by Debra Kayn
Jessy put her hand on his arm. "It's okay. That's how she calls for me. I need to go to her."
"Right," he mumbled, exhaling harshly. "I'll let myself out."
She stepped toward the bedroom and hesitated. She never asked for him to step into her life and turn it upside down. But, she was grateful for what he'd done for Nikki.
He took in her reluctance to leave the room and said, "I'll have a couple members hang around. Not too close to get other people's attention but near enough to come if you call."
"Call?" she said.
He rubbed his hand down his beard. "I called you last night. Did you keep my number?"
She gave him a silent O and nodded. After she'd received the call, she hadn't used her phone again. It must still be in her purse.
"I'll call," she said.
He dipped his chin. She slipped into the bedroom, needing the reprieve from Thorn—who pushed into her life and she wasn't sure how to take him— and to check on Nikki.
Gathering her daughter in her arms, she squeezed. Nikki pulled back and put her hand on Jessy's cheek and stuck her lower lip out.
"It's okay, sweetheart. Things are going to get better and better. I just know it," she whispered, hearing the door in the other room close. "You're going to spend every night in this apartment with me. No more sleepovers with your dad."
Not wanting to frighten Nikki, she kept her promise simple. Hopefully, her daughter understood that there would be no more time shut in a car alone all night.
Chapter Five
Chief, Jett, and Olin backed up to the curb on their motorcycles. Thorn kept his position on his bike, having stayed in front of Jessy's apartment all night. In a half hour, Jessy would drive Nikki to school—some Montessori type, going by the sign out front.
"Quiet night?" Jett rubbed his hand where the damage remained from his injury in prison years ago.
"Surprisingly quiet considering these are low-income apartments." He scanned the front of the one-story row building.
He'd changed his schedule working at the Brikken garage to accommodate Jessy's time she spent at home. When she was at work, he let another MC member hang around Bee's Diner and another brother at the school to make sure Talbot stayed away from Nikki.
"Hell of a life for a young mother." Chief studied the building and crossed his arms. "It's one thing for two young people to struggle together but to be alone..."
There was more to Jessy's hardships than raising a daughter on her own while holding down a job. After pouring over Talbot's records on file at Brikken, he'd learned Jessy was only twenty-one years old. His protective side came out imagining Talbot swindling her out of her virginity at fifteen years old and knocking her up.
Then, to deal with a child who wouldn't or couldn't talk. He admired her for what she'd handled up to this point. Not many people could handle such a serious responsibility at her age.
When he was twenty-one, he only cared about getting his dick wet and getting a good buzz on. His family afforded him the freedom to make mistakes and shouldered his responsibilities until he was mature enough to find his place within Brikken.
Jessy had no chance to spread her wings, and she obviously stepped up and took care of herself and a baby.
"Shore and Cash followed Talbot to Portland." Jett toed his kickstand. "That was three days ago. We need to talk about our upcoming run."
"What about it?" Thorn lifted his boot off the peg and stretched his leg.
"Are you in the right head space to take the ten-day trip?"
He scoffed. "Nothing is wrong with me."
"You're spending all your free time around Jessy." Jett shrugged. "Maybe it's really the little girl you're protecting."
"Fuck you," he muttered.
"Just throwing shit back to you." Jett rubbed his jaw, failing to hide his amusement.
He'd thrown crap at Jett for falling for Sydney, an underaged minor, taking amusement at reminding him he followed in Chief's footsteps of finding a young girl to shape, mold, and raise within Brikken as a mate.
"You're fucked up," muttered Thorn.
Chief cleared his throat, bringing the attention back to what was going on at the apartment. Thorn looked at Jessy's door and found her walking out, holding Nikki's hand and talking to her quietly, not watching where she was going.
The two of them were wrapped up in their own bubble. One keeping the conversation going, the other listening. The cars on the street went unnoticed, and Jessy never looked at him to know that he was watching.
"What's the deal with the child?" asked Jett. "Why isn't she bouncing and trying to run to the car?"
"Just because your tribe of kids is hyped up all the time doesn't mean all kids are." Thorn gritted his teeth. "She's an only child. She's calm."
Jett grunted, not accepting that as a reason why a child would obediently walk with her mother.
"She doesn't talk," added Thorn.
"I thought you said she was the one you've heard all this time." Chief squinted, watching the duo.
"She cries...whines when she needs something. From what Jessy has said, she just stopped talking one day a couple of years ago." He inhaled deeply. "Probably Talbot's doing. I should've killed the motherfucker."
Jett grunted. "You may have to if he doesn't put more space between Brikken and himself. I don't like him in Portland or on our route. We had a close call with the raid only three months ago and still haven't found out who is responsible for tipping off the Feds."
The changes in how they transported the chopped motorcycles to California had changed over the years. Because of the recent threat, Jett had brought the suggestion up for a vote for Brikken to transport the merchandise themselves. Thorn no longer rode end man as the club members went to their destination. He drove the semi and trailer— which had required him to get his CDL license. It cost twice as much to rent a rig and trailer than to hire out but the risk was less without relying on others outside Brikken.
