Fast

by Gillian Archer

“And so is he.” I shook my head. “I had to make sure he knew that I wasn’t going to stand by and watch him try to tear my family apart. Him or his biker brothers. You guys are off limits.”

  “You consider us your family?” Nathan smirked.

  I shrugged, suddenly embarrassed. They had this big, complicated family structure already. Who was I to come along and lay claim to them? “You’re Ryan’s family. You guys will be this baby’s uncles and aunt.” I nodded at Sabrina. “So I guess that means you’re stuck with me too.”

  “Ah, we’re not stuck with you.” Nathan reached out and gave me a brotherly side hug. “Ryan picked you. You’re the chosen one.”

  Austin laughed. “You’re making her sound like the Messiah.”

  Nathan raised an eyebrow. “Well, she is pregnant, so who knows?”

  “You’re insane.” Austin pulled me out of Nathan’s arms to give me a hug. “Ignore him. You’re Ryan’s girl. Of course you’re family.”

  My eyes went straight to the door that led into the ICU, and my earlier feeling of dread pooled in my stomach. “Hopefully he’ll forgive me as easily as all of you have.”

  “That’s because you’ve done nothing to need forgiveness.” Dylan’s quiet words drew everyone’s attention. “He’s not in there because of you.”

  I flinched. Obviously he was in the hospital because of me. But for our relationship, my father never would’ve gone after him. I must’ve somehow given away my thoughts because Dylan wrapped an arm around me and pulled me to his side.

  “Listen,” he murmured. “If he can forgive me for all the screwed-up shit I’ve pulled lately, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Trust me.”

  “Thanks, Dylan,” I whispered back as I hugged him tightly for a moment.

  Then I pulled away and tipped my head toward Ryan’s room. “Is it all right if I…”

  “Yeah, sure.” Austin answered. “Ryan’s sleeping right now. Aunt Wendy is in with him, but I know she’ll clear out for you. Pick up the phone over there.” He nodded toward the phone attached to the wall next to the closed ICU entryway. “And ask to see Evel Knievel in 16A and tell them who you are. Wendy added your name to the approved list.”

  “Evel Knievel?” I repeated with a frown.

  “It’s a password to keep the undesirables out.” Austin said. “Cops have labelled it a gang crime, so Ryan needs the extra layer of security.”

  “Plus he always had a thing for Evel.” Nathan laughed.

  “I think it had more to do with the name than anything else.” Sabrina snorted. “Evel. Ryan always has to be the bad ass.”

  I nodded then headed for the ICU entryway. Just as I reached for the phone, Nathan asked, “What screwed up shit have you been doing lately, Dylan?”

  I didn’t hear his answer; I was too focused on getting through the series of doors standing between me and Ryan.

  It felt like it took forever. Talking to one nurse on the phone. Waiting for her to give me approval and buzz me in. Then walking down the hallway to his room. 16A.

  When I finally stood in his doorway, all my attention was focused on the man sleeping in the hospital bed. Tears welled in my eyes and my breath hitched. I couldn’t…I didn’t… That was Ryan?

  I must’ve made some noise because Wendy spun around to face me.

  “Ah, honey.” She stood and gathered me in her arms. “He’s going to be fine. I swear he looks worse than it is.”

  I didn’t think that was possible. His face was bruised and swollen. His left arm was encased in a bright white cast while his ribs were wrapped in white bandages. My eyes kept returning to his face. That beautiful, gorgeous face wasn’t the one I remembered. I had the wrong room. This couldn’t be Ryan

  Then his eyes opened. Those hazel eyes met mine, and I knew.

  “Oh God. Oh, Ryan. I don’t… I can’t…” I sobbed in Wendy’s arms as the reality of what my father and I had done crashed down on me.

  “Ryan, you shouldn’t—” Wendy broke off as another set of arms wrapped around the two of us.

  “I’m fine, beautiful.” His familiar rumbly voice whispered in my ear. “I swear it looks worse than it really is.”

  Oh shit. Now he was comforting me. That was when I really lost it. My sobs shook all of us. Wendy murmured something to Ryan and the next thing I knew all three of us were beside Ryan’s bed and they were lowering me down onto it.

