In the Arms of the Beast (Kings of Hell MC 5)

“Clean up, and we’ll see you in the common room once you’re done. We’ve got a fuckload to discuss,” he said before leaving them to talk in private.

Gray nodded, cuddling Shadow even tighter. “Yeah. We’re fine,” he said but was already sliding to his knees by his man’s side.

Beast closed the door behind him and could breathe normally only once he put distance between himself and the meetings room, joining his brothers. They were on his side, even if the punishment that had been necessary had left a bitter aftertaste in Beast’s mouth.

He walked past his friends, who’d waited for him to take the lead, but before they could have reached the end of the corridor, Laurent emerged from a spare bedroom and blocked their way.

What Beast needed right now was a cold beer, not more arguing, but judging by Laurent’s combative stance, Beast wouldn’t be getting back rubs.

“How could you do this to Shadow? He doesn’t know any better! If anything, it’s Gray who should be punished!”

A cold sensation clawed at Beast’s shoulders. He sensed the gazes of his brothers picking at his flesh. But his thoughts turned elsewhere when he noticed that Laurent’s hands were free. “Did you leave it on its own?” he asked sharply.

Laurent seemed confused for half a second, as if he didn’t expect the change of subject. Did he actually think Beast would be fine getting schooled by a man half his size in front of others? Not to mention Laurent had outed himself as an eavesdropper, and the last thing Beast needed was Gray hearing about this and demanding punishment for Laurent just to spite Beast.

“I… no! Of course not.” Laurent pulled a small backpack he was wearing to his side and showed Beast the egg. “You’ve already asked me this!” He looked at the others without a trace of timidness. “I am a responsible man. I can be trusted.”

“Except when you listen to conversations you’ve been removed from by the prez,” Rev said coolly, and his tone had sweat beading between Beast’s shoulder blades. This needed to be nipped in the bud, but before he could have spoken, Joker moved forward and would have poked the egg if Laurent hadn’t stepped back.

“That the hell is this fancy egg? It’s way past Easter.”

Laurent zipped up the backpack. “This is no ‘fancy egg’. This is a child, so please do not touch it or toy with it. Beast, your meeting was so long, and you haven’t told them? Thanks to Mr. Magpie, we will have a child of our own.”

The long silence that ensued would have been stressful if Beast hadn’t gone numb. Until now, the egg had been somehow less real. For a moment, he could barely hear anything at all until Knight let out a loud laugh and poked him in the ribs.

“What? You had a threesome with Magpie?”

Laurent gasped. “How dare you? Beast and I are married. That means we’ve taken a vow of fidelity. We don’t engage in lewd acts with other men!”

The amused snorts coming from behind Beast’s back were like a bucket of icy water poured over his head. He couldn’t believe this was happening. They’d only made this decision earlier tonight. He wasn’t ready to explain it all to his friends when he hadn’t even processed it himself.

“I’ll join you shortly,” he said through his teeth and grabbed Laurent’s arm, itching to take him somewhere private.

“This is a matter everyone should be aware of. Just like I should have been made aware of the disappearance of the Pigeon Heart!” Laurent struggled against the pull but he was no match for Beast, so it wasn’t hard to navigate him away from others. “You’re hurting me!”

Beast took a deep breath and loosened his hold, settling on pushing Laurent forward instead. “Be quiet,” he whispered, speeding up by the second. What he wanted now was a few hours on his own, with cold air blowing into his face and his bike trembling between his thighs, but he was the club president and a husband, and he could no longer prioritize his own needs.

The silence Laurent treated him to came from a place of anger, not humility, so he braced himself for more whining once they were alone.

Unable to hold back any longer, he led Laurent into one of the empty rooms and locked the door behind them. A cramp had been pulling at a muscle in the back of his neck on the way there, so he rolled his head, trying to rid himself of its insistent presence. “What the hell was that? I am the club president. You do not confront me in front of my men!”

He’d expected an apology, or maybe understanding, but, Laurent only stood taller, as if that could have helped his cause. “Is that what the club does? Hurt its members? Or their partners for that matter? What in the name of God is happening?”