Page 26 of Friar
“Keep walking,” Friar murmured, his hand pressing more firmly against my back.
I let him guide me deeper into the room, feeling like a specimen under glass.Women I didn’t recognize looked me up and down, their gazes lingering on my stomach as if they could see through my loose-fitting shirt to the slight curve beneath.Men nudged each other, whispering comments I couldn’t hear but could easily imagine.
Near the back corner, at a table partially hidden by shadows, I spotted two more members.Squinting a little, I thought their patches said they were called Snake and Hawk.They sat with heads bent close, watching our entrance with undisguised interest.Snake’s lip twitched with barely contained amusement, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he leaned back in his chair.He whispered something to Hawk, who shook his head slightly, though I caught the ghost of a smile beneath his stern exterior.
My pulse raced faster, blood rushing in my ears nearly drowning out the music.Sweat prickled along my hairline and down my spine, my body’s fight-or-flight response kicking into overdrive.I kept my chin up through sheer force of will, but my hands trembled so badly I had to clench them into fists at my sides.
“Everyone knows,” I whispered, my voice barely audible even to myself.“They all know about… about the baby.”
“Of course they do,” Friar replied, his voice calm but pitched for my ears alone.“No secrets in an MC.Not the important ones.”
We continued our slow procession through the room, each step feeling like walking through molasses.Friar’s hand never left my back, his touch firm and steady, a silent statement of possession and protection.His body angled slightly in front of mine, creating a barrier between me and the most openly hostile stares.
“Breathe,” he reminded me softly.“You belong here now.With me.”
I drew in a shaky breath, focusing on the warmth of his hand rather than the coldness of the stares tracking our movement.Some of the men nodded to Friar as we passed, a gesture of respect that didn’t quite extend to me.A few of the women whispered behind their hands, their eyes sharp with speculation or outright dislike.
We were heading toward a table at the far end of the room, slightly elevated on a small platform.Beast sat there, his massive frame commanding attention even while seated.A woman perched beside him, her hand resting possessively on his thigh.Her eyes met mine, and I couldn’t read the expression there -- not outright hostility, but certainly not welcome either.Was she his wife?
As we approached, Beast rose to his feet, his movement drawing all eyes in the room.He was an imposing figure, his presence somehow filling more space than his physical body.He looked at us -- at me -- with an unreadable expression that made my throat go dry.
“Brothers,” he called out, his voice cutting through the music and scattered conversations.The room fell instantly silent, the respect for his authority palpable.“Church.Now.”
The single command sent a ripple of motion through the clubhouse.Men drained their drinks and stubbed out cigarettes, moving with purpose toward the hallway.Nugget finally looked in my direction, his expression conflicted before he quickly joined the exodus.
“You too,” Beast said, nodding at Friar.“Bring her.”
Friar’s hand tightened briefly on my back before he guided me forward, following in Beast’s wake.The remaining club members parted before us like water, their gazes burning into my back as we walked.I heard whispers, caught fragments of questions and speculations that made my cheeks burn.
“She’s really Friar’s old lady now?”
“Knocked up by who, though?”
“Beast is actually allowing this?”
I kept my eyes fixed straight ahead, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.Whatever was waiting for us in the room they called Church, I would face it with as much dignity as I could muster.Not just for myself anymore, but for my baby.For Friar, who had staked his reputation on claiming me.
For the family we were somehow, against all odds, creating together.
Their Church was nothing like the sanctuaries I’d spent my Sunday mornings in growing up.No stained glass, no polished pews, no altar.Instead, a massive wooden table dominated the space, scarred with cigarette burns, knife marks, and decades of spilled drinks.The walls were covered with framed photographs of men in Reckless Kings cuts -- only some of them were sitting around this very table.Heavy wooden chairs lined both sides, filled now with leather-clad bodies, their patches catching the light from overhead fixtures.The air was thick with tension and the lingering scent of tobacco as Beast took his place at the head of the table.
Friar guided me to stand near the wall, his body positioned protectively behind mine.I felt like an intruder in a sacred space.I’d been told women didn’t typically witness these meetings.The men settled into their chairs, some openly glaring at me, others keeping their gazes fixed on Beast.Whispers and murmurs rippled around the table, too low for me to catch specific words but carrying unmistakable tones of discontent.
Beast remained standing, his massive hands resting flat on the table’s surface.He surveyed the room with measured patience, waiting until the last member had taken his seat before raising a single hand.The gesture wasn’t dramatic or forceful, but the effect was immediate -- complete silence fell, as if someone had cut the power to a speaker system.
“Brothers,” Beast began, his voice carrying easily through the room.“As you’ve all heard by now, Friar has claimed Cheri Waite as his old lady.”His gaze swept the table, making brief eye contact with each man.“And he’s claiming her unborn child, regardless of biology.”
A muscle in his jaw twitched as he added, “I’ve already given my approval to this arrangement.”
The silence that followed lasted only seconds before it shattered.
“This is bullshit,” growled a burly biker with a salt-and-pepper beard that reached halfway down his chest.He slammed a meaty fist on the table, making ashtrays jump.“Since when do club whores get old lady status just because they got knocked up?Girl spreads her legs for half the club in one night, then shows up crying pregnancy, and suddenly she’s wearing one of our brother’s patches?”
My cheeks burned hot with shame and anger.I wanted to defend myself, to tell them I wasn’t what they thought, but my throat closed around the words.Beside me, I felt Friar tense, his body coiling like a spring ready to release.
“Watch your mouth,” Friar said, his voice dangerously quiet.
Beast shot Friar a warning look before turning his attention back to the table.“You’ve had your say.Anyone else?”
