Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
“ S tud.”
“Moon.”
“I guess I don’t need to ask why you’re here.”
“I guess not.”
“All I want to do is talk to her.”
“She doesn’t want to talk to you.”
The back and forth was getting him nowhere.
“Larissa took off without telling me she was pregnant.”
Stud leaned a forearm on his handlebars. “Brother, I feel for you, I really do.” He nodded his head toward the restaurant. “Unfortunately, Larissa is under the protection of the Destructors, which means if she doesn’t want to talk, she doesn’t have to.”
“You’re giving her protection? Why?”
“Not that I have to explain shit to you …” Stud placed his other forearm on his handlebars, giving the impression of being laidback, but Moon wasn’t stupid. “Larissa is Killyama’s midwife, she did a solid for Crazy Bitch, and my old lady likes her. So do I.”
“Enough to go to war over her?”
“The question is: is she worth going to war when there are much easier ways to get what you want without leading to a conflict between our clubs?”
Moon put out his cigarette with the heel of his boot.
Stud had fought his way to become the president of the Destructors. His brother was president of the Blue Horsemen and was considered an ally of The Last Riders. If he started a fight with Stud, it could be Viper’s final straw to throw him out of the club.
“I’ll leave, but I want to talk to her first. We can talk out here, in front of you, but I’m not going until she does.”
Stud took out his cell phone.
Moon remained sitting on his bike while Stud talked to his wife.
“Bring her out. All he wants to do is talk, then he’ll leave.”
From Stud’s expression, Sex Piston was giving him hell.
“Bring her out now .” Stud disconnected the call, pocketing his phone as he gave him a harassed expression. “You sure you don’t want to take off while the going is good? Brother, sometimes, they aren’t worth the headache.”
Moon gave a hiss of air through his teeth. “I have already found that out,” he agreed.
Sex Piston and her crew all filed out of the restaurant, glaring at him. Larissa walked out last, next to Sex Piston. She said something to her before she left Sex Piston’s side. Moon was surprised Larissa approached alone without the women.
Stopping in front of Stud’s bike, she stared at Moon cautiously. “You wanted to talk?”
Moon’s eyes dipped to the swell of her belly. “The kid is mine.”
“Yes.”
His eyes bore into hers. “I wasn’t asking.”
Red flooded her cheeks. “Oh … I thought you were—”
“You have some misconceptions about me that we need to clear up,” he stated coldly. “I’m not some kind of patsy you can play games with then make me out to be the bad guy. You’ve fucked me over twice. You know that, right?”
Larissa’s bottom lip began to tremble. “I didn’t mean to.”
Moon hardened his heart. “You know I was at the clubhouse when you left town?”
“Yes, I did—”
“Then you meant to,” he cut her off again. “All you had to do was come to the clubhouse and tell me you’re pregnant. That’s it. That’s all you had to do. We could have worked out an agreement where we could have shared custody of the kid. I’m not a selfish man; I would have been reasonable. On the other hand, from how you reacted by deliberately leaving without telling me, then when I talked to your sisters and mother, you still didn’t call, that shows me you have no intention of sharing. I’m afraid that won’t be acceptable to me.”
His hands were hanging loosely on the motorcycle’s handlebars. Now, raising one lone finger, he pointed at her belly. “Enjoy having the baby with you. Cherish the time you’re going to have together, because I’m making a promise right here and now that once that baby comes out of your womb, it’s mine.”
“You can’t do that—”
“Watch me.” Moon let his expression show just how serious he was.
“No judge in their right mind would give you custody of a child.”
“Why not? My record is clean. I served in the military. I have a steady job. You might think I’m a loser, but I’m far from one.”
“I was at the clubhouse when you were fighting in the backyard. They said you hit Ginny.”
“Ginny will just have to testify that it was an accident. The fight with the brothers was just a misunderstanding. They’ll even testify on my behalf.” At least, he thought they would. “I have enough saved that I’ll be living in my own home by the time the baby comes. Will you be able to say the same? Do you have your own place now?”
Indecision was written all over her face. “I’m still deciding where I want to live.”
“At least one of my kid’s parents has his shit together.”
Moon saw her wince.
“Here’s how it’s going to be. You’ve got my number; you’re going to text me where you’re living. I will find you a place to live in Treepoint and pay the rent and all the bills. Every doctor appointment, I want the date and time so I can be there. Text me your information, and I’ll take care of the medical bills.”
As he talked, Moon saw anger replace the fear in her eyes.
“You don’t get to tell me what to do. I’m not moving back to Treepoint.” Her chin jutted out stubbornly. “I didn’t tell you that I was pregnant because I thought you would make a terrible father, and you haven’t shown me anything to change my mind. I’ll put my reputation against yours any day of the week. I hope you do call The Last Riders to testify for you. They’ll have to admit you have sex with multiple partners where anybody can see—my sister will testify to that.”
Moon laughed at her. “Jealous?”
“No, I’m not jealous.” Her lips curled in disgust. “Concerned for my health, yes! I’m getting extra tests done just in case I caught something from you.”
“I used a fucking rubber; don’t play the blame game on me,” he snarled. “A word to the nitwit—get on birth control the next time you decide to sneak into a man’s bedroom to get laid.”
Moon knew his target had been hit when a hurt look crossed her face.
“You are so mean, I …”
Larissa’s hand suddenly went to the swell of her belly, and Moon immediately jumped off his bike.
“Are you okay?” He laid his hand next to hers, feeling his child kicking underneath.
Distracted, Moon didn’t notice Sex Piston storm forward until she pushed him away from Larissa.
“What in the fuck do you care?”
Moon stiffened at the aggressive way Sex Piston had shoved him.
Stud stood up, placing himself in front of the two women.
“You’ve said your piece. Now it’s time for you to head back to Treepoint,” he said stonily, his laidback fa?ade gone.
Moon’s lips twisted into a grim line. Tilting his head to the side, he saw Larissa softly rubbing her belly.
“Is the baby okay?” he asked.
“Yes, he was just kicking.”
“He? Is that a guess or a fact?”
“Guess. I don’t want to know the sex of the baby.”
“I want to know.”
“I’ll have Lana text you.”
The reminder that the three sisters had plotted to keep him from finding out about his baby made him return to his bike.
“Don’t forget to text me the information I want. I’ll be in touch.”
He started his bike and returned Stud’s glare until he gestured for the Destructors to move back.
He was risking Larissa taking off again, but it was a chance he was willing to take. Stud had given her his protection; why leave when she was safer where she was? He would find a place for her to live, and when he did, she would move where he could watch every move she made.
Stud was depending on the friendships between the clubs to prevent an all-out war. Whether The Last Riders took his back or not, until Larissa had his child, he didn’t give a blazing fuck if an army of men was there to protect her from him. She belonged to him.