“Everyone, I’d like you to meet Ariel. This is my daughter.”
Ryker’s voice filled the room, and everyone stopped. The girls that surrounded me smiled and cooed over her, talking about how gorgeous her eyes were. But the guys? They simply stared at him. One, in particular, looked as if his head were about to pop through the roof.
“Can you stand?” Piper asked.
I stood up, feeling a bit wobbly on my feet. But after a few seconds of getting my bearings, I felt a little steadier. I watched Ariel’s beautiful eye peek out, smiling at the girls as they went up to her. They rubbed her back and coaxed her from her father’s shoulder. And before I knew it, that massive oversized teddy bear of a man they called Rock walked over to her. Held out his hand. Shook her tiny one, making her giggle as he brushed his stubbled beard against the top of her hand.
“Do you like tag?” Rock asked.
Ariel nodded.
“Well, we’ve got some kiddos here that love tag. Want me to introduce you to them?” he asked.
Wait, there were more children here? Kids? With a motorcycle club?
“If that’s okay,” Ariel said softly.
“Hey, kids! Come out here! Got a new friend for you to play with!” Rock bellowed.
I winced at his booming voice, but Ariel giggled. I looked over at Ryker and found him grinning softly, his hand still protectively against his daughter’s shoulder. The soft pitter patter of footsteps came down a hallway I didn’t even see until I tried locating where the sound came from. And one by one, kids of all ages, sizes, and races came flooding into the main room.
“Hi!”
“Hi there.”
“What’s your name?
“Want a snack before we play? I’ve got chips.”
“And I’ve got juice.”
“And if I ask Mommy, I bet she’ll get us peanut butter and apple slices.”
“Could I have some juice?” Ariel asked.
“Mommy! The new girl wants some juice!”
I giggled as a beautiful woman came out of the woodworks. Brown hair. A gorgeous smile. Strong shoulders and a confident demeanor. She dipped down in front of the girl that had bellowed about, tucking her hair behind her ear.
“How do we ask nicely, sweetheart?” she asked.
The girl sighed. “Mommy, can you get the new girl some juice? She’s really thirsty.”
“What do you add to that?”
“Please?”
“I’ve got it, Kimber,” a man said.
“Thanks, babe. I appreciate it,” the woman said.
The kids made their round of introductions to one another, shaking hands and hugging tight. My eyes flickered back to Ryker, who watched the scene unfold with a wary and worried eye. A leaner man came over to Ariel and crouched in front of her. He passed off a juice box filled with fruit punch, and Ariel beamed with delight.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“Anytime. I’m Brewer, and this is my wife, Kimber. Anytime you need something, you let us know. Okay?” the man asked.
And as she nodded, she started guzzling her fruit punch through the small straw.
“All right, kids! Who’s ready to have some fun?” a woman asked.
I looked back over to the hallway, watching everything unfold. She clapped her hands and the kids came running. Hell, the girls even stopped to watch her. She must’ve been the “main woman,” so to speak. The one the other women and children listened to. She smiled at me as the kids ran back down the hallway with what looked like the oldest of the group holding Ariel’s hand. They rushed into a back room where the kids started screaming and laughing together. And I wondered what might happen to me once the kids got settled.
But I didn’t have to wait long for my answer.
“Sorry for all the chaos. I’m Brynn. And you are…?”
The main woman walked over to me and held out her hand. Waiting for me to speak. I looked around the room and felt everyone’s eyes on me. And I wasn’t sure if I should’ve responded. Until I looked over at Ryker and watched him nod.
I shook her hand. “Uh, hello. I’m Kaylynn. It’s nice to meet you.”
Brynn smiled. “Likewise. Not to be rude, but you look like you could use some rest. And a sandwich. It’s pretty late, and late-night snacks are my specialty.”
“I don’t want to put anyone out.”
“Nonsense. You’re not putting anyone out. Come on, I’ll show you where you can sleep tonight. Then, I’ll get you something to eat.”
