Chapter 3
Moon
"Are Swiss and Dagger, Okay?" I ask Dad after he comes up to my room a few hours later.
After the Reapers attacked the clubhouse he sent me up to my room and told me to lock the door behind me. I knew he needed all hands on deck to clean up that mess, he didn't need to be worrying about me. He was probably making calls to other charters and talking to all the Club brothers about how they'll handle what's next.
"Swiss will be fine, he didn't get his road name for nothing. I swear he's a cat with eleven lives at this point. He's all patched up, it was a clean shot but Doc put him under because the pain was bad and he didn't want him ripping the stitches while he was all loopy from the meds. He should be up and moving tomorrow hyped up on whatever pain pills Doc gives him this time." I let out a sigh of relief.
"I'm glad he's okay, but what about Uncle D?"
"He's fine Moonie. But we need to chat." I hold my breath scared Dad knows about the moment Dagger and I had earlier. I've been paranoid that someone saw us since Dad sent me up here.
"Come on, don't start picking at your nails yet. Let me explain." I didn't even notice I was doing that. He reads me too well.
"You're going on vacation."
"Vacation? Dad the fucking clubhouse was just shot up I'm not going anywhere."
"It wasn't a question. I'm telling you, not asking. Dagger and Nova are taking you to a safe house in an hour. Porky will meet you there and he'll watch after you until things are safe here again. Your pops misses you and can't wait to spend some quality time."
"Dad, as much as I love pops and would love to see him, shouldn't we just follow protocol and go on lockdown?" I ask, confused as to why he's sending me away.
"Don't forget I'm the Devil’s Outlaws club President. I know our protocol, your Pops wrote our bylaws and I was raised on em’. You'll do as you're told! Do you get me? Not only are you a woman, but you're my daughter. You don't get to question me or club decisions." He yells, pissing me off even fucking more. It's club law, I know I'm not allowed to question his decisions. But this involves me, I deserve a say in this.
"I'm not going anywhere Razor. I know how to shoot, I was taught by the best. I can help! I'm not leaving all the guys behind to hide like a coward." He steps back at my use of his road name like my words have cut him. I never call him that, but he's ordering me around like I'm a prospect, not his daughter.
"You'll do as you're told Moonie. Pack." I stand up from my bed, standing toe to toe with my 6'4" mountain of a father. I've never seen a man brave enough to do what I am and live to tell the tale.
"Watch it." He growls out. Looking down at me, his jaw ticking. I look up at him, my eyes narrowed.
"I'm not going anywhere. This is my family. I'm not a prospect or club brother you can just order around." I yell up at him. He runs his hand down his face before he takes a step back.
"Listen moon, you're a distraction. You'll get someone killed. You're a weakness to this club. The reapers will use that and I'm not letting shit happen to you or this MC. I don't want to fight with you. I already lost your mother. I'm not losing you too. Now pack!" He bellows his words, stabbing me straight in the gut. Distraction. Weakness. Bringing up mom. I stumble back, trying not to cry as he stomps out the door slamming it behind him.
Shut it off, Moon.
I refuse to think about her.
I start slinging open drawers and throwing shit in a duffel. Then opened the closet, snatching shit off hangers. I look at the jacket in the back of the closet, my mom's plain black leather jacket. It's the one she'd wear under her Cut which had her property of Devil’s Outlaws patch on it with my dad's road name under it. I snatched it off the hanger, throwing it over my cropped Devil's Outlaws tee.
The silk inlay feels like heaven on my skin. I bring the collar up to my nose, sniffing it. It doesn't smell like her anymore, just leather and cigarettes. Just like the rest of the club. I feel like I need to cry but nothing comes out. It's like I'm numb. I take down the Polaroid picture I have of Nova and me at the beach from my mirror where I had it taped up, putting it in my pocket.
Lastly, I grab the teddy bear Dagger gave me when I was eight off of my bed and stuff it in the bag. I haven't slept without it since he gifted it to me at the hospital when I had to get stitches after I fell out of a tree I was climbing outside of the clubhouse. That's when we met Doc, but that's a story for another day.
This room is full of memories and I'm expected to just pack it all into a bag and leave it all behind, not even knowing if or when I'll be back? I feel empty, like who I am is being ripped away from me.
I slowly take the stairs, my duffel on my shoulder. When I reach the bottom everyone is staring at me with sad eyes, aside from Daggar who's staring at the floor with knitted brows.
Nova, Dagger, and Dad are waiting by the door for me. I don't even get to say bye to Swiss. Fuck I'll miss that big bastard. I'll miss all these crazy fuckers. I take a deep breath, staying strong, my head held high, and walk towards the door.
Everyone lines up one at a time hugging me one by one. Some tell me it'll be nice to get a break from me, others tell me to be safe and stay ready for anything. That's their way of saying they love me. After I hug Pyro he grips my shoulder looking all emotional, and he's usually a brick wall when it comes to any emotion other than anger.
"You keep that chin up, Little Devil," Pyro whispers to me before shooing me out the door. Nova grabs the bag off my shoulder as we step outside, my dad and Dagger flanking behind us. I stand in the parking lot out front looking at them and waiting for more information.
"Nova and Dagger are gonna make sure you get to Porky safely. I'm not gonna say the location out loud because the clubhouse and property haven't fully been checked for bugs yet so you'll see when you get there, the guys know." I sigh, tucking my hair behind my ear. My dad hands me a full-face helmet and I look up at him confused.
"What do I need this for? Aren't we taking my truck?" I ask, my brows furrowed as I look down at the Black helmet in my hands.
