Sophie made a frustrated sound. “She wouldn’t come. Said she’s not part of the club. I’m worried about her. Yesterday wasn’t easy on any of us and it’s not good for her to be alone. Plus, I think she reinjured her arm trying to help everybody yesterday.”
“Shit.” I sighed, resolving to call her first thing in the morning.
“I think if it’s possible she’s the most stubborn one of all of us, and that’s a tall order,” Scarlet muttered.
“Truth,” Connie replied.
“You ready?” Ry asked, moving to my side, a gentle hand on my shoulder. I knew he was worried about me getting enough rest, and truth be told I was dead on my feet.
“Ready.” I nodded, standing. “Catch you ladies tomorrow?”
“You know it.” Ettie grinned with a wink.
I’d always felt close to her, but after our harrowing experience I loved her all the more.
Ry led me out of the club, his hand pressed to my lower back. I got several chin lifts and nods from the guys as we stepped out into the warm evening air.
“You want to watch some TV?” I asked, after we’d walked through our front door.
He nodded, helping me get my jacket off over the bandage on my arm.
As tired as I was, I didn’t feel quite ready for bed yet.
He followed me into the living room, stepping over to the slider to let the dogs in before he settled in next to me.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, baby,” he murmured.
I watched him for a moment. Despite being sad about Blue, he seemed less tense—lighter than I’d seen him. He pulled me by my good side gently against his body. “I’m upset as all hell about Blue. I can’t stand that you got hurt—again. But we ended it. Being part of that soothed something deep. Their club is completely disbanded and we proved not only to them, but to anyone else, that you don’t fuck with us and live to tell about it.”
I nodded, wanting him to continue.
“I wanted to join the club since I can remember. It’s everything I thought it’d be. I was still acting like a fucking punk leading up to patching in—being part of the Knights helped me sort my shit. The club—and you. I wanted to be the kind of man you could rely on, the man who protects you. The man who makes you laugh. Now I can be all those things to you.”
I grinned, nuzzling close to him. “You were always those things to me.”
He looked down at me, his eyes shining with warmth. “You may have always known it, but I had to prove it to myself too.”
“I get that,” I agreed with a contented sigh, as he picked up the remote.
“Hey, look what’s on!” he exclaimed with playful enthusiasm.
I groaned as the familiar bar in Cheers appeared on the screen. “Fine,” I grumbled. “But only because I’ll probably pass out halfway through.”
“Deal,” he replied, with a gentle squeeze before we settled in.
As it turned out he fell asleep before me and I resolved to get him back soon in the form of sassy vampire-hunting revenge.
I watched him sleep. It was such a rare opportunity and I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off him. He looked so much younger while he slept, so peaceful. My gaze traced the long dark lashes that fell against his cheek. His luscious lips were parted slightly and it took everything I had not to bend and kiss him.
I smiled, seeing so much of the boy I’d read to in the room upstairs. Ryker had grown into a beautiful, strong man but it was that boy, who’d first taught me about friendship, trust, and eventually love.
“It’s been a hell of a ride but you make me so happy—always have,” I whispered, my fingers skating over his temple.
His eyes snapped open, eyeing me with that singular focus I’d grown so used to, but was no less affected by.
“Good thing, because I don’t know what that word means without you,” he rasped, his voice heavy with sleep.
I smiled, stroking his thick hair back from his temple.
He forced himself up, looking adorably sleepy. “Come on, baby, let’s hit the sack. I’m ready to put this day and all this shit behind us.”
I took his hand when he reached out to pull me up, nodding in agreement as he wrapped an arm around me and led me toward the stairs.
“Let’s just focus on the next adventure being more about wedding planning and watching your belly grow.” He grinned.
I groaned. “How about just wedding planning for now?” I bargained.
He smiled down at me. “For now,” he allowed. “Now, get your ass upstairs. Even if you’re not ready to start trying, it wouldn’t hurt to practice,” he added, with a swift swat to my backside.
Practice? If he got any better, he’d probably kill me.
He grabbed me from behind when we hit the top of the stairs, his arms wrapped around my chest as he walked us toward the bedroom. “You’re more like her than you’ll ever know, baby,” he murmured in my ear. His mention of my mother caused me to freeze midstride. “You talk about how much life she gave to this place—to your family. You did the same thing for me.”
Tears pricked my eyes as I let the kindest compliment I’d ever had wash over me. I managed a nod, reaching up to grasp his forearms as they squeezed me close.
“Can’t wait to see you pass that on, Tink.”
I turned my head to catch his gaze, something inside me shifting, settling. “Maybe we should do more than practice.”
He grinned. “Love you, Pipe.”
“Love you too, Ry.”
Chapter 22
“I still can’t get over how amazing everything looks!” Ettie smiled, as I stood behind the counter of Dixie’s. I’d opened a few weeks before and business had been steady.
At first I’d worried that it was just the novelty factor, but with the amount of foot traffic I’d been seeing, I was cautiously optimistic. Much like my mother had wanted it, the store had a little bit of everything, from clothes and accessories to some items for the home. I’d just updated everything to be more current, and modernized the look and feel of the store.