“And I’ll go rally the troops until they finally settle down for bed,” Piper said.
Brynn hooked my arm around hers, leading me down the hallway. I peered over my shoulder, trying to take stock of what was happening. There were so many fucking people in this clubhouse. And while it looked much smaller on the outside than it actually was, I was sure it had to get cramped with all these people in it. Women. Children. Men, trying to work. I caught Ryker’s eye one last time, swearing to myself that I saw him grinning at me.
But whatever grin I might’ve seen faded when an angry man approached him.
I stopped in my tracks, watching as the two men fussed with one another. The man with the bit of salt in his hair made the skin on my arms prickle. I pulled away from Brynn. I started back toward Ryker. It wasn’t until two girls grabbed my arms that Brynn slipped in front of me. Blocking my gaze of the boys.
“Don’t worry, my husband’s not as mean as he seems. It’s a tense time with us right now and they have to figure out their next moves,” she said.
“He’s been through enough tonight. He needs just as much rest as me and his daughter do,” I said curtly.
“And he’ll get it. I promise. Right now, it’s all work and no play with them. That’ll change soon, though. The guys will talk, then they’ll go to bed. That’s how things work right now.”
I paused. “What’s going on?”
The girls all looked at one another and I knew what they were thinking. Could they trust the new girl? Did I have the right to know? Would they get in trouble if they filled me in?
“Nothing. It’s fine. Never mind,” I said.
“It’s not that we don’t want to tell you. It’s just—”
I held up my hand. “Trust me, I grew up around official business my entire life. I’m very good at operating while being kept in the dark.”
Then, I pulled away from the girls and made my way into the first empty room I came across. A room on the left-hand side of the wall as I walked down the hallway. A room with no windows. A room with no modern comforts. A room with no personality, decorations, or unnecessary items. I closed the door behind me, then went and sat on the edge of the bed. I drew in a deep breath, trying to calm myself as I heard the kids giggling off in the distance.
And I could’ve sworn the room smelled exactly like Ryker.
17
Ryker
“What the fuck were you thinking? You could’ve gotten yourself killed. And who the hell is that woman, Ryker? You better start tal—”
“If you’d shut up, Diesel, and wait until the girls get out of the room, I’ll answer whatever you want.”
We both turned our heads slowly, watching as his wife escorted Kaylynn down the hallway. She peered over her shoulder, crooking an eyebrow at me. And when I nodded for her to continue going with them, she finally relented. Something fluttered in my gut at that idea. A strong, stubborn woman, listening to me. Trusting me. Leaning on me for support.
It was odd.
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
Rock turned around, shooting daggers with his eyes as I stood there.
“What did you really expect, though? My kid’s involved,” I said.
“And here I am, actually thinking you’d keep some damn promise!?” he bellowed.
“That’s a bit much, with the voice,” I said.
“He’s right. You made a promise to this crew. To these men that consider you a brother. The fuck are we supp
osed to do now? We obviously can’t trust you,” Diesel said.
I scoffed. “Can’t trust me? After everything I’d done as nothing but a prospect over the last year? I bailed your ass out of debt behind Brynn’s back. I took a literal bullet for you three weeks into this lifestyle. I’ve listened to every single old guard here bitch and moan and whine and complain about everything under the sun having to do with their house, their kids, and their wives. And now, when my daughter’s life is on the line, you want to question my loyalty?” I asked.
“He’s got a point,” Bear murmured.
“I knew you’d break that promise in a heartbeat. My gut screamed at me to not hand over that information,” Rock said.
“Then, next time? Don’t do it,” I said curtly.
Diesel pointed his finger at me. “We don’t break rules in this brotherhood. Ever. We don’t break promises in this union. At all.”
My face fell. “Fuck brotherhood when my kid’s at stake.”
Toxin chuckled. “You’re the only one who seems to have balls in this place anymore.”
“Shut up, Toxin!” Diesel exclaimed.
“If you knew he was going to do it, why’d you give him the information?” Cage asked.
