Page 7 of Iona's Christmas
Lindy had earned her place, and despite my role as Warden’s old lady giving me rank over Lindy, it didn’t sit well to insult her by stealing her position. But I’d noticed Lindy deferring to me for certain things, and I was hoping we’d find a balance. Rosalea just deferred to both of us.
My job now was helping Warden in his office with his invoices and keeping the accounts. I knew that the club managed illegal shit, but that never crossed my path. Lindy had her own office and somehow, I thought, she dealt with that side. Warden paid me for my role, but I also had access to his card if I needed anything.
It had been something that we’d fought over. I wanted to earn my own money; Warden didn’t want me to leave the compound, not after the threat McKay issued. He’d kicked off at Rosalea working for Soar. Warden had only agreed on the condition she worked the same shifts as Soar. Plus, Soar’s artists weren’t exactly men people argued with. Each of them would have been welcome to join the Royal Bastards if they wished to.
But I wasn’t allowed off the compound without an escort, one of the family, and there was no way I was going to get a job elsewhere. Warden had said he’d let me, but my employer had better get used to me having a biker bodyguard. That settled that. I ended up working at the clubhouse for the MC.
And to be honest, I was scared of leaving the compound. What McKay had done to frighten me had given me nightmares. Warden slept soundly, but I woke up sweating and crying silently. If Warden knew how affected I was, he’d go crazy, and I did not want that. I needed Warden alive and whole, not hurt or killed. RMBC was one percenter, I wasn’t stupid; I knew what the diamond on their cut meant. But there were lines they didn’t cross. For McKay, there wasn’t a single boundary he wouldn’t break.
I glanced up as Fists came towards me.
“You doing that room?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m going to get it ready in a moment, and then I need to pop into town. Um, Fists, would you mind…” I replied.
Fists had begun walking away when I started speaking but stopped.
“What?” he demanded.
“I don’t want to go alone,” I muttered, and Fists stared at me. He didn’t say anything for a long time, and I squirmed.
“Get the guest rooms ready, Iona, and I’ll take you into town,” he said gently.
I was shocked that Fists had agreed and even more so that he’d been gentle. Fists and the old timers were certainly holding a grudge and did not care who knew it. They were never outright disrespectful or hateful, but they’d leave a room or ignore me completely.
“Thank you. I’m just…” I tried to explain, and Fists shook his head.
“McKay.”
“Exactly. He scares me,” I whispered.
“McKay should. The asshole is dangerous and unpredictable. Even with our boys’ and girls’ talents, I wouldn’t ever underestimate him. RBMC can take him out, and one day we will. But for now, we don’t need to start shit.”
“He still thinks Rosalea’s his daughter,” I offered.
“Good. Let him think that. It’ll protect Rosalea. If McKay finds out she’s not, all bets are off, and he’ll come for both of you. The kid’s murder is unsolved. McKay will put you both in the ground if he discovers Rosalea’s not his. That’ll start a war where it will end with the last man standing,” Fists said.
“I get it.”
“Good. Go ready that room and find me. I’ll be here,” Fists ordered and walked off.
???
Two hours later, I was sat in a reinforced SUV with Fists and Pipe, both riding their Harleys escorting me into town. I received some strange looks until people saw the cuts on Pipe and Fist’s backs, and then they turned away quickly. Nobody wanted to gain the attention of the RBMC.
I parked in Main Street as Pipe and Fists pulled in next to me. Fists opened my car door, and I climbed out.
“Where to?” he questioned.
“I need to visit some food shops and place a large order,” I answered, and Pipe wrinkled his nose.
“You couldn’t do that online?” he mumbled.
“No. I wanted to ensure they didn’t ignore my orders,” I stated, and Pipe nodded.
“Yeah. What’s this for?” he asked.
“Christmas.”