Chapter 18 - Karter
As soon as we park and take off our helmets, I grasp my girl’s hand tightly and make a silent promise not to let it go today.
Not only for my comfort but hers too. She won’t admit it, but I know she’s worried about being here.
Not scared, because my girl doesn’t do scared, but nervous.
The last time she saw Ruby—well, when either of us saw her, actually—things were said.
On her side, not ours. I don’t anticipate much of a change in her reaction to either of us, but who knows.
After what she went through, she might not care about me and will just be happy she’s back home and alive.
General filled me in on some of it. She was taken to South America—by whom, no one knows—and held captive for weeks.
No initial signs of sexual abuse, but there was a lot of physical.
She’s doing okay, or that’s what I’m told.
She just finished school, too, and is looking for some time off.
Probably a good thing. I was never held prisoner, but I was on the other side of it a few times when the club needed us to keep someone, either out of revenge or just to get them to talk more.
I know the amount of shit a person can go through.
It’s not something you just get over. It takes time, and sometimes talking to people.
I know a few of the old ladies who have been taken in the past have used therapy. But from the small amount I remember, no one was held for as long as Ruby. And while that might mean she needs therapy more than others, she doesn’t seem the type to ask for help of any kind.
“Breathe.”
I chuckle at my girl’s whisper and smirk as I hold the club door for her. “Same goes for you.”
As expected, the main room is only halfway full. Most of the club will be out back eating and enjoying the day in the sun.
“Law, good to see you.” General is the first to approach us. I appreciate that he makes a point to do so. He might not be an officer, but he’s been around long enough to gain the favor of every man here. He doesn’t need an officer’s patch to get respect from the group. “Diana, good to see you too.”
“You, too, Dr. Troo—oops, I mean General. It’s going to take me a minute to remember to call you that here.”
He greets her with a side hug, as I don’t let her move much farther away from me than a few inches. “If it helps, you can call me General there too. I answer to both and prefer my club name. Most of us do.”
It’s a reminder to her to keep my legal name off her lips.
For now. One day things might change, and I can have her call me whatever she wants.
But today, the first official club meet and greet, it’s best if she plays by the rules the club is used to.
They might know we’re dating, but they don’t know how serious it is.
To them, a legal name used by someone outside of family makes things permanent.
I’m not opposed to that, but I’m taking things one step at a time.
I’m not playing the field or planning to, but I don’t know how my girl feels about it, and I don’t want her to feel that pressure.
Well, more pressure than living up to the ghost of my past wife.
“Let’s get you guys a drink.” General heads out back, and I nod at a few brothers along the way.
No one seems to do more than look at Diana, which is a good sign. Just looking, I can live with. Looks of disgust? Not okay. Looks of want or lust? I’ll just start breaking kneecaps if that’s the case.
As expected, the back is packed. Kids are running around between groups that are chattering and bickering like families usually do at these things.
I catch nods from a few, but most haven’t noticed we’re here.
That’s about to change, as the coolers are in the middle of the yard, and there’s only one way to get to them.
General leads, and we follow. It should appear casual, but with this group, I’m sure they’re seeing everything my girl is trying hard not to show.
The way her hand squeezes mine in a death grip, how her knees tremble with each step.
Still, she holds her head high and keeps eye contact with anyone brave enough to look at her.
That should get her points with my boys more than anything.
Women coming into the club isn’t new. They’re here for a cheap thrill and a ride on something.
Most aren’t even particular if it’s a bike or a biker; both get them vibrating in their own right.
But a woman who can meet the eye of a brother and an old lady?
That’s a different breed. Because while our men often lead with their dicks, their women can be downright scary if they really want to be.
Most are sweet as pie, as long as you don’t piss them off.
And each one of the women here is loyal to Ruby.
As far as I recall, only Mama Bear knew Special K, and that was before she became an old lady or even knew what a Hound was.
Everyone else just knew the same stories I did.
