by Aria Cole
“What are you thinking, woman?”
“Heard the gunshots and thought I could help.”
“You’re a terrible liar, little one.” I caught her chin, indulgent grin turning up my lips.
“Fine. I was terrified for your life. All right? I didn’t want to lose my husband on my wedding day.” She twisted behind her and pulled out the Glock I'd left her. “I brought this just in case. I was prepared.”
A laugh tore through my diaphragm. “You sure were.”
A roar of engines came over the hill moments later, Prez, Ryker, and King appearing like a band of wild brothers.
I loved each of them so much at that moment.
I hugged Adelina a little closer, finally taking my boot off the bastard that had dared to cross the Sinister Knights, and waved down the guys as they approached.
“We’ll handle that,” Prez muttered. “Just get her back to the cabin.”
I nodded, eyes catching Prez’s and giving him a silent thank you.
“And congratulations, son.” Prez’s hand landed at my back. “Proud of what you did.” He nodded, turning to watch Ryker and King zip-tie the Outlaw’s wrists and ankles, then push him over the back of Ryker’s bike. “And proud of what you didn't do. Gonna go tie him to the chair in my office and drill him for info on his boss.”
“You think this is bigger?” I murmured, dreading the idea of a full-blown war.
“Doubt it. But it’ll be fun to knock him around a bit.” He sent me a grin. “Go take care of that wife of yours.”
“Thanks, Prez.” I swallowed the ball of emotion temporarily clogging my throat. “Thanks for everything.”
“Thank you, son.” Prez’s own eyes warmed with emotion. “Having the three of you in my life has given this old man purpose. Best retirement I could have dreamed of.”
“Retirement? I just assumed you’d always done this,” Adelina chimed in, smiling up at Prez.
“Nah, had a real job once. Was captain of the Falcon Valley PD for a while.”
Adelina’s eyes grew wide. He caught her expression and waved her off. “Been a long time. Didn’t like the job as much as I thought I would, so I took the pension and bought Falcon’s Nest. Best decision of my life.”
“Best decision of my life too.” Adelina’s hand rested on Prez’s arm. “Thank you for sending Ryker down to intercept that truck. If you don’t mind, I’d like to help you save women. There are so many more like me. So many more that never make it out. I think I can slip in, help you get information like a double agent—”
“Whoa, whoa, mi vida, one step at a time!” I hugged her tighter to me, not liking the idea of my girl in harm’s way at all.
“Can we at least talk about it? I have some ideas…”
I shook my head, flabbergasted by this woman all over again. “I can’t wait to hear all about them.”
“Are you mocking me?” she huffed, crossing her arms.
“Never would I ever.” I set her on my bike, kissed the tip of her cherubic nose, and thanked my lucky stars I’d found this woman.
“Saint Rossi!”
“Mmm…I can’t wait to get you home, Mrs. Rossi.”
“I’m still de los Angeles for now. And if you make me mad, maybe I won’t change it.”
A guffaw of laughter left my chest. “I’ll just have to tie you up and force it out of you, then.” I turned, adjusting the helmet on her head. “But something tells me you’d enjoy that.”
Adelina’s middle finger shot up in the air, a cocky grin turning up her lips. The memory of it made me laugh all the way back to our little cabin in the woods. Our heaven.
Epilogue
Saint - nine months later
The diamond ring I’d given her shortly after our wedding sparkled in the afternoon sunlight. My wife stood in profile, the tiny poodle puppy I’d bought her cradled at her neck.
I traced invisible circles on her wrist with my thumb. My love for Adelina had only grown stronger over the passing months of getting to know each other and waking her with my kisses each morning. I was living the life, luckiest fucker on earth, no doubt about that.
“I was thinking we could clear the trees over here, build off the master, and expand our bedroom.” I held her hand gently in my own.
“Hmm…” She tipped her head to one side, regarding me with a healthy dose of skepticism.
“But if we build a new room off the northeast, imagine the sunrise…” Her head tilted to one side as she thought out loud.
When I’d first bought this cabin from Prez, I’d never dreamed I’d expand it one day. But suddenly the small space just wasn't enough for our growing family.
“Was thinking about adding a big wraparound porch, take in the sunsets with my favorite girl.” I squeezed her hand in mine.
“Promise me a walk-in closet?” she teased.
“What’s a master suite without a walk-in? Maybe a corner tub big enough for me to fuck you in,” I murmured the last sentence in her ear.
Her face flushed as she shook her head.
“Don’t pretend that didn’t make you tingle.”
“You’re devilish.”
“Always. I was thinking we should add a little nook off the bedroom, fantastic lighting, bright, airy…”
“Like an office?” She frowned as she tried to visualize the plans in my head.
“I was thinking more like a nursery.”
Her lips twisted before she turned, big, brown eyes gazing up at me. “A nursery?” she asked.
“Yeah. Y’know, for the babies. They’re gonna want their own rooms someday. Might as well add the extra space now.”
Twins.
Four months along and I could still hardly believe it.
I hadn’t even realized twins ran in my family until we found out Adelina was expecting and my mom mentioned something about skipping generations.
