Then he remembered all the dead Jokers. Maybe he was lucky. They’d managed to take out the majority of the ones who’d stormed the warehouse. Considering how out-gunned they’d been, they really were lucky to be alive.
“Padre?” Griffin asked suddenly, his heart skipping more than a couple beats. He remembered seeing Padre go down. Selena had said the man was alive, but he hadn’t gotten a chance to check before he’d passed out. Had she lied?
Doc nodded, putting a hand on Griffin’s bicep. “He’s gonna be fine. We’ve got him in the next room over. His old lady has been taking care of him pretty well. So’s Hannah. She got hit pretty hard, but that dog of yours is tough. We took her to a vet and had her all checked out. She’s got a clean bill of health.”
“And Rachel?” Griffin asked. His mouth went dry as he thought about her. He’d been worried about Padre and Hannah. Now that he knew they were both safe, thoughts of Rachel filled his mind. He was pretty sure she’d been unharmed, but his memories were fuzzy at best. Everything came in bits and pieces, blurring together until he wasn’t sure how everything actually went down.
“Just fine,” Doc said. Griffin let out a breath and closed his eyes, thanking any gods who were listening. “She just went out with some of the other women to get some food. She’d been by your side the entire time, and everyone figured she needed a bit of a rest herself, so you’re stuck with me keeping you company until she gets back.”
Griffin smiled. He pictured Rachel sitting by his side, holding his hand, praying for him. He didn’t deserve a woman like her. No one did. She was perfect in every way. And now that Gabriel was out of the way, she’d be free to lead her own life, to make her own way going forward. She didn’t need him hovering over her to keep her safe anymore.
Laughter jarred him out of his thoughts. He forced his eyes open just as Rachel came into the room alongside Callie. She froze just inside the doorway, her eyes locking on Griffin. He tried to smile at her, but already his strength was waning.
She rushed over to him, practically tackling him as she threw her arms around him best she could. Griffin let out a gasp as all the wind was knocked from his lungs, but he found the strength to hug her back. Rachel sobbed gently as Griffin patted her on the back.
Doc and Callie slipped out quietly, shutting the door behind themselves. They were alone, and suddenly Griffin couldn’t figure out what to say. Would she want to stick around, now that Gabriel was out of the picture? The rush of affection she’d shown when they’d locked eyes made him hopeful, but he was too afraid to latch on to it just yet.
Rachel continued to sob for a couple minutes, and Griffin held her the entire time. This wasn’t his first injury, but he figured she’d never been through anything nearly as traumatic. She was alive, though. That was the important part.
“I love you,” he said, squeezing her tight. Just having her in his arms made some of the ache go away. He would leave her alone if that was what she wanted, but he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. There wasn’t a single doubt in his mind. Even after everything they’d been through, he loved Rachel more than life itself. He would gladly do it all again if she needed him to.
Rachel pulled away, wiping away the tears with her sleeve. Her eyes were red and puffy from the crying, but they locked on to Griffin’s with a fierce intensity. Rachel looked right into him, into his very soul. Then, she smiled and nodded. “I love you, too.”
And that was all he needed to hear.
37
Griffin
Sliding his arm around Rachel’s waist, Griffin smiled at her. Things had been quiet and peaceful for the last couple of months, giving him and Rachel a chance to really get to know each other, without all the stress piled on top of everything. They’d gotten his apartment cleaned up together, and living in the same place was comfortable. They were able to relax around each other, able to coexist alongside each other without the constant need to be with each other every second of the day.
Griffin grinned as he remembered the night Rachel had come into the living room around two in the morning and found him sitting in the middle of it, computer parts strewn all around him. Tex’s computer had died, and Griffin had agreed to figure out what was wrong with it and get it back up and running again. But while he had it apart, he couldn’t help but give it an upgrade as well.
Rachel had taken one look at him, sitting there tinkering around with various parts and the largest cup of coffee he’d been able to make without drinking straight from the pot, and just stood there, hands on hip for a few moments. Then, she’d let out a sigh, shook her head, and went back to bed. Even the next morning when she’d awoken refreshed and Griffin had wanted to crawl in the bed for a few more hours of sleep, she’d just smirked at him and handed him fresh coffee.
She’d learned to accept his quirks, and he loved her for that. How many other women would put up with his constant need and desire to take things apart and put them back together? Though he hadn’t quite yet gotten around to building an entire bike in the middle of his living room just yet. Something told him she wouldn’t be quite as laid back about that one.
“I can’t believe Callie and Merc are getting married,” Rachel said, a wistful tone in her voice. Griffin’s heart rate spiked. When Griffin looked over at her, she was smirking at him, her eyes twinkling. She was screwing with him, thank all the gods. As much as he’d love to marry her, he doubted she was ready for that just yet. It’d only been a couple months since everything with Gabriel, and he wanted to give her time before that.
One day, though, they’d tie the knot themselves. Maybe even have an entire brood of children running around.
Rachel was nearing her due date, and she practically glowed. Every time he caught sight of her rounded stomach, he grinned. The baby would come along any day now, and he couldn’t wait to meet his little princess. They’d turned the guest bedroom into a nursery, since Rachel was content to stick around town, at least until the baby was born. Then she could sit down and figure out what she wanted to do. At least, that was what Griffin figured.
