Rico’s Way

by Joy Blood

  Soft tuffs of black hair cover his tiny head, and his skin looks like it’s made of the finest silk. I want so bad to touch him. Forcing my heavy arm to move upward, I push past the protest of the limb so I can run my finger along his sweet face. "He's a little jaundiced, but the docs said it’ll be fine. Just needs some sunlight," he explains, but I barely hear him. The slightest tint of yellow explains what Rico just said, but I don’t even see it. All I see is my baby boy is alive and has the most angelic face I have ever laid eyes on.

  "He's beautiful."

  "Just like you," Rico says. "His name says boy on the certificate."

  "Boy," I repeat, rolling it around in my head, swallowing once before speaking again. "How about Boyd?" Rico’s brows raise, then he nods.

  "I like that. Boyd Cabrera. It works," he says with a smile. Mine disappears, and my eyes widen, almost with hope.

  "Did you get—"

  "No. Wasn’t doing shit ‘til you woke up." His tone is now terse as he lifts Boyd from my chest. "I'll grab the papers. Have you sign them." He places my boy in the car seat we bought only a few weeks ago. Together. "You get some rest. I’ll be back," he tells me, but I stop him.

  "Can you..." I clear my throat and try again. "Can you leave him?" He pauses for a moment, then brings the car seat over to my bed, placing it down so Boyd is facing me.

  "You can leave the little one. I will be in here," the nurse I didn’t even know was still in the room pipes up. She comes to my bedside to bring the head of my bed up to a sitting position. "Pace yourself," she instructs with a sweet smile before going back to changing my fluids.

  "I'll put him here." Rico shifts my legs to place the car seat between them. I push away the pain crawling through me at the exertion I'm putting out. I just want to look at him a little longer.

  "Thank you." I give him a smile, which he only half returns before walking out the door.

  "Is there any chance…I could have a DNA test ran?" I ask when Rico has left the room. The nurse gives me a skeptical look, then nods.

  "We can do that. We’ll just need to have the father in question submit a sample too." I nod. I know Premo will do it no questions asked, but Rico might be an issue, which is why I’m only going to cross-match with one man. Premo. If it's negative, then I know who my little man's father is.

  If it’s positive...well, I'm not sure what to do from there.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Rico

  I got her out of the damn hospital a week after she finally woke up. Her and our boy. Bringing them home was tedious. Even though we live two blocks from the hospital, I went maybe five miles an hour and kept checking my mirrors for oncoming and passing traffic. Not that there was any. The roads are now packed with snow and slightly slick. Winter has been cold and snowy so far. "I think we should order some pizza for lunch. What do you think?" Ari asks as she walks from Boyd's bedroom, still a little slow on her feet.

  "Girl, all you’ve been eating is pizza. Aren’t you sick of it yet?" It was her go-to pregnancy craving, and now seems to be her post-pregnancy food. She has asked me to order it nearly every night since we’ve been home. A week and a half straight of pizza is too much pizza.

  "Well, they’re the only place that delivers..." she starts, and that’s when I realize why she’s been going for pizza.

  "You think I can’t cook you a meal?" I ask as she comes closer, stopping so I can pull her into me. Not going to lie, not being able to properly fuck my woman for a while is going to be a bitch.

  "It's not that...I just...well, I like pizza and I—"

  "Nope. Not getting out of this one. You go sit your ass down on the couch. Watch something on TV. I’ll run to the store and make you the best fucking dinner you ever ate." I walk her over to the sofa and plant a big wet kiss on her lips before pushing her down onto the cushions. "I’ll be back in a bit." I hand her the remote and click the TV on before I go.

  As soon as I climb into my truck, my fucking phone rings. "Pres?" I answer.

  "Hey, Reek. How’s the family?" he asks.

  "Good, what's up?" I know the man didn’t call to chat. Since I haven’t been staying at the clubhouse, a newly patched member has been helping with the technical side of things. Hank, referred to as Wiz. Little bastard damn near knows more about computers than I do. Good hacker too.

