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I nodded and joined him and Onyx as we shot the shit for twenty minutes, and then Onyx handed me a rather nasty denim jean jacket. One that Phoe would burn before ever wearing, and he shot me a wink.
“Give Phoe my love,” he said, knowing her reaction.
I chuckled and grabbed the coat. If I got pulled over, I had paperwork from the hospital, the text about the coat, and the coat in question. Onyx’s body would be placed directly under the one from the hospital, so nobody would notice. Plus, the floor cleverly dipped, making it look like there was only one body.
I said my goodbyes and hurried back to the parlour. I had evidence to get rid of.
Chapter Four.
Grace
Damn, I was bone-tired driving home. A waitress had called out sick at Bernard’s, so I’d picked up the extra shifts and needed to sleep. Once I’d checked the girls had eaten, I bathed them, and read them a story. Nova had been a delight these past two weeks. She was on a break while deciding what college to attend. However, from what Nova was saying, she wasn’t interested in further education as she was fighting pro-fights, tournaments, and representing the USA at the Olympics.
To say I was surprised that the tiny teenager was a martial arts expert was an understatement. Nova was so pretty and dainty it didn’t seem possible, but she had shown me a couple of her bouts, and jeez… she took no prisoners. I was also shocked at how well-known Nova was for her skills. Falcon did the same, but his passion was swimming. Considering how good Nova was doing, I wasn’t surprised to discover Falcon also represented us at the Olympics.
Nova had started daily training with the girls. I’d hesitated at first, but Phoe questioned my reluctance. Phoe said if the girls learnt something that would protect them, then surely it was worth the effort. Phoe explained that Nova did six hours of personal practice each day but also taught classes at night for the Hellions.
I’d been horrified to hear what the women of Rage MC called the children. But after seeing them in action a few times, I fully understood the nicknames. There were four that I kept a very firm watch over if they were next door. Dante, Eddie, Davy, and Mav. They seemed to be the ringleaders. If trouble were going down, one of them would be behind it, which meant I watched the girls very closely.
On nights like tonight, when I only wanted to hit the sack, I felt sorry for my neighbour. Before Nova had begun babysitting, Savage rarely had guests and had kept to himself. The poor guy was under constant siege now, making me feel awful. I’d discovered Savage worked nights, too, so everyone invaded his house while he was asleep in bed.
I’d tried talking to Nova about keeping the girls on my side of the fence, but she pointed out that Savage had a swimming pool and I didn’t. Nova claimed Savage could sleep through anything and not to worry about it. When I mentioned the kids eating at home, Nova had snorted and asked if I’d seen the groceries the old ladies bought daily to feed whatever brood was at Savages.
Nova also stated that when I got more comfortable with the girls being around everyone, she’d take Harper and Isla to the clubhouse, where everybody usually hung about.
I’d hesitated to judge anyone for being an MC, but the unkind thoughts lingered. Finally, as I met various brothers and old ladies, I realised they were pretty nice. The men were loud and gruff and didn’t say much unless they were teasing someone. The women were, on the whole, friendly. Some were understandably reserved towards me.
Next door was quiet when I got home, and I looked across and only saw Savage’s hearse and Harley on the drive. It amused me to no end that Savage worked in a funeral parlour. I had never known anyone to do so, although I’d been informed he dealt with the crematorium side of things. That led me to believe that Savage burned the bodies. But I didn’t ask because I didn’t think that was a topic for polite conversation.
The couple of times I’d seen Savage, I’d been stunned by his looks. Everything about Savage screamed to me and my lady parts. Not that it was a surprise. A neatly dark-trimmed goatee, short hair at the sides but longer on top, and stunning hazel eyes were the tip of the package. Savage was tall, about six foot three, wide-shouldered, and his muscles had muscles. There was no way he’d ever be interested in my waitressing frumpiness. Not that it mattered.
Garry had done such a job on me; I’d never trust another guy again. And Garry had betrayed me for my promotion, one he hadn’t earned. Now neither of us had the role, and I couldn’t be happier. It was so hard to comprehend how the man I loved, been with for ten years and had two children together, could betray me so badly. Even now, eighteen months on, I still found it hard to understand. Once I’d heard the initial conversation, the revelations kept coming, and each one stunned me further.
Well, Garry and that bitch Lin had finally paid. While some of their actions may not have been arrestable, drugging someone without permission was a felony. Assholes, the pair of them. Justice had been served, yet I felt cheated and empty.
Cheated because my supposedly perfect life was far from it. The last five years had been a lie—not that I’d known it. That’s how long the affair between Garry and Lin had gone on. And I was empty because the love I thought existed in real life clearly didn’t, making me bitter, upset, and twisted inside.
I wouldn’t trust anyone again, especially with my two precious girls. I’d not even realised Garry and Lin were breaking them down like they had me. If I could have got my hands around Lin’s throat, I’d have cheerfully strangled her.
However, the leg of lamb had made me notorious enough. A shudder ran through me, and I shoved thoughts of that night aside.
A knock at the car window made me jump, and I realised I’d been staring at Savage’s drive for several minutes.
“Are you okay, poppet?” Nancy asked.
Happily, I smiled at the elderly neighbour who lived on the other side of me and climbed out.
“Hello Nancy, I’m good, just wool-gathering. How are you?”
“Well, it’s ladies’ night. Mike had disappeared to the shed. The fool thinks I don’t know he has cigars and whiskey down there. He also thinks I’m unaware that old man Cribbens comes over and joins him with Stan from down the road. But if I let Mike have his little luxuries, he doesn’t complain when I buy something I shouldn’t.” Nancy chuckled and patted her purple hair.
“That makes sense,” I agreed.
“Dearest, I popped a casserole round to the young girl looking after the kids and found myself rather disgraced. Nova was making chicken kievs from scratch,” Nancy said ruefully.
“Yes, Nova apparently loves to cook. Just another one of her many talents.” I laughed.
“Did you get her from that agency?” Nancy asked, sniffing in disapproval. It was clear what Nancy thought of the former agency I’d used.
