by Jade Kuzma
“I suppose…”
I knew his name but not much else. He was still a stranger. But Theo seemed intent on not budging from his seat.
“I don’t think I’m who you think I am.” I laughed softly and shook my head.
“And who do I think you are?” He raised an eyebrow at me in curiosity.
“I’m not the kind of woman who’s into club members. I’ve heard too many things about you.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re not exactly law-abiding citizens. I don’t know if I can handle that. It sounds… hard.”
“What are you studying?”
“…What?”
“You’re in school. You just said you’re studying psychology because it’s in your syllabus. What are you studying?”
“I’m studying economics—”
“Economics. All those numbers. Making predictions. Trying to understand something everybody wants to understand.”
“That’s one way of putting it.”
“It won’t be easy.”
“I don’t expect it to be.”
“If something is easy, it’s not worth doing. Like giving a club member the time of day.”
He widened his eyes at me. I searched for the words to say but nothing came out. The more I hesitated, the bigger the smile on his lips got.
“What do you really want?” I asked. “Tell me the truth.”
“The truth? The truth is I was rolling down the street and I saw a beautiful brunette sitting by herself outside of Amy’s. I just had to walk up and introduce myself.”
He locked his eyes on mine. His smile was gone. He just looked at me like he was doing everything he could to tell me he was serious.
I stared back at him, eyes unblinking. I wanted to make sure I got my point across.
“I don’t know what kind of women you’re used to spending your time with. I imagine the girls who spend their time in biker bars have no shame about hooking up and then forgetting about it the next day. I’m not that kind of woman, Theo. So, if all you want is a good time, I suggest you find someone else.”
“All right then…” He got up from his seat and headed into Amy’s. I didn’t wanna admit to myself that I was a little disappointed he left. I sighed and buried my head back in my book, my finger scanning over the text as if it would help me remember.
I read for a few minutes until Theo walked out of the bakery and took his seat back in front of me. A cup of coffee in his hand, he took a big bite out of his donut and smiled at me.
“What’s your last name, Summer?”
“…Humphrey.”
“Summer Humphrey… I wanna know all about Summer Humphrey.”
He smacked his lips with another bite, his eyes still locked on me. I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling even though my cheeks were probably bright red at this point.
“Well… I’m just an ordinary woman in the middle of college. Nothing amazing.”
“Nothing amazing? Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”
“Don’t go calling me amazing and then turn around and break my heart.”
“I promise I won’t as long as you don’t either. Deal?”
He stuck his hand out to me. I laughed again and shook my head when I shook his hand.
“Deal.”
Epilogue 1
THEO
I stood in the meeting room with Jordan behind me. Ash. Grant. Rex. Doc. Micah. Every other man in the club had their eyes locked on me as Jordan addressed the room.
“When I was just a kid growing up in Ivory, I always saw the MCs riding up and down the streets. The bikes. The kuttes. Maybe it was the sense of justice that came with wearing the patch. Whatever it was, I always wanted to get patched in. It was always the Cobras though. The other MCs might talk a big game but we’re the ones who’ve got the strongest history. We don’t let a man in unless he’s got it.
“Theodore Miller has it. In his heart. In his mind. I’m proud to see him rep the colors as much as any man in this room. But there comes a time in every man’s life when he has to make sacrifices. Nobody will forget what he’s done for the MC. Nobody will forget the time he spent with us. He’s a part of all our souls.”
I felt his hands on my shoulders. The kutte came off of me and I felt like I was naked. At the same time, it was like a weight had come off, too. I looked at every man around the room. They had every reason to be pissed. Hell, I would be pissed. But they were all staring at me with their heads held high, as proud as they were when I first patched in.
Jordan turned me around and looked me right in the eye. “Just because you won’t be around doesn’t mean you’re not one of us. I’ll be damned if I could find a man to replace you. But you do what you gotta do. The Winter Cobras will always be here.”
He wrapped his arms tight around me. I squeezed him back, feeling all of the emotions pent up inside of him.
The rest of the club followed. Ash. Grant. Micah.
Doc put his hands on my arms and looked down his nose at me, a father proud of the son he didn’t have. “Don’t be a stranger now.”
I gave him a hug the same as I did all the others.
Rex followed up last. He had half of a smirk on his lips. Even when we were saying goodbye, he managed to be smug about it.
“Go ahead,” I said. “Get it all out.”
“Dropping the patch for an old lady.”
“Summer was never meant for it. I can’t make her live that life. I can’t make Sage go through it either.”
“You don’t gotta explain shit to me. I’ll always have your back in whatever the fuck you gotta do. You hear me?”
“I hear you.” I swallowed to stop my emotions from getting the best of me.
Rex might’ve denied it but I could tell the asshole was trying not to let his eyes glaze over. He squeezed his arms around me in a tight hug then let go.
Jordan patted me on the arm and escorted me back into the bar. A few patrons outside were going about their business like usual. Just another ordinary day in the Bone Pit.
I headed outside with everybody else. The entire club was joined by Quinn. He walked up to me while I got next to my ride.
“You’re really leaving?” he said.
“That’s right, prospect. Open spot for a secretary in the MC. I’m sure you can handle it.”
“I think I can. But that still doesn’t make it any easier.”
I looked into Quinn’s eyes and saw the man I used to be. I wasn’t that much older than him but it sure felt like it. If I had any doubts about my decision, Quinn erased all of them.
“Lemme give you some advice, Q. You make friends in life. You make enemies. You get some pussy. You have a few drinks and get drunk. You have a good time. You go through some shit. No matter what happens, there are only two things that are permanent. The woman you were meant to be with and the patch.”
“How can you say that when you just patched out?”
“Me patching out is the reason I can see it. Look around you. The Cobras ain’t going nowhere. One man taking off his kutte just gives another man a chance to put it on. Show this town what it means to be a Cobra.”
