Page 17 of Protectors

“In the meantime, if they don’t want to cook, clean, and help out around here, they don’t get an apartment and will no longer have access to the club or any of the club’s businesses. They’ll be out bad and none of us will ever look at them again. If they want to continue tryin’ to stake their claim, they don’t get put on probation or any of the other shit we’ve been doin’, they’re simply out.”

No one says anything for a few minutes before Annabell looks around the table. She wants to say something, but won’t just speak up because technically she’s not a member and can’t vote on this matter or anything. She’s simply here so she knows where things are gonna go moving forward so everyone is on the same page.

“What’s up?” Vault asks his wife as he holds her close to his body. “You’re free to speak your mind in here. You can’t vote, but you can give us your opinion.”

“I love the idea of putting the Phantom girls in an apartment complex away from the clubhouse. We don’t need them here, taking up space and doing nothing. However, I think we need to keep the probation aspect in place. Instead of just kicking them out, we’ll use it to our advantage. They’ll be made to clean and cook without help from anyone else. If they choose not to do it, then they’re out without hesitation and there will be no second chances for any of them. Until they get in the apartments, all of them will be on probation and won’t be allowed to fuck any of the guys unless one of you single men ask for them specifically. The ones who decide they don’t want to follow the rules will be out and not get a place to live and have to go on their way without a second chance,” Annabell says, giving us something to think about.

“I like her idea,” Ghost finally speaks up as he looks around the table. “They’ve all been actin’ like bitches and don’t deserve to get laid when they can’t follow the few rules we have in place for them. I say they’re all on probation and have to do nothin’ more than cook and clean the clubhouse. None of them should be allowed on the second floor where our rooms are and the offices need to remain locked at all times so they can’t get in any of them. I don’t trust these skanks for any reason after all the shit they’ve pulled.”

“All in favor?” Vault asks, looking around the table as everyone here puts the vote through. “Valor, get with the realtor and find out how much they want for the property and how it’s zoned. We’ll need somethin’ we can actually put an apartment complex on and it won’t work if the property isn’t zoned properly. Baby, I need you to have a meetin’ tomorrow with the girls. I want every single ol’ lady there. Especially Alana. She might not officially be claimed yet, but it’s just a matter of time and she’ll always have more standin’ here than any of them. We should also have Doc in to make sure none of them are pregnant and there’s no STIs. I can’t say that none of them haven’t been with men outside the clubhouse.”

“I’m on it. I’ll call Doc tonight and see if he can come in tomorrow. As we finish up dinner, I’ll talk to the girls about being there for the meeting,” she responds, getting off her husband’s lap and giving him a quick kiss before leaving church.

“Alright, I want to know what we have on Terrence. Has Cage and the Wild Kings been able to find the fucker?” Vault says as soon as the door is closed.

“Nothin’ new. I haven’t talked to him as I said earlier and I know Geek hasn’t either,” Ghost says, as I nod in response before he continues. “I know Fox is lookin’ into him along with King, Techy, and anyone else they can think of. Every member is callin’ in favors their owed for any information on Terrence and where he’s hidin’. No one can find him.”

“We also can’t find any information with the name Terrence. I’m thinkin’ this isn’t his first time pullin’ this shit and he knows how to cover his tracks. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to learn he’s a wanted man and Alana is just one woman in a long line of women he’s used and abused until he moves on to the next one,” King speaks up, exhaustion showing on his face from being a new dad and still trying to work on this for the club and Alana.

“I hate to say it, but we might need to bring in Alana to learn everythin’ she knows about the dead man walkin’,” Devil speaks up as Ghost and I look at one another with glares as we turn back to Devil.

“Not fuckin’ happenin’. She has nightmares every fuckin’ night about what he’s done to her. Wakes up screamin’ and covered in sweat as she gets tangled in the blankets because she’s fightin’ him off while she’s sleepin’. She’s got wounds still healin’ on her body and mentally, I’m not sure she’s ready to talk about him out in the open in a room full of men. Yes, she might know us from growin’ up around the club, but it doesn’t mean she’ll be comfortable discussin’ that part of her life with everyone,” Ghost says, his voice hard and cold as his eyes remain locked on Devil.

“Not to mention it’s taken her until yesterday to be able to look in the mirror at her injuries. I refuse to put her through any more shit than she’s already been through because no one can find him. Yes, I know she might know somethin’ that can help and that means she won’t look over her shoulder every fuckin’ day until we get our hands on him. However, none of you have seen her the way we have. I say no,” I tell them as I push my chair back from the table a little bit.

“Why don’t we let her get a few sessions in with her counselor and see how she’s doin’ once she has started to talk about the situation and processin’ what she’s been through?” Valor asks, not trying to be an ass but wanting to be realistic about the possible need to have her talk to us about Terrence.

“That’s the only way we’ll even consider this,” Ghost finally gives in, the edge still in his voice.

“You’re both all in with her?” Jinx asks, looking at us from his seat at the table.

“Yes. She knows how we feel and that’s all that matters. The only reason she’s not our ol’ lady right now is because we’re not tryin’ to rush her,” I state as Vault sees Ghost and I reaching our limit about our girl.

“Okay. Valor you know what to do. Let’s get the fuck outta here,” Vault says, slamming the gavel in front of him as we all stand and leave our meeting room.

By the time we enter the common room again, the ol’ ladies are bringin’ out our dinner and laying it out across the top of the bar. With us all here, it’s too much to remain in the kitchen to eat and serve ourselves. Plus, it’s kind of easier to set everything up out here so it’s not all packed onto the island and overlapping. Alana stands back out of the way because she can’t carry in the heavier dishes with only having the use of one hand. Ghost and I make our way over to her and wrap our arms around her. I place my arm around her waist while Ghost puts his over her shoulders. Alana looks up between the two of us with a smile as Annabell lets everyone know to dig in. We all get in line and make our plates, Ghost carrying our girl’s plate as I pile food on it. Alana chooses the table Ghost typically sits at and we eat in relative silence. The food is amazing as always and honestly, I’m only thinking of getting her up to her room so Ghost and I can have our way with her.

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