It had also become the default hangout for the girls, who seemed to relish a new place to meet up aside from the club.
I’d brought in a comfy sofa and a few chairs, one of which Ettie sat in now. I found the homey atmosphere where customers could come in and chat for a while helped with sales. Hawthorne was a small town; it would only benefit me to embrace that.
“I’m happy with how it’s going.” I nodded. “Couldn’t have done it without all of you though,” I added pointedly.
She waved a hand dismissively. “It was fun. Ry was the one who put the manual labor in.”
That was certainly true. Ryker had been amazing, building out new windows and several new display cases. Much of the look and feel of the store was his doing. Though I would be the one mainly working in the store, he supported me every step of the way.
The bell above the door jangled as Jill walked in, awkwardly pushing Mason in the stroller. She’d had to have her arm re-casted and it would be another few weeks before she could remove it.
She looked upset and tired, and I was relieved when Ettie lifted Mason from the stroller so she could have a break. I was about to do the same but there were a few customers strolling around.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
“Could be better,” she admitted, as Ettie stood up to help Mason toddle around the store.
I wanted to press Jill for details, but a few customers wanted help and by the time I had a moment, she was packing up.
I made a mental note to swing by her place the next day to see if I could help with Mason. We’d all tried to convince her to stay with Sophie and Axel a while longer, but she’d refused.
Ry’s mom walked in a few minutes later. I’d had the idea to have her help out at Dixie’s a couple of hours a week to see how it went.
At first Ryker had fought me tooth and nail. He was worried that she couldn’t be trusted, but I felt a fierce need to give
her a chance. Finally, he’d relented. She’d been sober six months and I thought working at the store could be a good way to re-enter the community and maybe make some friends.
Axel had allowed her to meet Maddox, and from what I understood it had gone well. Both men seemed to be cautious but optimistic that their mother had turned a corner.
Everyone deserved a second chance. I just hoped like hell she didn’t blow it.
“Hi, Eve,” I greeted with a smile.
“Hi, Piper, Ettie.” She smiled back hesitantly. She was still a bit shy around me and the other girls.
She dropped her purse behind the counter and made right for one of the customers to see if she could help them find something.
Ettie threw me a wink and I smiled with a small shrug.
So far, so good.
After a busy day, the sound of Ry’s bike was like music to my ears. I grinned, watching as my gorgeous man pulled up in front of the store and ambled in, his leather jacket and jeans looking sinful as his eyes met mine.
I’d known him nearly all my life and my body still flared to life just at the mere sight of him.
“Hi, babe.” I grinned, moving around the counter to kiss his delectable mouth.
He offered the playful, lopsided grin I loved. I’d been seeing a lot more of that smile lately and I loved it. “How’d it go with Ma today?” he asked.
Eve had taken off an hour earlier. As much as I wanted to give her more responsibility, I wasn’t quite ready to have her help count the register. “Great.” I nodded. “She’s good with the customers.”
“Good,” he replied, his eyes flaring with relief. “You about ready? Need help with anything?”
Despite the conflict with the Riders being over, he didn’t seem quite ready to have me close the shop alone and had been picking me up every night.
Riding home with him was the highlight of my day, so that suited me just fine.
“I’m set,” I replied, grabbing my purse from under the counter.
I hopped on the back of his bike, relishing the feel of the rumbling motor under me and the leather-clad man in my arms.
When we pulled up in front of our house I smiled. It no longer held the foreboding sorrow I’d become accustomed to when I’d first returned home. Nor did it feel like the same welcoming home from my childhood.
No, this house felt like something Ry and I had remade together. It was ours. Much like the artwork decorating Ryker’s arm, it’d been a path of dark and light to make our home what it was today.
I could think of no greater joy than the prospect of building a future in this home with the man who’d also completed my past.
“Okay, babe?” he asked as we swung off the bike.
I looked at him with a grin. “Perfect.”
Epilogue
5 years later
The quiet creak of the bedroom door sounded as it did every morning. The soft padding of feet could be heard against the floorboards before they fell silent. I smiled despite the ungodly hour, knowing what I’d find when I opened my eyes.
At my side of the bed, huge green eyes regarded me sleepily.
I grinned and threw the covers back, knowing what he wanted. He crawled in with enthusiasm, snuggling into my body, his small frame comforting, as I cherished his desire to cuddle, knowing it wouldn’t last forever.
Ryker reached over, cocooning us both in his arms. We lay like that for a while, somewhere between sleep and wakefulness.
“Sleep okay, J?” I asked sleepily when I felt his small body stir with the telltale signs that he was getting restless.
“Yeah. I dreamed about Transformers,” he replied with a yawn.
“Sounds pretty awesome.” I gave him a squeeze.
At four Jaden was a sensitive, soulful ball of love. Much like he had been from the very moment he was born.
As it turned out, Ry and I hadn’t needed to practice trying at all. J had been more than willing to come into the world. I’d been a few months pregnant when we got married. Not exactly planned, but perfect nonetheless.
A quiet babble sounded over the baby monitor.
“She’s up,” Ry noted, his voice warm as he listened to the chattering of our two-year-old daughter, May.