And now, here we were. Preparing to welcome two little humans into our home.
Boys, if I had to guess. My swimmers were strong.
“Promise our first family trip will be to Hawaii, mamá.” Not long after the run-in at Snow Lake, Adelina had thrown me for the loop of my life and had shown me a positive pregnancy test.
I’d kissed her and loved her and fucked her all weekend long, intoxicated by the woman who made my life worth living.
“Don’t forget somewhere for Abuela to stay!” Adelina’s grandmother stepped onto the porch, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.
“About that…” Adelina groaned under her breath.
I’d managed to track down Adelina’s grandmother in a tiny mountain town deep in the countryside. Ryker had had a better handle on the terrain, and we'd gone down there together over the course of a few days. We’d convinced Mrs. de los Angeles and her two sisters to come back with us. It was all a surprise for Adelina.
I knew how she worried for her grandmother’s safety, worried about her brothers taking advantage of the aging old woman, so I’d made it my goal to bring her home to her granddaughter.
Both grandmother’s, granddaughter’s, and two aunts’ official citizenship papers came in just days after Abuela arrived.
I owed Ryker a helluva lot for that one.
He’d made magic happen, even if Adelina’s papers had been held up for a while. The fact that he’d managed to fast-track them at all was incredible.
“Actually, Abuela, I was thinking I would build you your own cabin. I can get you something pretty roomy across the yard. Imagine the kids running back and forth.”
The old woman’s eyes lit up, her hands to her chest as she nodded and whispered thank you.
“Looks like she’s fitting in well.” Ryker came up behind me, clamping his hand on my shoulder.
I turned to find a tiny little man, snuggled in a baby carrier, attached to his chest.
Anna floated up behind them, a serene look on her face.
Seemed that everyone was having babies around here.
It if weren’t for the
guys bailing me out at the Snow Lake cabin, God knows where I’d be. Probably sitting in a fucking jail cell for dismantling that Outlaw, one limb at a time. It was a time Adelina and I both struggled to put behind us, but the great thing about the Sinister Knights was there was always something new to do—another fight to win, another moral battle to conquer.
I’d never asked Ryker what happened to that Outlaw.
Last I heard, he went west.
I had a feeling I knew what that meant, but that was a secret I’d never tell.
“Lookin’ good, bro.” King came up on the other side of me, Piper’s arms holding a tiny infant.
I couldn't believe our kids would get the chance to grow up together just like we had.
I hadn’t known how important family was, and that while blood might be thicker than water, friends were the family you choose and could have the more profound effect on your life.
I was the luckiest man alive to have each and every one of these fuckers in my life.
I cupped Adelina’s beautiful, ever-expanding belly in my palms gently, more in awe of her every day.
The scariest moments of my life had been when I’d thought she was about to be taken from me. I’d never stop at anything to protect and defend her, even if it took my last breath.
“I love you so much. You’re stubborn, strong, sassy, and beautiful. I never stood a chance. No one on this planet has ever loved anyone more than I love you,” I finished and kissed her fully, every emotion I possessed conveyed in that kiss.
“You’re wrong, Saint.”
“’Bout what?” I nipped at her lips, kissed her eyelids, and stroked her cheekbones.
“I love you more. I’ve loved you every second of every day since you told me you owned me. I was just too stubborn to see it for what it was.” She smiled softly.
I couldn’t contain the grin that lifted my cheeks. I pulled her to me, and we stood, hands clasped, sunlight filtering through the evergreens that surrounded our home.
Finally, I could say Adelina was mine.
THE END
Ryker: Sinister Knights MC (BOOK #1)
Anna
“So when do you think that sexy hunk of man meat will be here?” My best friend, Piper, threw herself onto my violet duvet.
“He’s not sexy.” I turned away from her, heart falling in my chest at just the thought of him.
“Bullshit.” Piper snapped her gum. “You’ve been pining over him since he went away.”
“I haven’t,” I protested.
“Again, I’m gonna have to call bullshit. So when’s he coming back?”
“I don’t know. I heard Dad say the party starts tonight, so I’m thinking sometime between now and then.” Dad would have killed me if he’d known I was eavesdropping outside of his office while he was on my phone, but the old man had refused to give me any information relating to Ryker, and I’d grown desperate for anything.
“Between now and then, huh?” Piper eyed me curiously. “So what are you gonna say to the asshole?”
“He’s not an asshole, Piper.”
“Well, he hasn’t written in the three years he’s been gone.”
“Maybe he couldn’t,” I defended weakly.
“But he could keep in touch with your dad?”
“Dad went to visit him every week, kept him in the loop, but I wasn’t allowed to go.”
Piper frowned. “You should call him on that bullshit. This is your life, you’ve got to get your man.”
“He’s not my man.” But he used to be.
“He was when he went up to County. I’m bettin’ he still sees you that way now.”
“Thirty-six months is a long time to be…” I struggled to find the word. The club didn’t say things like prison, jail, incarcerated. They said, “going away.” It was safer that way.
“He owes you an explanation,” Piper said finally.
“He doesn’t owe me anything. I think he’s given me enough already.” I felt the bundle of tears clogging my throat.
