Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Havoc

“ W hat the fuck?”

I storm toward them. I don’t touch Lola, but I don’t need to, to know how tender her eye must feel. That’s when I register her clothes. Preppy or biker chic, Lola has never been a jeans and sweatshirt kind of woman. She took pride in her appearance—something that her mother, who was once a former beauty queen, drummed into her.

“Who did this?”

“Who do you think?”

The air between us becomes thick with tension. It’s on the tip of my tongue to snarl at her about facing the consequences of her actions, but I swallow it down. “He hit you anywhere else?”

“You believe me?” She looks surprised.

I shrug. “I don’t care if you’re lying to me or not, but Driller never did know how to take care of his toys.”

She flinches away from us both so hard she almost stumbles.

“Lola, do you need to see a doctor?” Nevaeh asks her softly.

Lola looks at me. The betrayal etched into her face would have once brought me to my knees. But not now. Not after everything.

“Lola, think about the baby. Do you need to see a doctor?” Nevaeh presses.

Lola looks to her and sucks in a shuddering breath. Her eyes are glassy with tears, but she fights them back. “If I go to the hospital. It will only make it worse. We’ll be okay. Nugget is moving around, so he’s fine.”

I pull out my phone and dial Hannibal. When he answers, I start talking before he asks questions. “Head to the clinic. I’m bringing someone in for you to look at.” I hang up as Lola shakes her head.

“I have to go before they notice I’m missing.”

“We have a clinic here onsite, Lola. It won’t be much longer. Wouldn’t you rather know for sure the baby is okay before you go?” Nevaeh soothes her like she would a wounded animal.

I can see she’s going to refuse, so I shake my head. “For once in your fucking life, stop being selfish and let Hannibal check you over. Don’t worry. He’ll get you out of here as soon as possible.”

“Havoc.” Nevaeh scowls at me.

Stepping in front of me, she reaches out tentatively and gently takes Lola’s hand. “Look, I don’t know you. You don’t know me. The history between you two is just that, history. Right now, all that matters is getting you and your baby checked out. I promise nothing will happen to either of you while you’re here.”

Lola’s eyes slip closed momentarily before one lone tear slips down her cheek. Her shoulders sag in defeat. “Okay.”

“Okay, good. You okay to walk?”

“I’m fine,” she murmurs, not that any of us are convinced. But if she wants to walk, I won’t fight her on it.

I turn to Dice, who has been watching us curiously. “Lock the gates and watch yourself. Driller might come looking for her, and he won’t give a shit about starting trouble. Don’t let anyone in unless they are a part of this chapter until I tell you otherwise, got it?”

“Yes, Pres,” he answers. I slap him on the shoulder before turning. I watch Nevaeh lead Lola up through the warehouse.

“You think she’s here to spy?” Midas asks as he slips out of the shadows.

“It’s likely. She has no ties to this club, and we already know she has no trouble shooting me in the back. I don’t doubt Driller hit her. He’s always had issues, and they were reaching fever point when I went to prison. I can only imagine how out of fucking control he is now.”

“What’s the plan?”

“Right now? To let Hannibal look her over and see what he says.”

He nods but doesn’t say anything else. We both follow after the women, through the warehouse and up the slope. We walk in silence, keeping a little distance between us and them. If anyone can get anything out of her, it will be Nevaeh. Assuming she doesn’t verbally slap her first.

“I’ll head to the saloon and let everyone know what’s going on so they don’t bother you for a bit.”

“Thanks, Midas.”

I start to move but Midas says my name.

“I know how you feel about her. I’d be the same way, but that baby? None of this is their fault. Driller might very well beat that baby out of her. Can you live with that? Whatever happened between you and her, that kid is still your niece or nephew.”

“I know, Midas. But that doesn’t change the fact that it should have been my son or daughter. I might not want her anymore, but it’s not easy to forget everything she took from me.”

“And if she had stood beside you, you wouldn’t have Nevaeh. Think carefully before you let regrets cloud the fact that you won in the end. Not to mention, you and Nevaeh will make beautiful babies. As long as they look like their mama,” he teases, though I don’t miss the tightening around his eyes. I’m not the only one who would have had kids now if the fates had been kinder.

I think about Nevaeh and know everything worked out exactly how it was supposed to.

“I hear you, Midas. Let G know what’s going on. See if he can get hold of Byte. Find out if anything is going on their end. I spoke to Kieran, and he knows something is brewing. He doesn’t know what. Prospects aren’t privy to much information, as you know. The bugs are a no-go. It seems they have a jammer. We need to get ourselves prepared for the worst, just in case. I’ll be fucking damned if I let them catch us with our asses out.”

“You thinking lockdown?”

“Not yet. Besides, sometimes having everyone in one spot is the worst idea.” I take a step away before I remember something else. “Get hold of Blade and fill him in on everything. He knows most of it, but tell him and the others to be vigilant. Blade was the one who made me president. He might be just as much of a target as I am.”

“I’ll call him after I’ve caught G up.”

I nod and jog to the clinic.

When I walk in, it’s quiet. I head toward the treatment room and stop when I see Nevaeh in one of the blue plastic chairs.

“I thought you’d be in there with her.”

“Hannibal asked her if she wanted privacy, and here I am. Can’t say I blame her.”

I grab the door handle, but she stops me.

“No. I know you’re the big bad president, but you don’t need to be in there with her while she’s vulnerable. Hannibal will tell you everything you want to know afterward.”

