“The cop said he was here following the DePalma’s. But did he already know this is where Chelsea was or was it just a coincidence?”

“My head hurts,” I mumbled around a mouthful of food that I was struggling to swallow.

Op’s eyes softened as he looked at me. “I’m sorry, baby. But we need to sort this out and fast.”

I sighed, leaning my head on his shoulder. “I know. It’s just a lot to take in. I’ve been disconnected from my parents since I was five. Nobody knew them. Nobody talked about them. And now all of a sudden people are here, telling me things I didn’t even know about them.” I shuddered. “It’s weird.”

“We can talk about it later when the boys have done some digging and we have a better picture.” He wrapped his arm around me and tucked me into his side. I felt safe there. He looked over my head to Blizzard. “Didn’t you go out last night to pick up Rose? Where’s she at?”

Blizzard shook his head and shoveled some eggs into his mouth before he talked. “Tried to find her, but think she’s hiding from me. Called her and she said she was fine, that she was staying with her family. That’s all I got and she hung up.”

I instantly stiffened. I didn’t like the idea of her being around her dad. Although, I still had yet to meet the man, he sounded like a complete fucking asshole.

Op squeezed me. “What’s wrong? You think she’s in trouble?”

Blizzard was instantly alert, his food forgotten.

“I just don’t like her dad.”

“Why?” both the boys asked curiously.

I shifted uncomfortably. I promised Rose I wouldn’t tell anyone what was going on with her family and her dad. But we could protect her, the club could look out for her and help her.

“Her father is a little...strict,” I said, trying to find the right words so it wouldn’t send Blizzard off the deep end.

“Chelsea,” he growled, his eyebrows pulling together in the middle. “What does that mean?”

I chewed on my lip. “He wants her to excel. Maybe expects a little too much from her and can get a little heavy handed.”

I cringed, burying myself deeper into Op’s arms as Blizzard’s usually cool demeanor turned straight up angry. “He’s hitting her?”

“Sometimes I think, yes. Other times he gets more creative.” I screwed my nose up as I remembered seeing her hand all blistered and burnt.

“The hospital?”

I nodded. “He forced her hand onto the element.”

“Motherfucker!” He slammed his hands on the table, causing all our plates to jump and cutlery to scatter. “Why didn’t you fucking say something?”

“Calm down, brother,” Optimus growled.

“Because I promised I wouldn’t. I told her I would help her when the time came, but she’s gotta make that choice herself,” I told him sadly. I felt horrible. But I knew if I’d tried to take her away or get the club involved she would have just stepped back and started hiding things from me and I would never have been able to help her.

Blizzard pushed himself back from the table. “I gotta find her.”

“Blizzard, please. Just let her be! I’ll give her a ring later and check on her,” I pleaded with him, hoping he wouldn’t interfere. Not knowing what her dad would do to her if he did. His fists tightened before he let out a harsh grunt and stormed off.

Op gave me a squeeze. “So I guess he likes her, huh?”

I had to smile. Blizzard was a good guy, a bit of a manwhore, but a good guy. Maybe this was his changing moment. “I guess he does.”

“I’m going to help with the washing up,” I told Op, attempting to untangle myself from his arms but he continued to hold onto my tightly.

“The term ‘Old Lady’ mean anything to you?”

I smiled. “I’m not sure, could you use it in a sentence, please?”

“You don’t have to wash up because you’re an Old Lady,” he said sarcastically.

“You know, some might find that sentence offensive.” I felt a sharp pinch on my ass cheek and I jumped up. “Ow!”

I glared down at him, but he just grinned. “That’s what you get for being a smart-ass.”

I folded my arms across my chest. “How about this for a sentence. Now I’m your Old Lady I ain’t afraid to smack you in front of your brothers.”

I heard a half-choke half-laugh come from Slider, who was sitting at the next table. He beat his fist on his chest to clear it before he grinned over at us. “Bro, that’s why I don’t have one of them.”

“You just wait,” Op grumbled under his breath. “Fine, go help.”

I leaned down and kissed his cheek. “I’ll come find you when I’m done and we can go back to bed.”

His sour face turned into a smile and he tapped me on the butt as I walked away. I couldn’t help but grin as I walked through into the kitchen.

I was an Old Lady.

It wasn’t just that, though, I was Optimus’ Old Lady. I was his woman. And while I hadn’t come here searching to belong to someone, the feeling that I had right now was overwhelming. My heart was piecing itself back together. I finally had the man I loved, finally found the place I belonged.

And after all the heartache and pain I’d been through in my life, I could finally say it was worth it. It was worth fighting another day, week, month, year. It was worth it all.

I hummed to myself as I stacked the dishes and began scrubbing them in the hot water. I didn’t mind helping out. I’d done it for so long now, I felt like it was just a part of my routine. Just because Op had taken me and claimed me as his, didn’t make me feel like I was any better than the other girls who stayed here.

I didn’t feel like I had moved up and was worthy of more than they were. I knew what it felt like to be looked down on because of what I did for the club, and I refused to gain that mentality. We all took steps in life to better ourselves, for some girls this was it and that was okay.

I was about halfway through the massive pile of breakfast dishes when I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket, the sound of a popular rock band Ashes and Embers echoing in the room. Harmony had introduced me to the band’s music as her mom was their publicist. I fell in love with them. Hopefully, one day I’d be able to meet them too. I wiped my hands on a dish cloth and wiggled the phone from my tight jeans, hoping I could get it out before it stopped.

I saw Rose’s name on the screen and frantically hit the answer button. “Oh my gosh, Rose. I’ve been worried about you! Where are you?”

“Hey, Chel. I’m sorry. I just…I had to go see my family.” Her voice was soft and disjointed.

“Are you okay?”

She cleared her throat. “Yeah, um…I’m actually just outside the clubhouse. I need to talk to you, can you come out?”

“I’ll call the guards, they can let you in,” I told her, trying to remember who was on duty today.

“No. I…I can’t see him. I need to see you. Please, Chelsea,” she pleaded. I could hear the strain and the tears.

I threw the dishcloth on the counter and headed for the door. “Okay, okay. I’ll be there in a minute.”

I heard a relieved sigh. “Okay, I’m sitting under the trees just up the road.”

“Okay, I’ll be there soon.”

I looked around the main room as I walked through, Ham was at the bar, but there were no other brothers around. “Hey Ham, I’m just walking out to the gate.”

He raised an eyebrow, it almost looked comical. “Why?”

“Rose is there, I’m gonna try talk her into coming in, but she doesn’t want to see Blizzard.” I rolled my eyes. Those two needed to sort shit out, it was obvious something had gone on between them, but she wouldn’t tell me what the deal was whenever I asked.

Ham chuckled. “Geez, always so much drama with you women.”