by Debra Kayn
She nodded to herself. "You're a wise woman, mom."
"Finally, you realize my worth." Her mom leaned over and kissed the top of Raelyn's head.
The door at the bottom of the stairs opened and Mel appeared. Raelyn's stomach fluttered in excitement, and she smiled wanting to know if he'd finished everything he'd set out to do. Mel winked, giving her the answer she wanted. She squealed, hustling down the stairs despite her tired legs and jumped into his arms.
"What time?" she asked, hugging her arms and legs around him.
"We got the last slot at four forty-five." He climbed the steps carrying her.
She pulled her head off his shoulder. "Everyone can come?"
"Bree's working on contacting everyone right now." He set her on her feet at the top of the stairs.
She grabbed his hand. They'd asked her mom to babysit Dukie this morning while they ran into the courthouse when it opened to get the marriage application. When they were done, Mel dropped her off at the bar and went to the clubhouse to work out schedules with Battery, and then go back to the courthouse to make an appointment for them to get married.
"All we have to do is tell Dukie and my family." She pulled him toward the apartment.
"I'll do it," said Mel.
She stopped outside the door, surprised he'd want to break the news to her family. "Carl's not here yet."
Mel frowned and quickly wiped his reaction away. "He'll show up, and then we'll tell him."
"Okay." She opened the door and stood inside the apartment expecting everyone to read her mind and shout for joy. When no one noticed their entrance, she cleared her throat.
"Do you have a cold?" Grandma June reached into her cleavage and extracted a crumpled Kleenex.
"No, I’m perfectly healthy." She waved off the tissue offer. "Mel has something to say."
"Not yet," mumbled Mel.
"What?" She turned away from the others and faced Mel. "Why not?"
"Cause I need to talk to your son first." Mel left her side, walked over to the coffee table, and sat down. "Come here for a minute, buddy."
Unaware of what Mel needed to discuss with her son besides they were getting married, she stepped over to the chair and sat on the edge. Grandma June raised her brows at Raelyn in question, and she shrugged. She and Mel hadn't had much time to prepare themselves, much less what and how they'd share the news of their plan with others.
Mel pulled her son in between his sprawled legs until they were face to face and Dukie would concentrate on Mel, and not the Matchbox cars on the floor. "I have something serious to talk to you about."
Dukie stood on one foot, using Mel's arms to keep his balance. Raelyn pressed her hand to her mouth, understanding which direction their talk would go.
"Later today, I'm going to marry your mom. We're going to have to go to the courthouse and have a judge tell us that she can be my wife. Once that happens, your mom and I will live together, with you." Mel inhaled. "I know you don't remember what it's like to have a mom and dad living in the same house, so you'll have to get used to me being around more."
"You're going to be my dad?" Dukie stepped closer to Mel.
"No, buddy. You've got a dad in here..." Mel laid his hand on Dukie's slim chest. "He might not be here in the room, but your mom, she tells you stories about him, and all your uncles will tell you everything you need to know about your dad. All you have to do is ask. Do you understand?"
Dukie nodded. "My dad is dead."
"Yeah, he is," whispered Mel.
Raelyn closed her eyes an extra moment and swallowed. She appreciated Mel's honesty and bluntness. Dukie's attention span lasted shorter than a conversation, and Mel put it in words her son would understand.
"Can you buy me boots," blurted Dukie.
Mel chuckled. "Maybe after I marry your mom. One of my jobs will be helping take care of you. We can do a lot of things together, and if you need anything, you can ask me."
Dukie looked at his mom and back to Mel. "Are you taking her away from me? Is that why I have to move?"
"I'd never take her from you. We're all moving together because the bar is closing for good. I'll move in with you and your mom."
"Where are you going to sleep?"
Raelyn blinked rapidly trying to dispel the happiness of Mel trying to include Dukie in their excitement. Her son had never had to move before. The bar was his home.
"In your mom's bed," said Mel.
Dukie's almost non-existent blond eyebrows rose. Mel hooked his finger under Dukie's chin. "Seeing as how I'm marrying your mom, I need to ask you a favor, buddy."
