After speaking with Axel, I search for Hammer as I need him to look at the rough blueprint I sketched. I’m not sure that my idea works because of all the measurements that will need to be examined, but at least Hammer will know what I have in mind.
I see him in the dining area and walk over to sit with him at the table. ‘Hi Hammer, I’ve got a blueprint sketched out of the idea I have in my head. Do you want to have a look at it?’
‘For sure, I’m just finishing the notes we need for the equipment in the kitchen area. There are a lot of things to consider,’ Hammer grins. ‘Go get your plans. Let’s be looking at them.’
Excited, I rush upstairs to my room, but I’m a bit surprised that my bedroom door is open. I never leave it open, and if it had a lock on it, I would lock it. It’s something left over from being in jail. You never leave your things open to be stolen.
Taking my cellphone from my back pocket, I ring Hammer. It only takes a couple of rings before he picks up. ‘What’s up, Mia?’
‘Can you come to my room, Hammer? I have a bit of a problem.’
‘Yeah, two minutes, and I’m with you.’
Pushing my door open a little more, I see the total devastation of the room. The few clothes I have are torn and thrown around. All the plans and notes I had taken are ripped to shreds on the top of the dresser. I don’t want to see anymore, so I lean my back on the doorframe and wait for Hammer.
I know I will have to call Axel too, but he’s gone to the nightclub to look at all the stock. I don’t want to worry him when let’s face it; he can do nothing about this.
Running my hands through my hair, I take the tie from my wrist and quickly braid it and tie it back. Looking up, I see Hammer rushing towards me.
‘What’s up, Mia? Are you okay?’
‘I’m okay, Hams, but you got to look at this.’ and I step back into the hallway so Hammer can walk past.
‘What the fuck.’ turning to look at me, ‘Who the fuck would do this, Mia?’ I shrug. He places his arm around my shoulders, ‘Come on, Mia, sit in my room a minute while I contact a few of the brothers.’
We walk down four doors, and Hammer opens his bedroom door, ‘Take a seat, babe, I’ll be back in a minute.’
I can hear Hammer walking back down the hallway, and I rub my hands together, feeling pretty pissed at the moment. More about all the hard work we just lost when all my notes were ripped to shreds.
Hearing a few more feet pounding down the hallway, I walk over and peek out the door to see Buzz and TwoCents looking into my room. I hear Hamer talking to Axel as every few words he’s saying Pres.
I like Hammer and started calling him Hams, especially when we were teasing each other, but I know he is spitting with anger at the moment.
‘Hams, I gotta check my blades,’ I shout as I rush out of his room and past them all, standing in the doorway. I have to shove a bit, but I get through. Rushing to the top of the bed, I pull up the mattress and take a deep breath of relief when I see my box of knives still intact.
I sit on the bed, open the box, and am very thankful the four knives are safe. These were the first thing I purchased when I left jail and earned enough to invest in my safety. These were the reason I was never overly frightened on my own because I always had two of them on my body. I thought those times were over, but looking around the room, apparently not.
Opening the second drawer in the dresser, I take out the bag, which holds the whetstone, oil, and cloth. I also take out the knife sheaths, one for my calf and one for the belt on my jeans.
‘You don’t need those, Mia,’ Hammer says, stepping towards me, ‘We’ll watch your back.’
‘I thought my days of watching my back were over, Hams, but apparently not,’ I whisper, mainly to myself. Buzz and TwoCents look like they will blow their stack any moment, but I don’t hang around to clean up yet because I have a statement to make.
Back in the common room, I find a small table and dining chair and place them in the middle of the room. Everyone will be able to see what I’m doing. I don’t speak to anyone, and especially not the women who are all watching closely.
Taking out the whetstone, I open the box of knives and start meticulously sharpening. I glide the blade up and down using the oil, making the grating noise I love to hear.
I flick my eyes around the room, not making it clear that I’m checking out who is here and paying attention. Abbie approaches after a few minutes, places a glass of soda on the table, squeezes my shoulder, then walks away.