“That’s not your fault, Anna. You’re not the reason he’s up there.”
I paused, holding the gaze of the girl I’d been friends with since I was three. “Feels like it.”
Her eyes searched my face before she collapsed with uncharacteristic emotion and pulled me into her embrace. “I know it does, Anna, but it’s not. I promise you it’s not.”
I wiped at the itchy tears running down my face. Every day without Ryker in my life felt like a bullet fracturing my soul.
Would he even want me anymore? Was I the same girl he left?
I wasn’t sure I was, and somewhere down deep, I felt guilt for changing on him too.
In the weeks following Ryker’s arrest and sentencing, Dad had sent me away to an early entrance college program that could fast-track me to a degree in sociology.
I’d only half wanted to go before the event that changed all of our lives. So when I’d told Dad I planned to stay right here at Falcon’s Nest and wait for Ryker to get home, he’d pulled me off my ass and thrown me out the door faster than I could blink.
All for the best, he’d said.
It’d taken me a long couple years to see the wisdom in that statement.
Now I was only six months away from earning my degree and back home for the summer. Back where it all began.
“So what time does that party start? I don’t want to be late.” Piper twittered behind me.
“We’re not going.”
“Why the hell not? It’s Ryker’s welcome home party, right? We’d like to welcome him.”
“You might like to welcome him. I’d rather sit here and sulk away the pain.”
“I’d really like to check out that bod. I bet he got big in the joint.” Piper’s eyes lit up.
I shook my head. “I don’t care.”
“Ha! He was a big motherfucker before, just imagine him now, Anna. Bulging biceps, washboard abs… Remember when we used to watch him do pull-ups in the garage?” Her eyes glassed over with the pleasurable memory.
“I remember you dragging me down into the ditch and getting covered in thistle weeds when he caught us.”
“He didn’t catch us,” Piper retorted.
“He did.” I laughed. “He told me he did.”
“Shit.”
“Not as stealthy as you thought, sister.”
She stuck out her tongue at me. “What are you gonna wear to the party? Something short, show off those legs. You’ve lost at least ten pounds since he last saw you.”
“Twelve.” I groaned, “And I’m not going. I’m staying right here, and if I run into him, I run into him—”
“This one will make your tits look great.” She ignored everything I’d just said and pushed a clingy purple dress over my head.
“Piper!” I spat as I shoved my arms through the holes. “My dad will fucking kill us if we show up. It's a members-only kind of thing.”
“We’re members.” She adjusted the dress around my boobs, pulling the neckline down a little farther. “Well, you are. And I sorta am…by proxy or something.”
I arched an eyebrow when she spun me in the mirror. I frowned, taking in my curvy form.
“You look fucking hot.”
My frown deepened.
“He’s going to want to bone you the second he sees you.”
“Piper!”
“It’s a good dress. And, you’re kind of fucking gorgeous, Anna. I know no one tells you that. I don't know why they don’t tell you that… It’s that whole, I'm too smart for you unapproachable vibe you’ve got going on, but it’s true. You’re fucking gorgeous, and I bet Ryker beat off to you every night he was in that place, just waiting to see you again.”
A blush burned up my cheeks. “What if I don’t know him anymore, Piper?”
“Well, then it’s time to get reacquainted tonight.” She winked at my reflection in the mirror.
“I’m not going to that party.”
“Over my dead body, sister. Now
let's get into your makeup. It just so happens I brought my falsies with me.” She yanked a pair of false eyelashes out of her huge purse. “You’re gonna look like a Kardashian tonight.”
“Ugh or a hooker. Kill me now.”
“Not until your face is done. After that, I don’t care what you do.” Piper pushed me into my bathroom, flicking on the light and plopping me ass-first onto the bench. “Time for him to see what he’s been missing.”
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King: Sinister Knights MC (Book #2)
Piper
“I love him, Piper. I know I've said it before, but I know for sure this time. Truly,” Anna breathed at my ear, squeezing my elbow once.
“Ryker is mad about you. I can see it. Just the way the grouchy old bear as glaring at us now...” Ryker huffed, taking a long swallow from his beer bottle. “Despite your sunshiny disposition, I'm glad you're back.” I glanced at the man of the hour, still hovering a few feet away from his girl, just in earshot, looking as if he were ready to steal her away from me at any minute.
He probably was.
I sucked in a sigh, eyes casting not for the first time at King, scowling from across the room, a matching beer bottle in his hand. I'd been wishing lately that King would look at me the same way Ryker was looking at Anna now.
Anna deserved happiness, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Ryker was the man who made her happy. But that didn't mean I wasn't a tiny bit jealous of the love she'd found. I'd taken to spending so much more time at the ranch in the last few years since Ryker had gone up to County, not that Anna needed a babysitter, but Ryker being gone was tough on her.
Some nights I'd just held her in her bed and let her cry on my shoulder.
There was nothing else I could do.
Not only had Anna been recovering from an assault suffered at the hands of someone she trusted. But then Ryker, the very person who'd saved her from a far worse fate, had been stolen from her life too. Anna was never quite the same after Ryker was gone.