"All the guys agreed it's safer to take the bikes. The reapers know our bylaws so they'll know you don't ride. If they have eyes on us they'll be watching for your truck. They'll go for you because you're an easy target. You're a weakness to this whole club." I wince at his words. Silently tying my hair up in a quick braid so I can put the helmet on.
"You can pick who you want to ride with. Both volunteered knowing what our bylaws are."
That means they both know if I choose to ride on their bike they'll never be allowed to have another woman ride bitch. Any patched member of the Devil’s Outlaws MC is only allowed to have one woman on the back of their bike for the rest of their life no matter what happens, even if she dies or leaves them. You only get one pillion rider, and usually, that's your Old Lady.
That means that Nova and Dagger are both willing to give up ever having whoever their future Old Lady is on the back of their bikes. The weight of my dad's words sits heavy on my chest.
Maybe Nova sees me as more than just a friend. Or maybe he's such a loyal friend he's willing to give that up but I won't let him, even if riding with Dagger will be awkward as hell after what happened earlier. He called me Baby and I might be wrong, but I swear he almost kissed me.
I know my dad probably thinks, Nova is in love with me but is too scared to act on it, and Dagger is just being loyal to the club and to him. In all actuality, I think both of them are doing it to prove themselves. I don't think it's for me at all. They're making a major sacrifice for the club. Is it wishful thinking to hope that maybe Dagger was willing to volunteer himself because something shifted with us today?
I know it's stupid to think that he could want me back. It's probably all in my head. Maybe my fantasies were just blurring with reality, a lot was going on earlier he was probably just trying to calm me.
I hug Nova, whispering a thank you in his ear for even being willing to make that sacrifice for me. Before I pull my helmet on and walk over to Dagger's bike.
"I'll ride with Uncle D," I tell Dad, lifting my visor on my helmet so I can look him in the eyes.
"Okay Moonie, Love you kiddo." He says to me before turning to Nova and Dagger saying "You better keep our club princess safe, you hear?" He threatens. Tapping the back of my helmet. I give him a nod. I didn't expect a hug, we don't have a hugging type of relationship.
At that, I swing my leg over the back of Daggers' black 1981 Harley Davidson FXB Sturgis. I grip the sides of his cut, not wanting to wrap my arms around him and make this more awkward than it is. Especially since he has refused to make eye contact since earlier.
As soon as my dad walks back inside the clubhouse Dagger takes my hands from his sides and wraps them around him.
Once we peel out we take back roads and make sure we aren't being tailed by taking several unnecessary turns and detours. It's pitch black out here. The wind against my bare thighs a little chilly, but not unbearable. I settle into Dagger's back, my body fully pressed against him for warmth. He rests one hand over mine that is resting on his stomach.
I can see Nova glancing over at us as he rides beside us. I'm sure he's got questions but he wouldn't say anything about what he sees to anyone. He respects me too much.
***
We ride for what seems like hours in the dead of night. We've made it to the mountains it seems. My ass is numb by this point. I keep shifting around trying to get comfortable. Dagger reaches his left arm back -out of sight of Nova on his right- running his glove-covered hand from my knee to my thigh.
"Only a few more minutes, Baby." He says to me just over the rumble of the bikes so only I can hear. I nod against his back, my heart beating out of my chest at his words and the way he's touching me like he never has before. He's touching me like he can't help himself like it's second nature to him and I love it.
A few minutes later we pull into a wooded area. We drive up a path that's only big enough for a bike that you wouldn't even notice from the main road. We follow it up to a little cottage. This must be one of the MC's safe houses. When we cut the engines I hop off almost immediately, ripping off my helmet.
My legs feel like noodles, almost giving out on me they're so weak from the long ride. Dagger grabs me by the waist with both hands, steadying me. His hands almost touching my ass, but he quickly pulls away when the front door to the cottage swings open.
"Look at you MoonShine, you're all grown up!" Porky, my grandfather says, pulling me into a bear hug. His grey beard and mustache tickle my forehead as he pecks it.
"Missed you, sweetheart." He says giving me one last squeeze before letting me go.
"We've gotta get back MoonPie, we'll be in touch Porky, keep her safe," Dagger says, narrowing his eyes on him threateningly.
"You know as well as anyone I'd throw myself in front of a bullet before I let anyone touch a hair on her head." Pops shoots back, giving him a knowing look.
Nova doesn't say a word and it's weird. Usually, he's always talking shit, especially with me. I go up to him grabbing both sides of his cut and looking up at him. He looks down in my eyes and I see what looks like hurt there before he masks it.
"Hey! We'll see each other again soon enough. I'm sure of it. You're my favorite, you know that right?" I say with a teasing grin. He cracks a smile giving me a nod, before pulling me into a tight embrace, kissing the top of my head.
Dagger grunts before obnoxiously fake coughing. I pull away from Nova giving him a wink and blowing him a kiss.
I then turn and look at Dagger to find him leaning against his bike with his arms crossed as he stares down Nova and if looks could kill Nova would be six feet under. If I'm not mistaken Dagger looks jealous? That can't be right. I'm just imagining shit.
I walk up to him and he immediately pulls me in by the waist squeezing me tight against his abs. The top of my head reaches the bottom of his pecs so I'm enjoying a face full of sweat, wood, and leather smelling man. I take a deep sniff burying my face in his chest.
I love the feel of his arms around me. He pulls away after what's way longer than a normal length uncle and niece embrace and roughs up my hair before he takes a silver chainlink bracelet off his wrist and puts it on me as tight as it'll go.
"So you don't forget me, Baby." After that, they mount up and take off back down the wooded path. I watch them until they're out of sight before following my Pops inside.