“About that.” I took a deep breath. “Would it be much of an inconvenience if I took a few days off?” I swallowed hard as he shot me a look that said he knew I was hiding something. Not that he would question me too deeply. The family I worked for respected my privacy.
“I hope everything is ok?”
“Yeah. I just had some news this morning.” Before I could help myself, my eyes flicked down to the newspaper again before I guiltily lifted them again. “If it’s not enough notice, I understand.”
“You can take the time off, Chloe,” Keith said evenly, smiling. “But I hope you know that you can come to us if you are in trouble. We think of you as family. I hope you know that.”
Suddenly, I wanted to cry. I thought of them as family as well, and it was going to be so hard to leave them, but what other choice did I have?
“I know, and thank you. I’m just going to make a call.” Scraping the chair back, I ruffled George’s hair again. I would miss him most of all. “Finish up and get dressed, little man, and we will go and play in the garden.” Bouncing down on the balls of my feet, I grinned as he sped up, shovelling cereal into his mouth. “Don’t cause your daddy too much hassle, ok?”
Not waiting for a reply, I headed towards my room at the end of the house. My own little Annex. My sanctuary.
But no longer my home.
Closing and locking the door, I leant on it and dialled a number from memory. Pressing the phone against my ear, I waited and then waited some more.
And he didn’t answer. It rang through to the answer service over and over again.
“Come on. Come on. Please.” Tears pricked my eyes.
If he didn’t answer, then I would have to go and see him in person and that meant going to the very place he had told me never to visit.
To London and the Savage Sons’ clubhouse.
“Dammit, Ghost.” Finally defeated, at last I tossed the phone down.
How had it come to this?
How had saving some biker’s life just totally derailed mine?
Chapter Two
The clubhouse was full of people. There were so many, in fact, that even the courtyard was full of people drinking and laughing and doing other — my eyes scanned the crowd — other more entertaining things.
Grinning, I followed Duke, only to run straight into Domino.
Slapping me hard on the back with enough force that I was pretty sure he snapped my remaining ribs, he greeted me. “Pocket,” he boomed and I could smell the whiskey on his breath.
Hell, the stench was so strong that I would have been able to smell it from a mile away without trying. These guys were partying hard.
“Welcome home, welcome to your…” Stepping back, he motioned with his hand at the gathered people and the empty bottles that littered the floor. “Get well soon party.”
A cold beer was thrust into my hand and for a second I stared down at it. I was on enough pain meds to knock out a horse, so I really shouldn’t, but…
I lifted the bottle to my lips and took a long draw. I’d never really been one to follow the rules. Laws and rules were for other men, not men like me.
“Thank you, brother.” I grinned. “This is exactly what I need.”
“Well,” Duke shook his head. “I wouldn’t get too excited. Your face is a mess and your ribs are dust, so I don’t think you will be doing much of the good stuff.” Winking, he waggled his eyebrows at me, which caused me to laugh and that sent pain spiralling through my body. I swayed where I stood and it was Domino with his black and grey hair and deep lines around his eyes that caught my elbow to steady me.
“Are you even meant to be out of the hospital?” Domino asked in the cool, calm, and collected voice he was known for. So many people confused that even manner for weakness and none lived to regret it because they hadn’t lived at all. People did that to me as well. They confused quietness for weakness.
“He discharged himself,” Duke added unhelpfully, and I snapped my head to him. He was such a fucking traitor at times.
“I’m fine,” I muttered. “They just wanted me to relax, and I can do that here a lot easier than laying in some lumpy hospital bed.” My eyes found the swaying ass of one of the club girls as she sauntered past. Without thinking, I reached out and snagged her wrist, drawing her to a stop. Glancing back over her shoulder, she smiled.
“A lot easier.” I pulled on the girl’s wrists, tugging her into my body. Duke was right. Any vigorous exercise probably wasn’t on the cards for me a mere two days after my crash, but there were other things she could do to help me relax.