"What?" said Dukie.
"I need you to be my best man. Can you do that?"
"I'm a boy." Dukie giggled.
"Then, can you be my best boy?"
Dukie nodded, losing his balance and catching himself on Mel's knee.
"Let me see your hand." Mel straightened his right leg, reached into his pocket, and brought out his fist. He laid his hand on Dukie's. "Your job today is not to lose this little box because it's a gift for your mom. She can't see what is inside until later when we get married, okay?"
Dukie looked toward Raelyn. She nodded her approval, smiling. If Mel wanted to trust her son with the ring, she wouldn't stop him from making Dukie a part of their special day.
"All right, buddy. You can go play with your cars." Mel watched Dukie drop to his knees with his cars for a few extra seconds and then stood, looking at Raelyn's mom and Grandma June. "I'm not asking because nothing will stop me from marrying Raelyn. But, she deserves the support of her family."
"She'll get it." Her mom swiped her hand across her cheek, hiding the stray tear. "Welcome to the family."
"Best damn thing I've ever heard." Grandma June sniffed and stabbed her can in Mel's direction. "My granddaughter and my great grandson are lucky to have you."
Mel dipped his chin, then turned to Raelyn. "Nothing from Carl yet?"
"No." She stood. "I think I'll take Dukie and walk along Main Street and around the back street by the park. Maybe we can find him."
"Nah, stay here." He stepped over and kissed her. "I'll ride out and see if I can find out where he's holding up. It'll be quicker on my Harley."
She kissed him again. "Ride safe."
"Always." He walked out the door, closing it softly behind him.
She turned to everyone in the room and held her hands out to her sides. "Surprise."
"Honey, nothing comes as a surprise when you live in the same building." Grandma June pursed her lips and wiggled her brows.
Raelyn sank down in the chair. "I'm getting married. Today."
Instead of panic, she smiled. In her heart and in Mel's mind, they were already married through the club. Today was a formality, for her family and their MC family. She gazed down at Dukie, content to play without a concern in his head. Most of all, today was for Dukie.
Chapter Thirty One
Raelyn finished folding the towel and added it to the stack on the couch. Mel closed the apartment door and shook his head, dashing her hopeful expression.
"There's no sign of your brother." Mel slapped his gloves against his thigh, knocking off the road dust, and shoved them into his back pocket. "Any chance he hitchhiked his way back to where your family used to live? Does he have friends there that'd come get him if he wanted to go back?"
Raelyn stepped over to him and shook her head. "I know it sounds crazy with the way Carl has acted since coming here, but he would never leave my mom or Grandma June without letting them know."
"But, they have you here, and that could've changed his mind." He tugged her forward, wrapped his arms around her, and rubbed her back. "He might've seen his chance to go back where he has friends and a life."
Raelyn sighed. "Maybe. I just don't know anymore."
A knock came from the door. Raelyn broke away from him and hurried across the apartment. "Maybe that's Carl."
She opened the door to Bree, Heather, and Gia. "Hey, come on in."<
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The three women walked in, and Bree held up a bag. "We came with everything you needed to get married."
"I don't need anything." Raelyn leaned forward looking into the bag. "A dress?"
"A sundress, shoes, and because you sprung the news on us and we didn't have a chance to give you a bridal shower, a sexy baby-doll nighty that I'm sure Mel will enjoy more than you." Bree laughed softly.
"You, guys. You really didn't have to do that." Raelyn hugged Bree. "We're only getting married at the courthouse. We'll be in and out in five minutes. I was planning on wearing something from my closet."
"Your clothes in your closet are five years old," said Gia. "Every bride needs something new."
Raelyn hugged Gia and stepped over and squeezed Heather. "Thank you. I love you all so much."
"So, what else needs to be done?" Bree planted her hands on her hips. "You've got three hours until you need to be there."
