Manic (Raiders of Valhalla MC: New Blood #1)

Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Tor

You could cut the tension between us with a knife.

Meghan sits beside me, her light sage green eyes brimming with unshed tears, her ashy blonde hair framing her face like a halo.

I can't help but drink in the sight of her, memorizing every curve and contour of her face, afraid she might disappear again if I blink.

I know she’s about to say something, but we need to talk, and I can’t wait any longer.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions raging inside me. "Is she mine, Meg? Is Tindra my daughter?"

Meghan's eyes widen, a flicker of surprise crossing her face before she schools her features.

She takes a shaky breath, and I can see the internal struggle playing out across her face.

"Tor, I..." she starts, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's complicated."

I feel my jaw clench, frustration bubbling up inside me. "Complicated? What the fuck does that mean, Meg? It's a simple yes or no question."

She flinches at the harshness in my tone, and I immediately regret it.

I've never been good at controlling my temper, but seeing her again after all these years has me on edge.

"I'm sorry," I say, softer this time. "I just... I need to know."

Meghan nods, wrapping her arms around herself as if trying to hold herself together. "I know you do, Tor. And you deserve the truth. It's just... there's so much you don't know."

I scoot closer to her, close enough to catch the faint scent of her perfume.

It's the same one she used to wear, and the familiarity of it hits me like a punch to the gut. "Then tell me, Meg. I'm right here, ready to listen."

She looks up at me, her eyes searching mine for something.

Trust?

Understanding?

I'm not sure what she's looking for, but I hope she finds it.

"Yes," she finally says, her voice barely audible. "Tindra is your daughter."

The world seems to tilt on its axis as her words sink in.

I have a daughter.

A beautiful, spirited little girl with my hair and Meghan’s eyes.

A surge of emotions washes over me—joy, anger, confusion, love—all battling for dominance.

"Why?" I manage to choke out. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Meghan's eyes fill with tears, and this time she doesn't try to hold them back.

They spill down her cheeks, leaving glistening trails in their wake. "I wanted to, Tor. God, I wanted to tell you so badly. But I was scared."

I run a hand through my hair, tugging at the strands in frustration. "Scared of what? Of me? Did you think I wouldn't step up, that I wouldn't want her?"

"No!" Meghan exclaims, reaching out to grasp my arm.

Her touch sends a jolt through my system, and I have to resist the urge to pull her closer. "I knew you'd be an amazing father, Tor. That was never in question."

I search her face, trying to understand. "Then what? What could possibly make you keep my own daughter from me for all these fucking years?"

Meghan takes a deep breath, her hand still on my arm. "It's... it's a long story, Tor. And not an easy one to tell."

I gesture around us, at the empty room. "We've got time, Meg. And I think I deserve to hear it, don't you?"

She nods, dropping her hand from my arm.

The loss of contact leaves me feeling cold. "You're right. You do deserve to know everything. But maybe we should sit down for this?"

Our knees brush, and even that small contact sends sparks through my body.

Fifteen years apart, and she still affects me like no one else ever has.

"Start at the beginning," I say, my voice gentler now. "Why did you do it, Meg? One day everything was fine in Atlanta, and the next...you were pushing me away."

"I know," her voice hollow. "I didn't want to do it, Tor. You have to believe that. But I didn't have a choice."

I frown, not understanding. "What do you mean, you didn't have a choice? Did someone threaten you?"

Meghan nods, her eyes distant as if reliving a painful memory. "My father," she whispers. "He... he found me."

The pieces start to fall into place, and I feel a cold fury building inside me.

I remember the few times Meghan had mentioned her father, always with fear in her eyes.

I had assumed he was just a shitty parent, maybe an alcoholic or abusive.

But now, seeing the raw terror on Meghan's face, I realize it was so much worse than that.

Fury takes over me. "What did he do?"

If that bastard hurt her...

Meghan shakes her head, tears falling freely now. "He’s the one who hurt me when I was here, that’s why I wanted to go to Atlanta. But he found me there too.”

I clench my fists, anger coursing through my veins. "We could have protected you, Meg. The club, we're family. We look out for our own."

She gives me a sad smile. "I know that now. But back then, I was young and scared. I thought I was protecting you by leaving."

I reach out, cupping her face in my hands. "You should have told me, Meg. We could have faced it together."

She leans into my touch, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment. "I know. I'm sorry, Tor. I've regretted that decision every day for the past fifteen years."

I stroke her cheek with my thumb, marveling at how soft her skin still is. "So why now? Why come back after all this time?"

