THORN (A Brikken Motorcycle Club Saga Book 4)

by Debra Kayn

  "Put her down. She's too big to carry." Thorn softened his voice and said, "Come on, Nikki. Grab your mom's hand and let's see what kind of goodies you got in your sack."

  Her daughter remained stiff in her arms. Jessy looked at Thorn for help. The only way she knew how to protect her child was to take her away.

  "She's braver than you think," he whispered. "Put her down."

  Against her instinct to shield Nikki, Jessy lowered her daughter to her feet, surprised when her body locked up and stood on her own.

  "Grab her hand," said Thorn.

  She slipped her hand into Nikki's, surprised at the strength of her daughter's desperate grip. "Fifteen minutes, baby," she whispered more to herself.

  With Thorn flanking Nikki's other side, Jessy walked forward through the crowd of people standing around and talking. No one gave her a second glance or questioned who they were. She was the stranger amongst those who called themselves Brikken.

  Two kids, young teenagers, ran in front of them heading away from the clubhouse. Nikki never even looked their way out of curiosity over what they were doing. Jessy's steps grew heavy. What she wouldn't give to see her child find someone her age to laugh with, run with, tell secrets to. Everyone needed someone, and soon Jessy wouldn't be enough for her daughter as she matured.

  Thorn stopped at a table covered with gift bags. "Nikki? Do you know how to read your name?"

  Jessy sniffed and nodded at him, unable to speak.

  He rubbed her back. "I was talking to your daughter."

  Not put off by Nikki's silence, Thorn squatted beside her and said, "Climb up on the bench and look for your name on the bags. If you find it, you get to keep what's inside."

  Nikki's grip on her hand loosened but held on. She wouldn't force her child to do anything she didn't want to do. Thorn would have to understand; Nikki's behavior wasn't out of stubbornness or shyness. Nikki was scared shitless, and that killed her mother's heart.

  "Thorn, I didn't see you earlier." A woman approached, holding a young boy's hand to keep him from running off. "Did you eat?"

  "Not yet." Thorn lifted his chin, motioning toward her. "This is Jessy and her daughter, Nikki."

  The woman let go of the little boy and held out her hand to Jessy. "Nice to meet you. I'm Sydney. Thorn's sister in law."

  "Hi." She looked down at the Nikki who stood watching the little boy.

  "This is Kurt. We call him Chee...don't ask. We're not even sure how it started, but it stuck." Sydney laughed. "He's going to be five years old in a few days. How old is your little girl?"

  "She's five." Jessy's spine straightened. Looking at the two kids, there was no difference in their height, though the boy was stocky and almost twice as big.

  "Does she go to Pierce Elementary or does she start school next year?" asked Sydney. "That's where my older kids go."

  She shook her head. "I have her at the Montessori school over on Seventh Street."

  "Oh, really?" Sydney planted her hands on her hips and looked at Thorn. "Isn't that where D-Con's son goes?"

  Thorn shrugged.

  "Chee, leave everyone's bag alone. You've got yours," said Sydney.

  Chee pulled his hand back. "I see a squirt gun."

  "Well, maybe you'll find out who received it later." Sydney turned around at someone calling her name, then looked at Thorn. "Can you watch Chee for a few minutes?"

  "Yeah." Thorn widened his stance.

  Jessy looked down at Nikki. When had she let go of her hand?

  "What did you get?" Chee crawled along the bench talking to Nikki.

  Jessy stepped forward. "She doesn't—"

  "Let her be." Thorn slipped his hand into hers and kept Jessy by his side. "They'll work it out."

  "I got snappers. Want to do one?" Chee slid off the bench, dug in his pocket, and held out a small white object. "Here."

  Nikki held out her hand and accepted the item.

  "You've gotta throw it." Chee demonstrated by lifting his arm above his head and bringing his hand down. "Do it hard."

  Nikki looked at Jessy for permission. She nodded. To her, it looked like a piece of paper.

  Her daughter lifted her hand and tossed the white object. A loud pop exploded at their feet, startling Jessy. She yelped and grabbed Thorn, laughing as she realized what made the noise.

