Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
One month later
Lore
“Do you want to go for a ride, Marie?” Ryder asks, showing off her gorgeous new bike.
“I want to ask if it’s safe enough, but you wouldn’t suggest this if it wasn’t,” Marie murmurs, her fingers hovering over her motorcycle with a huge smile on her face.
“I have your leathers in the trunk of the SUV,” Ransom admits. “I know there’s snow on the ground, but I was hoping you’d be able to ride today.”
Ryder called Storm a couple of days ago to report that Marie’s motorcycle was ready for pick up. The last I had heard was that it would still be a few weeks yet, but Ryder said he couldn’t sleep and needed to finish it early.
This isn’t unheard of for him. He gets bouts of creative energy he has to work out, and boom, his custom bikes are done. It’s one of the reasons people come to him to build their motorcycles. Not only does he love doing this, he’s driven by his creative demons.
It’s hard not to respect that when the results look like this. My neck gaiter is down today, as I finally came clean to Ryder about my identity. The guilt of not telling him about his daughter is eating at me, so something else had to give.
Maybe one day I’ll tell him about Hastings, but it won’t be today.
“I have special snow tires on the motorcycle so you’ll be able to ride, as well as four loaners for your alphas, Marie,” Ryder says. “I want to know if there’s anything I need to tweak before I send you back to Minneapolis with your bike. Ride the fucker hard, I want to know what you think.”
Ryder doesn’t know this, but I booked a cabin to spend a couple of nights in the Black Hills with my pack. I need to disconnect from everything but them right now as I finally make some tough decisions.
I’m wrestling with officially stepping back into the president’s shoes.
I think it’s time, and my club is struggling with some supply issues because people are making the mistake of thinking the club is weaker with my “death”.
I grumbled about this to Marie and she grinned at me and asked if we needed to buy new hammers.
Just when I think I have my omega all figured out, she manages to surprise me.
When we get back, she has an appointment with a gynecologist at a hospital Dr. Royal recommended and he has privileges at. It’ll be the first time we hear the baby’s heartbeat, a fact that blows my mind.
“What do you think, Princess?” I ask.
Our baby is safe in her uterus, and with the proper gear, I don’t see why she can’t ride. See? I can be civilized. I’m just going to make sure she’s as bubble wrapped as possible.
“I really wanna ride,” she says, biting her bottom lip excitedly. Her hand moves to her stomach without thinking and Ryder’s brows raise.
We haven’t told anyone about the baby yet, but Ryder just figured it out.
“People ride motorcycles pregnant every day, kiddo,” Ryder says under his breath. “It's as safe as I can possibly make it.”
“Then yes, let’s do it,” she says with a grin, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I guess it’s pretty obvious, huh?”
“Only because I’m paying attention to where your hands are. Now, promise me you’re going to ride strapped,” Ryder lectures her.
She nods quickly, walking to our SUV to grab her riding gear and weapons while Storm, Wilder, and I move closer to him.
“Want to run that past us again?” I ask curiously. “Is someone fucking with you?”
“There have been strangers on the road recently,” he says slowly.
“They’re outlaws that almost seem to be looking for something or someone.
They ride past slowly and then continue on.
I haven’t said or done anything about them because I knew you were headed out this way.
I didn’t know Marie was pregnant though. That changes—”
“Nothing,” I finish for him.
While Ryder is a club member, he lives about two hours away from the nearest chapter. People tend to come to him, not the other way around.
“If we see them, we’ll chase them out,” Storm confirms. “Have you pissed anyone off recently?”
“Nope,” Ryder shrugs. “They weren’t Anarchists though. Hold on. Maurice saw their patches.”
Ryder turns back, relaxing as he sees the man cleaning his hands.
“What about me, boss?” he asks.
“The patches from those bikers who aren’t from around here,” Ryder said. “Remember what club they belong to?”
“Reaping something,” Maurice sighs. “They aren’t sticking around long once one of us sees them.”
“Fuck,” I growl. “Those motherfuckers.”
“Friends of yours?” Ryder drawls.
“My brother has been having trouble with them, but I don’t know why they’re down this way,” I admit. “They’re from fucking Illinois. They have one damn chapter. I would be perfectly happy to drop a bomb on them and walk away so I can be done with them, but it’s a little complicated.”
“Does your brother know you’re not dead?” Ryder asks, waiting until Maurice is back in the garage before speaking.
“Yes,” I confirm, lips twitching. “I have a feeling I’ll be coming back from the dead very soon if the Marauders are doing shit like this. Storm, can you talk to Marie about this? Don’t scare her, just mention there’s been some road riff raff seen.”