Raelyn gazed at Mel. He stood at the edge of the room taking everything in with amusement and shared a smile with her. He'd texted her earlier with the plans for how they could waste time before the wedding as he hunted for Carl, and he suspected she was onboard because Dukie was with Grandma June, and when he'd arrived they'd had the apartment to themselves. What better way than to waste the hours until their wedding in bed with Raelyn?
He couldn't take her away from her friends. The wedding might not be fancy, but with her friends help it could be a good memory for when she looked back on today. "I think I'll go downstairs and leave you girls to whatever you do."
Raelyn walked over to him and kissed him. "Don't go too far. I might need you."
"In case you change your mind about getting hitched?" He kissed her softly back, tasting her.
"Oh, that won't be happening." She stretched up on tiptoe and put her arms around his neck. "I might sneak downstairs in a bit and we can—"
"We can hear you," said Gia.
Raelyn laughed, quickly kissed Mel giving him her excitement, and stepped back, her gaze lowering down his body. "Stay close," she mouthed.
He winked and left the apartment. His walk a little slower and stiffer than normal from his cock pulsating from Raelyn's attention. Halfway down the steps, he heard Raelyn yell his name. He ran back upstairs and found her in the doorway staring at him with widened eyes, holding her phone out in front of her.
"It's Carl." She flipped the phone around to him. "He texted that Peggy's been kidnapped."
The other women surrounded them. Mel took the cell and read the message.
Carl: Sis, Gordon kidnapped Peggy. Need Mel fast. Can't go in alone.
"What the fuck is he talking about?" Mel pulled out his phone, found Peggy's phone number in his contacts, and connected the call. "When's the last time someone talked to Peggy?"
Raelyn shook her head. "Uh, yesterday, I think. When I gave her the news about the bar closing."
"I talked to her later that same day to check on her." Bree glanced at Gia and Heather. "She was doing okay. She said she was going to take a few days off before she started looking for another job and I offered her the club's help if she had any problems finding work around Haugan."
The call into Peggy went to voicemail. Mel ended the connection and texted a message to Battery for the Ronacks members to come to the bar.
"Babe, text Carl back and ask him for a location and tell him to stay put." Mel stepped over to his apartment door and went inside.
He picked up his duffle, set the bag on the bed, and removed a pistol and two extra magazines. One to go with the gun at his back, and one for the weapon he holstered at his ankle. The connection between Nate, Carl, and Peggy now out in the open, he wanted the trouble to end and Haugan to go back to the quiet mountain town it was meant to be for all of them.
"Mel?" called Raelyn from the other side of the door.
He zipped his duffle and put the bag back at the foot of his bed on the floor, then walked out of the room. The hallway more crowded with Sharon, Grandma June, Dukie, Swiss, and LeWorth joining the women.
Raelyn squeezed between the others and held out her phone. "Carl texted back. He doesn't know the address."
Mel read the screen.
Carl: IDK. I'm outside of Haugan by a gravel pit with a dozer. No houses. He's got P inside a weigh station. Gordon is armed. Can't leave to meet.
Mel hit reply and texted back. This is Mel. Stay there. Do not move. Coming.
Taking out his phone, he handed it to Raelyn. "Keep mine on you. I'm going to take your cell so I can stay in contact with Carl. I have a pretty good idea where he is."
"Thank God," mumbled Sharon.
Raelyn frowned. "Why would Nate Gordon kidnap Peggy?"
"We'll soon find out." He kissed her. "I need to go. The others are meeting me outside. Stay here with the others. I'll send a couple riders up to stay with you and reset the alarm on the bar."
"Be careful." She grabbed Dukie from running up to Mel.
He stopped, squatted in front of the kid, and said, "Be good for your mom. I'll be back soon, and then we're all going to get married."
Dukie traced the Ronacks patch on the front of Mel's vest. "Ride with purpose, Uncle Mel."
A sense of pride filled him. Dukie had heard the parting so many times in his young life from being around Ronacks members, he'd taken it on himself.
"Always, buddy." Mel stood, winked at Raelyn, and hurried downstairs and out the back door.
He had less than three hours to get back and make his and Raelyn's marriage official. Nothing was going to stop him from getting to the courthouse.
