The second Devil Rider slipped out of the booth, swinging his bat. Wood connected with Bear’s shoulder.
“Bear!” Ripper ran past the other tables and whipped out his gun at the third Devil Rider, who pointed a revolver at Bear’s head. “Pull that trigger and you’re dead, asshole.”
The bald guy froze and glared at him but didn’t lower his gun.
“There’s no need for violence,” Ripper said.
“Someone call the cops,” someone in the background said.
Ripper clenched his jaw. Much good that would do anyone.
“Do that and you’re dead,” yelled the bald guy to the speaker. “This is between us and the Skull Crushers.”
Silence filled the diner. The only sounds came from Bear, still punching the lights out of the guy with the baseball bat.
“Violence? Your guy’s beat the shit out of two of mine,” Baldie said, flashing Ripper his stained teeth. “This could only end one way.”
“Ripper, just kill him already,” Bear yelled.
The first guy came to his senses and started beating on Bear again. Ripper took a deep breath. Fine. He’d be the bigger man. Ripper lowered his gun.
“I’m sure Dietrich doesn’t want to start a war with us.”
They’d never been on good terms with Dietrich, President of the Devil Riders but they had an agreement. Don’t cross each other’s turf or bring trouble. They co-existed, but this little incident could start a fire Ripper didn’t know how to put out. Ripper had been around long enough to know before Bear founded the club, drug gangs ruled Winsdale and Crowshaven.
It would be back to those days again if Bear pissed off Dietrich.
Baldie reluctantly tucked his weapon back inside his jacket. “Bear messed up two of our guys. One of them’s my cousin.”
That explained why this guy wanted a piece of his best friend. Ripper had to choose his next words carefully. One screw-up and he’d blow everything up. He’d already gotten lucky Bear hadn’t reached Crowshaven yet.
“I’ll straighten Bear out myself and personally apologize to Dietrich and your cousin.” As a show of goodwill, Ripper dragged Bear off the guy he was pummeling against the wall.
“What the hell did you do that for?” Bear demanded. Ripper swore, not seeing Bear punch him in the right eye. He snarled, shoved Bear to the wall, and wagged a finger at him.
“Behave. I don’t care if I bring you back dead or alive, but think about the family you’ve left behind, asshole.”
Bear opened then closed his mouth at those words. Ripper wasn’t dumb. He avoided saying Lily’s name as an extra precaution. To their credit, Baldie pulled both his guys back as well.
“We could take the two of them, Marshall,” said the youngest looking biker of the bunch.
Marshall shook his head. “We can, but in the end? We’ll all lose. Besides, look at Bear. He doesn’t care if he hurts his own guys.”
“So we forget this ever happened. You and your guys go your way and we go ours.”
“For today, but mark my words. Next time we meet, you’re both dead.”
Ripper gave Marshall a grim smile. “Go ahead. You’ll find out soon enough that the Skull Crushers are hard to kill.”
One second passed. Then two more. Marshall and his friends got up, paid their bill, and left the diner. Ripper could breathe easy again once he heard the roar of their bikes outside. When the guy at the cashier yelled at them to leave as well, Ripper didn’t argue. He grabbed Bear and hauled his sorry ass outside. Ripper looked left and right. No sign of Marshall and his pals. Good, but that didn’t mean he could let his guard down yet.
“Letting them go wasn’t wise. We need to show them why we’re the top dogs around these parts,” Bear said.
Ripper could hear the slur in Bear’s words. A moment ago, Bear had been pumped with adrenaline, ready to rip off heads but now? He swore as Bear bowled over and threw up, nearly hitting his boots. Ripper stepped away, disgusted.
“You still want a fight when you can barely stand on your own two feet? I’m surprised you managed to ride all the way here,” Ripper commented.
Bear gave him the finger. “Bringing up my daughter, that was a low-ass blow.”
“I’m just telling you the truth. She made me promise to bring you back in one piece and I intend to do just that.”
