Chapter 49 I swear, we attract the weirdest shit
Catalina
Stepping back into the Lords of Chaos clubhouse felt like finally breathing again. Florida had been good, even with all the trouble. We made a lot of money there. From selling things the guys made, food, and bike parts, the club made over twenty-five grand. A few of the brothers even sold bikes they fixed up themselves, making ten thousand each. It was a damn good week. I gave the club a million dollars. Butcher fought me hard on it, but I told him this was my home and these were my people. This is how I look after my family. I refused to take the money back. I told him if he did not accept it, I would just find a way to give it to every single member myself. He finally gave up and thanked me for the whole club.
“Baby, I need to talk to you about something,” Viper said to me one night when we were in bed.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I’ve been thinking… maybe we should get our own place. We can not live at the clubhouse forever.”
“Why not?”
“Well… what if I said I wanted kids?”
I sat straight up, the sheet falling down. Viper’s eyes locked onto my chest. He licked his lips, his gaze going hazy.
“Pay attention,” I snapped. He looked back at my face, his eyebrows going up at my tone.
“You want kids?” I asked.
“Yeah. Don't you?”
“Well, yes. But I am not sure I want to start trying right now,” I said carefully. “I mean, I just figured out how much fun we can have in bed. I am only twenty-two.”
“I get that. We do not have to try right now. But if it happens, would you be mad?”
“No. Not at all. If it happens, it happens. I am on birth control, though. I will not get my next shot for another month.”
“How often do you get those?”
“Every three months. I got one right before you and I got together.”
“Okay. So when do you want to think about trying? I am thirty-two. I would like to be a father before too long.”
“Hmm. How about I go through another shot or two? Just because I got pregnant does not mean our sex life is over, right?”
“Hell no. Baby, as long as you let me do whatever I want to that incredible body, and as long as you like what I am doing, our sex life will be going strong for years.”
“Or at least until you can not get your dick up anymore, old man,” I teased.
He made a low sound and came at me. I shrieked, laughing as he pinned me down and tickled me until I could not breathe.
“God, Catalina, I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
The next morning, I woke up to my phone buzzing over and over. I rolled over and found Viper’s side of the bed empty. I frowned. I got up and went to the dresser where I left my phone. I had one text from Viper, one from Butcher, two from Jenna, and three from my dad.
From Viper: Baby, had to make a run to the next city with Rockstar and Beast. Won’t be back until late tonight or maybe tomorrow. Did not want to wake you. You looked so beautiful sleeping. I love you. Eat something.
From Butcher: Catalina, come see me in my office when you’re up. I need a favor.
From Jenna: Hey lazy ass, get up. Meet me in the kitchen. Remember Myra, Carrie’s mom? She can get us in today for those sexy pictures.
From Jenna: I swear to God, Catalina, if you are not up in fifteen minutes, I am coming in there with a bucket of water.
That last one was sent two minutes ago. I still had time.
From Dad: Daughter, I am glad you are safe and that everything is settled now.
How did he know?
From Dad: The Taskmaster has been updating me on your situation.
I let out a long breath. Of course. He had someone watching me.
From Dad: Stay alert. I still have not seen those men around, but that does not mean they are not there. I will be out of contact for a few days, maybe a week. I have heard rumors that Caruso is in New York City. Be careful. Love you, my girl.
I blew out a hard breath. The fucking Caruso family. I knew leaving our symbol on that biker would send a message to Georgio, but I did not think he would come all the way to New York. But if he is there and my dad finds him, he is a dead man. My dad wants his head for what they did, the kidnappings, the rapes, and killing my mother. I hope he finds him.
I looked at the time and gasped. I had seven minutes before Jenna stormed in. I jumped into the shower and washed up fast. I did not have time to wash my hair. I got out, brushed my teeth, and threw my hair into a messy knot on my head. I was just pulling a cropped t-shirt over my head when Jenna threw my door open. She was holding a big pitcher of water.
“Damn it. I was really hoping you would still be asleep.”
“Sorry,” I laughed.
“No, you are not.”
“You are right. What did you tell Torque we were doing?”
“I told him we were going shopping. He has meetings all day with Butcher and Doc. He also said he had to see his money guy. Did you know he’s loaded, Catalina?”
“Viper mentioned a lot of the guys have money.”
“I had no idea.”
“We have money too, Jenna. Have you told him?”
“Well, no. It never came up.”
“It probably never came up for him, either.”
“Have you told Viper?”
“A little. But not everything. He knows what I made from the last few jobs I did. And I gave Butcher a million for the club. But I have not told him the whole story.”
“You think they would lose their minds if they found out?”
“No. I do not think so.”
“Well, let’s go. We need to be at her studio in half an hour. She said she’d take about two dozen pictures of each of us. We pick our favorites, and she makes a book from them.”
“Great. How much? I might need to stop at the bank. I only have five hundred on me.”
“She said she usually charges seven-fifty for the time, the editing, and the book. But she’s giving us a deal. It’s five hundred each.”
“Okay, I still want to stop by the bank. I’ll give her an extra two hundred as a thank you.”
“Good. Let’s go. Oh, I saw Butcher. He asked if we could drive a friend of his to her parents’ house. Some woman he went to high school with. She’s running from a husband who beats her. She contacted him out of the blue. He said he hasn’t talked to her in over twenty years, and she’s really scared. She’s at a friend’s place. He wants us to pick her up tomorrow and drive her three hours away.”
“Yeah, okay.”
I grabbed a bag with my lingerie, and we went to the kitchen to put the pitcher away. We headed outside and drove to our bank. The line at the drive-through was really long, so we decided to go inside. We were walking up to the closest teller when shouting filled the air.
“Everybody get on the floor and do not fucking move!” a voice yelled.
Jenna and I turned and dropped down. Three men ran into the bank holding rifles. They were robbing the place.
“Son of a bitch,” Jenna whispered. “How is the bank we’re in right now getting robbed?”
I let out a short laugh. One of the robbers heard me. He marched over, grabbed my hair, and pulled me up to my knees.
“You think something is funny, bitch?”
“Yeah, your breath. What the fuck did you eat, onions? You three are a walking joke. You think those stupid clown masks and long coats are going to stop anyone from finding you?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jenna texting someone. I made sure to keep all three men looking at me.
“She’s fucking hot,” one of the other guys said. “Let’s take her with us after we get the cash.”
It only took them ten minutes. Jenna demanded they take her, too. Another guy came to grab her, but he had a bag of money in one hand, so he had to put his rifle on his back. Just as he reached for her, the guy holding me turned to say something to the third man. I moved. I stomped hard on his foot. He yelled. I brought my hand up and drove my palm into his nose. He dropped his rifle. I grabbed it and slammed it down on his head as he bent over. He fell to the floor, out cold.
Jenna had her guy in a chokehold with the strap of his own gun. The third man started to raise his rifle. I shot him in the head. It all happened in a few seconds. Jenna’s guy was on the floor, not moving. I did not care if he was unconscious or dead.
“Fuck, that was amazing!” yelled a teenage kid who had his phone out. He was typing like crazy.
Suddenly, we heard tires screeching and sirens outside.
“Who did you text?” I asked Jenna.
“Myra. I told her we would be late because the bank was getting robbed.”
“You did not text the club?”
“No. I told you, Torque has meetings all day.”
“Oh, you are in so much trouble,” I said, grinning at her.
“Oh, I know. I can not wait.”
I started laughing hard.
“I swear, we attract the weirdest shit,” I said.
“We would not be us if we did not. At least our life is never boring.”
“True.”