Club Ties (2 page)

Weekday mornings in the Brawer household had been the same for as long as Mox could remember. Ginny got up with Zeke, made breakfast in shifts, and sent them each off to work or school with a full stomach and a kiss. She had allowed herself just one morning off after coming home from the hospital, despite Zeke’s protests. She was more reliable than the mailman. Not hangover, nor flu, nor even rape kept her from her job.

The dark humor robbed him of his appetite. Teamed with his parents’ bickering, loving or not, he just wanted out of there. He closed the stairwell door behind him.

“You look tired. Try to take it easy today, huh?” Zeke asked, worry furrowing his forehead.

“You’re such a mother hen. Go catch some bad guys. I have Thanksgiving dinner to plan.”

“Let some of the other women help.”

“Everyone’s bringing a dish to pass. We’ve already discussed this.”

“I don’t know why we couldn’t have this at Bowie and Amber’s. They offered.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. “We always have Thanksgiving here because my dining room is bigger.”

“Why don’t we have it at the clubhouse? Why the hell did we splash out all that cash for a fancy kitchen if we’re not going to use it?”

“I hadn’t considered the clubhouse,” Ginny said, nibbling her bottom lip. “That’s a good idea, actually. I’ll talk to the others and see what they think. I could take my china over there…”

“Use paper plates, woman,” Zeke growled, tossing his hands in the air.

“We aren’t using paper plates on Thanksgiving,” Ginny snapped back, her nose wrinkling in disgust. “Heathen.”

“I have to go. I promised Bowie I’d be in early,” Mox interrupted.

Ginny turned, a frown already marring her beautiful features.

“You haven’t eaten, baby.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“It would just take me a minute to make you a breakfast sandwich if you want to eat something on the way.”

“I’m not hungry,” Mox repeated, dropping a kiss on her cheek. She clung to his arm for a moment and the worry in her eyes ate at him. “I love you.”

The lines eased, a smile transforming her face. She looked like the old Gin, a smug pride lighting her eyes as she squeezed his bicep and stretched up to kiss him good-bye.

“I love you too, baby. Have a good day.”  

Chapter ~ 2

Ginny had to give her old man credit. Zeke’s suggestion to have Thanksgiving dinner at the clubhouse had been a good one. With everything the club had gone through the last six months, the men had taken to keeping their women close. The clubhouse, once primarily the men’s domain, had become a sanctuary for all.

Leaning on the kitchen pass-through, her gaze ran over the assembled family with pride. Zeke was sprawled in a leather easy chair like a king on his throne. He looked…she searched her mind for the right word…relaxed, maybe content? The stress that had creased his brow of late was gone. He took a puff on his cigar, and then his broad grin flashed in amusement at a story Reaper was telling.  

Crux was spooning with Kat on an overstuffed loveseat, his calloused hands tenderly cupping her rounded belly while he laughed with his brothers. Catching her eye, Kat gave her a long suffering look that made Ginny giggle. Kat’s fierce husband was protective by nature, but the pregnancy had turned the intensity up a notch. Kat reached up and tugged on Crux’s tousled dark hair. Ginny couldn’t hear what her best friend said, but a tender smile transformed the biker’s scarred countenance before he boosted her to her feet. Ginny bit back another giggle as the prego made a beeline for the ladies room.

At a pat from Reaper, Lee rose from his lap to gather empty bottles from the men. Ginny noted that his eyes never strayed from the graceful geisha as she skirted through the crowd. There was a possessive pride in his glittering gaze that she had never seen there before. As unlikely as it sounded, their sociopathic brother seemed smitten. 

The shy girl giggled as their towering vice president snatched his beer up and held it out of her reach before tilting his head back and finishing the brew off.

“Now you can have it,” Bowie said, green eyes sparkling.

“Thank you, sir.”

Her respectful reply made the titian laugh.

“Careful. I could get used to that, and then Amber would never forgive you.”

“Are you spoiling my man over there, LeeLee-san?” Amber called from behind Ginny in the kitchen.

Smiling at the teasing, Lee shrugged her slender shoulders, her dark eyes wide in innocence as she made her way to the bar.

Sambo took the empties from the girl and sent her back with a tray of cold ones. He met Ginny’s eyes across the room and gave her a small smile and a wink. She couldn’t help but smile back. The sense of peace that radiated from the Lord’s artistic soul always brought a feeling of calm to her.