  “No,” I protested through my sobs. “You’re the one who’s supposed to be—”

  Ryan’s face twisted into something akin to a pained smile. “I’m supposed to be getting out of bed and moving around. Especially if I want to be discharged anytime soon.”

  “Discharged? But—” My eyes scanned him from head to toe again. His hospital gown didn’t conceal much and everything I could see had a bruise or a bandage around it. “Oh my god. I’m so sorry, Ryan. I don’t even know what to say to make this better. I am so, so sorry.”

  “I’m just going to…” Wendy trailed off, quickly followed by the sound of the door closing.

  “Hope, you have nothing to apologize for. This wasn’t your fault. Your father did this. No one else.” He collapsed into Wendy’s chair next to the bed and shook his head. “Why the fuck is everyone but him apologizing to me about this?”

  I swiped at the tears that wouldn’t stop. “But it is my fault. I should’ve talked to my dad like you wanted me to. Maybe I couldn’t—”

  “No. I’m glad you didn’t.” Ryan cut me off. “I’ve had nightmares about what could’ve happened to you if you’d told him. Christ. I would lose it if anything ever happened to you.”

  “Ryan.” Tears swam in my eyes and I shook my head. Damn these tears. I’d never been such a water faucet before. “When Dylan told me what had happened, all I could think was that I never told you that I love you. Because I do. I have for a while. I just couldn’t say the words for some stupid reason. And you were in surgery fighting for your life, not knowing how I felt because I’d never told you.”

  “Hope.” Ryan pushed himself out of the chair. The movement was painful for him and for me to watch. He took three steps then collapsed on the bed and wrapped his arms around me again. “I knew it, beautiful. There was never any doubt in my mind that you loved me. I knew. I felt it. You never had to say it.”

  “But I want to.” My words were muffled against his chest. I pulled back so I could look into his battered face. “Because I do. I love you, Ryan Burns.”

  His eyes closed for a second and he sucked in a breath. Then that playful smile of his curved his lips. “Even though I look like I went ten rounds with the heavyweight champion?”

  I rolled my eyes. He was ridiculous. And cute. And the only man for me. “Even though. I still love you.”

  “I guess I can live with that. I love you too.” Then he leaned down and kissed me.

  I closed my eyes and kissed him back. And it felt wonderful. Like coming home.

  Which reminded me.

  I broke the kiss and whispered, “There’s something I forgot to tell you. Actually a few somethings.”

  “Nathan told me about your miscarriage scare. Is everything okay? Are you and the baby okay?”

  “Yes, we’re both fine. No more bleeding. No more cramps. It was so scary, but I’m fine. We’re both fine.” I placed a hand over my slight tummy bulge. “We got to hear the heartbeat.”

  “It kills me that I wasn’t there for you.” Ryan’s hand joined mine over our baby. “That I couldn’t hear our baby’s heartbeat too. But I’m glad Nathan and Sabrina could be there for you.”

  “Yeah.” I looked down at our joined hands and smiled. “I guess I’m officially absorbed by the Burns clan.”

  “There’s no running now, beautiful. We’ve got you forever.”

  There wasn’t anywhere else I wanted to be. “I’m not complaining. But uh, that wasn’t the only thing I had to tell you. There is something else. I’m kinda homeless now.”

  “That bastard threw you out? Fuck, I don
’t know why I’m surpr—”

  “Ryan! Of course not. He’s sitting in county jail. My mom and I packed up everything and moved me out. After what he did to you, I’ll be damned if I’ll take anything from that bastard again. He’s dead to me.”

  “Oh. Right. That makes more sense.” Ryan shook his head. “So you’re worried about being homeless? That’s not a problem. As long as I have a place, you have a place with me. You are my home. I love you.”

  I smiled. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing you say that. Thank you.”

  “Tell Dylan to unpack your shit at my place. We’ll have to turn my office into a nursery, but we’ve got a few months for that.”

  “Are you asking me to move in with you?”

  Ryan snorted. “There’s no asking here. You’re doing it.”

  I raised my eyebrows at his high handedness and laughed. It was hard to pretend to be annoyed when all I felt was overwhelming love. I guess I had found the place I belonged after all. My home was with Ryan and our little nugget.

  “Besides, we gotta take care of each other. They won’t discharge me without the promise of someone looking after me. And I have to take care of you and our baby.”