Bear looked at the road leading to Crowshaven again. Ripper tensed, readying himself for another fight. He’d let Bear taste the gravel if Bear chose to ride after Marshall and his buddies again. Would be easy. He doubted Bear remembered where he parked his bike. Ripper only hoped Marshall wasn’t stupid enough to mess with either of their bikes on their way back home.
Ripper waited. Bear took a seat on the floor and rested his head against the dirty diner window. “I’ve hit rock bottom, Rip. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing anymore. When Lily moved out of the house, it felt like a slap to the face, you know?”
“She deserved better.” He had plenty to say but decided to keep his mouth shut. Ripper had said all he needed to say at that moment.
“Don’t know why she stuck around.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? For you, of course.”
“Maybe, but I get it now.” Bear was wobbly getting back to his feet, gripping the window for support. Ripper thought Bear would hurl again but he didn’t. Just in case, he took a few steps away from him. Bear looked him in the eye. Still bloodshot but there was clarity there. “Thinking back, I think she always had a thing for you.”
“I’ll never hurt her, Bear. I love her.” Saying those words felt right. Ripper didn’t care anymore. Bear had no right to interfere in his and Lily’s relationship.
“I don’t know what I feel about that.”
“She and me. We’re both adults.”
“She’ll always be my little girl.” Bear glared at him, crossed his arms.
“Lily’s all grown up. She’s become a hell of a woman and guess what? She chose me. We don’t give a damn about what you think.” Ripper jerked his thumb back to the road, where they’d left their bikes. “Do I have to drag you back, unconscious, or you coming with me?”
Bear wore a sullen look. “I’m coming.”
Chapter Ten
Lily showered and dressed. After that, she sat on Ripper’s bed and stared at her phone the entire time. Only a half an hour since Ripper left. He promised to text her if anything happened. She knew Ripper didn’t make promises he couldn’t keep, but riding into enemy territory alone?
She usually didn’t drink, but this time, she could use a cold one to ease her doubts and worries herself. Lily left the room and found the rest of the Skull Crushers downstairs, drinking, gambling, and talking amongst themselves. Others hung around with the club whores. Apart from the old ladies, most of the women who hung around didn’t like her much, but Lily gave two shits about what they thought about her.
With no one manning the bar, she guessed it was self-service. She found a beer in the fridge.
“One for me as well, darling.”
She laughed as Iron gave her a wink. Lily opened him a bottle and set in front of him.
“Thanks. You came down here ’cause you were worried?” Iron had been around as long as Ripper and Bear.
In a way, Iron and the other veteran members were like her uncles. Lily had a soft spot for Iron though. Babysitting duty fell to him whenever Bear was busy with club problems, which was most of the time. Ripper sometimes sat with her, but he was different. She never saw him as an uncle.
“A little.” She took a sip of her beer, wondering if Ripper had found Bear already.
“Bear and Ripper, they can handle themselves. You know this.”
“Yeah, but Bear’s no one’s friend or ally these days.”
Iron sighed. “No helping an alcoholic, but I still believe he’ll snap out of it.”
“I hope you’re right.” She’d been staying with Ripper and she had ears. Most of the MC members, both old and new, believed Bear
no longer had what it took to lead the Skull Crushers. It didn’t matter because they had Ripper.
Lily had already come to terms with the fact her man was loyal to her first, and the club second. Ripper always asked her if she had regrets staying in this town. Maybe she did in the past, but not anymore. Her future lay with Ripper and the club. Iron was right. There still might be hope for Bear. She’d give him another chance, so would Ripper and the other Skull Crushers.
“Iron, over here,” one of the MC members yelled.
“Go ahead, I’ll be fine,” she told Iron.
Just as Lily said those words, she heard the unmistakable rumble of Harleys outside. Though the dirty windows of the club house, she spotted her man getting off his bike, along with Bear. Lily was the first to run out of the club house. Bear looked worse for wear, like he’d just gotten into a fight. So did Ripper, but Lily didn’t see any serious injuries. Relief filled her.