“On it,” Storm says, his long legs eating up the distance between him and the vehicle.
“Take her up the same roads we went last time,” Ryder suggests.
“You mean up through the woods?” I ask, remembering how much fun that ride was.
“Yes. These Marauder assholes have no business being up that way,” he says. “It’ll help you know if they’re here for you or not. They also don’t know how fast the terrain can change.”
Fuck. My mind races as I start to connect the dots. It’s possible Toad told the Marauders about Marie when she was at the clubhouse.
Frowning at that possibility, I walk over to the vehicle.
“Is Marie changing?” I ask, not seeing her.
“She said she had to pee too,” Ransom chuckles.
Ah. Not surprising.
“I have reason to believe that we may have been followed to the Black Hills. Keep your head on a swivel while we're riding, and carry heavy.”
Ransom nods, pursing his lips as he digs in the gun storage box. Pulling out a sawn off shotgun, he drops his head back in thought as he takes a deep breath to center himself. “A thigh holster isn’t going to draw cleanly,” I remind him.
“That’s why I’m going to ask Ryder if he has one for the bike I can borrow. I wasn’t expecting a gun fight today,” he grunts. “Make sure everyone wears their goddamned leathers, Prez. I’m not cleaning out road rash that could be avoided.”
“I’m not—”
“How is that air tasting?” Wilder grins, standing behind me. I’m talking to myself, as Ransom already walked off to leave me to handle shit.
“I’m not the goddamned President,” I finish, sighing. “It doesn’t ring true to me anymore now either. Motherfucker.”
“I think it’s time you take it back, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I think you’re right. Well, if Ransom is going to order me around, we may as well get to it,” I grumble, opening my bag to grab my leathers.
We all packed them just in case. You never know when there will be an opportunity to ride.
“I don’t want to be stuck in a cage if they’re going to hunt us, Wilder.
Marie can ride well enough to hold her own, and it’ll be safer this way.
We’ll deal with them and be on our way. I’m going to change. ”
Walking toward the bathrooms, I see Marie leaving in her riding pants, boots, and leather jacket. She also has layers of clothing under the jacket to keep her warm, and I wrap my arm around her waist, lifting her into the air as I continue to walk.
“Lore!” Marie hisses, her voice low as she stares down at me. She doesn’t wiggle, she merely tosses her clothes at Ransom as we pass him. He catches it without thinking, smirking as he continues to speak with Ryder.
I trust him to situate our weapons logistics. He knows what he’s doing.
“Marie,” I drawl, walking into the bathroom and shutting the door behind us. Dropping her feet onto the ground, I flick the lock and begin to change. “Storm spoke with you?”
“Yes. I have the Kimber on my stomach,” she says, touching the area as she speaks about it. “The Springfield at my back, and there’s a knife on my ankle. I also have a knife in between my breasts, Lore. I’m good. I promise.”
“You scared?” I ask, pulling a black long sleeved thermal shirt on. I don’t want bulk affecting my movements. Every second is going to count.
“No,” she says, making me stop as I grab my cut.
“Why?” I ask, curious.
“I have four alphas who will kill anyone who tries to hurt me,” she replies. “I want to be able to ride at your side, and that means being able to handle the dangers too. We’re going to be smart, but we’re not going to live in fear, Lore.”
“That’s my girl,” I purr, making her grin. “Will you do me a solid and carry a sawn off shotgun for me, please? Just a little one.”
“Where do you suggest I put it?” she giggles, making my heart soar.
I think the universe knew exactly what it was doing when it brought Marie to us. No one can tell me anything different.
“I’ll show you,” I say instead of answering her. Pulling on my cut, I grab my shit and shuttle her out of the bathroom with me. “Ryder!”
“Damn, you don’t have to yell,” he mutters, fitting a holster to one of the bikes. “Marie, I’m going to add a black metal holster to your motorcycle. No one will be able to tell what it is but you. This way, you’re equipped to keep up with your pack.”
“That’s what I wanted to show you,” I chuckle, kissing her cheek. “Storm, find her a shotgun with the least spicy recoil we have so she can shoot from the bike if necessary.”
“I really am Combat Barbie,” she breathes, making Ryder bark out a laugh.
“Getting close, kiddo,” he says, standing. “The loaners are all done. Let me just add on the piece I need for your bike, Marie, and you’ll be ready to go. And Lore? Call me if you need a clean up crew. I’m still capable of doing that.”
Ugh. Ryder isn’t even that old, but he acts as if he is.