by Cathryn Cade
She waved a hand toward her kitchen. "The coffee's on, and Mac ordered a truck-load of doughnuts and sweet rolls. Now I guess we all know why. Help yourselves."
So saying, she grabbed Cooler by his sleeve and pulled. He managed to snag his cut from the back of the sofa as they passed.
Then, with his brothers shaking their heads and grinning like fools behind him, Cooler followed Rae through her kitchen and out the back door onto the tiny back stoop.
She turned on him, eyes snapping with fury. "How dare you just call your friends and have them show up at my house ready to move me and Connor, when I haven't even said we would go! How dare you? Not to mention wasting their time! I'm sure they have other things they could be doing besides driving clear up here for nothing."
“Not for nothing,” he said. “You told me last night you want to move, right? So let’s get you moved. I see you don’t get this, but the Boyz aren’t gonna wait around for you decide where.”
“Well, too bad, Mac. Because I need time to decide. I can’t just—just uproot my whole life in a morning. I need to get packing boxes, I need to—to figure out where I’m going—because it’s not going to be your place.”
Cooler opened his mouth to fire back, but then he stopped. A new alertness in his gaze, he stepped toward the back door.
"What?" Rae asked, her frown sliding back into fear.
The door burst open, nearly sweeping them both off the step. Connor dashed out onto the stoop.
He still wore the old USA Men’s soccer tee and gym shorts he wore to sleep in, and his hair was smashed flat on both sides, sticking up over his head in a faux-hawk.
His eyes were wide. "Dad! You guys," he said breathlessly. "You better come—Rav says the Boyz are out front."
Cooler reached out, set Rae aside on the walk, and reached for the door. Connor, with a move that would've made Beckham proud, held it wide by stepping back on the very edge of the tiny stoop and curving his body out of the way.
Cooler was through it in an instant.
He ran through the kitchen, past Shelle, Billie, and Manda and into the living room, which was now empty.
Rav, T-Bear, Moke, and Rocker stood outside on Rae's front lawn, all of them facing the street. Rocker was in the lead, standing at the edge of the sidewalk.
Cooler took in the rest of the scene.
A big, empty, rental truck sat in Rae's drive, backed up close to her tiny garage, the ramp down, ready to begin loading. On the lawn sat two bikes—Rav's and Rocker’s.
A woman, likely a neighbor, stood at the far corner of Rae's lawn, a big golden retriever on a leash at her side. The woman, plump and middle-aged, seemed frozen in equal parts excitement and fear, eyes wide, mouth open.
The focus of everyone’s attention was the street in front of Rae’s house, where two small, souped-up cars idled, one bright red, the other dirty white. They each held two young men, one a pale-skinned Caucasian, one African-American, and two with the golden-brown skin and dark hair of mixed race heritage.
All four were looking to Rocker, all scowling. Well, one looked like he'd rather be anywhere but here, which Cooler got. The Flyers’ veep had that effect when he turned on the cold menace he now exuded.
“Stay back,” Cooler growled to Con.
Then he eased down the steps and across the lawn, not wanting to dash up and startle the young men, all of whom he'd bet his life savings were armed.
He stopped beside Rocker, who was speaking, his deep voice quiet but carrying over the quiet morning street sounds.
"...so these folks are leavin' and if I was you, I'd head back and tell your friends game over."
One of the mixed race kids, compact and wiry, with a face hard beyond his years and a red bandanna tied low over his forehead, a yellow trucker hat perched rakishly atop this, sneered back. "It ain't over till we say it's over. You bikers think you rule the streets, but that's over. The Boyz in charge now."
"You want a meet to talk, we'll set one up," Rocker said coldly. "This ain't the time or place. This is just us takin' one of our families out of your town."
"Yeah, well, you tell your boy we can get to him anytime, anywhere."
Cooler had had it. "Yeah, he's my boy. He's Flyer family. And we're movin' him and his mama to Flyer territory. You sent your message, to him, his mama, and to us. And now they’re leavin'. That means you have no more say in anything he does."
The kid sneered again and opened his mouth, but Rocker cut him off. "And you tell your boy in the back seat there he brings that weapon up into sight, he's dead. You think we rode into town with no backup, think again."