Meghan opens her eyes, meeting my gaze. "Because he found me in Atlanta. Beat the shit out of me. I realized I made a mistake, that he’d find me no matter where I was… and now I have a daughter. Bringing her home to her father is the safest place she can be. Not only does Tindra deserve to know you... It’s partially because..." she pauses, taking a deep breath. "Because I never stopped loving you, Tor."

Her words hit me like a freight train, stealing the breath from my lungs.

I pull her closer until our foreheads are touching. "I never stopped loving you either, Meg. Not for a single fucking day."

And then I'm kissing her, pouring years of longing and heartache into it.

She responds immediately, her hands fisting in my shirt as she presses herself closer.

It's like coming home, like finding a piece of myself I didn't even know was missing.

When we finally break apart, we're both breathing heavily.

I rest my forehead against hers, not willing to let her go just yet. "We've got a lot to figure out," I say softly.

Meghan nods, her fingers tracing patterns on my chest. "I know. But we'll do it together this time, right?"

I pull back slightly, looking into her eyes. "Together," I promise. "You, me, and our daughter. We're a family now, Meg. And I'm not letting either of you go again."

She smiles a real, genuine smile that lights up her whole face. "I like the sound of that," she whispers.

As I pull her in for another kiss, I can't help but think about how much has changed in the span of a few hours.

This morning, I was alone, carrying the weight of a broken heart.

Now, I have a family—a woman I love more than life itself, and a daughter I can't wait to get to know.

It won't be easy.

We have years of hurt and misunderstandings to work through.

But as I hold Meghan in my arms, feeling her heartbeat against my chest, I know we'll make it work.

Because some things are worth fighting for, and this— us—is definitely one of them.

"Tell me about her," I say softly, running my fingers through Meghan's hair. "Tell me about our daughter."

Meghan's face lights up, and she launches into stories about Tindra—her first steps, her first words, her love of drawing, and her stubborn streak that's "all you, Tor".

As I listen, I can feel my heart swelling with a mixture of pride and regret for all the moments I've missed.

But Meghan's words trail off, and her expression darkens.

I know we're about to dive into the heavy stuff.

"Tor," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "I need to tell you something."

My brow furrows. "Okay, what is it?"

Meghan inhales deeply, and I can see her struggling to keep her voice steady. "The attack... the one you thought was a robbery? It wasn't."

My stomach drops. "What do you mean, it wasn't?"

Her hands start to tremble. "It was my father, Tor. He found me after years of hiding in the shadows. He never knew I was with the club because I ran away."

"Your father? What the fuck?"

The words tumble out of my mouth before I can stop them.

My mind is reeling, trying to process this information.

Meghan swallows hard, her eyes glazing over with unshed tears. "Remember when we had food at the diner? We ran into my cousin Lily, and she mentioned my family was in town?"

I nod, the memory flooding back.

I'd thought nothing of it at the time.

"My father... he's not a good man, Tor." Her voice cracks, and I instinctively pull her closer. "He made me do horrible things when I was a child."

She doesn't go into detail, but she doesn't need to.

The pain in her eyes, the tremor in her voice—they paint a picture I understand all too well.

It was more than just abuse.

My jaw clenches as rage builds inside me.

I've seen enough shit in this life to know what she's implying, and it makes me want to tear her father limb from limb.

"Jesus, Meg," I breathe, running a hand through my hair. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She shakes her head, more tears escaping and trailing down her cheek. "I was scared. Ashamed. I thought I could handle it on my own."

I cup her face in my hands, my thumbs wiping away her tears. "You don't have to handle anything alone anymore, you hear me? I'm here. We'll face this together."

Meghan leans into my touch, closing her eyes. "I should have trusted you back then. I'm sorry, Tor."

"Hey, look at me," I say softly, waiting until she meets my gaze. "We can't change the past. But we can damn well make sure he never hurts you again, or our daughter. I promise you that."

She nods, a small smile tugging at her lips despite the heaviness of the moment. "I believe you."

As I hold her close, my mind is already racing, plotting how to keep my family safe.

One thing's for certain—her father's going to regret the day he ever laid a hand on Meghan.

The Raiders of Valhalla protect their own, and Meghan and Tindra?

They're my family, and no one fucks with them.

I hold Meghan close, feeling her warmth against my chest, her scent filling my senses.

It's been so long, yet she still fits perfectly in my arms.

My mind races, trying to process everything she's told me.

The pieces are falling into place, but there's still so much I need to know.

I breathe out, my emotions a tangled mess. "I have to ask. Why didn't you tell me sooner? I could have protected you both. I would have moved heaven and earth to keep you safe."

Meghan's voice trembles as she speaks, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know, and the only reason I didn't tell you is because I thought it was for the best... that it would keep us safer."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

I clench my fists, battling the urge to hit something.

How could she think keeping me in the dark was the right choice?