Axel rushes through the main door into the common room with Drag close behind. He walks over and places a kiss on my head. ‘What’s going on? Are you okay?’
‘I’m okay, Axel. I was just shocked, is all. Hammer is in my room, but I’m not sure he will see anything that shows who did it.’ I respond. Axel gives me a nod, then walks away to look at the damage.
Drag squeezes my shoulder, then grabs a chair and sits next to me. He leans forward and quietly asks, ‘Any ideas, Mia? I don’t give a fuck who it is. I want to know who’s done this?’
‘I do not know, Drag. I’ve had no issues with anyone really except the club women, but that is normal for MCs, isn’t it?’
‘If I find out any of these bitches did this, they won’t be here long,’ Drag states loudly, looking around and eyeing each of the club women as he does so.
‘It wouldn’t be Abbie. She has been great. We’re getting a nice friendship going. I honestly cannot see her doing any of this.’
‘I agree, Mia, she’s a cut above the others,’ Drag watches me sharpening for a while. ‘Why are you sharpening your knives? Do you think you’re going to be in danger?’
‘I don’t know, but I will not leave myself wide open, either. My whole life seems to revolve around trouble since I met Gunner, anyway. Before that, I was just an ordinary woman who worked in a bank. Never bothered anyone, and they never bothered me.’ I turn to give Drag a close look, ‘If anyone comes for me this time, I’m doing whatever I need to do.’
‘Are you finished?’
‘Yeah,’ and I place one knife in the sheath on my calf and the other in the one on my belt laying against my spine.
We walk out of the common room, going upstairs to my room. Now we’ll find out what Axel and Hammer have decided to do or found.
Entering my bedroom, Drag and I step inside, and we both pick up a bag, which has been filled with ruined clothes. I take note that Hammer has all the notes in another bag and a look of such anger.
‘It’s okay, Hams. I can get the information again because I bookmarked it all in my browser. I had put most of my notes on the laptop too so I can reprint it all.’
‘Hams? You call him Hams?’ Axel says with a wicked grin on his face, much to Drag’s amusement.
‘She sure does, but if anyone else says it, I’ll hammer blow the fuck outta them.’
I walk up to Hammer and give him a big hug, then smile before stepping to Axel and wrapping my arms around his waist, and leaning my head on his chest.
‘Any idea who did this, Pres?’ Drag asks, scanning the room, but it doesn’t look anywhere near as bad as it did.
‘No, and I don’t think we will. But I’m going to speak to Specs, don’t mention it, but we’ll have a camera in the hall, then if anyone else comes in, we’ll know it.’ Axel states gruffly, ‘Keep this between the four of us for now.’
I check around the room and see nothing for me to wear later. Everything I owned, gone. I’m ready to scream bloody murder.
‘Okay, Mia, I’m gonna call Target to take you to town, buy everything you need. This is on me as your ol’ man, so no arguments at all.’ Axel says, wrapping his arms around me, kissing me on the forehead.
We all head down to the commons room, each carrying garbage bags, which is the totality of my belongings. Axel stops in the middle of the room and shouts, ‘When I find who did this, they are out, women, or brother. If you know anything or you hear anything, you come to me. If I find out you didn’t, then I’ll see you as part of this shit.’
Carrying our bags to the main door, Axel tells Jig, one of the prospects, to get rid of them. Then he pulls out his cell. When he speaks, I know he’s talking to Target, who was in the compound on gate duty.
A few minutes later, Jig goes to the gatehouse, and Target walks in, asking what’s happening and what he can do.
‘You’re goin’ shopping with Mia. She needs a complete new wardrobe. All she has is what she’s wearing, so you’re in for some major shopping.’ Axel tells him, then hands over his card, telling him to make sure I get everything I could need.
That is how I end up at the mall shopping like a clothes fiend, with Target laden down with bags, but we’re both laughing and enjoying ourselves, nonetheless.