Cooler tensed, because he hadn't clocked any weapons. Rocker might be guessing, but then again maybe his cop's sixth sense had caught menace he couldn't see but felt was there.
But, as if on cue, and maybe it was, the roar of several more Harleys disturbed the quiet morning.
A smile growing inside him, although he kept it there, no need to inflame the little shitheads in their ricers, Cooler looked up the street to see Bouncer leading Moke, Snake, Toro, and Heavy, a young brother visiting from Seattle.
They pulled up behind the Boyz, motors idling loudly. All wore their cuts and shades. And they all looked grim and ready for business.
Pride swelled in his chest. Damn, it was good to see his brothers all here, surrounding his woman and his son. Good to be a part of a brotherhood that was tighter than most blood families.
Snake and Toro idled forward, on either side of Bouncer, moving up alongside the rear car, and one of the Boyz yelled something. With that, the two cars revved their engines to a high whine, and they shot forward, nearly hitting the woman with her dog, who had decided at that inopportune moment to scuttle across the street and off to safety.
The woman fell back on her ass, and the dog whirled toward her, barking up a storm and wagging his plumy tail, trying to indicate that he wasn’t guilty, but willing to play.
Cooler jogged over to her and bent to take her arm. "Ma'am, you okay? Lemme give you a hand up, here."
"Oh, thank you," she said, her voice quavering. Her face was nearly red as her jacket, and her eyes were wild. "What—what happened? Were they—was that a drive-by?"
"Well, they drove by, so yeah," he said, with a reassuring smile for her. "They're gone, and likely will never be back, so no harm done, right? Also, my woman and her son are moving out today. You got any family or friends that need a nice rental, it's available."
He had her on her way back across the street with a pat on the dog's head before she could form more questions.
Then he turned back to the important business, which was greeting the brothers now parking their bikes on Rae's lawn, because the street was full of neighbors' vehicles.
And the front stoops and windows were now full of neighbors, he noted. Shit, that meant the next arrivals would be... yup.
Sirens now broke the quiet morning.
"Cops are on their way," Rav announced with a look of sympathy for Cooler and commiseration for Rocker. Rock had once been a member of Spokane's finest and now had friends and enemies on the force. It was a toss-up which group would arrive.
Cooler was betting on the same guys who'd been here the day before, the gang task force.
He said as much, and Rocker nodded. "You want Rav and me to take point, or you gonna stay?"
Cooler sighed. "I got this," he said. "They know the address, they're gonna wanna talk to me anyway."
The front door opened, and footsteps pattered down the front steps. RaeAnn, followed by the other three Flyer women, came out to see the aftermath of the commotion.
"Mac?" Rae called. "Mac, what happened? T-Bear wouldn't let us out—he said it's that gang again. Are they gone? Are you guys all right?"
He turned, just in time to catch her as she ran straight to him. Her palms met his chest and her weight hit him, then rocked back a step. Her eyes were wide with distress, her face pale.
Connor was three steps behind her, still
in his sleep shorts and tee. "Dad? You guys okay?" His voice cracked on the words.
Mac caught Rae in his arms and held her to him, giving her a squeeze. "Sh-sh, babe, it's fine," he told her.
He addressed his next words to both her and Connor. "The Boyz came by, yeah. They're gone now, but they got your neighbors plenty rattled. Somebody called the cops."
"A drive-by?" Rae asked. She dug her fingers into his cut and shook him—or tried to. "Mac, a drive-by? Did they—did they have guns?"
"Of course they had guns, mom," Connor said, scowling. "Geez, what d'you think a drive-by is?"
"Son," Cooler snapped. "Get your ass in the house, get dressed, and eat some breakfast. We got shit to do."
To Rae, he said, more gently, "Baby, yeah, it was an attempted drive-by. But they were expecting an unguarded house. They weren't expecting to be hemmed in by Flyers. Nothin’ happened."
She made a noise that was between a whimper and a moan. Then her expression turned fierce, and she shook him again.
"Mac," she said, her voice rising with each word. "They're coming to our house now! We have to stop these guys!"