I take a deep breath, trying to rein in my anger.

"You would have been safer with me, Meghan. You damn well know that." I lock eyes with her, my gaze intense.

I can see the guilt and regret written all over her face, but it doesn't ease the ache in my chest.

She bites her lip, a habit I remember from years ago when she was nervous. "Maybe so, but I can't go and change the past now. I'm here because I saw the error of my ways, and I'm trying to fix things..." Her voice drops to a whisper. "If you can forgive me."

The vulnerability in her tone tugs at something deep inside me.

I want to be angry, to lash out at her for the years we've lost.

But seeing her here, admitting her mistakes, willing to face the consequences... it's the Meghan I fell in love with all those years ago.

I run a hand over my face, feeling the rough stubble beneath my fingers. "Gods, Meghan. You should have trusted me. We could have faced this together. We could have been a family for years now."

My mind races, thinking of all the milestones I've missed with Tindra. Her first steps, her first words, her first day of school.

A lifetime of memories I can never get back.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself.

Meghan shakes her head, more tears spilling down her cheeks. "I fucked up, Tor. I fucked up bad," she chokes out, her usual tough exterior crumbling before my eyes.

I drop my hands to her shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze. "Yeah, you did," I admit, unable to sugarcoat it. "I'm frustrated as hell, Meghan. Pissed that I missed out on so many years with my daughter,"

I pause, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat. "But I'd go through all this shit again to have another chance with her... with you. If that's what this is."

A small, watery laugh escapes her lips, catching us both by surprise. "I didn't even think it was a possibility," she admits, her voice barely above a whisper.

I feel a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth, despite the heaviness of the moment. "It is," I assure her, my grip on her shoulders tightening slightly. "I'm gonna keep our family together, Meghan. We'll navigate this mess together, you hear me?"

She nods, a glimmer of hope shining in her eyes.

"But we can talk about any other intense shit later," I add, suddenly aware of how emotionally drained we both are. "Right now, I just want to hold you and know you're really here."

I pull Meghan against me, wrapping my arms around her so tightly it's like I'm afraid she'll vanish if I let go.

Her body molds to mine, familiar yet new, and I inhale deeply, drinking in the scent of her hair.

My lips find the side of her neck, and I place a soft kiss there, feeling her pulse quicken beneath my touch.

"Gods, I've missed you," I murmur against her skin.

Meghan's hands slide up my back, her fingers digging into my shoulders.

"Tor," she breathes, my name a prayer on her lips.

I pull back just enough to look into her eyes—those light sage green eyes that have haunted my dreams for years.

Without thinking, I capture her lips with mine, pouring years of longing and regret into the kiss.

It starts soft, almost tentative, but quickly ignites into something more urgent, more passionate.

My hands tangle in her ashy blonde hair as I deepen the kiss, and I feel her respond with as much need as me.

It's like no time has passed at all, like we're those same kids who fell in love all those years ago.

"Is this okay?" I manage to ask between kisses, not wanting to push too far too fast.

Meghan nods, her breath coming in short gasps. "More than okay," she assures me, her hands already working at sliding off my cut.

I don't need any more encouragement.

My fingers find the hem of her top, and in one swift motion, I pull it over her head.

She does the same with my shirt, and soon, we're a tangle of limbs and discarded clothing.

As I lay her down on the couch, I can't help but marvel at how beautiful she is. "You're even more gorgeous than I remember," I tell her, my voice husky with desire.

Meghan's cheeks flush, and for a moment, I see a flash of the shy girl she used to be. "You're not so bad yourself," she quips, her hands tracing the tattoos on my chest.

I lean down to kiss her again, slower this time, savoring every moment.

When I finally enter her, it's like coming home after a long, hard journey.

We move together, finding our rhythm easily, as if we'd never been apart.

It's rough and passionate, years of pent-up emotion pouring out in every touch, every kiss, every thrust.

But underneath the urgency, there's a tenderness that takes my breath away.

Meghan's fingers find mine, lacing them together as I continue to move within her.

Her eyes bore into mine, no longer filled with fear or uncertainty but rather a deep, consuming love that sends a shiver down my spine.

"Tor," she gasps, clutching me tighter as her body tenses beneath me.

I can feel her climax building, and it stirs something primal within me.

My strokes become more frantic, more desperate.

I've been starving for her for years, and now that I have her beneath me, in my arms again, I want to devour every inch of her.

My teeth graze the delicate skin on her neck, marking her with my passion, drawing the most beautiful sounds from her lips—my name being chanted like a mantra.

Every stroke of my hips against hers sends waves of pleasure through both our bodies and before long, we’re tumbling over the edge of our releases.

I’m never going to let this woman go ever again.