I rolled my eyes. “Really? You’re going to side with them after what we did to pull your girlfriend out of Daddy’s claws?”
“Don’t you dare talk about her that way,” he snarled.
I turned, facing Cage. “Or what? Tell me. Because the last I figured, we were in this shithole because of you and that father of yours.”
“You’re dead!”
Cage lunged for me and it took three men to hold him back. Bear, Saint, and Toxin all held him back as my fists clenched at my sides. I kept my demeanor cool. My eyes, stoic. I pinned him with that stare none of the guys liked, and I saw him shaking in his boots. Even as he tried to play the tough guy.
“I couldn't just leave Ariel there. I’ve left my daughter behind enough times in her life on the justification that I was doing what was best for her. I’m not going to let this club make me into the shitty father I’m trying so hard not to be,” I said.
And with my words, Cage settled down.
“You think you’re a shitty father?” Grave asked.
“Seriously?” Knox asked.
I shook my head, still staring at Cage. “Not the time, guys.”
Then, Brewer stepped up to the plate.
“Look, you guys might be angry now. But if it were any one of our kids—any one of our families—we’d have done the same thing. Diesel, I’m pretty sure you’ve done several very questionable things for your family these past couple of years. Don’t get angry with him now because he wanted to go after his daughter. Not after what we’ve done for the rest of the guys.”
Toxin snickered. “Except me. I know better.”
“Shut up, Toxin,” everyone said in unison.
“What happened tonight?” Knox asked.
I grinned. “Now, we’re asking decent questions.”
“And who is that girl you brought here?” Diesel asked.
“She’s part of the story, if you’ll stand there and listen without trying to behead me for it,” I said.
“Can you give us a quick rundown? I mean, it’s almost ten in the evening,” Grave said.
“He’ll take however long he needs to,” Diesel said.
Then, as he pinned me with a look, I drew in a deep breath. Readying myself for yet another round table of “Ryker’s Story Time.”
“The picture and her number? I got it because on the bike ride I took the other day to clear my head, I ran across them,” I said.
“Wait, you saw that woman with your daughter out in public?” Rock asked.
I nodded. “Yep. Coming out of an ice cream shop and walking into a soup and sandwich place. I followed them in. Assessed the situation. My gut told me Ariel was all right with this woman. At least, for now. But a black SUV pulled up and I wasn’t armed, so I couldn’t take her then. When I gave you the information and the picture I had on her, and you fed me that address? I went to see my daughter. To make sure she was all right and that my gut instinct had been okay.”
“What happened once you got there?” Knox asked.
I sighed. “Her brother turned up.”
“Who’s her brother?” Saint asked.
Grave groaned. “You’re fucking kidding me.”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
“Wait, what happened now?” Toxin asked.
“The woman is Kaylynn Petrov. Alex Petrov’s sister,” I said.
Diesels’ jaw dropped open. “You’re fucking with us.”
“I wish I were. I got there, she let me in after some coaxing. We fought for a bit on whether or not I was leaving with my daughter. And before we could come to a peaceful conclusion, her brother pulled up. Alone, because he’s pompous. But he pulled up. She shooed me and Ariel upstairs before he came in. They talked, but I don’t know about what. Then, for whatever reason, he started getting rough with her,” I said.
“Rough, as in…?” Brewer asked.
“I mean, you saw her when she came in, right? When Piper was cleaning her up?” I asked.
“Shit, her own brother did that to her?”
“Yep. I saw it, too. Kicked her right in the face. And I’m not so sure he didn’t try to choke her out, too. It’s all bits and pieces once we got up the stairs. When their voices started raising, I got worried for her. I walked down the hallway and my jacket got snagged on a picture. It crashed to the ground, and a lot of shit happened. I ended up grazing Alex’s leg, putting a bullet in his thigh. Then, we hightailed it out of there in Kaylynn’s car. I didn’t even get my damn bike,” I said.
Rock paused. “You were worried about her?”
I groaned. “That’s literally all you took from that damn story?”