  Chee giggled. Thorn chuckled. Realizing she leaned against Thorn, she straightened and pressed a hand to her beating heart. "What are those things?"

  "Snappers." Chee dug in his pocket again. "Want one?"

  "It's harmless Fourth of July fun." Thorn took one from his nephew and handed it to Jessy. "No doubt, Johanna filled every bag with them to give the kids an early celebration."

  There were only two more weeks until the holiday. Her and Nikki never celebrated the Fourth, preferring to stay away from the crowds and loud noises.

  Nikki grabbed on to the bottom of Jessy's shirt and tugged. She looked down and watched her daughter demonstrate how to throw it.

  Not wanting to disappoint Nikki, she tossed the snapper to the ground and muffled her surprise again when the loud pop happened.

  Nikki ducked her head but not before Jessy caught the smile on her daughter's face. A smile that she usually only gave freely at home. The ease at which her daughter went from fearful to comfortable, filled Jessy with joy. She looked up at Thorn, wanting to share the moment with him and connect with someone else who understood the leaps Nikki made today.

  Thorn never gave away his reaction in his face, only looped his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her to his side. "Hey, Chee. Help Nikki find her bag."

  "I don't know how to read." Chee's head tilted to the side, reminding Jessy of the boy's uncle.

  "It starts with an N. Nikki can help with the rest of the letters," said Thorn.

  Chee grabbed Nikki's shirt, pulling the sleeve down and baring her shoulder. Jessy bit her bottom lip and then exhaled in relief when Nikki not only moved with the little boy but climbed up on the bench and started searching the bags.

  She covered her mouth. "I can't believe this is happening," she whispered.

  Thorn squeezed her again. "Do you want something to eat?"

  "No." She gazed at the kids, enthralled with how Chee talked and Nikki pointed, telling her opinion. "He's not even asking why she doesn't talk."

  "Chee's the youngest out of four kids that are close in age. He probably likes that she's not a talker." Thorn pulled her away from the picnic table. "We can sit over here within sight of them and let them play."

  She called Nikki's name and pointed behind her. "We'll be right there if you need us. I'm not going to leave you."

  Nikki turned away from her and went back to searching for a bag with her name on it. She walked several feet away and plopped down on the bench of the nearby table. Shaken and excited, she kept an eye on her daughter.

  "You doing okay?" said Thorn.

  She leaned sideways and bumped her shoulder against his arm. "I've never seen her pair off with someone near her age. Not even in school. The teachers tell me she stays by herself or hangs around their desk."

  Thorn grunted.

  She looked at him. "I owe you. Big time. She had a little meltdown in the car when we pulled up to the gate. I think she recognized the place. She totally shut down, which is expected."

  "Kids are strong." He leaned back and put his arm on the table behind her. "It's amazing."

  "It's a miracle," she said quietly. "It gives me hope that she can keep progressing the older she gets and will someday talk again."

  For several minutes she watched her daughter and leaned against Thorn's side. Her fifteen-minute visit had passed, and she had no desire to leave. The talk, the laughter, the sunshine around her made today seem like one other people lived.

  The rough male voices lightened by the women's laughter and the squeals of the younger children wrapped her in acceptance. No one bothered her or Nikki.

  The crowd seemed like normal people hang
ing out with their family.

  Nikki scrambled off the bench and looked around the area. Jessy sat forward and called her daughter's name letting her know where to find her.

  Chee grabbed the edge of the bag in Nikki's hands, and both children walked over to her. She spotted her daughter's name on the tag in big, block letters.

  "Who is responsible for giving her a gift?" she asked.

  Thorn, who hadn't removed his arm from around her, caressed her shoulder with his hand. "That'd be Johanna. Chief's woman. They're over by the clubhouse door."

  She shifted sideways and found at least ten people grouped together. "Can you point them out. I'd like to tell her thanks for Nikki before she digs into the bag."

  "Chief's the one who brought you to me the first time you came to the clubhouse." He waited while she searched for him. "The woman at his side is Johanna."