He still planned to go with her, wherever she wanted to go. He would follow her to the ends of the world if he had to.
38
Rachel
Laughter filled the small sitting area. The clubhouse was packed, with all the members and their significant others in attendance. It’d been a while since Rachel had seem them all gathered together, but she was glad they finally had something to celebrate. After they hell they’d all been through, they all needed something happy to do for once.
It’d taken a while, but she and Griffin had built up a routine together. This was the happiest Rachel had been in a very long time, and she hoped it would last. She hadn’t heard from Selena since that day in the warehouse, and she was glad. None of the Kings had heard from the Jokers, either. More than once, they’d gotten together to talk about it. Some of them wanted to believe they’d finally brokered a peace with the rival gang. Others weren’t so sure it would last.
Rachel hoped it would. Over the last couple months, she’d grown close to everyone in the club. They’d become the family she needed, more than the one she’d cut herself off from had ever been. She was thought to be dead, Gabriel missing, but her parents really didn’t care. She’d kept an eye on them for a while, waiting to see if they’d hold a memorial service, or try to retrieve any of her belonging, but they never did. They’d just continued on with their lives like nothing had happened.
Gabriel’s beatings had apparently left traces of her blood around the house. The Kings’ source in the police department told them they figure Gabriel had killed her months ago and dumped her body somewhere, since it’d been a while since she’d been seen in public. Her parents hadn’t even held a memorial service or anything for her.
She couldn’t imagine the Kings doing that. If she’d suddenly disappeared, they would all be out searching for her. They’d use every resource at their disposal to track her down. Just like the
y’d do for anyone else in the club. They weren’t just friends. They were family.
A family she didn’t want to leave.
She still had all the documents for her new identity. She’d been using them ever since Gabriel had been killed, not wanting to reveal herself right away. The longer time went on, though, the less she thought she wanted to go back to being Rachel Aaronson. She was starting to get used to being Ella Sanders. At the same time, she didn’t want to run away to some unknown part of the world and live her life alone, in hiding.
She sipped at her orange juice, wishing she could have something a bit stronger. The first thing she planned on doing once she finally had the baby was sitting down with a glass of wine! After everything she’d gone through, she deserved a glass. Or, you know, an entire bottle. She wasn’t picky.
Vlad sidled over to her, leaning against the counter. Griffin had told her his name wasn’t really Vlad, but she had a hard time imagining him as a Levi. “How’s it going?” he asked, nodding toward her stomach.
“Good.” She smiled, putting a hand tenderly on her rather large belly. She was definitely going to enjoy not being round after the baby was born. Though she’d seen the look in Griffin’s eyes every time he looked at her. She didn’t need to be a mind reader to know he liked the idea of her being pregnant. If he had his way, she’d be a regular baby factory! One, maybe two more kids wouldn’t be bad. But there was no way she was going to have any more than that. And not for at least a year or two after this one!
“Have you decided what you want to do once the baby is born? The hoopla is mostly over now. The police think you’re dead, since they found your blood in Gabriel’s house. The feds seized most of his assets. At least, the ones they knew about. I’m sure Selena helped herself to the rest of them—what Shakespeare didn’t get, anyway. I doubt anyone is looking too hard for you, though I’m sure someone is still wasting time trying to hunt down Gabriel.” He had a beer in hand, but he ignored it. His gaze was focused on Rachel, like she was the center of the universe right then. Vlad was like that. When you talked to him, you always knew you had his full attention.
Rachel shrugged, then let out a sigh. She’d been thinking about the future a lot over the last couple weeks. She hadn’t talked to Griffin about it yet, but she’d made up her mind. “I think I’m going to stick around. Like you said, no one is looking for me. I’ve got a whole new identity.”
She doubted the Feds would ever discover what had happened to Gabriel. Selena and the Jokers had disposed of his body somehow, and Rachel doubted Selena was dumb enough to leave any evidence around. She’d probably drained all the money she could. Griffin had spent a good bit of time in front of his computer in the days after Gabriel’s death, carefully siphoning away some more of Gabriel’s funds. Some he moved into the account he’d set up for her. Some more he’d put into Makenna’s account. He’d also added some to the Kings’ various accounts, at Rachel’s request. They’d dumped so much into helping her, she figured they deserved it. The rest, Griffin anonymously donated to various charities to help battered women.
Gabriel had been the biggest asshole she’d ever met. It made her feel good for part of his ill-gotten money to do some good in the world.
“Besides,” she said, smirking at Vlad, “I can’t pull Griffin away from you guys. You’re his family. He’s happy here.”
“I’m happy wherever you are,” Griffin said, making her jump. She squealed, and he wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her tight against him before kissing her cheek. “I’ll go wherever you want. Or I’ll stick around here. You’re the only thing I need to be happy.”
Heat flooded to Rachel’s cheeks. She leaned back against Griffin, letting out a soft sigh. “I know. But you deserve more than just me.” She turned her head to look into his eyes, smiling at him. “You’d be lost without your brothers, and don’t say you wouldn’t be. I know you better than that. Plus, I like it here, too.”