Ones told to them by Ruby, the club, or I guess me.
They only care about Ruby’s happiness, not her mother’s legacy.
But since Ruby has a problem with her mom’s memory being forgotten, I don’t expect a warm welcome from any of the women.
“Miller good for you?” General asks, already handing me one but giving Diana a chance to change her mind.
“Anything but Bud” is her answer, and a few of the brothers near the cooler chuckle.
“Bud ain’t welcome here,” Bulldog says as he slips closer to us.
“A Budweiser rep once tried to convince Bulldog that his home brew tasted the same as theirs. Ever since then, he’s made the club put a ban on all Budweiser products at any club event,” I tell Diana.
“Watered-down beer is what they have. My shit tastes nothing like that,” he mutters before pulling out his own beer and walking off to join Lady, his old lady.
“But Miller is fine?” she asks with a smirk before she opens her beer.
I shrug. “He likes his own shit, and most of the brothers do, too, but we also offer a selection to keep the peace with anyone wanting something different.”
Bulldog might have a thriving beer business that’s now selling internationally, but it’s still just a job. His heart isn’t in it like it is with his daughter and old lady. He’s got no hard feelings if someone picks another beer over his, as long as it’s not Bud. That means you’re dead to him.
Diana leans forward and puts the Miller back, then pulls one of Bulldog’s out. I raise an eyebrow at her actions, but I’m not going to deny that I like that she picked it.
“Flies with honey and all that,” she says before twisting off the top and taking a generous sip.
I scan the area and note that Bulldog is watching us. Well, more my girl. His eyes slip to mine, and he gives me a nod. I know I’ve got the VP in my corner. Diana just passed the first test, though I’m sure there will be many more by the night’s end.
“Diana?” Casper pulls our attention as he comes up behind us. She greets him with a warmer smile and shakes his hand, dropping mine to do so.
“Hello, nice to see you again.” She drops his hand, and I feel a sense of relief when she grips mine again. It’s a small thing, but I know Casper saw it.
No doubt half the damn club did. Everyone has eyes on the president most of the time.
Easier to protect the man if you know where he is.
Now that he’s over here with us, everyone is looking.
Though they’re doing a pretty good job of pretending they aren’t.
If we’re lucky, Diana won’t realize she’s the animal in the zoo cage being watched by a school field trip.
“You too. Have you met my old lady? This is Billy.”
“Nice to meet you,” Diana says. “I think I saw you once or twice at the hospital.”
“Probably,” Billy says with an easy smile, giving away nothing else for why she might have been there or not. I might not remember everything, but I know that the Crazy Eights are connected to Billy and her sister, Jake.
“Thanks for taking care of our man here. Seems to be doing pretty well. Might even be able to stay up past ten tonight,” Casper sasses, and I give him an eye roll.
The whole damn club knows I’m usually the one who stays up later than the rest. Well, I used to, and that was to make sure everyone was good before I headed home.
Back when I ran shit. But I guess that’s changed.
Because I not only don’t run anything around here, but I also don’t stay past ten most nights. I’d rather be with Diana than here.
“Casper, we got any Vitaminwater left?” Kooper asks as he comes up behind the president.
“Think it’s in the second cooler,” Billy answers for her man, then moves back to allow Kooper to walk between them to the coolers. Coolers my girl and I are blocking.
He pauses when he sees me, and I do too. Not because he walked up, but because of who walked up with him.
Ruby.
The entire club feels like it took a collective breath and is holding it. Diana drops my hand and turns around to grab the water, holding it out to Kooper, who takes it and hands it to Ruby.
“Thanks,” he mutters, and then nothing. It’s as if we all forgot how to speak or some shit.
“Well, this isn’t awkward as fuck at all.” Ruby doesn’t even try to hide her words behind her water bottle as she removes the lid and takes a large gulp.
A surprised laugh bursts from my girl’s lips, pulling not only Ruby’s eyes, but the others around us too.