“I mean, it’s an important piece,” Saint said.
“Why were you worried about her?” Bear asked.
“Can we focus on the fact that I just brought Alex Petrov’s sister back to this place with me? And that she seems to trust me? Can we focus on the fact that we might have yet another ‘in’ with this Lars asshole now?” I asked.
Diesel let out a long sigh. “He’s right. And not only that, but her brother is probably after us now. Did he get a look at your leather cut?”
“Actually, when me and him came face to face, I’m not even sure he looked at my leather cut to point out who I was. I think Lars knows us all by our faces now,” I said.
“Fuck,” Grave hissed.
“Of course, he does,” Toxin murmured.
“Which only complicates matters beyond what’s already happened,” I said.
“My brother isn’t completely stupid, you know.”
I whipped around at the sound of Kaylynn’s voice.
“You need to go back—”
She shook her head. “Lars wanted Ariel thrown into foster care, for whatever reason. And after some convincing, Alex let her stay with me. Under the precaution that we didn’t go anywhere, do anything, or interact with anyone until we figured out something else to do.”
“Doesn’t matter. He wanted to take my daughter tonight,” I said.
“I know. But if he reports back to Lars that Ariel’s gone, it’s not going to be good for him. Alex would most certainly be killed, because then Lars—”
“—would find out he superseded his orders,” I said.
She nodded. “Exactly. So, right now? He’s in self-preservation mode.”
“Which buys us some time,” Diesel said.
“Time we’ll need,” Rock said.
Kaylynn thumbed over her shoulder. “The kids are all down, by the way. The girls wanted me to come tell you guys.”
The guys murmured their thanks to her before her eyes fell back to mine again.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I’ve been better.”
I grinned at her as all eyes darted be
tween the two of us.
“Anyway, we won’t get anything accomplished tonight. We’re all sleep-deprived as it is. We’re on borrowed time, but we won’t be able to make the most of it without sleep. Get to bed. Get some rest. And we’ll go at this hard in the morning,” Diesel said.
“Whenever you can pull away, Ariel’s wanting you,” Kaylynn said.
I nodded. “Right behind you.”
I looked around at the guys one last time, taking in their perplexed looks. I didn’t know why the fuck they looked as if they smelled dirty diapers in the rafters, but they all looked idiotic. I shook my head as I walked out of the room, following Kaylynn down the hallway.
And my eyes locked onto the mesmerizing sway of her hips.
“I hear someone wants a bedtime story,” I said, coming around the corner.
“Daddy!”
Ariel leapt out of her perfectly-tucked position, launching herself at me. I chuckled as I hugged her close, swinging her around in my arms. She smelled of freshly-brushed teeth and baby wipes. Which meant she’d been resisting bath time. Normally, I’d get onto her about it. But tonight? I simply wanted to cherish it with her. I walked her back over to the bed and laid her down. I brushed her hair away from her face, coating her forehead in fluttering kisses.
She giggled as I tucked her back in. Then, I sat down on the edge of her bed.
“You want to talk, or you want a bedtime story?” I asked.
“Neither,” she said.
My eyebrows rose. “Neither?”
She shook her head. “Nope. Can you just stay here for a little bit?”
“Can you give me a second to show Miss Kaylynn where she’s sleeping tonight? Then, I’ll come crawl into bed with you. How’s that sound?”
“Promise?”
She lifted up her pinky and I smiled as I locked mine around hers.
“Pinky promise, promise.”
I kissed her forehead again, then stood from the bed. I ushered Kaylynn out of the bedroom, walking her around the corner. The small, darkened hallway was full of guest bedrooms that usually stayed vacant. But with so many families crammed into this space, we’d been converting every extra room we had into a bedroom. It wasn’t homey, by any means. It didn’t have much space. The bathrooms were a joke, and that was when we weren’t sharing them. But it kept us safe. It kept us together. And it kept us from being separated so all eyes could be on the women and children.
Ryker: Dead Souls MC: Prospects #4 Page 11
