cracked, Bea, it could be the solution to all your problems."

My tense muscles slump into the chair as I stare at Alpha. "She was really sent here to kill you?" I ask.

"That's all you got from that?" Alpha bursts out laughing, moving to stand from his seat. "C'mon… let's go talk to Loki and get you ready to head back to the prison."

Giggling as I stand, I nod and move with him. "Thanks, Alpha. Thank you all for helping me with this. I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you all."

He grins. "You're Defiance, Bea. It's what we do."

A comforting heat floods my chest as I realize this could be the saving grace I have been waiting for. Now, all I have to do is pull up my big girl panties and head back into the prison for another visit with Tammy-Lynn.

This should be fun.