Page 96 of Pooh

“I could eat. We’re growing a baby after all. Bailey and I will go with,” Axel adds.

“You can all go and we’ll meet up later to discuss everything. It’s Sunday and Ava plans on homemade pizza and some new beer she’s been brewing for the clubhouse around three. Tammy, Trigger and I will stay here and plan for whatever happens next with Pooh and Pippa,” Gunner states.

Pooh receives hugs and back slaps as everyone files out of the house. Craig comes racing back into the room, looking around wildly, until he spots Chubs and Lucy.

“Damn! I thought you forgot me!” he declares.

“Never going to happen, Craig. Let’s go, little man. These people aren’t hungry but I am. There is a strategy to eating at a buffet and I’ll explain it to you on the way,” Chubs says while ushering Craig and Lucy out the door. I see Craig give a half wave before the door closes behind them.

Pooh and I walk to the table and take a seat with Tammy, as Gunner and Trigger grab the coffee pot and cups. When everyone has a full cup in front of them, I ask, “What happened? What do we know now? Have they cleared you yet?”

“Shouldn’t you be asking if I did it, Pips?” Pooh asks quietly. The look on his face is serious and I don’t like it.

“Why would I ask if you did something that I already know you would never do? Huh? Why?”

“Just want to know where your thoughts are at, babe.”

“My thoughts are why would she do this? Is someone making her? Is she just that much of a bitch to accuse you of such a heinous crime? My thoughts are scattered and bouncing about shit like that. But they are rock solid in my belief and trust in you as a person, a man, my man and as a member of this club. Don’t ever question that, Pooh. No need to ever question where my loyalties lie when it concerns you, baby,” I answer just as quietly and sincerely as he did.

“Pippa nearly bit my head off last night when I told her you were innocent of this shit. So, believe me, she knows the truth, Pooh. She’s known all along where she stands and that’s behind you,” Trigger adds. “Never wavered or doubted for a moment.”

Pooh leans over and briefly claims my mouth before telling us what he knows so far.

“Peaches, apparently, has started turning tricks since she was ousted from the club. She’s dancing part-time in a nasty strip joint in Denver and has gained herself a pimp. She was smacked around, battered and bruised, when they both showed up at the cop shop to file the report. The detective admitted that he has some doubts about her story. And not because of her lifestyle choices, but because she changed parts of it when he started questioning her more thoroughly.”

“I know Axel got the work and training schedules to the attorney early this morning. Did she say if those will help prove your whereabouts?” Gunner asks.

“Yeah, but she didn’t get them until they released me. She said she’d go through them and write down the names of the people I was training that evening and turn them over to the detective. But she did tell him about our security system at the gym. I gave him Rex’s name and number so he could call him and set up a time to meet there today.”

“So, this is all good news then, right?” Tammy asks.

“Yeah, it is. It should be cleared up in a day or two. Hopefully, Peaches won’t try to change the date of the attack just to make things worse. But her credibility would take a hit if she does,” Pooh tells us.

“Who did beat her up and was she even raped?” I ask aloud.

“No idea and I hate to say this, but at this moment, I don’t fucking care. Maybe I will tomorrow but not right now,” declares Gunner.

I nod in understanding because I’m kind of hating on Peaches at the moment too.

Pooh

It took a few days, but I was cleared of all wrongdoing. According to the detective, Peaches’ story fell apart when he confronted her with my airtight alibi. She admitted to him that her pimp thought she was turning tricks and pocketing the money. She said she’d met someone and liked him and that was who she was with when the pimp accused her of short changing him. She panicked and told him she’d been raped. When he pressed her for details, she blurted my name to appease him. She thought he’d back off knowing I was in an MC, but instead he insisted she report me. We’d had a run-in or two with this pimp in the past for running girls on our turf. He doesn’t know me personally but he does know our club. When Peaches declined, he slapped her around until she agreed. Which explains the bruises and the report naming me. Doesn’t make me forgive her but it does explain her actions a little.

It’s been several weeks since that all occurred and life has been quiet and easy since then. Living with Pippa and Craig is as good as I knew it could be. He’s become mine and Trigger’s shadow and it’s rare that he doesn’t have one of us in his sight. Nothing I like better in this world than walking into our home and hearing his giggles and seeing Pippa’s face. No matter what’s happened that day, those two things calm my mind and soul.

Ava, Pippa, Craig and I are at the animal rescue today. Gunner keeps sending me text messages begging me to not let Ava bring home another pet. I laugh at his pansy ass every time and I’m getting a lot of amusement out of sending him pics of Ava holding or petting various animals. The man is living in fear right now and a dark part of my heart is loving that shit.

The rescue is spread out over several acres and Craig is wandering around checking out each and every animal. His smile is so wide it must hurt by now. I can see him standing in the doorway of a small, barn-type shelter talking to someone inside. I can hear the women cooing and chattering to all the animals. Me? I don’t care what he chooses, as long as it makes him smile, and it won’t eat him. That’s important to note.

I watch as Craig races back to me and slides to a stop. He grins mischievously and that should have been my first warning.

“Does it matter to you what animal I pick, Pooh?”

“No reptiles. You know how Pippa feels about them. But other than that, you can pick out whatever one you like best, buddy.”

“Promise?”

“It’s your pet so it’s your choice, Craig.”

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