by Erin Osborne
After a few minutes, he looks up from his plate at me with a sexy smile on his face. The more I think about it, it’s one that’s reserved just for my daughter and me. Gage is a complicated man with many different facets. He’s hard when he’s in the clubhouse or around a bunch of the guys and they’re trying to do business. When he’s around the old ladies, from any club, he’s softer, but still demands respect and will put anyone in their place that doesn’t give it to him when he’s earned it. Then, there’s when he’s with Shelby and me. He’s soft, patient, and will do anything for either one of us. Lastly, you have when he’s alone and letting himself get inside his own head. Especially about losing his son. That’s when he’s vulnerable and let’s himself be more emotional. He’s not ashamed to cry or scream out his pain when it comes to the loss Bailey and him suffered. Which is why I’m going to have to give him some leniency when it comes to this pregnancy.
“I’m goin’ to go make sure that everything is packed and ready to go,” he finally says, finishing off his meal and putting the dish and silverware in the sink.
“Okay. Sounds good handsome,” I say, leaning in to him when he places a kiss on the top of my head.
Once he leaves the room, I eat a little bit more and talk to Grace. She’s telling me more about her time with Shelby and what happened with her sister. From what she’s saying, Sam is the one that got her hooked on drugs and made her dependent on him for her fix. I can’t believe how many lives this man has truly ruined and I’m glad that he’s gone and can’t destroy anyone else. Without actually coming out and saying the words, I can tell that Grace thinks there was more to the accident with her husband and his death. Maybe this is something that Gage and Butcher can look in to and find her some answers so she can find some peace.
After a while, Gage makes his way back into the kitchen and lets me know that everything is ready. Other than Shelby’s diaper bag and there’s no point in getting that ready until we’re ready to leave. I know I’m going to have to take her up and change her before we head out. She’s made a mess of herself with breakfast. So, I get up and wash our dishes real quick before taking her to the bathroom to sit on the little potty chair. It’s becoming more and more often that she’ll use it so I’m hopeful that she’ll be out of diapers before the new baby gets here. But, we’ll take it at Shelby’s pace.
Grace takes my daughter and walks us out to the SUV that one of the prospects brought over here for us. She hugs us all and tears are shed as we once again leave her and make our way to the clubhouse to get the rest of the guys. They’re going to surround us as we make our way home even though I’ve been assured that there’s no longer any threat against any of us. They want to make sure that we’re protected and surrounded in case any assholes want to drive like madmen on the way to Dander Falls.
Thankfully everyone is outside and ready to go when we pull up. Gage gets out to exchange some words with Butcher and his Vice President before getting back in and leading us away from Whitney Glen. Even though I haven’t been up that long, I let the car ride lull me to sleep so the drive doesn’t seem that long.
“Beautiful, it’s time to wake up,” I hear Gage say at a distance.
Slowly waking up, I turn my head toward his voice and see him holding Shelby in his arms. They’re both looking at me and I don’t know how many times he’s called my name to wake me up. Shelby has a smile on her face and is reaching her little arms out to me so I can take her from Gage. He helps me out of the SUV and grabs my hand. Finally, I look past him and see that we’re at our house and cars and bikes are parked everywhere. I guess it’s a good thing we have a big yard.
“What’s going on?” I ask, confusion overtaking me.
“Everyone wanted to see you and Shelby with their own eyes to make sure that you are both really okay. Before we go in there, I have to let you know that there are a few people here that you aren’t going to be expectin’. Don’t get mad at me, beautiful,” Gage tells me, and now my confusion is getting the better of me.
“What are you talking about? Who’s here?” I ask, letting my hopes rise that my parents are here. I know it’s a long shot, but I do miss my family tremendously.
“I know you called your mom when the bitch first showed up. When I found you the second time, I called them for you. They made the decision on their own to travel here. They’ve been in constant contact with me and got in this mornin’,” he says, suddenly looking like he’s not feeling so sure in his decision.
“Thank you! I didn’t know how to make that step to reconcile with them. There’s so much that they don’t know about why I made the decision to cut them out of my life. But that happened when everything with Sam went down,” I tell him, wrapping my arms around him and squeezing him.
We walk in the house and everyone surrounds us. It’s like an avalanche of people squishing us and trying to get as close as they can so they can be heard over everyone else. I start laughing at the scene circling us and look up at the man that’s been by my side and had my back since I first met him. He laughs along with me until something catches his eye sight. Looking over, I lay eyes on my parents and sister for the first time in years. Tears immediately burst from my eyes and I can’t stop them. Gage, knowing how important this is to me, gets everyone to leave us so that I can make my way to my family.
“We’re goin’ to be at the clubhouse in a little bit. Let me get my girls settled and I’ll be right behind you,” he says, getting everyone to leave our little house with a small bit of effort on his part.
I make my way slowly to my parents, not sure of how they’re going to react. My mom is crying and so is my sister. When I look at my dad, I see that he has tears in his eyes too. I didn’t have much control over my emotions before, but seeing the man that I grew up thinking was so strong crying, I lose it. Tammy, my mom, and my dad all surround my daughter and I hugging us with everything they have. There’s not a dry eye in the house, except for maybe Gage.