“Then we’ll stay,” he said simply, and that was it. No argument, no negotiating. Griffin smiled at her, and she knew she’d made the right decision.
Rachel’s eyes went wide as her body tensed. She let out a gasp as something inside her seemed to pop. Her panties became wet, and not in a good way. Griffin must have felt her tense. The next thing she knew, he was in front of her, looking into her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice shaky.
Rachel tried to smile, but it was hard with her entire body starting to tremble. “I . . . I think my water just broke.”
39
Rachel
The clubhouse became a flurry of action in the blink of an eye. Even when they’d evacuated to the warehouse after Selena’s visit, everything hadn’t been as chaotic. But the moment the words were out of her mouth, Vlad let out an ear-piercing whistle and called everyone to order. Griffin had frozen in place, staring at her in shock. He’d known this moment would come eventually, but now that it was finally happening, his brain had shut down apparently.
Thank God Vlad was able to keep his composure. He was much more accustomed to working under pressure. Griffin stayed by her side as Vlad issued orders to everyone present. Merc and Callie were sent to Griffin’s apartment to get things Rachel would need, the two of them running out of the clubhouse like it was on fire.
Doc and Ava rushed to her side immediately. The three of them ushered her toward Padre’s van parked in the lot. She was perfectly capable of walking on her own, but they kept a firm grip on her as if she might collapse at any second. She was just glad they didn’t try to carry her out of there. She was in labor, not dying.
As they helped her into the van, the sound of motorcycles firing up echoed all around her. They swarmed around the van, escorting it down the street toward the hospital. There was tentative peace between the Jokers and the Kings, but Vlad wasn’t taking any chances. Griffin held her hand the entire time, smiling like a fool.
Rachel couldn’t believe how quickly they’d made it to the hospital. She doubted an ambulance could’ve gotten there any faster. Apparently, a squadron of motorcycles barreling down the street cleared the way just as well as lights and sirens. Doc and Ava got her admitted immediately, throwing on white coats that materialized out of thin air.
After that, everything became a blur. Most of the Kings stayed in the waiting room, leaving just Doc, Ava, and of course, Griffin by her side during it all. All the books had warned her how much giving birth would hurt, but it was a walk in the park compared to the terrifying moments she’d spent hiding in that bathroom warehouse.
Before she knew it, she had a squirming pink bundle in her arms, gazing up into her eyes. The baby was so tiny, so fragile, and Rachel felt like she was going to drop her if she wasn’t careful. She stared back up at her, neither of them making a sound. It was hard to believe she’d made this precious little girl. Nine months she’d carried the little baby inside her, and now she was finally able to hold her.
It was all so surreal.
When she looked up at Griffin, he had the widest grin imaginable. He glowed as he looked at his daughter. And she was his daughter. Biologically or not, Griffin would always be the one there for her, the one to take care of her. He would make an amazing father to this little girl.
“Would you like to hold her?” she asked. Rachel didn’t want to let go, but Griffin had to be dying for his chance. She would have plenty of chances to hold her later.
Griffin gingerly accepted the small bundle, cradling her against his broad chest. The baby let out soft cooing noises as she snuggled against her father. The two of them would be inseparable. Elizabeth was destined to be a daddy’s girl, and Griffin was going to be wrapped around her little finger.
He bounced and swayed as he held her. Already he knew just what to do, like being a father was ingrained into him. She hoped her motherly instincts would take over like his fatherly ones did. Because right then, she had no idea how she was going to raise this little girl into a woman.
/> Griffin held out a finger toward her, and she immediately grasped it. His eyes went wide for a moment, his grin somehow broadening. “Look at that!” he exclaimed, making sure all of us could see the baby’s small hands wrapped around his index finger.
Doc opened his mouth, no doubt to say something science-y, but Rachel glared at him, and he clamped it shut again. His cheeks flushed as he locked eyes with her and nodded. He understood. This was an important moment for Griffin, an integral part of his bond with his daughter.
“What do you want to name her?” Doc asked instead. His voice was barely audible, but Rachel heard him.
She didn’t even hesitate. “Elizabeth,” she said, still smiling at her baby. “Elizabeth Alyssa Sanders.”
Doc nodded and grinned at the two of them. “That’s a beautiful name. I’ll go get the birth certificate for you.” He and Ava slipped out of the room together, leaving just Griffin with her. They weren’t alone for long. Doc leaving must have been a signal for the others to start flooding into the room.
They came a couple at a time, everyone eager to meet the newest member of the family. That just cemented Rachel’s resolve to stay there. Elizabeth would never know the rest of her biological family. It was important she have a family, though, and the Steel Kings would make the perfect one. No one would ever hurt her, not with an army of uncles there to keep her safe.
She would never know the fear Rachel had known. She would never have to second-guess her decisions, afraid of what someone else might think of them. She could be her own person, safe. Maybe one day, she’d tell her daughter the truth about everything, but not for a long while. She didn’t want her daughter to share any of that burden.
Hunted: Steel Kings MC - Book 4 Page 15