I manage to stop myself from blurting out that I’ve seen it all before, realizing how bad that would sound. “Fine. She must really not like you if she’s willing to be alone in there with Hannibal.”

“I have the man who used to be hers. I get your smile, your heart, and your time. And having been on the receiving end of it all, I know how powerful it is to be loved by you. Seeing us together will make that void you left behind feel like a chasm.”

I shrug. “She walked away. And now that I have you, I’m glad she did.” I yank her into my arms and kiss her soundly.

She leans into me, grabbing my cut and holding me to her. I pick her up so I don’t get a crick in my neck and urge her to wrap her legs around me. I feel the heat of her pussy through the denim of my jeans. Sliding my hand under her ass, my fingers just slip under the edge of her panties when the door opens. Hannibal steps out—the damn cock blocker.

Nevaeh pulls back to look at him, wriggling until I put her down. I glare at Hannibal, who gives me a knowing smirk before he turns serious.

“She should see her OB/GYN.”

“Not sure that’s an option right now. I could force her, but I don’t think that’s the way to go here.”

He sighs and wipes his hand over his face. “Probably not.”

“How is she? Is the baby okay?” Nevaeh asks.

Hannibal looks at her with a soft expression before turning those eyes on me. I can read him clearly. He’s telling me I’ve got a good one here, not to fuck it up. I give him a nod because I’m well aware of what I have.

“We’re lucky we have an ultrasound.”

“Why do we have an ultrasound anyway?” Nevaeh questions with a frown.

“One of the old timers lost a bet, which resulted in them stealing one. Don’t ask.” Hannibal shakes his head. “Baby looks good. He’s not hugely active, but that’s mostly because he has little room left to maneuver. Obstetrics is not my area of expertise, but by all accounts he looks healthy, if a little small for his gestation.”

“He?”

“Oh yeah, it’s a boy. Lola already knows, apparently, but she hasn’t told Driller and wants it kept that way.”

“Not like I’m going to sit down with that motherfucker any time soon.”

“And Lola?”

Hannibal turns back to Nevaeh. “She was more than happy for me to check on the baby, but she wouldn’t let me give her a full exam. From what I could see, there are more bruises, both old and new, on her arms and chest, including what looked like a bite mark. She shut down any questions that weren’t baby-related. But if you’re asking me if I think Driller has made her his current punching bag, then the answer is yes.”

I wipe my hand over my face, wondering how it all came to this. “She came here to give us a warning. Told me that Khan and Driller are planning something.”

“Nothing we didn’t already know.”

“Midas asked me if she’s been sent here as a spy.”

“What do you think?”

I look at the door that hides Lola from us and shrug. “She’s done a lot of shit I wouldn’t have thought her capable of.”

“You think she took a beating so it would make us more sympathetic to her and let her through the gate?” Nevaeh looks at me in shock.

“Nothing would surprise me anymore. But Driller wouldn’t have given her a choice either way if that was the plan he and Khan had devised.”

“She cares about the baby. That much was obvious, and it’s not an act,” Hannibal states. “I don’t think there is much she wouldn’t do to protect him.”

“Like stab us all in the back.”

“Not sure, given her current state, she feels any loyalty to anyone in Raven Souls, but I’m with Hannibal. I don’t think she’d put her baby in danger if she could help it,” Nevaeh says.

“She’s in danger just being with Driller.”

“And would he let her go if she ran?”

I shut my mouth, which is an answer in itself. I look at Hannibal, knowing he can read the questions in my eyes.

“Fuck. Fine, I accept.”

“Accept what?” Nevaeh looks between us.

Hannibal is focused on me. “I’ll do it. But I’ll take her back with me and make her my old lady. Call it fucking spoils of war for all I care, but I might need her in the long run if I can’t get shit sorted out with Millie.”

I fold my arms over my chest.

“She’ll be protected with me from any of the club members.”

I don’t say anything, waiting him out. He throws up his hands. “I won’t hurt her either. Happy?”

“Ecstatic.”

“She can stay with me until this is over. I’ll make sure she doesn’t say shit.”

“I’ll let you break the news then.”

I take Nevaeh’s hand and lead her out, even as she tries to resist.

“Hold on a freaking second. What just happened?”

I wait until we’re outside before I stop and press her against the wall. “When I remove Khan and Driller from their positions, Hannibal is going to take over as the president.”

“What?”

“He’s a scary motherfucker who people will think twice about crossing.”

“How does Lola play into this? And who the heck is Millie?”

I bend down and press my forehead against hers. “You can’t say anything to anyone, not even Amity.”

She huffs but nods.

“Lola won’t last five seconds without protection of some kind. Taking out Driller might save her from him, but it won’t save her or her son from the enemies he’s made. And knowing Driller, he’s made many.”

“So if the club’s new president makes her his old lady, she’ll be protected by the club.”

“Exactly.”

She blows out an incredulous breath. “And Lola doesn’t even get a say in this?”

“She decided to take her chances with Driller. She’s lucky Hannibal is offering her a way out at all. It won’t be easy, though. She fucked me over while I was in prison. People will remember that.”

“What a mess. Is it weird that I feel sorry for her?”

“No. You’re a good person, Nevaeh. There’s nothing wrong with that. Plus, like it or not, that kid is my nephew. He deserves a chance regardless of who his parents are.”

She nods before looking up at me. “So, who is Millie?”

I hesitate for a moment, knowing it’s not my secret to tell. But Nevaeh won’t say anything, and this particular secret will come out eventually.

“Millie is Hannibal’s daughter.”