“Do you all need anythin’ before I head out?” Gage asks, slightly pulling me back so that I can give him some lovin’ before he leaves.
“No, we’ll be fine,” I answer, wanting to catch up with my family and meet my niece and nephew.
With a final hug and kiss, Gage leaves and I walk my family out to the back yard so the kids can play. The sight before me, makes me tear up again. Damn pregnancy hormones! There’s a brand-new playset in the yard. It’s got everything that Shelby can use now and we can change things out as the kids get older. We let the kids play, Shelby crawling along behind her cousins as they run out to play. My family and I sit at the table that is now out here so that we can talk.
“I’m so sorry for what I did,” I begin, knowing that this is going to be hard to tell them everything that happened.
“All I want to know is what happened,” my dad says, his voice commanding but gentle at the same time. “What made you run scared away from us?”
Taking a deep breath, I dive into the situation I found myself in with Sam. My family listens intently and doesn’t interrupt me once until they know I’m done. They hear it all, the threats against them which ultimately led me to destroy our relationship, the beatings, the rape, having Shelby, and spending months lost when she was taken from me. They’re all in tears as they listen to what the last few years of my life have been like. When I finally finish telling them my story, my dad gets up and pulls me into a hug.
“You should have told us. We would’ve handled it as a family. You’re back now, and we’re going to rebuild the closeness that we once shared. Now, tell us all about the man that’s made this reunion possible,” he says, kissing my temple and giving me one last squeeze before taking his seat again.
I take a few minutes to compose myself after telling my parents and sister what happened to me. The pain and emotional trauma that I’ve suffered for years now. “He’s one of the best people I’ve ever met in my life. When I can’t get out of my own head, he pulls me out. As soon as he found out tha
t I was trying to find Shelby, he took over and found her in what seems like no time at all. And, when I was kidnapped by the psycho bitch, twice, he came for me and brought me home. I love him, and he’s asked me to marry him,” I tell my parents, looking between the two while glancing out at the kids every few seconds. “I could go on and on about him, but you’ll see for yourselves if you stick around for a little while.”
“We plan on being here for a few weeks. I don’t know about Tammy with her work schedule, but we’ll be here and figure everything else out when the time comes,” my mom answers, wiping stray tears off of her face.
“I’m here as long as you need me here, sis,” Tammy tells me, reaching out to take my hand. “I know we had rough times growing up, and you’ll never know how truly sorry for that I am. But, I’m not the same person I was then. Especially knowing that we have a second chance to be close. I want to make the most of it.”
For the rest of the afternoon, we talk, laugh, and watch the kids get to know one another all over again. The kids entertain us with all of their crazy antics and Shelby takes right to my family with no hesitation. Having them in my life again makes me complete. I have a man that would do anything for us, my daughter back, a new baby on the way, and my family back in my life. What more could a girl ask for?
I did send Gage a message earlier, thanking him for everything. Not just reuniting me with my family, but for the pictures that now grace the walls of the house. They’re everywhere. There’s pictures from when we first got to see Shelby, including the one I took of him sleeping on the couch with her, just Gage and me, some of just Shelby, and some of the rest of the club. Both chapters of the club. It’s truly starting to feel like a home and I can’t wait to add more memories as the years go by.
Gage
I’m at the clubhouse helping get everything perfect for tonight while hoping that things with Riley and her family are going good. I know that they were all waiting to see one another and get their relationship on track again, but I don’t honestly know if it’s going to work or go good. This reunion is long overdue, and it needs to happen. I’m happy that I could help make it happen, but I’m still worried about the outcome.
“You okay Prez?” Steel asks, knowing that my attention is not all here.
“I’m worried about what’s goin’ on at the house with Riley and her family. They haven’t seen one another in a long time,” I tell him honestly.
“You know what happened there?” he asks, grabbing a few beers and handing me one.
“No. I haven’t asked her about it. She’ll tell me if she wants to. I’m not gonna ask as long as it doesn’t hinder our relationship or her mindset,” I reply, taking a swig of the cold beer.
We sit in silence for a few minutes as I look around the main room of the clubhouse. The girls have gone all out. There’s a banner welcoming the girl’s home, food taking up every available square inch of the kitchen, and Crash and Trojan out starting the grill to cook the burgers, chicken, and sausage. We’ll have enough left overs for a few weeks with the way this is turning out. And I’m talking about left overs for the entire club, not just Riley and me.
Tonight is making me nervous for a few different reasons. One of those being that Riley’s parents are going to see the clubhouse for the first time. I want them to not only like the clubhouse and the guys in the club, but I want them to approve of me for their daughter. Their relationship is going to be so new that I don’t want to put any form of tension between them. I know Riley will stand up for me, and our relationship, if it comes down to it. She shouldn’t be put in that position though and I’m going to do it.