  I couldn’t stop the smile spreading over my face, but I still tried to sound stern when I replied. “Fine. And just so you know, the doctor told me no sex until we talk to my doctor.”

  “That’s fine, beautiful.” Ryan gathered me into his chest with his good arm and urged me to lie down beside him. “As long as I have you next to me, I’ve got nothing to complain about.”

  This time it was my turn to snort. “Let’s see if you’re singing the same tune if this lasts more than a week.”

  “Ah…” Ryan’s forehead wrinkled. “I guess we’ll just get creative, then.”

  That sounded good to me. I closed my eyes and rested against him. “Love you.”

  “Love you too.” Ryan sighed deeply. “This might just be my favorite day ever.”

  Epilogue

  Ryan

  One year later

  “And this is where Daddy does the majority of his cussing,” I murmured to my babbling six-month old daughter as I held her cradled against my chest.

  “Bah!” Felicity whacked me in the face with a wet hand.

  I laughed. “Yup, I’ve been known to say that a time or two.”

  “That’s not the word I remember you shouting yesterday.” Sabrina laughed from the doorway of the shop. “Although if memory serves, it did start with a B.”

  Tipping my head at my tiny daughter, I narrowed my eyes at my blabby cousin. “You mean baby?”

  “No, but it does involves babies.” She crossed the shop floor, holding her hands out and scowled when I wouldn’t give up the goods. “Hey, I’m not one to judge. It’s not like I was born in wedlock.”

  “You sound like you’ve been reading those books again.” I shook my head but let her take Felicity from me.

  Sabrina held my baby tight to her chest and grinned when Fliss slapped her with a wet hand. “I’m thinking of starting a book club. My bestie Madison has been reading them with me since high school, and I’ve managed to convert Hope.”

  “You don’t have to tell me. I can’t go five feet in our place without tripping over a book with a ripped dude on the cover. I think it’s starting to give me a complex. Why do you think I’ve been spending so much time in the gym lately?” I sounded annoyed, but really, I loved that Sabrina and Hope had become such close friends. Plus there were some delicious benefits to Hope’s new interest in romance books. I definitely wasn’t complaining.

  “Oh, give it up. All four of you guys could and have been on the cover of a magazine. And a calendar. Did you know that, Felicity? Daddy is Mister March and September.”

  “Don’t remind me.” I grimaced. “Felt like one of those damn firefighter sell outs, all greased up and straddling pipes.” I thought it’d been revealing to have millions of people watch the film of me getting a beatdown by a motorcycle gang, but that was nothing compared to having loads of women talking about my package on social media. Especially the DMs. I shuddered. “What about that sells motorcycles?”

  Sabrina had been staring into the hallway, kinda frozen and all weird until Fliss hooked her hand in Sabrina’s hair and yanked. “Ouch.” Untangling the baby’s hand from her hair, she grimaced. “Uh, what?”

  “Nothing. You okay?”

  “Yeah, sure. Just thinking about royalties on those calendars. Here, take your kid back. She’s getting fussy.” She grinned as I took my cranky daughter back. “That’s the best part of being godmother. I get all the fun and then give her back when she gets whiny.”

  I rolled my eyes. Like Fliss was ever a handful. She was a fat and sassy little girl who only whined when she wanted a bottle, but I’d just fed her twenty minutes ago. Clearly Sabrina was deflecting and didn’t want to talk about whatever was on her mind. I debated for a second about probing deeper, but I let it go. She knew she could come to me if she needed anything. “Hey, before I forget. Me and the guys are supposed to film the reveal of Cole Jackson’s new bike up at Tahoe tomorrow and apparently Austin scheduled someone to come by to start the upgrade of our fire suppression system then too. Can you hang out here and let him in? Otherwise we gotta call and cancel, and it took two months to get this appointment.”

  She sighed like it was a huge ask. “What time? I’m getting my nails done at one.”

  “The guy’s supposed to be here at ten. Come on, Sabby? For me? Please?”

  “I guess I can stay and work on a Friday, but you owe me.”

  “Thanks. Sorry, if you had your hopes set on drooling over rock and roll’s bad boy.”

  She snorted. “Not even my type, but thanks for thinking of me. Nice to see you, Felicity. You’re so much cuter than your daddy.”