And that seems to be the break in the glass the club needed to go back to talking among themselves. I know that didn’t fix shit with any of us, but it eased it somehow. I feel like I can breathe a bit. Not completely, but enough.
I still don’t have any memories of Ruby, but I feel an obligation to her in some way. Mostly I don’t want to push her away. She’s been through hell already. I won’t be the one to make it worse.
“You guys official or something now?” Ruby asks, always the one to state the obvious from what I’ve seen of her since I woke up.
“We’re dating, if that’s what you want to know,” I say. There’s no heat behind it, just the truth. I don’t wrap my girl in my arms like I want to, but I go back to holding her hand.
“How long have you two been dating?” Babygirl asks with an easy smile, probably thinking it was a simple question, but it’s not.
The panicked look Casper casts around has me thinking the club knew about this and kept it from me. Is this the guy the club was hinting at earlier this week?
Not sure if I should care or not since I don’t remember anything before I woke up, but it doesn’t sit well with me. Especially since it’s Kooper. Something about that pisses me off.
I clench my teeth and hold in my initial desire to punch him. That would be insane since I don’t remember my daughter. The very least I can do is be happy that a brother found himself a woman.
“Not long,” Kooper says, his eyes only on me. Something about that has me twitching my head in thought.
Kooper’s been around for a while. I might not know Ruby, but I can do math.
He’s known her since she was in college, a few years.
I don’t remember him being close to anyone before.
Nothing seems to be blocked out like it usually is where Ruby is concerned.
Chunks of conversations are missing when she’s involved. But I remember a lot with Kooper.
A flash of a conversation hits me square in the heart. A memory. Me telling him to watch Ruby. To protect her. Him agreeing to it as long as he got the presidency for his trouble.
And it’s the only memory I need.
I react without another thought. Letting Diana’s hand go, I smash my fist into Kooper’s face. I let go of my beer and use my other hand to grab his shirt so he doesn’t go far as I hit him again.
“You motherfucker. You think dating her will get you the patch? You lying piece of shit.” I get another hit in, but then he counters and counters again. I hear the gasps and Diana’s cry, but I can’t focus when a fist is all I see.
I was lying in bed for over half of a year. Since I woke up, I’ve been hitting the gym daily, but I’m still not up to full speed. And his punches aren’t being pulled at all. There’s full power behind each one, and I feel it.
Someone grabs me, and another pulls Kooper back.
“You fucking asshole. How dare you use her,” I growl.
“Use her? Are you fucking dense, man? Can’t you see I love her? Open your damn eyes.” He spits out the blood in his mouth at my feet.
“My eyes are open, and I might not remember much, but I remember you saying you would only protect her for the presidency. Must really piss you off that I died and the club voted in Casper over you,” I sneer as I look at him with disgust.
“Look around, old man. No one is fighting for the damn patch—it’s Casper’s fair and square.
Even voted for him myself. Maybe you should be thinking about the fact that you have a fucking daughter, not this club.
She’s more than this club, and you should see that.
And if you can’t, maybe you should find a new fucking place to go.
Because you won’t be disrespecting my old lady like that ever again. ”
“Old lady?” Rage courses through me, and I feel two brothers hold me back as I watch Kooper put his arm around Ruby and walk back inside.
“He’s good to her, man,” General says near my ear. Should have known he was the one to hold me back.
I look the other way and see Mad Max is the other. I nod to my guy, and he releases me from his hold.
“Maybe you should go cool off,” Casper says.
I look at him and feel like I just got punched again. “You taking my patch?” I ask outright, needing to know if this is where the club and I end. If this was the final straw for him and everyone else here.
“No. But we don’t do this shit with another brother. You know that. Take a walk, Law. Calm down.”
Diana grabs my hand and, like the anchor she’s become, settles me as we walk around the club to my bike. Silently, we both get on and drive away. For good? I don’t know.
But I need time to figure my shit out. And away from the club.