Thorn was the only person who could keep the club safe if the Feds swooped in and captured the load. The risk would be on him, and he'd pay the price by serving time in prison. But, the heat would stay off Brikken. Far as anyone would know, he was only hired by an anonymous company to transport the bikes.
Jessy straightened from putting Nikki in the car seat, walked around the vehicle, and started the engine. Thorn toed his kickstand.
"I'll catch you later." He revved the Harley to life and pulled away from the curb to follow Jessy across town to Nikki's school.
He had less than three weeks until he'd leave town. By then, Talbot could be six hundred miles away, and Jessy would no longer need protection.
Stopping down the block from the drop-off site in front of the school, he cut the engine and waited while one of the school aids approached the car and led Nikki by the hand into the building. He couldn't remember a time when his mom or dad took him to school. His mom stood on the porch and watched all three of her sons wait at the bus stop, then she'd wave.
He never waved back because he was always trying to act cool like his older brothers.
Jessy pulled around the half-moon designated stop and reentered the street. He caught her glance as he made a U-turn and followed her three blocks to Bee's Diner. They'd gone through the same routine every morning this week. Afterward, he planned on going straight to the clubhouse and putting in six hours in the garage. If he were lucky, he'd be able to grab a few hours of sleep before it got dark and he rode over to Jessy's apartment to relieve Freddy and Baller from the night shift.
Catching up with her at the stoplight, he noticed the tag on her car would expire next month. The light turned green. He turned left and instead of parking on the street, he pulled into the lot beside her.
Jessy got out of her car holding on to her purse. She caught her lip between her teeth. He'd always given her the privacy she needed to move through her day while protecting her and following her almost to the door got her attention.
He pulled
the chain attached to his wallet and fingered out two hundred dollars. "Your tags are going to expire next month."
"I know." She glanced down at his hand and frowned. "I plan to go to the DMV next month."
He leaned closer, holding out the cash. "Take it."
"I don't need money from you."
He refused to argue with her. Instead, he thrust the money toward her again.
Her gaze narrowed. In his life, people didn't tell him no.
"If I take it, I'll owe you and—"
"Talbot owes you."
She snorted and looked away. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because I want to help you."
She faced him. "Why?"
Leaning over, he hooked her purse and shoved the money inside.
Caught off guard, it took her an extra three seconds to react, but by then, it was too late. He started the motorcycle and walked the bike back until he had enough room to ride away. As he rounded the corner out of sight, he eased up on the throttle. He didn't owe her an explanation because he wasn't one to bullshit her with reasons to satisfy her.
The last thing she needed on her plate right now was knowing there was something between him and her daughter, and he wasn't ready to walk away yet.
Chapter Six
The customers walked out the door of the diner. Jessy left the register and wiped down the surface of the table and returned to the counter running the length of the front wall where Bee filled salt shakers. Her excess energy after dealing with Thorn giving her money before work had the small diner running more smoothly on a busy Friday.
"The couple that sat at Table Eight left your tip when they paid the bill." Bee handed her five dollars.
"Thanks." She shoved the money in the apron around her waist.
Next month, she planned to go to the DMV and the second after she purchased the registration tags for the car, she'd hand Thorn his money back.
If he was still hanging around by then. If not, she'd mail it to the clubhouse.
"You're preoccupied." Bee smoothed the front of her apron over her fluffy stomach. "Everything okay with that sweet girl of ours?"
Warmth filled her tight chest. She loved how Bee and Charlie treated and worried about her and Nikki as if they were blood-related. The childless couple brought more joy into her and Nikki's lives than she probably brought into theirs.
"Nikki's doing okay now." She grabbed two napkin dispensers off the counter. "Ed is never going to get another chance to see her."
Bee hummed in disgust. "You know my feelings about him. He doesn't deserve time with such an angel."
"He's Nikki's father." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wanted to take them back.
For the last five years, she'd tried to stay impartial to her feelings about Ed for the sake of their daughter. She wanted Nikki to have a dad in her life. It was important for any child to grow up knowing she was loved by both parents. Something she hadn't had in her life and wanted desperately.
She was sure that her decision to have sex at fifteen years old and see Ed away from her house before she was mature enough to handle a sexual relationship had something to do with not having a father figure in her life. Ed was ten years older than her. Old enough to know better than to seduce a minor. And, she'd learned that sex doesn't equal love.
It hadn't taken her long to figure out Ed was an idiot. He never wanted a girlfriend. By then, it was too late. She'd missed her period.
Now she wanted to kill him for what he'd done to Nikki.
"The therapist is going to work with Nikki about the trauma she's lived through." She thumped her fist down on the counter. "If I had known what was happening—"
"You didn't, but you do now, and you'll help that little girl." Bee turned Jessy around and held on to her arms. "You're a good mother."
"Good mothers don't want to kill the father of their child," she whispered, shaking her head. "Forget I said that. I'm just worked up from this morning, and I'm complaining."
"What set you off today?"
