Riggs (The Kings of Retribution MC, Louisiana Chapter Book 1)

by Crystal Daniels

  "Where is he now? In jail?"

  "No. He was found dead in his apartment a week ago with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. I can safely say he is no longer a threat; along with Savage Outlaw."

  "So, no more hiding?"

  "No, Miss Novak. No more hiding. You are free to return home to Arizona."

  Riggs slides his arm around my waist and kisses the top of my head. I peer up at his handsome face and beam. "I am home Detective Brooks."

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Riggs

  Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, I fixate on the raised scar running down the middle of my chest. It's been two months since a bullet damn near sent me to my grave. Death had his cold hand on my spine, pulling me down, and for the first time in my life, I faced my mortality with a different point of view, and I wasn't okay with leaving. The last moment I can recall was kissing my woman. My next memory was waking up in a hospital bed. Like the many near misses I've had before, I think about it and wonder what I could have done differently, then realized none of that matters. Reality is; I survived, and my family is safe.

  Luna steps into the bathroom. The light of my life. The reason I'm standing here today. Her love gives me purpose. It's our love that brought me back. I firmly believe that, and not one person will ever convince me otherwise. Luna looks at my reflection in the mirror. "It looks better. The lotion is helping." Grabbing the jar from the countertop, Luna unscrews the lid, dips her finger into the thick cream, and places it back on the counter. I turn and face her. Leaning forward, she presses her lips to my chest, then spreads the lotion on my skin, and massages the cream over my scar. She's right. It's faded some over the past three weeks, and the redness has dulled to a dark shade of pink.

  When she has finished, she smiles. "You excited?"

  I smile back. "You have no idea." It's been two months to the day since I've ridden my bike. No taking risks, lifting anything over a certain weight, the list goes on. But those were the doctor's orders, and Luna has ridden my ass since day one making sure I followed every order the doctor gave. From the moment they wheeled my stubborn ass out of the hospital, my woman has taken care of me. Hooking my finger through the belt loop of her jeans, I pull her body flush against mine. Wrapping my hand around her ponytail, I gently tug her head back and press my lips to hers.

  Thirty minutes later, we're outside and I'm helping my woman climb on the back of my bike. Adjusting herself, Luna taps me on the shoulder, signaling she's ready. Turning the key, I fire her up. Twisting the throttle, I give the bike a little gas, warming the engine, before pulling onto the road. The moment we leave the busy streets behind us, I pick up speed, and we ride.

  It doesn't take long before I'm turning onto the gravel road to Pop's. I park my bike alongside Cain's Harley. Slipping the helmet from Luna's head, I lift her off the bike.

  "The doctor said—" she signs, but I cut her off by scooping her off the ground.

  "Don't fuss at me, woman. The doctor said not to overdo it. Holding my woman in my arms doesn't come close." I kiss the tip of her nose, and she crosses her arms over her chest. Hearing the front screen door slam shut, I turn my head to see Pop and Piper coming down the porch steps.

  "It's good to see you riding again," Pop says as he walks my way. "You just going to carry your woman around all day?" He chuckles because I still haven't let loose of Luna, her feet still dangling above the ground. I sit her down. Stepping around me, she wraps her arms around Pop, then kisses his cheek. "Careful," he signs, "or I might just keep you for myself," Pop chuckles, and I embrace him myself.

  "How's it goin', Pop?"

  "Oh, I can't complain. Got up early, caught some fish, and now my family is here. Good day so far."

  "Hey, Uncle Abel." Piper hugs me after hugging Luna.

  "Hey, birthday girl. I noticed your dad finally let you have the key to the car."

  Piper looks over her shoulder at the red car sitting in the driveway just behind Pop's truck. "Yep," she rocks back on her heels. "He said when I turned sixteen, she was mine," Piper beams.

  Luna slips the pack she's wearing off her back and unzips it, pulling a card-shaped envelope from inside. She hands it to Piper, and I laugh because she's so eager for her to open it. "Happy birthday," she signs, and we watch Piper tear it open.

  Piper squeals. "No way! Tickets to see East of Addiction." Her happiness is contagious, and I can't help but smile. "Oh, my God! How'd you get these? The entire tour has been sold out for months."

  "You won't believe it, but it turns out that a club member's old lady back in Montana knows Easton." Piper stares at me for a moment.

  "Shut up. Are you serious?" Piper's face lights up.

  I rub the back of my neck. "I'm not pullin' your leg kid."

  My brother rounds the corner of the house. "What the hell are you carryin' on about?" Piper runs up to her dad and waves the tickets in his face. "Uncle Abel and Luna gave me East of Addiction tickets for my birthday."

  "You're shittin' me. How the hell did you get those? You aren't supposed to be cooler than me, bro." My brother jokes and he claps me on the back.