Swiss arrived first saying only one word. Gia.
Mel pointed at the bar, and while Swiss went inside to check on his woman, he greeted the rest of his MC brothers who arrived one after another.
Battery strode toward him. Mel jumped right into the situation. "Nate Gordon kidnapped Peggy. He's got her out at one of the gravel pits the county uses. Carl's got them in sight, and he's either unable to get away or won't leave Peggy. I've got the phone that he's using to contact us."
"There's a pit off Exit 4." Battery motioned for LeWorth. "Do you know where the county loads up on rock?"
LeWorth scratched his chin. "The one behind the bus barn past Rod's house and the one you mentioned out past Exit 4. The other one hasn't been used for about three years or so, once the EPA guys got in there and shut it down when they found high levels of arsenic and lead in the soil after the mining crew finished."
"They'll be at the one that's shut down." Battery circled his finger in the air. "Let's ride out. We'll gather at the cross street, and then Rod, Mel, and I will go in on foot."
Mel sat his motorcycle. The loud roar of all the bikes starting as one filled his ears, and he pulled out behind Battery and rode through town. From what he'd witnessed since Carl arrived in Haugan, he had built no connection with anyone. He stayed away from the bar, came and went at all hours, and kept to himself. The only sign that he had any interactions with anyone was the beating he took and the attempt on his life when the car hit him. Peggy's problems played more on the victim's side with the break-ins. He gazed in his side mirror at the others following before turning his attention to the upcoming exit. The only time he'd seen Peggy lose her cantankerous composure was the day the vehicle crashed into the bar with a dead man driving.
Nate Gordon was responsible for the graffiti threat on the wall of the bar facing Main Street and now for kidnapping Peggy.
Put all the happenings and people together, and that's where his theories fell apart. Nothing connected the individuals without more information, and he'd banged his fucking head to figure it out, only to come up empty.
He turned onto the exit ramp, took the first right, and opened the throttle on the county road. Five minutes later, he stopped at the side of the crossroad and shut off the engine. Battery and Rod walked away from the others with him. They'd worked together many times in dangerous and risky situations, knowing each other's strengths and
weaknesses, covering each other's back.
Acutely aware he needed to get back to Raelyn safely, in time to stand in front of the Justice of Peace, he could afford no mistakes.
"Hold up." Battery put his arm out to his side. "Let's cut through the woods about a hundred yards. That'll bring us into the gravel pit behind the pile and out of view of the weigh station. Once we can see the area better, we can find Carl."
Mel led the way through the dense underbrush until they broke into the pines and the area cleared. He removed the pistol at his back and motioned for the others to do the same.
Studying the caved-out area of the hillside, Mel stood behind the trunk of a large tree to keep out of sight. Rod whistled low. Mel turned his gaze to his MC brother.
"Southside, about fifty feet ahead, on the ground," said Rod in a low voice.
Mel found Carl, prone on his stomach, his head up, and his attention focused on the building. He pointed ahead. "I'll go and bring Carl back to the woods."
He ran across the clearing, hoping he stayed out of view of the weigh station, and almost reached Carl before the kid spotted him and rolled to his feet as if prepared for an attack. Mel hooked him with an arm and dragged him back several yards away where the rock pile would protect them.
"What the fuck is going on?" Mel pushed Carl, making him stumble before he righted himself. "Your sister is worried sick about you."
"Whoa, man, I'll tell you everything, but right now you need to get in there and help Peggy." Carl rushed him and grabbed Mel's vest. "She's in bad shape."
Mel's back stiffened at the news. "She's hurt?"
"She's been roughed up. I tried to stop him outside Peggy's apartment, and Nate shot me."
Mel gritted his teeth. "You mean he shot at you."
"No, he shot me." Carl turned around and pointed at the back of his calf where the leg of his jeans had a hole tinged with blood."
"Fuck," muttered Mel. "You're walking?"
Carl shrugged. "Barely skimmed my skin. I'm fine."
"How the hell did you get here without a car?"
