Whizz started to laugh. “Why would I invite you? Your woman’s sick.”
“She’s got a stomach bug. It would be better than being here.”
“Why?”
Lacey slowed down, and they took their time getting mixed in with everyone. He was aware of some of the men staring at her. She was a striking beauty with her blue hair and body covered with ink. When she was naked she was even more tempting. None of these men would ever know how truly beautiful she was. He didn’t like anyone looking at his woman.
“Ned and Tiny have started shouting and not stopped. It’s fucking insane.”
“Do you know why he brought a couple of fighters?” Whizz’s curiosity got the better of him.
“Yeah, you should see them. They actually look like mutants or something. They’re large, strong, and deadly. They’re three of his prized fighters.”
“I don’t need you to tell me that you fancy them, Killer. Why are they here?”
“Bite me. Ned wants Eva to keep them around as an extra layer of protection. He’s let Tiny know he doesn’t trust him or the club. His little girl was never in danger when she was in Vegas, and there were a lot more threats when she lived at home. It’s more a pissing contest between the two men. Ned’s fucking scary for an old dude.”
“I doubt that went well with Tiny.” Ned was an old man, but he’d kept in shape and was still a deadly fucker. No one should underestimate him.
“Eva called Alex. We’re waiting for him to make a stop to try to talk to one or the other. They’re both too hard-headed to let the other one have space. Eva’s ready to snap.”
“Thank you for giving me a heads-up.” Whizz stopped outside of a shop. Lacey didn’t question him. She rested against the wall that separated the footpath from the beach.
“No problem. When are you due home?”
“We’ll be home in a day or so. I just want to spend some time away from the club with my woman.”
“You’re claiming her?” Killer asked.
“Yeah. She’s the one for me.”
Lacey’s face heated under his assessment. He wanted her naked with no fear of the club interrupting with their time.
“I’m happy for you, man. I’ll leave you to it.”
He hung up, leading the way into the shop.
“Do I want to know what’s going on?”
“Ned wants to leave three fighters for Eva’s protection.”
“Is Tiny happy with that?”
“No. He doesn’t want anyone who’s not part of the club there protecting his woman. Tiny can do a lot of shit, and say a lot of shit, but he loves that woman more than he loves everything else.” Whizz picked up a blanket and a couple extra towels. When he passed a stand, he grabbed the sunscreen, and bottles of water.
“I feel bad for you paying for everything.”
“Don’t.” He liked her depending on him for everything.
Once outside, they made their way close to the sea. There was a small section of beach that had a space for them. He placed the blanket on the sand as Lacey removed his jacket, taking a seat.
“It’s so warm.”
She pulled her knees tight up against her chest as he took a seat beside her. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from her. She was so beautiful.
You’re going to marry her.
When they got home he’d start looking for a place for them to share. After they were settled he’d start to look at adopting. He never thought about children. Sure, he loved the kids his brothers had back at the club but never for himself.
“Tell me about yourself, Whizz,” she said, lying back. No one invaded their space. The noise of laughing adults and children filled his senses. Dogs barked in the distance, as the ocean swished about. The sounds were peaceful to him.
“What do you want to know?”
“Your life before the club and bikes? What was it like?”
He picked up a strand of her hair, twirling it through his fingers. “You want to talk about my past.”
“You know my past, my family. I know nothing else about you. Were you normal? Human? Machine?”
He laughed at her teasing. “I was normal. I had a family.” Whizz stopped thinking about his life before it all changed. “I was the oldest son. I had a younger brother. My mom and dad were the kind of couple you adored. She was always in the kitchen baking.” Whizz hadn’t thought about his family for such a long time. “She didn’t like buying pre-packed stuff that she could make herself. In her home the bread on offer was baked by herself. Biscuits, cakes, everything that was sweet she made. When we went out she’d make everything. My dad was on Wall Street. He was good with figures and shit, made a lot of money, but it never got to him.” He frowned, staring past her shoulder to the family lying a few feet away. The dad was ticking his son as the dog barked around them. “He didn’t let the money or the business go to his head. Mom was a stay at home mom. She was there for everything, awards, football games. You think it, and she was there. We were happy.”
“Wow, it seems strange for you to have actually experienced a happy life.”
With every story it didn’t end there.
“What happened, Whizz? If your family was so perfect, what happened?”
“I was eighteen when the cops came. Mom and Dad had gone into the city with my brother for his birthday. I had to study. I wanted to go with them, but I wasn’t allowed to. I had studying to do for a damn math exam the next day.” Whizz stared into her green eyes, losing himself in their color. “Mom told me to get an A and she’d make it up to me. I remember her kissing my head, my dad ruffling my hair on the way out. I fist bumped with my brother, and they were gone. They didn’t come home.”
“Why?” Lacey’s eyes were watery. He leaned forward, kissing each of her eyes in turn.
“You don’t need to cry for me.”
“Yes, I do. Why did they die?”
“A drunk driver in a truck. He fell asleep at the wheel at the same time my parents’ car was coming toward him. They were killed instantly.”
“How do you know?”
“I didn’t trust the cops. I hacked into the CCTV around that area and watched it happen. I’d always been a computer buff, still am. I’ve been working with computers all my life. I love them.”
“They tell the truth,” she said.
“Yeah, they tell the truth.”