  "Looks like the rest of the men are rolling in." Pop announces as Wick drives toward us, followed by Fender, Kiwi, and Everest. Looking down at my woman, I wait for her reaction. For weeks she has been facetiming her best friend in Arizona, Jade, and I can tell she misses her. Luna has been through a lot in the past few months and nursed me back to health. She's done all this with a smile on her face. So, I got in touch with her friend and set a plan into motion. After I took care of her airfare, Jade hopped on a plane early this morning and flew into New Orleans. The closer they get; I notice Kiwi has our guest on the back of his bike.

  "I see Kiwi has himself a lady friend," Pop states, and Luna's eyes follow the bikes as they roll to a stop. Kiwi dismounts and helps the young woman off his ride. With her back still to us, Jade removes her helmet and runs her fingers through her long brown hair. When she begins to turn around Luna gasps. Jade smiles and signs. "Surprise!" Then throws her hands in the air.

  Leaving my side, Luna tackles her best friend. "Oh my God! How — when?" she asks Jade.

  "Riggs." She tells Luna, and my woman spins on her heels. The look she gives me says everything.

  "Thank you," she signs.

  A few hours later, the men have the grill fired up, and music playing as the family enjoys our day together. Piper invited a few friends over, one of them being the young man who asked her to the school dance, and Luna and Jade haven't stopped talking to each other since she got here. Opening the cooler sitting beside me, I grab an ice-cold beer, pop the top off, and down half. Just then, Neil rounds the corner of the house and walks over to where I'm sitting. "Commander." Reaching out, he shakes my offered hand.

  "LeBlanc."

  "Have a seat." I point to the lawn chair beside me. "Thought you had business you had to leave town for." Sitting my beer down, I retrieve one from the cooler and hand it to him.

  "Thanks." He pops the top and tosses it to the trash can behind us. "I want to spend more time here in Louisiana."

  I admire that. Neil is doing all he can to make up for lost time. He and Luna finally got the DNA test result back not long after I was released from the hospital. The legal piece of paper finalizing what they both already knew. It took a couple of days for it to really sink in. Luna went through a gambit of emotions, but in the end, the two of them have been spending time together. Neil is sharing all he can about Luna's mother, and they are both trying to navigate the whole father-daughter relationship.

  "Who is that with Luna?" Commander asks.

  I glance across the yard to where my woman is. "Her friend, Jade." Commander and I watch the two of them signing away, and Luna throws her head back laughing. I get serious for a moment. "You look into what's left of Savage Outlaw?"

  "Once word got around Rex and eight of his men were dead, the remaining members disbanded. Don't foresee you having any further problems," Commander
informs me. "What about that other issue?" I ask. Neil knows I'm referring to that piece of shit that was Amelia's father.

  "Yup." Is the only response he gives. It doesn't take a genius to read between the lines.

  Wick settles in the lawn chair on the other side of me. "Turned out to be one hell of a day, brother."

  My eyes roam the yard, taking in everyone enjoying themselves, and all I can think about is how fucking grateful I am to be alive. I nod and clink the neck of my beer bottle against his. "I don't see how it could get any better, brother."

  When night falls, Fender lights the bonfire. Piper and her friends break out ingredients for s'mores, while the adults laugh at some story Pop is telling. Wanting some alone time with my woman, I grab a blanket, and take her by the hand, pulling her attention from her friend. Jade looks at me, then to Luna. Something passes between them, but she says nothing as she looks back at me.

  "Everything okay? Do you not feel good?" she asks.

  I lead her toward the water's edge and spread the blanket on the ground. "Never better." I pull her down with me and tuck her between my legs. We sit like this, alone, looking out at the water, and watch the lightning bugs dance across the surface.

  After several minutes, Luna nudges my side, then turns in my arms, facing me. "There's something I need to tell you."

  "Okay," I sign.

  "I'm pregnant."

  I blink.

  My heart flutters, and I grab my chest. "Say it again," I tell her.

  Her face lights up. "We are going to have a baby." She touches her stomach.

  "Yeah?" I ask, and she nods. Not able to hold my excitement, I stand, scoop her into my arms and spin her around, causing her to giggle. I'll never grow tired of hearing her laughter. Overwhelmed, I stop spinning and set Luna on her feet. Grasping her face in the palms of my hands, I look into the eyes of the woman I love, and the mother of my unborn child — my future. "Marry me."

  Her eyes light up and become misty. "Yes." She signs.

  Bursting with excitement, I turn toward our family and friends standing a few yards away. "Listen up!" I yell, grabbing everyone's attention. Looking down on Luna's smiling face, I announce as loud as I can. “This beautiful woman just gave me the best news of my life by agreeing to become my wife. And, we're having a baby! I'm going to be a dad!" Cheers and applause erupt around us as our family celebrates the news.

  Leaning back, Luna signs. "I'm a little nervous."

  "Mon Tresor. Just keep lovin' me, and I'll keep lovin' you. The rest will all fall into place."

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