  Her jaw dropped open, and she quickly clamped her teeth together. Johanna was beautiful with long hair wearing short-shorts and a white shirt with flowing sleeves made out of lace that danced around her elbows.

  She pried her tongue off the roof of her mouth. "She's..."

  "Young?"

  She blinked rapidly. "I was going to say beautiful, but yes, I didn't realize there was such a big age gap between her and your father."

  "Told you, she's younger than me."

  She stood and held out her hand to Nikki. "Let's go tell Johanna thank you for the gift and then you can play."

  Halfway to the group by the door, she glanced over her shoulder feeling as insecure as her daughter upon arrival. If Thorn walked off or left, she'd be alone with hundreds of people around her.

  He winked at her. She smiled and turned around, stopping outside the loose circle of people.

  Chief patted Johanna's butt and lifted his chin toward Jessy. Walking around the others, Jessy smiled at the woman. "Thorn mentioned you're the one responsible for giving out the gift bags, and we wanted to thank you. It was such a sweet thing for you to do."

  "You're welcome." Johanna waved her hand, dismissing the importance. "The kids look forward to getting together and running wild around here. They need a few fun things to keep them entertained."

  "It's wonderful." She reached down and stopped Nikki from reaching into the bag. "We'll let you get back to your party. It was nice meeting you."

  "It was lovely to meet you, too." Johanna's gaze softened and Jessy wondered if she knew that Nikki was Ed's daughter and what he'd done over the years.

  Suddenly awkward, she stepped away and walked toward Thorn. "Do you think we should wait until we get home to see what is in the bag or do you want to—"

  Nikki tugged on Jessy's hand and bounced beside her with each step. She laughed, loving the excitement one present brought Nikki. "How about you run over to Thorn and sit beside him and look at what's in your gift bag?"

  Her daughter looked around, spotted Thorn, and ran off.

  Jessy, blown away by the change in her daughter, stared after her.

  Nikki had run off.

  To a man.

  Excited and carefree.

  And, Thorn had given Nikki that.

  Chapter Twelve

  "Should I put frosting on the brownies?" Jessy bent at the waist and eyed the container. "Maybe it's not enough. A guy like Thorn probably wants something bigger like a thick cake or cobbler. Do we still have cobbler left in the display?"

  Bee snapped the towel against Jessy's butt. "What do you mean, a guy like Thorn?"

  "He's big." Jessy stood, snapped the top of the plastic container back on, and changed her mind. "No, this is going to have to do."

  "You already told him thank you for being so great with Nikki. Brownies are extra." Bee raised her brows. "You're sending the wrong impression."

  "The wrong...?" Jessy laughed. "He's around all the time and has eaten dinner with us every night this week. The doctor said Nikki went up into the next percentile on weight at her last appointment. Brownies are nothing compared to what he's given us."

  "Uh huh." Bee removed the cash bag out of the register. "You said us. Not Nikki. So, what is he giving you?"

  She fiddled with the container. He gave her happiness.

  When he was around, she wasn't alone. Having his opinion or even using him as a sounding board when it came to raising Nikki through the challenges of her selective muteness, made her stronger. She looked forward to when she got off work and picked up her daughter because Thorn would be there. During the day, she could look out the window and find him sitting out on his motorcycle.

  The last three days, she'd started to take her breaks and her half hour for lunch with him outside under the tree on the sidewalk. Even going as far as sharing her sandwich with him.

  He hadn't tried to kiss her again. She turned her back to Bee. Though, she thought about what she'd do if another kiss happened. There were times when she believed he wanted to. He'd look at her longer than necessary or use his finger to brush away the strand of hair that always escaped her messy bun while she worked.

  She looked at the clock and put the brownies in her bag. "I need to go pick up Nikki and take her to the therapist."

  "Wait." Bee reached under the counter and brought out a rock. "Come here and rub the stone."

  Jessy laughed. "Why?"

  "This is citrine. It'll bring you good luck." Bee motioned her over.

  She stepped up to the counter, rubbed two fingers over the rough surface. "Is that it?"