  "No way to tell you this, so I’m just going to say it. Wiz found something on a traffic cam from the night Ari was in the accident." I freeze, hand on the ignition, unmoving. "You there, Reek?" Clearing my throat, I try to rein in the mix of dread and anger rolling through me to force out words.

  "Yeah. What did he find?"

  "Looks like the first vehicle that hit her was deliberate. Cam didn’t catch a face, but watching the footage, it’s damn clear the driver was gunning right for her. Second hit was completely coincidental." The person who ran the red light was declared as a hit and run. The second car that hit was a high school teacher who made it out without a scratch.

  "You're telling me someone targeted my woman? Who the fuck would do that?" I run through the long list of people who might want to hurt someone close to a Rider, but come up empty. They’re all dead. The mill explosion killed the rest of them. There’s one left, though. "Is Brock still in Rhino?" Gin told us he left the exiled brother’s fate to the chapter in Rhino.

  "Asked Eagle already. Turncoat is still there, not him." Fuck. "I’ve got Wiz working on it. I just wanted to give you a heads up and tell you I’ve got a couple guys headed your way." I don’t say much more, just grunt out my thanks and hang up the phone.

  I give myself a minute more and look back up to the house. Leaving her here alone isn’t happening, so I climb back out of the truck. That’s when I hear a rumble. Looking up, I see the club's POS truck with Sage behind the wheel, and College driving the yellow hummer we all give him shit for. Who the fuck would want something that color?

  "Reek. On your way out?" Sage steps out of the rust bucket.

  "When the fuck are you goin’ to get your own vehicle? We do live in an area where riding a bike year around isn’t possible," I tell him, tipping my chin to College as he walks our way.

  "Not committing to a cage. Sure as fuck wouldn’t degrade myself by driving something yellow either," Sage says.

  "Fuck you. Chicks love the shit out of Phil," College defends with a smirk.

  "You are a disgrace to all mankind," Sage deadpans, shaking his head. "Can’t even give that banana boat a woman's name like a man would."

  "It’s a minion, man. I gave the first girl who blew me in it the honor of naming it." Sage shakes his head, bowing down to rub his face. He mumbles something about growing a pair, then looks back to me.

  "You got somewhere to be? We’ll go on in and watch out for them ‘til you get back." I nod my thanks and go back to my truck, the dinner I was planning on making for Ari far from my mind.

  The trip to the store is quick, and I make sure to grab extra diapers and wipes for Boyd so Ari won’t have to worry about it. I keep the possible threat at bay only to have the constant loom of Boyd’s paternity fall on me. We haven’t touched on the subject since she woke up, nor has she tried to bring it up again. I don’t want to talk about it, and I don’t want to acknowledge that when I look at Boyd, I don’t see one shred of me in him. It hurts. I don’t want to believe it because it doesn’t matter. The boy is mine. I don’t care if he doesn’t share my DNA, but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to hurt when the truth comes out.

  * * *

  I lug in all the bags filled to the brim while glaring at the two assholes on my couch who don’t get up to help once. Ari is sitting between them laughing at something Sage says as College shakes his head. "That’s fine, pricks. I don’t need help." I bring the bags to the countertop, and Ari is the only one to get up and come to me in the kitchen.

  "They showed up after you left. Is something going on?" she asks, already knowing something is. Since she moved in here, no one has been through our fro
nt door for more than a minute.

  "Let me just get this shit put away and make you some food, then we can talk. All right?" She thinks about it for a moment, but nods.

  "Are they staying?" She flicks a glance into the living room where Sage and College are now watching some ridiculous adult cartoon.

  "Unfortunately," I grumble. If it weren’t the dead of winter, I would make the fuckers stay outside in their vehicles. "Go lay down for a bit. Get some rest. I’ll come get you when dinner is ready." I give her a quick kiss before she saunters off toward the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Ari

  Rico is a private person, so having the guys here only seals the fear nagging in the back of my mind. Something is wrong. After dinner, which Boyd woke up during, Rico went to his computer room right across the hall from Boyd's nursery. I let him be, knowing he probably has something to work on for the club. After mixing up a bottle, I settle on the big fluffy rocking chair Rico insisted on getting me to feed Boyd. He sucks eagerly, downing an ounce in only minutes. "Gosh, you’re hungry, aren’t you?" He fusses as I turn him to lay on my chest. "Time to burp, baby boy." I hush him, patting his back until he lets out a string of burps.