  She gave her a smooching kiss on the neck that had Fliss squealing then turned to go.

  “Thanks in advance for tomorrow. But don’t let just anyone in!” I hollered at her back. “His name is Logan Carter or Carter Logan. I can’t remember which.”

  Sabrina stopped then whipped around to face us. Her eyes were huge. “What?”

  “What?” I repeated. What did I say that freaked her out so much? “What’s wrong?”

  “What’s his name?” she whispered.

  Concerned by her paleness, I jostled my daughter in my arms as I reached for my cell. Pulling up the text Austin had sent me, I read the name. “Logan Carter. Does that… What? Do you know him or something?”

  Sabrina blanched. “I don’t. Sorry.” Sending me a totally fake smile, she backed away. “I have expense reports waiting for me. The exciting life of an accountant. Buh bye, Fliss! Later Ry.”

  And she was gone before I could even question her.

  “That was weird,” I whispered to my daughter. “Think we should be worried about Auntie Sabrina?”

  Felicity gurgled then lunged for the tool tray on my right.

  “Guh. Right. Maybe I have enough on my hands at the moment.” Whipping her around in my arms, I twirled us until she forgot about the shiny tools. Her cute baby giggles echoed in the empty shop, making her giggle harder. I don’t think there was a sound on this earth that I loved more. Grinning at my daughter, I widened my eyes. “How about we go make a mess in Uncle Austin’s office? And maybe we can come up with our plan about how we’re gonna ask Mama to marry me. What do you think?”

  Felicity squealed and stuffed her hand into her mouth.

  I made a funny face at her as we walked down the hall toward Austin’s office. “And maybe find out if Daddy packed a teething ring or if we’re gonna regret my lack of planning.”

  “Isn’t lack of planning what got you a daughter in the first place?” Austin drawled from his office’s doorway.

  “Oh. Hey, bro. Didn’t know you were still here.”

  “I figured.” He laughed as he tipped his head toward the diaper bag I’d flung onto his desk a few minutes ago.


  I shrugged. “Not like I have an office around here. And Fliss needs a softer, cleaner surface than the greasy shop floor next to my tool cart.”

  Austin grinned and held his hands out for his niece. Fliss all but leapt into his arms. He grunted as he caught her and held her in front of him so he could make goofy faces. “Yeah about that. We need to look into expanding—either building onto our shop here or maybe opening a new one with more facilities.”

  Felicity’s belly laughs filled the room and had both of us grinning—when Austin wasn’t screwing his face into a weird expression.

  I shook my head. “I wouldn’t mind having my own office, but I think that’s a conversation we need to have with Sabrina.”

  “I would have, but she ran out of here like hellhounds were on her heels.” He shrugged. “I guess I’ll talk to her next week about that. So, what’s this I hear about asking Hope to marry you? Took you long enough.”

  I grinned, unrepentant. Hope and I had needed time to get to know each other and then our hands were full with figuring out how to keep a tiny baby alive. Besides it wasn’t like Austin was the poster boy for marriage. He and Rachel were only three months into their engagement. “Want to see the ring?”

  “Hell yeah. I’m kinda pissed you didn’t ask me along to help you pick it out.”

  I dug into the diaper bag to pull out the small ring box. Opening it up with shaking hands, I displayed the two-carat glimmering diamond ring. “I took Sabrina and Aunt Wendy with me.”

  “Nice, bro.” Austin grunted when Fliss lunged at the ring. Dancing away, he swayed and tried to distract her with silly faces. “Do you know how you’re gonna ask her? Got anything planned?”

  “I haven’t decided.”

  “Huh. What does Dylan think?”

  I shrugged. I hadn’t actually talked to Dylan much lately outside of work. I didn’t remember much from the attack, but deep down I felt like the old man had a hand in it somehow. But nothing from James’ footage proved my suspicion, and the Kings were quiet about the details—going to trial instead of taking a plea deal that would’ve required giving up their accomplices. Despite his contriteness in the hospital after the attack, Dylan was still doggedly on Dad’s side—got him a new job (or three, who could keep track?) and spent time with the old man every weekend. So things were kinda awkward with Dylan lately. Meanwhile I was focused on my family. “It’s not like he has practice with this. How’d you ask Rachel?”