Broni worriedly returned to the counter, beginning to fix a meal for the ones who would wake up hungry. How were they going to feed everyone with their limited supplies inside the club? Food scavenged from the outside was becoming scarce to find, that was why they had been so far from the clubhouse when she had been attacked.
When Broni heard loud noises coming from the outside, she went to the door. She opened it and stared in stupefaction as the gate was swung open by Mason and twelve huge RVs were driven inside, circling the club before parking.
Broni had to admit it was a brilliant move. Not only were the gates reinforced by the tremendous weights of the RVs, it gave the additional rooms needed for living and sleeping. Plus, from a purely defensive move, the height of the RVs would allow lookouts to see much better than on the ground.
The men stepped out of the RVs, coming inside the clubhouse, Rhys and Adam being the last to come inside. Once inside, the room quieted when Adam raised his hand, calling for their attention.
“Names will be drawn and everyone will be given a place to sleep. Those of you assigned to a RV will be expected to maintain them in case the city gets worse. We may need them to get us out of town. The women will be assigned two and the rest will be split up among the men. Three will remain empty for the brothers inside the clubhouse to use if we need to leave the city.”
“Bullshit! Why do the women need two of their own? We’d have more space for the men. The women all sleep with someone at night anyway.” Tank forced himself to the front of the crowd.
“I don’t give a fuck about what you think, Tank. The women get their own RVs,” Adam stated.
Broni would be grateful to have a space of her own again. She didn’t know how it was going to be, sharing living quarters with other women, but she was willing to try.
“I’m going to go ahead and address this now while everyone is listening, so no one misunderstands and comes crying to me later. During the day, the women are allowed to come and go as they please inside the clubhouse. No one will harass or touch them unless they are claimed as club property.
“Women, if you come in the clubhouse after nightfall, you become club property to use. If you don’t want the men to touch you, it’s simple: stay outside after dark. You’ll still be given food and shelter, though; so it’s your choice to make.”
Broni saw Tank and his friends begin talking among themselves as they moved nearer to Adam.
“I see a fucking bitch I want, I’ll take her. Inside or out, daylight or dark.”
Adam didn’t respond directly to Tank. “Anyone that doesn’t want to follow this rule can leave. Anyone who breaks this rule will deal with me.”
“Oh, I’m fucking scared,” Tank laughed.
Adam pulled his gun out of his pants and Tank lost his smile. “Tank, one more word out of your mouth and you’re gone. I’ve had it with your bullshit.”
Broni thought Tank was going to attack Adam for several seconds before he turned with a threatening glare and disappeared into the crowd. At that point, Broni relaxed, going to take a seat at an empty table. Adam found her there later and set a bottle of ibuprofen and antiseptic down in front of her.
“Thanks, Adam.”
“Don’t thank me; Rhys found them.”
Rhys came to the table, taking a chair.
“Thanks, Rhys.”
Broni opened the bottle of pain medication, taking two. Her hand was still swollen and sore, and the ibuprofen would definitely help.
“You’re welcome.”Even his voice sounded different. Deeper, richer.
Broni felt her body quiver as his eyes traveled over her figure. She raised her water to her lips, avoiding his gaze.
“The RVs were a good idea,” she complimented Adam.
“I can’t take the credit for those, either.” He glanced up at Rhys before turning back to her, giving her a hard stare. “I want you to say inside the clubhouse for now, Broni. Tank is a time bomb, and if he wants to make a strike on me, the dumbass will go for the woman I’ve been sharing my room with.”
Broni didn’t argue, seeing Tank staring at them from across the room.
“I agree. He’s a time bomb. What are you going to do about him?” As soon as she said the words, she knew she had overstepped the boundary Adam kept between them. He didn’t talk club matters to outsiders, and certainly not to women.
“I’ll deal with Tank when I need to deal with Tank. Right now, we need men. The streets are growing worse every day, and as much as I hate the bastard, he still can guard the gates.” He glared back at Tank as he spoke.
“Put some of that antiseptic on those scratches. A couple of them are looking infected.” He turned away then, going to the bar where Nikki and another woman sidled up to his side.
Broni met Rhys’s discerning gaze. Clearing her throat, she asked the question that had been going through her mind since he had entered the club, “So which one are you?”