Ripper’s eyes were on her as she went to him. He held his arms out as they collided and folded his arms around her, pulling her close. She inhaled the familiar scent of him and pressed a hand to his warm chest.
“You made it safely back,” she whispered. She began checking him for injuries.
“You worried about me, baby?”
She punched him lightly on the arm. “Of course I was.”
“See? Told you there’s nothing to worry about, Lily,” commented Iron in the background.
“I found Bear’s bike parked near a truck stop. We ran into three Devil Riders but agreed to part ways peacefully,” Ripper said.
“They let the two of you go?” Iron asked, sounding surprised.
Lily was the same, but it didn’t matter now. Bear and Ripper were back. That was all that mattered. She thought Ripper would be bringing back a corpse. Worst-case scenario, neither Dad or Ripper would return.
“Yeah. It was the right move. Even outnumbered, Bear and I could have taken them on.”
“No more talk of fighting for the day,” she said.
“Agreed.” Ripper pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Want to talk to Bear?”
Lily looked for Bear, but he’d already stumbled inside the club house. Sooner or later, they’d have to get to that serious talk but maybe not today. She shook her head. “Later, when he’s a little more sober.”
“I think this episode shook him up. He promised me before we got on our Harleys that he’ll try to sober up, baby. For real this time.”
“I have zero expectations.” Lily sighed. “I know that sounds bad, but he’s said those words before.”
“Back in the diner, he’d been ready to go up against those three Devil Riders. One of them even had a gun. Bear stopped when I reminded him he had people waiting for him back home. You.”
“He said I was no daughter of his, not anymore.”
Ripper tightened his embrace around her. “He said those words in the heat of the moment. Try to make peace with him. For me.”
What Ripper said made sense, but seeing Bear here, in the flesh, only reminded him how awful he’d been the past few months. He was still her father, though. The same blood ran in her veins.
“I’ll try.” She promised her man.
****
Lily took a deep breath then raised her hand to knock on Bear’s room in the club. Three days had passed since Ripper dragged him back to the club. She and Bear and hadn’t traded a single word since. Their paths never seemed to cross. Just when she managed to track him down, he was out on a ride.
Ripper ordered some of the MC members to keep a closer eye on Bear this time around. According to Ripper, Bear was unhappy about the command but so far, he hadn’t bloodied or fought the members assigned to watch him. That was new. Bear had never been a rule follower and he’d always seemed resentful that Ripper had taken over the reins of the club.
Half of her wished Bear wasn’t inside, but the door opened. No bloodshot eyes or greasy hair. Bear actually looked like he’d recently taken a shower. No underwear on the floor or bed either. No woman. Even more surprisingly, she didn’t spot any bottles on the floor.
“Come on in,” Bear said, opening the door wider.
Lily entered his room. “You haven’t slept in your house since you returned.”
“Our house,” Bear corrected, taking a seat on the bed. “Sit with me.”
Lily shook his head. So typical of Bear to do this. In their home, they always ignored the real issues. Bear could be mad at her one day then pretend like nothing happened the next day.
“You made it clear it wasn’t mine anymore when you told me I was no daughter of yours.”
Bear flinched. “Lily, I didn’t mean those words. I was angry, confused—”
“Drunk,” she interrupted. “Every single time. From the moment I wake up to the time I come back from work.”
Lily promised Ripper she’d try to fix things with Bear, but all the emotions she’d bottled over time erupted. She couldn’t stop talking. “You have any idea how scared I was three days ago? That Ripper and you wouldn’t return?”
“Ripper shouldn’t have gone after you,” Bear said, sounding angry. “He should’ve asked for my permission first.”
“Which century do you live in? Ripper and I don’t need your permission. I’m an adult now.”
“He’s not a good man. I should now. I’ve known him for years.”
