Chapter 183: Day Off
*Heard what happened, take the day. Let me know if you need tomorrow. – Werewolf*
Knuckles lay on the bed with Nessie asleep on his shoulder. He knew that the brothers had heard her screaming at night. Before they had started sleeping together, he had heard it. He had been the one to force her door open to make sure that she was okay. After that night, her door was never locked at night.
Cameras were added the next day as a precaution.
Whoever was on screen duty was to always have a camera on her. At first, there were no exceptions. When she and Knuckles started getting serious, he became the one exception. He had only turned them off once. They turned audio off the majority of the time.
He knew that the club was aware that nothing was going on between them. It was hard to hide that fact when someone always saw what was going on.
The majority of the club had heard her screaming herself awake, her whimpering in her sleep. They had seen her be startled into a panic attack and cry over reasons unknown to the men.
They had also been at the receiving end of her temper. Nessie had put them in their places. Chastised the old ladies for the way they treated the club girls and each other. Told the club girls to enjoy their youth and beauty but have a fecking plan for the long haul.
When she first wanted the girls to work around the clubhouse, she was met with strong resistance. The girls didn’t want to work when all they had to do was be available. The old ladies didn’t want the girls around them or their husbands. And certainly not around the kids.
In her no nonsense, blunt and colorful Nessie way, she got the girls to work, the old ladies to treat them better and the men to respect them.
Her sweet accent also helped.
Spider had said that a woman with an accent could ask for one thing and would receive ten. So far that seemed pretty accurate.
Knuckles was laying in bed with Nessie curled up to him and a black pile of cats on the other side of him. A year ago, if you had told him that this would be his life, he would have laughed and told you to fuck off. Now, he lay still trying not to disturb his woman or their cats.
With nothing else to do, his mind wandered over the changes in his life and the clubhouse. He was happy and content. That was a good way to describe the Shack also.
Maybe not today.
His phone was blowing up with people checking on Nessie. Brothers. Old ladies. Club girls. Kids. And not just from the Shack.
His brother and dad had also messaged him. And Zero and LJ. Mia had messaged to check on how dinner went. And then to find out how Nessie was.
Trigg had messaged and mentioned that Brute told him that Knuckles was going to propose. He assumed that the date from last night is when it happened. Trigg offered to brush off his wedding book and officiate.
He had done a lot of that lately. His daughter finally married her long-time fiancée. Although why after three kids was anyone’s guess.
Then he did Mia and Celt’s wedding.
And Taz and Riffraff.
He would be doing Evie, Tank and Ink’s wedding Christmas Eve.
If Nessie hadn’t already told him that she wanted a hand binding ceremony, he would have jumped at the offer.
He considered looking up a hand binding ceremony when Nessie started to stir. She whimpered and spoke low enough that he was not sure what she said.
“Shhhh shhh.” He soothed against her hair. “I’m here, babe. I’ve got you.”
One of the cats got on his chest and nuzzled her cheek. He then laid down on Knuckles chest between her neck and arm and began to purr. As always, the other two followed.
Anyone that said cats were aloof, unfeeling and detached, had never seen cats as a familiar to a witch.
Nessie would never call them familiars. Just as she would never call herself a witch. But in all honesty, that is exactly what they were.
The only thing missing was a pointed hat and flying broom.
Clay had tried to get her to dress up as a sexy witch for Halloween. She had politely declined. But in her own special way.
“Feck no. Go eat some pussy and I’ll put that God awful outfit on.” Then she grinned at him, got what her girls called the morning twinkle in her eyes and asked, “Have yeh thought about wearing a kilt? Make it easier for that man of yers to feck the hell out of yeh.”
That was all that the club needed. Trevor’s little man running around in a kilt. The man was a freak who liked spontaneous sex in random places. Knuckles had walked into way too many rooms where they were going at it.
Of course, Clay himself was a complete contradiction. Flaming gay man. Had been a sniper with the Navy SEALS. Was now an interior designer. Had no problem doing an occasional job for Werewolf.
Not design related.
“What are yeh thinking about that has yeh making such a face?” Nessie asked quietly.
Knuckles looked down at where her head lay and then followed the line of site she had. There in the darkened TV screen was a reflection of them. He grinned at her before kissing her hair.
“Going to sound a little odd, but Clay.”
“Aye, tis odd.” She agreed.
“Mind is just wandering and it ended up on Clay and Trevor. They are so opposite and yet so good together.”
“Aye. One is little and not scary looking while being a killer. The other one is huge and intimidating and the biggest teddy bear ever.”
“Biggest being the important word. How are you feeling?”
“Better. Mum always said a nap is a good cure. Whiskey is also up there on the list.”
He chuckled. “Your mum said whiskey and mine said hot tea.”
“I say both.” She grinned up at him before her face became more serious. “I love yeh. And yer patience-”
Knuckles put a finger on her lips to silence her. “I love you, too. That’s all you ever have to say. You don’t have to qualify anything you tell me. And you don’t have to thank me for doing the right thing.”
Nessie reached over and linked their fingers together. “I’m scared that I’ll lose yeh.”
“Me too. But life is boring without a little fear.”
“Yer dah says that.”
“He does.” He brought her hand to his lips. “Tell me what you want to do today. I have the day off.”
“Why?”
“Because the boss man said so.”
“Because of me?”
“Because under all that gruff, is a romantic with a heart of gold. Just don’t tell anyone you know his secret.”
“He sends his wife flowers every week.”
“Really?”
“Aye. Don’t think it. I don’t need dead plants around me.”
“I know what we’re doing.” He said dialing a number on his phone.
“What are we doing?” she asked and he just grinned.
“Werewolf, I want to take Nessie out to the greenhouse. Yeah. Okay. Law and Sledge are fine. No. Better keep James away from me. We’ll be ready in an hour.”
“A greenhouse? For what?” She asked as he ended the call and set the phone down.
“You’re getting a greenhouse for Christmas.” He smiled at her.
“Yer building me a greenhouse?” She sat up excitedly.
“Me? No. Don’t even know how to use a hammer. Cookie and his crew are building it.” He reached out to cup her smiling face with both hands. “It’s from the club and the girls.”
“Yeh swing it.” Nessie said and then laughed at his confused look. “A hammer. Yeh swing it.”
Knuckles pulled her down and kissed her. “Jokes, huh? Glad you got jokes. Go get a shower my little jokester.”