The front door opened, shattering the serenity. The wind sent fall leaves skittering across the worn hardwood, and their new guest found himself facing a barrage of steel as the Lords surged to their feet, weapons drawn.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” he cried.

Ginny scrambled on hands and knees to the end of the counter and peeked around the corner. The Lords of Mayhem cut and blond horseshoe mustache confirmed her suspicion even as Zeke greeted their club brother.

“Still have a death wish I see.”

“Jesus. The pilgrims welcomed the Indians with more open arms,” the wiry blonde said, accepting a back-thumping hug from Zeke as the rest of his brothers put their guns away.

Ginny thumped the back of her head lightly on the cabinetry before pushing herself to her feet as the other women and children slowly came out of hiding. Spotting her, Eddie held out large tin.

“I made my baklava.”

“I guess we will let you stay then,” she said, stepping forward to accept the tin and a hug. “It’s good to see you, Eddie.”

“Good to see you, Gin. Is this because I didn’t RSVP?”

“A lot of shit has gone down since you were here,” Zeke said, his serious tone making even the joker take heed.

“I guess I have some catching up to do,” Eddie said slowly, then glanced to the door. “Rain is with me. I don’t know what she’s doing.”

“I’ll see what trouble she’s gotten into,” Rhys said, his handsome face splitting into a smile as he headed for the door in search of his childhood playmate.

“She is her daddy’s girl,” Eddie said with a crazy grin.

Heading back into the kitchen, Ginny caught sight of Crux cuddling and reassuring Kat near the ladies room door. Her stomach twisted. They would never be free. The bullshit with Kramer had sent shockwaves through their little family that would affect them forever. 

Rhys scanned the street. Nothing. The hair on his nape stood up. Turning slowly, his hand found the butt of his Glock. A woman stepped from the alley, trying to finger-comb riotous brunette waves. His jaw dropped. She was no longer the gangly fourteen-year-old with braces and freckles. Well, some of the freckles were still there in the form of a perfect golden dusting across her nose and cheekbones. Gangly had turned into willowy with legs that just didn’t stop, and she had certainly grown into her tits.

“You done staring?”

Rhys felt himself blush and cursed under his breath as Rain glared at him. Her bright blue eyes narrowed, jaw jutting aggressively, so maybe not everything had changed about her. He cleared his throat.

“Good to see you, Rain.”

“Well, if it isn’t the crown prince all grown up,” she said with a little smirk.

“I could say the same thing about you.”

“Do you mind if we play catch-up inside? It was a long ride and I really need to piss.”

“Come on. Dinner’s almost ready.”

Ginny engulfed Rain in a hug the moment she came through the door.

“There’s my baby girl! Damn you look good!”

“Damn, I’ve missed you,” Rain whispered into Ginny’s ear as she clung to the older woman. 

“I’ve missed you too, baby girl,” Ginny said, easing back to smooth hair out of the girl’s face. “Just look at you. My little heathen has turned into a real knockout.”

“Never as beautiful as our queen,” Rain said, pulling her back into a crushing hug to hide the tears that threatened.

Ginny laughed out loud, turning heads in the room. Smiles lit gruff faces at the joy returning to their queen. Zeke clamped a hand on the back of Eddie’s neck and gave him a squeeze.

“Thanks, brother. She needed that.”

“Nothing to thank me for. The jobs dried up out west and my little girl said she wanted to come home. I hope the club will take me back and fill me in on what’s been going on.”

“We’re glad to have you back, and as to the other, in due time. This isn’t the place. My bad-ass bride will have my ass if I ruin her Thanksgiving celebration.”

“Good to see some things never change. Long live the queen,” Eddie said with a fond smile in Ginny’s direction.

Ginny laughed again and pointed Rain in the direction of the ladies room.

“Over there, as long as prego isn’t in there again.”

“Not this time,” Kat said, snapping Ginny with a hand towel.

“Holy shit, Kat! Congratulations!” Rain cried, rubbing her hands over Kat’s round belly before being drawn into a hug.

“So good to see you,” Kat mumbled into her hair as she rocked the girl back and forth in joy. “You just made Gin’s Thanksgiving.”

“I’m glad to be home. Trinity Falls will always be that to me, and Gin’s as close to a mom as I’ve ever known,” Rain said softly.

Kat gave her another squeeze and nudged her toward the bathroom and teased, “Better go now before I have to go again.”