“Ripper’s better than you in many ways. At least I and everyone else in the club could count on him if trouble arose.”
“You make him sound like he’s some kind of saint. Listen here, Lily. Ripper was going to leave this club, this town, you and me for God knew what.”
“He thought about it.” Lily agreed. “But he never did. Something held him back from leaving. I saw him that night. Ripper had a moment of weakness, but he remembered those he left behind. Unlike you, he doesn’t abandon those he cares about easily.”
They stared at each other from across the room. Lily threw her hands up. “I don’t even know what I’m doing here. It’s clear to me you can’t and won’t change.”
She reached for the doorknob.
“That’s not true,” Bear said in a soft voice.
Lily should leave but something held her back.
“What happened to us, Lily? To this family?”
She leaned against the door and told him what he already knew. “After Mom died, you gave up on being my dad. You poured all your energies into the club but after a while, you gave up on the Skull Crushers as well.”
Chapter Eleven
Bear looked like he’d been slapped in the face. Lily had never been cruel by nature, but at that moment, she wanted to hurt him. She wanted him to have a taste of her anger, how it felt cleaning after his messes month after month.
This isn’t me. Provoking Bear would only take their relationship a step backward.
“I guess you’re right. I’ve never been a good father to you either, let the club raise you instead. Ripper didn’t need to remind me. I knew how lucky I was you turned out the way you did. An amazing woman.”
Lily stared at Bear in disbelief. Was she really hearing those words from Bear?
Bear rose from the bed and put his jacket on. “I’m not going to ask for forgiveness. The time for words is over. I’ll just have to show you. I’m going to my first AA meeting tonight.”
“For real?” Lily couldn’t keep the skepticism out of her voice. Bear was trying, really making an effort here. The least she could do was let him show her he could be a better man and father.
“Let’s have dinner together, after the meeting, I mean.” Bear sighed. “You can bring Ripper. The three of us can talk.”
“About what?” she asked. “You’re not going to pick another fight with him, are you?”
Bear scoffed. “A beating might do him some good.”
“He used to be your best friend. Still is. Ripper refused to give up on you when I and everyone else did. He told me that sometimes, a man loses his way, but that doesn’
t mean he’ll make it back to the right path again.”
Bear met her gaze. “Is that so?”
“Ripper said you saved him from himself once, right after Jeanne died.”
“You haven’t given me your answer.”
Lily knew she might regret this. Plenty of things could go wrong even from one simple dinner but Bear was trying to understand them both. “I’ll see you at dinner time. Where?”
“Rita’s,” Bear said, naming the diner he used to take Lily and her mom back when her mother was alive.
She couldn’t remember the last time she and Bear actually sat down together for a meal, as a family. Most of the time, she got home late from her bartending shift and he’d already be passed out in the living room, surrounded by take-out and beer bottles.
“We’ll be there,” Lily promised.
He left the room and she didn’t know why she lingered there. Lily looked around his messy bedroom and walked over to a framed photograph she hadn’t noticed before on the table next to the bed. She picked it up. Cracks were evident but she ignored those and focused on the picture.
It was the three of them, Bear, her mom, and her, at six years old. A year before her mom passed away. Right after the funeral, Bear had hidden away all the photographs of her mom. When she asked him why, he told her to mind her own business. It was Ripper who told her that seeing the photos only brought Bear pain. Bear didn’t want a reminder of his loss.
“Mom, I think this really might be it. He might finally quit drinking and get his life together again.”
Lily set it down and left the room.
****
Ripper smoked a joint while waiting for his girl. After Lily quit her old job, she had to find a new one. Laughing Eddie’s was a sport’s bar, frequented by a much older and more respectable crowd of locals. Ripper approved because he didn’t want his woman working at a sketchy place again.
Lily emerged minutes later. As she saw him, a smile broke out on her face. Damn. Sometimes, Ripper still couldn’t believe how lucky he was. “Good news, I take it?” Ripper asked.
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