“I’ll get her, Daddy,” Jaden replied helpfully.
Ry chuckled. “We can go together, bud, give Mama a few more minutes in bed.”
I shot him a grateful smile. Ryker took such great care of me, always.
Jaden scrambled out of bed and out the door. I turned to watch as Ryker’s lithe powerful frame swung out of bed. I swore he got more delicious with every passing day.
I licked my lips, my eyes greedily taking in his form.
“Later,” his deep voice promised. “Your dad’s takin' the kids. We’ll have all morning before we need to get to the club.”
My cheeks flushed, as my skin tingled in response. “Later,” I agreed.
After a few years in San Diego, my dad had moved back to Hawthorne when Jaden was a toddler and May was still in my belly. Being away from his grandchildren was harder, it seemed, than facing the past. Even when that past became present, with May being named after my mother.
Instead of making him sad, it seemed to give him great joy to see parts of my mother emerge in both kids. He always said they were the best medicine. I couldn’t agree more.
He’d bought a small place outside of town and was doing well. Most days he seemed downright happy.
I took my time in bed, staring up at the ceiling smiling at the chatter I could hear downstairs. I could hear the dogs jumping around in excitement and Jaden talking animatedly while May squealed.
It was always something slightly beyond controlled chaos when Ry was in charge of breakfast.
When I heard the third crash of the morning, I threw on a robe and made my way downstairs.
“Mama!” May squealed from her highchair when I walked into the room.
“Hi, sweet girl.” I smiled, walking over to kiss her dark head of curls.
Our girl was a stunner. The boys were going to come calling someday and even though she was barely two Ryker was already losing sleep over it.
Ry handed me a cup of coffee, delivering a quick kiss on my head.
“Grandpa’s taking us to the zoo!” Jaden announced, practically bouncing out of his seat.
“So I heard.” I grinned over the brim of my coffee cup at my gorgeous husband.
Ry’s green eyes caught mine and he raised a brow suggestively. “I’d forgotten all about it,” he added dryly.
I swatted at him before reaching over to hand May another piece of banana.
“Grandpa!” the kids chorused loudly when my dad walked in an hour later. They had a special kind of love for my dad, and I loved seeing it.
He bent low, wrapping them both in a hug before raising his head to smile at me. “Hi, bunny.”
“Hi, Dad, thanks for giving us some time today.”
“It’s my pleasure,” he replied, and I knew he meant it. “I’ll have them back after dinner. You two have fun,” he told me, as I handed him a bag packed with changes of clothes and snacks. It was amazing how dirty and hungry they could get in a short period of time.
Both kids delivered kisses and hugs to Ry and me, before following their grandpa enthusiastically to his car.
“Lose the robe.” The growled order came almost right after we heard them drive off.
I spun to face him, my eyes wide and knees weak. After all these years, his power over me was no less potent.
He prowled toward me as my foot hit the bottom stair. “Lose. The. Robe.”
My hands moved to the knot, shaking slightly in anticipation as I loosened it and slid the fabric from my shoulders, leaving me in the barely there nightie I’d slipped on before coming downstairs. I’d had a plan for the morning, something to tell him, but I was happy to let him derail it for the time being.
Even after two kids, his gaze still held the same hungry look whenever he looke
d at me. Any time I worried about my stretch marks or about how my belly had never quite gotten as flat as it used to be, he’d quiet me by telling me that my body gave him the greatest gift, our children. Then he’d tell me that I was the sexiest thing he’d ever laid eyes on. That would usually shut me up, if his mouth didn’t do it first.
My phone shrilled loudly from the bedroom, making Ry groan in frustration.
“Sorry, babe, your mom’s opening this morning. I should make sure she doesn’t need me,” I apologized.
He nodded, gesturing for me to answer. I headed up the stairs, picking up just before it went to voice mail.
It was Eve as I’d expected, but all she’d wanted to know was if I was swinging by later. Some new shipments had come in for me to look over.
The store had become a huge success in the five years I’d been open. Dixie’s was a town staple and attracted a fair amount of tourist traffic as well. But it was the online sales I’d expanded into that’d really pushed us into a new realm.
Eve had been a part of every step. Sober for over five years, she’d become a completely new woman. She’d thrived working in the store and co-managed it with me. She helped with the kids regularly too, when she wasn’t with Sophie and Axel’s little ones.
I couldn’t imagine life without her.
I headed back down to the kitchen where Ry was putting dishes in the sink. “That Ma?” he asked, as I wrapped my arms around him from behind, giving him a gentle squeeze.
“Yeah, just wondering about some new shipments we got in. No biggie.”
My heart was suddenly hammering as the moment I’d been planning loomed.
“I put a special treat in the oven for you,” I murmured, kissing the back of his neck and taking a step back.
“Oh yeah?” he asked with a cocked brow.
I nodded, biting my lip.
He chuckled, eyeing me speculatively. “Why do you look nervous?”
I shrugged, my mouth dry. “Just open it.”
He reached over and opened the oven. I watched as he eyed the sweet bun I’d placed there just before my dad had arrived. I knew the minute he connected the dots. His back went ramrod straight and he spun to face me with wide eyes.
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