“The birds are ready to come out. Can I get some muscles in here?” Amber called.

Hooking arms with Zeke and Murphy, Ginny lead the way to the kitchen. Eddie followed close behind.

“She said muscles not mustache,” Murphy said, shouldering the lanky blond out of the way and flexing a bicep.

“I’ll just hang around in case she needs something off the top shelf then, junior.”

The stocky Beantown brawler grinned, taking the insult in stride.

“If you want to eat, no fighting in the kitchen,” Ginny said, her giggle taking any bite out of the words.

“Do you think we’re going to have enough?” Eddie said as the two turkeys were joined by a couple of hams and a smoked brisket Taz brought in from the smoker.

“The family has grown a bit while you were gone,” Ginny said with a little smile.

As if to illustrate her point, an adorable little girl raced into the kitchen to dance around Taz’s legs.

“Whoa, baby girl. I’m using a knife and this is hot. Go see your mommy until I’m done,” he said in his gravely growl, but dropped a hand down to stroke the little girl’s sun-kissed hair before she darted away.

“Kennedy Lee! I told you to stay out of the kitchen,” Tamara said in exasperation. “Sorry, baby.”

Taz gave his old lady a nod and a little smile before turning back to his work.

“The Taz I remember would’ve added her to the cutting board,” Eddie said, eyes dancing in merriment.

“I’ve mellowed, and I’ve never eaten children,” Taz grumbled.

“They never used you for pole dancing either.”

“Their mother obviously didn’t look like Tamara, and careful what you say about my baby girl, perv.”

Eddie backed off at the glint in Taz’s eyes as he ran his knife over the whetstone.

“Understood,” he said slowly. “I, of all people, get being a protective daddy.”

“You need to get out of the kitchen before you get hurt,” Ginny said, pushing Eddie around the counter with a grin. “Start in the kiddie pool. Go catch up with Sambo and Tech.”  

Zeke gave her a wink when she turned back.

“The family’s all home.”

Ginny gave him a hug, smiling into his chest.

“This is the best Thanksgiving in a long time.” 

Seated to Zeke’s left at the head of the table, Ginny swallowed the lump in her throat as she looked down the line. Despite her husband’s boorish suggestion to use paper plates, the women had set a table worthy of the celebration. A bolt of gorgeous burnt-orange fabric with an embossed leaf pattern had been fashioned into an elegant table cloth to cover the trio of tables. Kat had created centerpieces by putting floating candles in frosted bowels and placing them on a bed of fall foliage. Amber’s crystal twinkled under the lights, and with her china, the table was perfection. More importantly, the whole family was there.

Bowie cleared his throat at the other end and heads bowed, hands joining.

“It has been a long year, but through God’s grace and a lot of strength, our family has prevailed. We welcome new members, ones returning to the fold, and even a little one on the way. Rocky roads and heartaches aside, we have a lot to be thankful for. We should remember that. As we head into the holidays and the next year, love and protect one another because at the end of the day, family is what you have. Thank you to the ladies for a day dedicated to what’s important and for the impressive spread before us. In God’s name we pray, amen.”

‘Amen’ echoed around the table and a few tears were dashed away as the dishes started to pass.  Ginny’s head jerked up as Zeke gave her hand a squeeze. She beamed at him. She had a lot to be thankful for.

Chapter ~ 3

Mox kicked the truck’s defroster up on high. Sleet pelted the windshield. An early season storm had held Trinity captive for a couple of days now. It had started out as snow before turning to rain and then ice. Now a treacherous glaze coated buildings, tree branches, and power lines, locking the town in a pristine wonderland.

He wasn’t surprised to find The Lantern dark, the contractors nowhere in sight. Everyone had thought him crazy for leaving the house, but the sooner he finished sanding the drywall, the sooner he and Rhys could move in. Stepping gingerly from the truck, he grabbed a bag off the front seat and skated across the parking lot.

Pausing with the key in the lock, he cocked his head. A frown twisted his features as he heard the whimper again over the wind. Scanning the evening shadows, he took an uncertain step away from the steel door. Something was out there. Sleet pinged off the new dumpsters as he waited. The next whimper was weak. The sound was small and sad, a puppy maybe. Whatever it was, he couldn’t leave it out in this cold. Hanging the supplies on the door handle, he trudged back to the truck for a flashlight.