He covered her hands with his and stared down into her eyes. "Babe. We will."
"You don't understand!" she yelled, as if he were across the yard, or across the street, not inches away. "We have to stop them! What do we do to stop them? Tell me, and I'll do it. I'll help you—I'll do anything. Even—I don't know, get a gun!"
Mac winced and raised one hand to cup the side of her face. "Babe, sh-shh. Okay? Let's not be shouting this to the neighborhood. We'll stop them, I swear it. But you gotta be calm now."
She shook her head, her expression vehement, her eyes full of turmoil. "No, I can't! Don't you see? I can't—I can't keep Connor safe here. I have to—"
This time he shushed her with a hand over her mouth. Her skin and lips were soft and warm, quivering under his calloused hand. "No," he answered honestly. "You can't." Not here."
"Then what—what do we do?" she pleaded, although at lower decibels, thank Jesus. "How do we stop them?"
"First," he told her, and as he spoke he felt rather than saw, Rocker and T-Bear moving in to stand at his back. "We get you and Conner out of here. That’s step one."
She looked to him, and to the two big men at his back, and nodded. "Yes. Okay. Okay. We're coming to stay with you."
Cooler did not leap into the air and execute a rebel yell of triumph. He also did not bend her back over his arm and lay the kiss of the century on her.
Instead, he nodded again and smiled at her. "Good. That's real good, baby."
Her look changed again, and she tugged her hand free of his and frowned at him.
"But," she said, "Only if you promise me that I'm in on whatever you plan. I want to help you take those little knife-wielding, dog-shit smearing gangers down!"
He felt rather than heard Rocker’s silent quiver of laughter. The woman was seriously riled up.
“That’s the spirit, mama,” T boomed, a grin in his voice. “Flyer Nation, hell yeah!”
Cooler ignored him, holding Rae’s gaze.
"Ah-huh," he nodded slowly. "You mean, you’re in, like family?"
"Yes." She nodded again, decisively. "We do this together."
"Okay," he agreed. "Together."
She nodded and then looked to Rock and T as if she'd just noticed them there. Her face went wary, her cheeks going pink, and she frowned. Not at the others, but at Mac.
"But," she added. "We are doing this with the understanding that it's for Connor, to get him out of harm’s way. And that's all, Mac Carson."
"Of course," he said, eyes wide, a hand to his heart. "What else would it be?"
T-Bear made a strange, low rumbling sound like a volcano awakening. Rocker moved sharply, as if he was elbowing the big ginger.
Mac held out his arm, indicating Rae's house and the open front door. "Okay, then, mama. You should get back in so you can rally your troops. Get everyone lined out."
Had nothing to do with getting away from the suspicion in her pretty eyes.
Nope.
He grinned at her back as she flounced back into her house.
“She’s a firecracker, ain’t she?” he asked.
Both Rocker and T grunted their agreement.
His sweet, innocent baby mama had morphed over the years into a fierce mama bear, one who would do anything to keep her young safe.
Now to learn if that love could finally stretch to include him. Once, he'd had the chance for that love in his hands, but he'd let it fall.
This time, he'd hold on, for life.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Once Rae had made the decision to comply with Mac’s wishes and move in with him, it seemed to her that time sped up, leaving her in the wake of a whirlwind that was the Devil's Flyers.
Turned out Mac's club had come prepared. The back of the rental truck disgorged cardboard boxes, rolls of packing paper, two furniture dollies, and a carton of packing tape and markers.
First, she was introduced to all of them.
Bouncer and Snake, she thought had been at Stony’s that long-ago night Mac had taken her there.
Rocker, she remembered from that night, too. He was still basically unforgettable, tall, dark and sexy, with a smile that oozed magnetism. But now he had a tall, pretty woman at his side, and their body language said they were very close.
Rocker introduced her as Billie. She gave Rae a shy smile. "Hi. Nice to meet you, RaeAnn."
"Likewise," Rae said. "Oh, I saw you at the clubhouse the other day."
Billie nodded. "Right. I was with my sis, Lesa. She and her husband own The Hangar. She's about to have a baby so she couldn't come You’ll have to come out to The Hangar and meet her. We’ll hang out."
