Forever Zara: (novella 9.5) by V. Theia (ebook reader txt) 📕

as Charlie heard the shit his officers had pulled, it wasn’t a half-hour before they cut Rider free without charge and an apology for pulling him in.

It wasn’t enough.

That bitch had taken him from his family for three fucking days at the worst possible time. And she’d done it as a power trip, acting on the mayor’s say so to fuck with him and his club. She’d known she had no reason to keep him locked up but used the law to her advantage.

“You deal with it, or I will, Charlie.” Rider told him.

The sheriff looked pissed off. So would Rider if he had to break his mini-vacation to deal with his unruly staff.

“There’s no need for that. Shit happens.”

“My old lady was worried for three fucking days. I couldn’t talk to her. You think, for a second, I’ll let this go, you got shit for brains. For weeks, Fielding has dogged my boys for shit reasons. She’s got a promotion in her sights, and she’s doing it by fucking with my club. It stops now.”

Frustration crossed the sheriff’s face, and he shoved a hand through his hair as Archie pulled up at the curb to pick Rider up. “Listen up. You can’t do shit to one of my cops.”

Can’t he? Watch him.

“I know she’s been overly zealous lately. Believe me; it’s something I’ve had to talk to her about.”

“I’m gonna tell you something for free, and it’s up to you what you do with it. But hear me when I say, you deal with her or I will, and there won’t be evidence left around.”

“For fuck’s sake, Rider.”

“Look at her association with the mayor. She’s his lapdog.”

Charlie frowned. “What you talking about?”

“What I said. She doesn’t know how to bark until he tells her to.”

Rider slid into Archie’s car with that warning, leaving the sheriff to chew on the info. It was up to him what he did with it. Either way, they would deal with Sofia Fielding.

SIXTEEN

“There’s always a way to spring a surprise on a Prez.” - Zara

Wedding: T-minus 1 day.

After the last few tense days, Zara was pleased to be doing normal things again.

She was busier than a bear in mating season for a woman who had something important to do today.

Going through a comprehensive check of the kitchen pantry to stay busy, writing out a huge shopping list for the house mouse to collect later today. The club held accounts with all the local stores; the invoices were sent directly to Texas's office to deal with at the end of every month. It was a good system and one that Zara had perfected over time. Before she came along, the domestic side of the club was in shambles.

Now that Zara had taken over that side of things, she’d put some order into place by hiring a house mouse who saw to every aspect of housekeeping.

Speaking of, the woman, who hadn’t been with them a year yet, came through the kitchen door holding a tray of empty coffee mugs. She smiled when she saw Zara. “Let me guess. You had to hunt down mugs again?”

Erin rolled her eyes, smiling. Two neat French braids hung in wheat-blonde ropes on either side of her head. She was probably the only other woman around the clubhouse who was Zara’s height.

“Every damn day, I have to go on a mug hunt like I’m the Easter bunny. I tell them all the time to bring my mugs back. Do they listen? Not a chance. It drives me crazy.”

“Bikers are hard of hearing,” amused Zara. “Unless it includes bikes, booze, or boobs.”

After spending a few minutes with Erin, Zara checked her watch again for the millionth time.

She wasn’t good at surprises. She’d wanted to tell Rider all morning what she was planning, only holding her tongue because he left early for a meeting with Jamie Steele.

Skittish, like a cat wearing snow booties, she was about to organize behind the bar when raised voices caught her attention.

It wasn’t the usual raucous noises of bikers making bets or fighting through a video game. This time it was female voices throwing around name-calling.

“Just because you dress like a skank doesn’t mean you can have every man in here.”

“Pot meet kettle, you whore. Wasn’t me who was putting my ass in Coop’s face last night hoping for a good fuck.”

“You’re jealous ‘cause I can have anyone I want.”

“Please, bitch. I’d slit my wrists the day I was jealous of you.”

On and on it went until Zara was standing in front of three women. They were regulars around here, and not the first time Zara had seen them backbiting with each other either.

Girls came and went. Most of the club groupies from when Zara first came to the club were no longer around, save for Ellie. These women transferred from another chapter. They’d come with their bikers for a rally last summer and never left. Today of all days when she was going for calmness, their bitchiness grated on her last nerve.

There was no way they’d hear her over their cattiness, so Zara stuck two fingers in her mouth and emitted a high-pitched whistle.

“It’s not even 10 a.m. on a Friday. It’s too early for this crap, ladies.”

“But she…”

“It was her…”

Zara sighed and arched one blond eyebrow. Was this high school?

“If all you can do is bitch at each other, then don’t hang out. Go home, go to work. Or do something useful around here. Erin can find chores for you to do. We’re not a social club, and everyone has their duties. Find yours or leave.”

The three women snapped into order, each picking a direction. She didn’t care if women came to the clubhouse only for the dick, but she was tired of