Having already told Bee the whole story about getting a call about Nikki in the middle of the night, the Brikken bikers, Ed being rejected from the club, and how Thorn and his MC brothers were hanging around to make sure Ed didn't try to make contact, she glanced around to make sure nobody could overhear the conversation.
"The man...Thorn," she whispered. "He noticed the tags on my car are almost expired and shoved money in my purse to go get new ones after I told him I could afford them."
Bee worked her lips without saying anything. She usually appreciated the older woman's control in keeping her opinion to herself until her advice was wanted. It made working for Bee easy and enjoyable. But, she really needed someone to tell her what to do.
"He scares me a little," she whispered.
"Has he threatened—"
"No. Nothing like that. He acts like..." She inhaled deeply, calming herself down. "Like, he has some say in how I live my life or I need his help."
"You do." Bee gave her a knowing look. "There's nothing wrong with taking help."
"I don't know," she murmured.
"You do. Think it over and figure out why he wants to help you."
"He's protecting us." She paused, trying to think of a way to explain her thoughts. "I didn't ask him to. It's as if this motorcycle club is taking responsibility for how Ed treated Nikki."
Bee opened the cash register and removed half the cash that'd come in during the morning rush. "Is he the big, dark-haired biker that shows up with you in the morning and then pops back up in the afternoon when you leave?"
She nodded. That was the most basic way of describing him. She would've defined him as rough, older, intimidating, and scary hypnotic. Around him, she couldn't think or speak. She felt like a child ready for her punishment because she always walked away from him feeling as if she'd broken one of his rules.
"Maybe he likes you." Bee closed the register.
She snorted. "He's old enough to be my father."
Bee shrugged. "You've worked here long enough to see that age doesn't matter to men once a woman is over the legal age. Look at Mayor Kendal. The woman he's seeing is twenty-five years old, and he's at least fifty years old if I had to guess."
"Yeah, and they both creep me out." She shuddered.
Bee laughed softly. "I think half of Tacoma has the same opinion, but they voted him in for another term."
She hummed in reply. Never one to pay attention to the local politics in Tacoma, she hadn't even known he was mayor until Bee informed her.
"The only other reason I can see your biker trying to help you or protect you or whatever you want to call it is that he believes Ed is dangerous." Bee's mouth tightened. "I'm leaning toward believing that's true after what he's done."
"Ed's irresponsible and likes to party." She blinked an extra beat, knowing she could make no excuses for him. "I knew that from day one. Looking back, I should've kicked him out of Nikki's life, but I was desperate for her to have everything I didn't have growing up."
"Don't kick yourself. It's over with, and you'll move forward. Nikki will get the help she needs, and she'll know her mother loves her." Bee rubbed Jessy's back. "Two customers walked in. Let's get their orders and stay ahead of the lunch crowd."
She gathered all the meal requests and handed the orders over to Charlie in the kitchen to prepare. Over the years, the three of them kept the diner running. They worked well together. Each of them had their duties and yet could lend a hand anywhere that help was needed to keep the customers' visit a happy one.
Going back behind the counter, she collected the salt and pepper shakers for refill between orders coming out of the kitchen. She looked out the window and spotted the two Brikken Motorcycle Club members. Thorn had left his biker friends to stay at the diner like he had been doing during the daytime hours while Nikki was at school and she worked.
She wondered where he went when he was gone. Did he have a job or hang out at the clubhouse
drinking and who-knows-what?
Salt spilled over the container onto her hand and the counter. She dropped her gaze from the window and grabbed a napkin to wipe up the mess.
Bee rushed to her side. "Quick, throw a pinch of salt over your left shoulder."
"What?" She laughed, scooping the dirty salt into the palm of her hand.
"Spilling salt is an omen telling you something bad will happen." Bee picked up Jessy's arm and flung it up in the air.
"Bee?" Jessy sputtered getting granules on her face. "I was trying to clean up, not make a bigger mess."
"That can wait." Bee's mouth tightened, and she walked away, looking over her shoulder at Jessy. "The devil moves in fast when you doubt."
It took all of her self-control not to roll her eyes in amusement. Disrespect for her weird theories and beliefs was something Bee wouldn't put up with in the diner or in her private life. Most of the time, Jessy thought of her boss's quirks as entertaining.
She shivered. With the way her life was going lately, she wouldn't do anything to upset the devil or luck, or whatever was tied to spilling salt.
She cleaned the counter, checked in with the customers finishing their meals, and grabbed a broom and dustpan from the utility closet. The phone rang. She propped the broom behind the counter and answered, letting the caller know when lunch would begin to be served and what the special was for the day—a chicken strip basket.
Setting the phone in the charger, the sense of someone close by startled her as she turned and found a biker wearing a Brikken black leather vest. She stepped back, knocking over the broom.
A rough hand shot out over the counter and grabbed her upper arm, steadying her. She stiffened.
"Jessy," said Bee on a hiss.
She jerked her gaze off the biker and looked at Bee standing three feet away from her with her arms stretched out, bent over the fallen broom.
"What?" she shrugged out of the biker's clutch. "What did I do?"
"Pick up the broom." Bee glanced around the diner, a frown marring her face. "Only you can touch it."