  "Eating good?" Rico asks from the door. I look up to see him leaning on the doorjamb, his jeans hanging low, tattooed hand at his side, thumb hooked in the front loop, his gray shirt stretched across his trim chest. He looks utterly sexy as he stares lovingly at us.

  "Always." I shift Boyd and go back to feeding him, waiting for Rico to explain what’s going on. "Just tell me, Rico. What happened?" The club has been through so much, I’m not sure how much more it can take.

  "Rock called to tell me Wiz found footage from a traffic cam that shows what happened to cause your crash." I tense. "Turns out, the driver of the first vehicle wasn’t just a hit and run. It was deliberate." He looks me over as the information takes root. Heavy steps carry him into the room before he takes Boyd from my arms and places him in the crib. Then, he comes back and kneels in front of me. "Look at me, Ree," he demands, but I’m still there, stuck in the hospital bed, being crushed by blackness and forever. "Ree." His lips waft over mine, bringing me to the here and now.

  "Who would do that?" I whisper. "Boyd could have...oh god." My hand goes to my chest, pressing down as I start to breathe faster and faster.

  "Ree. Calm down, girl. Noting is going to happen to you. I’ve got you, babe. The club's got you. I’ll figure this shit out, just going to need you to sit tight until then." My heavy head looks up to find him kneeling in front of me, tattooed hands going for my face. He kisses away the tears I didn’t realize were falling. "Don’t cry,” he whispers along my lips, claiming them softly. "Let’s get you to bed." He lifts me off the chair and carries me as if I weigh nothing. After laying me down, he pulls the covers over me, gets in behind me, and brings me close, comforting me through the night.

  * * *

  Knocking jolts me from sleep. I wake to find Rico gone from the bed, his side completely cold. I glance to where I keep the monitor and find it switched off. He must have shut it off so I could sleep in. The sliver of light coming from the windows tells me its early morning. Stretching, I get out of bed and see I’m still in my clothes from yesterday—yoga pants and one of Rico's gray shirts. I can fit back into most of my clothes, but wearing his shirts is comforting.

  Padding out of the room, I find Sage passed out on the couch with Sam nowhere to be found. My eyes find Rico with his back to me as he talks to someone in the kitchen. As I draw closer, I see it’s Rock. "We got a message from them—whoever the fuck them is," Rock tells Rico in a hushed tone. “Said they wanted the information or they were going after someone else."

  "The fuck information? We ain’t got no intel worth needing," Rico says, shifting his arms around. I hear Boyd start fussing and realize Rico is holding him. As I step closer, Rock catches sight of me and instantly stiffens, making Rico turn around. "Ree."

  "Do you know who it was?" I direct my question to Rock, and he shakes his head.

  "Still working on it."

  "We’ve got it, Ree," Rico says, his big paw covering Boyd's back as he pats him for a burp. When he lets one out, Rico shifts Boyd around and starts feeding him again. Cradled in his arms, my baby boy looks so small and protected, like nothing in the world will touch him without Rico's say so.

  "Well, since I’m not getting anything out of you two vaults, I'll take Boyd to his room and finish feeding him." I step closer for Rico to hand him over. "Thank you for letting me sleep in. I needed that." I smile as I get Boyd situated in my arms, then reach up to give Rico a kiss before heading off to Boyd's room. If they aren’t going to tell me what’s going on, I’ll just have to find out for myself.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Rico

  Trying to find out who the hell has a problem with the club is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Trying to find out what those people want is like trying to find a specific piece of hay in that fucking stack. "How did you get the message? Someone send the club a fucking email or something?" I scoff, pissed that we’re in a dark corner, bent over.

