Page 52 of Mav

Bitty: I’m on my way, and I’ve got popcorn.

Blake enters the living room, with Mav right behind her. A plate of snacks is in their hands and they take a seat. Mav messes with the remote and the movie starts. I stuff a piece of one of the snacks in my mouth and give Mav a stare down. Well, it would be if the fucker would look my way.

The front door opens and I grin, knowing full well who is joining this lovely movie night.

“Yoo-hoo, I thought I’d come watch the movie with you. I’ve brought popcorn.” Bitty saunters into the living room, throws her jacket on the back of the spare chair and takes a seat. Giving Mav a shit-eating grin as she does.

Both myself and Bitty keep giving Mav looks that I’m sure he’s ignoring, and he cuddles up to Blake watching the TV. Not once does the fucker look at Bitty or me, but from the tip of his lip, I can tell he knows we’ve appeared for movie night on purpose.

“You okay there, Ed?” Mav asks.

“I’m fine. You okay?” I respond, but give Bitty a look that tells her I know what he’s up to.

Bitty giggles, “We’re all fine, Mav. What about you Blake, are you fine?”

“Oh, I’m good, thank you, Mama.” Blake is blind to the tension in the room, and looks happy to have all three of us here. She is a darling and I’m sure she has to be the kindest person I’ve met.

“Tomorrow you’ve got to come to the clubhouse, Blake. Something is happening, and the girl gang is all going to be battening down the hatches, so to speak. Now you are Mav’s girl, you need to come too, and be added to the gang,” Bitty states, and I give her a sharp look because what the hell is a girl gang? I’m not sure I like the sound of that.

Mav kisses Blake on her cheek before speaking, “Yeah, you need to be at the clubhouse tomorrow. What about you, Ed? Do you think you could go along with Blake, you know, make sure she’s okay?”

Now, I puff my chest out because I’m a PawPaw and anyone messes with my girl and they mess with me. I don’t care that I can’t run anymore, I’ll do damage anyway I can. “Of course I can go with her. Just need the time and I’ll be here ready.”

“What is going on that I need to go there?” Blake asks while giving Mav a frown on her face.

“It’s fight night, and I’m going to be fighting, but don’t you go worrying. I’ll be fine. It’s the other one that needs to worry,” Mav grins, but the frown on Blake’s face hasn’t disappeared. “We just need to know all the women will be safe while we are working, and we’ll be leaving Specs and Sting at the clubhouse with you. But the girl gang are quite capable of keeping themselves and the clubhouse safe. Remember, I told you Winter is a sniper, and she's been teaching some of the others how to use a weapon. We don't envisage trouble at the clubhouse, so it’s a precaution only. But if Ed will go along with you, I’ll feel easier.”

“I’ll go along and make sure everyone is safe. Oh, I’ve someone coming to check out the yard, Blake. Sorry for the change in topic, but you know my memory isn’t as good as it was.” That took the frown from Blake's face and was my intention.

“Watch the movie or it’ll be over before we know it,” Bitty snaps, and fills her face with more popcorn.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

-:- MAV -:-

I knew what Ed and Bitty were up to last night, and not reacting to their staring was the best way to handle it. They deflated fast when they realized they were not getting anywhere with their antics. Giving Ed responsibility for Blake tonight softened his attitude and I know I can win him over, given a little time.

“Everyone in church now,” BS shouts as he passes through the common room. We all follow behind and take our usual seats while waiting for Axel, Buzz and Drag to appear.

Knuckles is sitting quietly next to me, lazily leaning back in his seat with his arms folded over his massive chest. But it’s the look of peace on his face that attracts my attention. “You okay, Knuckles?”

“I’m more than okay. I have my woman, my club brothers, the best food in America thanks to Meat, and tonight I’m gonna pound some asshole's head into the ground. What better way of spending my life!”

“Well, I suppose when you put it like that, it is a good way to spend your life,” I respond with a chuckle. “I like the way you added Meat’s cooking into your good life.”

Hearing grunting, I look to my left and see Meat with a smug grin on his face. He obviously overheard our conversation, but Wings joins with his own comment. “Well, I only came here for Meat’s cooking, and nothing and nobody is going to have me move from the brotherhood at this point.”

“Me either,” Chaos adds, “We were a brotherhood before, and we will stay as one until we are six feet under.”

Target, BS and Stitch were all brothers together in the military, and they’ll certainly stay brothers until their time on earth ends. That is a given, and every brother in this room knows it.

Axel, Drag and Buzz walk into church and take their seats. Axel quickly opens the meeting and gets right to it. “Okay brothers, we have our mission tonight to take down the fuckers who are murdering innocent fighters. You all know what you have to do, and I’ve spoken to you all about your role tonight. Mav, you make sure you get your man down fast. Don’t kill him, just get him down and out so we can get you out of that cage.

“Knuckles, you watch Mav’s back, and Colton, you strut around like a pimp on his best day at the brothel. Keep as many eyes on you as you can and that’ll give us the chance to get fuckers that have their backs to us.”

“I can do that, Pres.” Colton grins, rubbing his hands together. But it’s the fuckin’ twinkle in his eye I’m worried about.

“Any questions about this evening?” Axel asks and nobody has an issue because we all know what is going to happen and how. Axel, Buzz and Drag have spoken with all of us, making sure we know our position and what we have to do.

---