"Um, okay," Rae said.
Rocker chuckled. "The Hangar is a brewpub on the main drag in the Heights. Lot of changes out there."
"Right, there would be."
Rav was next, and he took Rae's hand in his and gave her a smile that sent tingles through her. His Southern drawl when he greeted her did the rest.
Gawd, were all the new Flyers hot and charming?
"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. RaeAnn," Rav drawled in a voice that said he was from the deep south. "Hope you're not as sweet as you look, though. Reckon Cooler needs a mean woman to keep him in line."
Rae laughed. "Oh, these days I can do mean, trust me. Mac brings it out in me.”
The tall blond winked at her. "That's good to hear. My Della will be real glad to meet you. She couldn't be here today, 'cause our little boy has a nasty cold. But she was disappointed, wants to know all about you."
Really? The old ladies wanted to meet her? Why now, after all this time?
She looked suspiciously at Mac, but then T-Bear took Rav’s place.
The huge ginger did not bother to shake hands. Instead, he approached Rae with a huge smile and open arms and pulled her into a bear hug that lifted her right off her feet and into the air. "Hey, pretty lady. 'Member me? Am I glad to see you again. Be good to have you and young Connor around the clubhouse and the neighborhood."
Rae did remember the huge ginger. He'd also been at Stony’s the night Mac took her there. He looked a lot more well-kept these days.
This, she was certain was because of the cute strawberry blonde at his side, Manda.
T gazed down at Manda as if she was some miraculous creature who'd landed in his grasp by magic. And her look up at him was just as worshipful. Hoo-boy, Rae thought wryly. Guess the new hadn't worn off for these two.
“This here’s my Manda,” T boomed. “You two gotta get to know each other. Betcha you’ll have all kinds of fun.”
Manda’s face turned pink. “T, hush. You make it sound like we’re gonna have a panty party, or something.”
Rae snickered, because she was right.
His eyes lit up. “Y’know, that’s not a bad idea. Can ya do it at our place? I’ll be real quiet, you won’t even know I’m there.
”
Manda covered her face, shaking her head.
Rae reached to touch her arm, still snickering. “Manda, it’s nice to meet you. I’m sure we’ll see more of each other.”
Manda nodded, giving Rae a shy smile. “Good. That will be nice.”
Moke, a Hawaiian native who was as big as T-Bear, but a lot quieter, gave Rae a nod and a slow smile. He introduced the tall woman at his side as Shelle. She looked mixed-racial heritage of some kind, although she had light eyes and hair.
“Nice to meet you both,” Rae said. “And thank you all for coming this morning.”
“Even if you didn’t know we’d be here,” Shelle said, shaking her head.
“Right?’ Rae agreed. “But now I’m really glad you’re here.”
Introductions over, Rae was given a stack of bright pink sticky notes, a marker, and told to mark all the furniture 'storage' or whichever room she wanted it in at Mac 's.
"Yeah, plan on transferring stuff direct from your kitchen to mine," Mac told her, stopping by with a stack of packing boxes in his grasp. "My stuff is, uh, not worth much."
Rae frowned at him. "Does that mean you're still living on fast food?"
He grinned. "Nah, baby. Now there's delivery services that bring meals and groceries. Just means I don't cook much."
Huh. They'd see about that. She and Con ate healthy, for the most part. And while they lived together, so would Mac.
“Speaking of delivery services, I’m going to need a car,” she realized. “While mine’s in the shop. Or, I guess I can just use a rideshare app.”
Mac lost his smile instantly. “No. Not in the Heights. No, mama.”
She frowned. “Why not? Everyone uses them in Spokane.”
“Yeah, Spokane don’t have Creepy Dave. Weird dude, drives an old van. Rocker talked to a gal who rode with him, he gave her the creeps so bad she called the cops. Unfortunately, they had nothin’ to go on, so he’s still on the streets. But no Flyer women or family are gettin’ in his rig, and he might be the one to answer your call. So no on the ride-shares. You can drive my truck, I’ll ride the Harley, or we’ll get you a loaner.”