  "That’s the thing." Rock is quiet a second, scrubbing his short beard. "Ringer was dumped off at the end of the road. Prospect at the gate only caught the taillights of a van after they tossed him out. They beat the fuck out of him—jumped him leaving a bar in town."

  "He catch any names?" Rock shakes his head.

  "No. Only that there were three of 'em and they wanted information he didn’t have any knowledge of."

  “What information?"

  "Esteban," Rock whispers, nearly inaudible, but I hear it.

  "You think they worked for him?" Scratching at my two-day-old stubble, I let out a frustrated sigh. "This is because I was diggin’ into him. I found out who the fuck he is, and now he sent his men to take us out to keep himself hidden."

  "Don’t think it’s that. I think whoever this is wants his location."

  "We don’t fucking have that!" I growl. "How the fuck can we hand over someone we don’t have, and how the fuck would they have even found out we’re tracking him down?" Something uneasy rolls in, and I know the reason without Rock even confirming it. We’ve got a rat in the club. "How the fuck does this shit keep happening? Isn’t there anyone out there who believes in loyalty anymore?"

  "Don’t know, Reek. Not looking good when it comes to honor these days."

  "Ain’t that the fucking truth," I grumble. The couch groans in protest of the two-hundred-pound man sleeping on it as he lifts himself from the cushions. Sage stands to join us, rubbing his eyes, then scratching at his bare chest right over his Rider's tattoo. "Get a good night’s sleep, prick?"

  "Warm welcome." He nods toward Rock. "Pres." He moves his hand to scratch at other parts of himself.

  "Don’t need to see you itching your junk, Sage. Put your pants and shirt back on before my woman comes out and sees you," I snap, glaring at him.

  "Afraid she might leave you for a piece of real man meat?" He chuckles, earning a hard hit on the shoulder from me. He hisses at the contact and laughs on his way to his clothes while Rock and I continue talking.

  "Calling Church. Need you there. College can stay with Ari ‘til you get back." I nod in understanding. I should be there when Rock tells the club about his brother since I’m the one who found the man’s identity. Only a couple of us know about the situation, and those who do don’t know the sex trafficking part of it. Rock kept that quiet, deciding not to do anything more about it. Turns out, that isn’t the way things are going to go.

  "I'll go let Ree know and be right behind you," I say before walking toward our room. When I make my way through the door, I find her curled up on the bed, phone clutched in her hand on her chest. She looks up at me with those beautiful eyes enough for me to catch that she’s been crying. "Ree, we'll figure this shit out." Going to her side of the bed, I stroke my hand along her.

  "It’
s not that." She shakes her head

  "Then what is it? You’ve got to talk to me, girl," I demand, trying to figure out what’s got my girl so stunned.

  "That was the doctor," she sobs, squeezing her eyes shut as I jolt off the bed as if a bolt of electricity zapped me. I know what she’s going to say. I’ve been dreading it, putting it off, even knowing it needed to happen.

  "Don’t say it, Ree. Fuck," I say, backing away a few steps.

  "Rico, I had to. He has a right to know." She gets to her feet, and my stomach drops.

  "Fuck." I grip my hair in my hands and pull just enough to inflict pain. Shit, I almost miss the pain in my back—something else to focus on other than my world falling apart. "What, Ree? Just fucking tell me," I rasp.

  "I had them run Boyd and Premo's..." I freeze my pacing, narrowing my gaze at her.

  "Premo." The name leaves a bad taste in my mouth. "When the fuck did you do this?" I lash out. She doesn’t deserve it, but I do it just the same.

  "He came to the hospital after I woke up. I’m sorry, Rico. Please."

  "Please," I repeat. She's sorry. "Say it then. Tell me the results. Going to need to hear the words. Fucking tell me. Tear my world apart, girl."

  "You think this is all about you? What about me, huh? What about how I feel? I just found out the man I love and want to spend the rest of my life with isn’t the father of my child. Do you think that makes me happy? Do you think that makes things easy for me?" Her words are forced, choked sobs, but hit me in the gut full force. "The test was positive." She sniffs. "Boyd is Premo's son." That’s all I can take.