“I won’t forget you.” He stuck his hand out and shook mine.
“You don’t gotta get all fucking sentimental on me. I’ll be around, Q.” I patted him on the arm and kicked my bike over. I looked over at the MC. They all stared at me proudly like they had my entire time with the club. One last nod to say goodbye and I was heading up the road north to the big city.
There was no feeling like the wide open road. The wind against my face and the pavement crumbling underneath me. It was a little different without the kutte on. My time as a Cobra was over. But I smiled knowing I had the chance to start the next part of my life.
Epilogue 2
SUMMER
My apartment was located just on the outskirts of downtown. But even the most rural parts of the city weren’t as quiet as Ivory. It was a big adjustment for
anybody having to come out here.
But if anybody could make the change, Theo wouldn’t have a problem with it.
A week had gone by since he made the move up north with Sage and me. He was all smiles whenever I looked at him. Even though he was doing everything he could to fill that role of a father better than anything else, he still had that rugged appeal I fell for all those years ago.
It was the middle of the afternoon while I was sitting on my couch. The cool breeze coming from the open window kept me comfortable while I enjoyed my book. I was so relaxed that I started to nod off. Just before I fell asleep, the front door opened up. The sound of Theo and his daughter shuffling in was joined by something else.
“What is—” I got the answer to my question before I could finish asking it. Sage struggled with the small puppy in her arms, dropping it on the ground. As soon as it hit the floor, he raced toward me and jumped into my lap. A little brown wiener dog bounced up and down, its tail wagging wildly as it tried to lick my face.
“Theo!” I raised the dog up in my arms in disbelief. “Why?”
“Sage said she wanted a puppy. How could I refuse?” Theo innocently shrugged his shoulders, hiding his grin. I rolled my eyes. For a moment, I thought about cursing him out. But the smile on Sage’s face was like nothing else.
I set the dog down and it raced back to my daughter. She sat on the floor and giggled as the two of them played with each other.
“What’s his name, sweetie?” I asked.
“I don’t know… What do I call him?”
“You don’t have to pick a name now.”
While Sage played with her new friend, Theo and I headed to the kitchen to take care of the groceries he brought with him.
“Thanks for shopping,” I said. “It’s nice not having to deal with the little errands once in a while.”
“It’s not a big deal. I know you’ll be heading back to school and you won’t have much time to relax. Might as well enjoy your time off while you can.”
“Teaching isn’t that hard but it takes up a lot of my time.”
“Hopefully that won’t be the case now that I’m around. I talked to some folks a few blocks from here. There’s an opening at a garage. Ash and Grant were the best. They taught me a few things. From what I’m seeing, there aren’t too many men in this town who know how to work on a ride.”
“Is that something you really wanna do? Being around bikes after what you left behind?”
Even though he always told me he was fine with his decision, he couldn’t deny how much of a sacrifice it was. I didn’t want him to regret his decision. But he always smiled when I asked him.
“I love bikes,” he said. “I love the MC. I made some great memories with those boys. Nothing can ever take that away from me. I had their blessing, Summer. This was the right move.”
He wrapped his arms around me and brought me in for a kiss. The scruff on his face against my cheek made me sigh. With him here with me and my daughter safe by my side, it felt like everything was finally perfect. There was nothing more I could ask for.
My moment with Theo was interrupted by the yipping of the little dog in the living room. We headed back to see our daughter rolling around on the ground while the puppy continued trying to lick every part of her. The sound Sage of squealing made me laugh like nothing else.
“She’s incredible,” he said. “She calls me daddy like she’s known me her whole life.”
“You are her father. She might be a child but she can’t help a feeling like that. I’m sorry… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
“You told me. And I’m here now. That’s all that matters.” He put a hand on my shoulder and kissed me on the top of my head before dropping on the ground to play with the puppy. I joined them and we all laughed as the dog bounced around between us.
“I think I got an idea for a name,” I said. “How about Teddy?” I gave Theo a glance. He winked back at me, a smirk on his lips.
Sage grabbed the wiener dog in her arms then ran her hand over his head. The dog finally started to calm down, nestling itself into Sage’s lap. My daughter giggled as she did her best to put it to sleep.
“Teddy… Like daddy?”
“Yep. Just like dad’s name,” I said.
“Teddy… I like that.”
Thank you!
Thank you so much for reading TEDDY! Stay tuned for more from the Winter Cobras MC!
If you enjoyed TEDDY, check out all of my other titles on my Amazon Page, including stories on all of the other MCs in Ivory!
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The Winter Cobras MC
Read about the other members of the Winter Cobras MC in their own stories!
MANIAC
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JLH6CQV
The New Devils MC
In Old Town, Sebastian Cain and the Devils MC hustle and scheme their way under the nose of the Ivory Sheriff’s Department. Find out how they got their start in the New Devils MC series!
PART 1: ROCK
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FCFWXC2
PART 2: JOKER
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G74747H
PART 3: MERCY
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GTVRJ6D
PART 4: SOUL
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HD4QM8G
PART 5: VENOM
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HVV34Y8
The Black Reapers MC
The Winter Cobras aren’t the only MC in town. Read about their rivals, the Black Reapers, in this steamy, action-packed series!
PART 1: BRASH (A Bad Boy Biker Romance)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0795MH4LB
PART 2: NEEDLE (A Bad Boy Biker Romance)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079QKZMBC
PART 3: SULLY (A Bad Boy Firefighter Romance)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B7L1D2X
PART 4: CHAR (A Bad Boy Biker Romance)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BP7DLB4
PART 5: GHOST (A Bad Boy Second Chance Romance)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C6DK73M
PART 6: REAPER (A Bad Boy Biker Romance)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D21T4FD