The second reason that I’m so nervous is because I’m giving Riley her rag and ring tonight. She’s already agreed to be my wife, but I want everyone to know that she’s mine. Wearing more than a ring on her finger will let everyone know who she belongs to and that no one is going to fuck with her and get away with it. I know that she’s nervous about being by my side in the eyes of the club and what that position entails. But, I also know the strength she has inside of her and the fire that burns deep. Riley will be able to handle herself and she is the girl that will be by my side for the rest of our lives.
With the girls from Clifton Falls still here, the clubhouse has been completely transformed. Everything has been cleaned, food has been prepared, there’s spots inside and out for the kids to play, and there’s an overall party atmosphere coupled with a feeling of family. This is what we’re all about. Yeah, we’re just starting to settle down with girls of our own in Dander Falls, but we want everyone from other clubs to feel comfortable and welcome when they come here. Skylar and Bailey will have no problem putting anyone in their place that doesn’t follow that too.
“When is Riley going to be here?” Bailey asks, plopping down on the bar stool next to me.
“She should be here soon. I’m goin’ to message her in a minute to find out,” I answer, finishing my beer and motioning for the prospect to take the empty bottle from me.
“I can’t wait to see her. And meet the little one. Gage, you don’t know what you’ve given her,” she tells me, a smile spreading across her face.
“I think I do. Other than when she’s been kidnapped and her short stay at Butcher’s clubhouse, I’ve been with her and Shelby. Riley is much happier and the weight has been lifted from her shoulders. You’ll see when she gets here, crazy girl,” I answer, knowing that today will be a turning point for us.
For the next hour or so, I sit in my office, alone, and try to calm my nerves down. If I don’t stop overthinking everything, I’m going to drive myself and everyone around me crazy. Riley has already agreed to be my wife, tonight is just about making it official in the eyes of the club. I have a glass filled with JD sitting in front of me and I’ve barely touched it. I don’t want to be drunk or out of control until later on tonight when we can relax and enjoy our time together. Deciding that I can’t be in here alone, I go to stand up when my door opens up. Looking up, expecting my girls, rage fills me when I see Red sauntering in like she owns the damn place.
“What the fuck are you doin? Who do you think you are walkin’ up in my office without knockin’ or anythin’?” I ask, letting the venom I feel fill my voice as I sit in my chair and keep as much space between us as possible.
“You know you want me, Gage. Why are you pretending that you don’t want what I can give you?” she asks, starting to take her top off as she makes her way over to me.
Before I can think of a somewhat nice way to tell her to fuck off, my door bursts open again, and I see my girl standing there. Her hands are on her hips and her head is slightly tilted to the side. She’s taking in the scene before her and assessing the way that she’s going to come at us. So, I stay in my seat and let Riley handle the situation to see what she’s going to do.
“So, you think because I’m not here with my man that you can slide in here and try to take something that belongs to me?” Riley asks, walking in closer, but leaving the door open so others can see what’s going on right now.
“Please, bitch. He was mine before you ever came in to the picture. He’ll come back to me when he realizes that you can’t satisfy him the way that I can,” Red says, turning her full attention on my girl and away from me, a smile on her face like she’s won a prize or something.
“You think? Well, I know for a fact he hasn’t been with you, or anyone else, since he laid eyes on me. That’s been a while now and he still hasn’t touched you. Who would honestly want your loose, used up pussy when he can have me whenever he wants to? From what I hear, you’re not used for anything more than a blowjob every now and then because no one wants to stick their cock in something as wide as a hallway,” she says, getting in Red’s face and going complete bitch on the club girl standing before her.
I can’t help the laughter that bursts from me. Riley is definitely putting this bitch in her place and I can’t help the swell of pride and want flowing through me right now. She thinks s
he’s not going to be able to be strong enough and do what she has to be to stand by my side. Today is showing that she’s strong enough and has the balls that she needs to put these girls in their place when they need it.
“Go ahead and put your hands on me skank!” Riley says, bringing me attention back to her and Red. I see Red going to hit my girl, my pregnant girl. “If you lay one hand on me right now, I will have no problem bringing Bailey in here to take care of you.”
“That’s right, you can’t take care of your own battles,” Red taunts, getting as close to Riley as she can.
“Oh, I have no problem taking care of your skank ass, but you see I’m pregnant with Gage’s baby and I don’t think you’re worth the chance of hurting our baby,” Riley tells her, letting the smile take over her face at the look of pure hatred and defeat take over Red’s features.
“You’re fucking lying!” Red screams, once again raising her hands to my girl.
“No, she’s not lyin’. We’re havin’ a baby and you just crossed the fuckin’ line. Shadow, get your ass in here!” I holler out, wanting this bitch out of my clubhouse immediately.
“What’s up Prez?” Shadow asks, stopping just inside the door to my office.
“Take Red to get her shit and make sure she leaves the clubhouse. She’s not allowed back here again so make sure everythin’ of hers is with her,” I tell him, standing next to Riley and wrapping my arm around her shoulders.
“You can’t do this to me! This bitch doesn’t have anything on me, Gage! You know you love me and are going to come back to me again!” Red screams out, coming completely unhinged like never before. We’ve all seen the possessive side of her, but nothing like what she’s showing in this moment. The bitch needs to go.