  "That's all you have to do. Have fun over the weekend." Bee waved. "Call if you need a break with Nikki. We'd love to spend a couple of hours with her."

  "I will. Thanks, Bee." She slung her purse over her shoulder and walked out the front door of the diner.

  There were only a couple of times when she'd needed Bee and Charlie to watch Nikki while she went to the walk-in clinic for the flu and to the dentist.

  Thorn's gaze locked on her. She smiled, speeding up.

  "I have to take Nikki to the therapist." She set her bag on top of her car and unlocked the door. "Her appointment is for an hour. Do you want to keep me company?"

  "I planned on following you over there." Thorn righted his bike and toed the kickstand.

  A burst of energy filled her. She grabbed the bag and slid into the car. It was Friday. She had the next two days off, and she hoped—prayed—that Nikki's therapist would see an improvement in her daughter. While Nikki wasn't talking, she was eating more. She was more animated. She was spending more time away from Jessy's side, playing with the new little trinkets that she'd received from Brikken Motorcycle Club in her gift bag.

  Three miles away from the diner, she pulled into the turn-around at the school, spotting Nikki standing with the aid at the curb. The daycare during the summer was for grades K through five, parents were responsible for picking up their child instead of using the bus system that was provided during the school year—not that she allowed Nikki to ride by herself at her age.

  She glanced in the rearview mirror. Thorn wasn't behind her. Craning her neck, she spotted him across the street next to the curb. He never followed her onto school property but stayed at a close distance to watch over her and Nikki.

  The car in front of her pulled forward. She moved ahead, waving to Nikki. Her daughter waved back, but her head swiveled left and right, looking around. Even Nikki was getting used to having Thorn and his MC brothers in her life.

  The teacher's aid for the daycare opened the back door, and Nikki scrambled into her booster seat, letting Sonia buckle the seatbelt.

  "Have a great weekend, Nikki." Sonia smiled at Jessy. "We'll see you Monday."

  "Thanks." Jessy waved.

  Once the door shut, she drove out of the half-circle and turned toward the medical center three blocks away. Thorn caught up with her at the first stoplight.

  "Guess what?" She looked in the rearview mirror. "I brought brownies home from the diner. I thought we'd invite Thorn to come spend the evening with us after your appointment with D
r. Logenberg. How do you like that idea?"

  Nikki strained against the seatbelt to look out the window, then nodded enthusiastically.

  Jessy smiled. "I thought you'd like the sound of that plan."

  She parked, helped Nikki from the car, and walked her into the doctor's office. Having already updated Dr. Logenberg over the phone this morning on the improvements, she left after Nikki was called back for her appointment. The receptionist knew that she was only going outside and she would come back inside before Nikki needed to be picked up.

  Knowing she had an hour, she hurried outside and approached Thorn on his motorcycle. "Are you watching us tonight or will other bikers be hanging outside the apartment?"

  "I planned on being there." Thorn tilted his head. "Do you have somewhere else you need to go?"

  She reached out and placed her hand on the handlebar. "No, I was going to see if you wanted to eat with us. I brought brownies home from the diner for you. As a thank you for last weekend."

  The Brikken Family Day party had taken her by surprise. While she'd spent all her time with Thorn and Nikki, never getting into any conversations with others beyond an introduction and comments about how cute her daughter was, she felt welcomed. But, the highlight was having Nikki do well with first Chee and then the rest of Sydney and Jett's kids. It was as if Nikki's nightmare of going on Brikken property with her father had been erased or at least eased. Nikki could see that fun could be had at a bad place.

  "You don't have to thank me, but I wouldn't turn down brownies." The corner of his mouth lifted, moving his beard.

  Warmth filled her. She'd done the right thing picking the brownies over the other desserts available.

  "I missed you this morning." Her stomach fluttered. "I think Nikki was even disappointed that you weren't there to ride with us when she went to daycare at the school."

  "I needed to work," he said.

  His low voice rolled through her. She stepped closer. "I didn't...wow, I guess I assumed you rode around on your motorcycle all the time, but that was foolish. You were gone for over a week last month. What do you do?"