Page 8 of Claimed

He opened the book andread the bills and the marks she’d made to pay them.Then he lookedup at her.“Since you need an attitude adjustment before we fuck,I’m going to go haveabeer.”

He pulled on some shorts and took hernotebook with him, her protests echoing on deaf ears as he left.The clubhouse was full of people and he grabbed a cold beer fromthe bar before heading to chapel with Layla’s notebook.He sat inhis seat and laid out her papers before him.

“What are you doing inhere alone?”One of the women, he couldn’t remember her name,peeked her headintothe room.“Wow.That’s some bulgeyou’ve got.Need someone to take care of it for you?”

She took a step forward and stopped when heglared at her.“Out.”

Turning, she left without another word.Silver sat back in his chair and went over all her bills.She’dmade notes in the notebook about how she’d pay them off.Thepaycheck for the restaurant went to the bill for Chrissy’s chemo.The paycheck from the gas station went toward groceries.Thepaycheck from the pet store went to rent.The paycheck from thebookstore went toward other medical bills.He looked at thepaycheck’s sums and knew without adding it up that none of it wasenough.Four jobs and she didn’t make enough to survive.Hecouldn’t imagine her throwing three other mouths to feed inthere.

He reached for a cigaretteand lit it.She had everything mapped out.When she got paid.Howmuch she worked.How much was deducted from her check for takingoff to take Chrissy to thedoctor.She’d missed a fewdays with “jail” written next to them.That gave him pause.Did shego visit Torque?Did he deny her money?

Silver sat back and sippedthe beer.There was no way that Torque would deny Layla money.Hefucked around a lot, but Layla was the only child he ever claimed.Silver thought it waslargelybecause of her mother, butTorque never questioned it and took responsibility as much as hecould.A wave of women started claiming they were pregnant with hischild after that and he told them all to fuck off.Layla was hispride and joy.Silver knew Torque would help her in any possibleway he could.So why did she come to him?

“Hey.”Joker came in theroom.

He closed the notebook.Silver rubbed hiseyes and puffed his smoke.“You come to give me shit about fuckingLayla?”

Joker swiped a hand over his face.“What youdo is your fucking business.But Torque is not going to likeit.”

“Fuck Torque.”Silverleaned back with his beer in one hand and the cigarette in theother.“She came to me because she needed money.I thought he wouldhave helped her when she went to see him, but hedidn’t.”

Joker frowned.“What?Why wouldn’t he helpher?He worships the fucking ground that girl walks on.”

“I don’t fucking know.”Heshook his head, puffing his cigarette.“She works four jobs.Sheinherited her three sisters.One sister has cancer.She’s tryingtoo fucking hard to keep herself afloat.Hell, Joker, she lived ina roach infested apartment and was about to get evicted when I wentto see her.Why the fuck would he not help her?”

Joker pulled a seat out at the table.“Soshe called you?”

“Yeah.”He tapped hiscigarette in the nearly full ashtray.“Offered to become clubproperty.”

Joker’s eyes widened.“Oh, I know Torquewouldn’t like that.”

Silver sat his beer in front of him.“I gaveher the money.”

“For sex?”

“That’s the arrangement,but you know goddamn well that it’s more than that.”

Silver didn’t know what the fuck it wasabout her that had him tangled in knots.One moment she was sweetlysubmissive and the next moment she was sassy and pushing back.Allof it turned him on and had for longer than he wanted to admit.

“Yeah, you’ve beenworshiping that girl since she hit puberty.”Joker lit up hiscigarette.“Torque will cut off your balls too if he ever finds outyou’re fucking her in exchange for money.”

He’d deal with one shit storm at a time.“Since you’re the secretary, can you handle this shit?”

He pushed the notebook toward him.Joker hada degree in Accounting.Worked some time as a CPA.He understoodall the numbers and the figures better than anyone else.It was themain reason why Torque made him secretary of the Charming BastardsMC.

Joker glanced up from Layla’s notebook.“Yeah.I’m assuming this cash she’s designated is your money.”

“Yeah.”After taking onelast drag, he stamped out his cigarette and sipped his beer.“Sheneeds more.Make sure it’s all taken care of.”

“Why are you helping her?”Joker sat back, drawing from his smoke.“I mean I get beingobsessed withpussy,but you never spend money onwomen.You’ve been saving for the fucking house for how long?Youhave well over enough to buy a decent place without the mortgage.Why would you suddenly give her this kind of cash without demandingsomething in return?’Cause I know you’re not demanding her to fuckyou.Torque would cut your fucking heart out with a dull blade ifyou harmed her inanyway.”

Silver felt fatigue wearing on him.“I don’tknow.She’s Layla.Everyone loves her.There really isn’t aspecific reason as to why.”

Joker chuckled.“Fucking whipped.Damn it.”He closed the notebook.“I’ll take care of it first thing in themorning.She won’t have to worry about any of it.”

Silver stood.He grabbedhis beer and slapped Joker on the back as he headed out ofthechapel.A new member and a blonde werefucking in the hallway.Silver bypassed them on the way to hisroom.

Inside, Layla lay naked onthe bed, her arms still cuffed to the headboard.The sight of herhad his half-harddickfull staff.He closed the door andlocked it, before tipping his beer to his lips.

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