Chapter 25
Smokehouse
S tepping into the clubhouse, I paused as I watched Pixie behind the bar. She was on her cell and was waving her arms around dramatically. How this woman was related to Hellfire, I’d never understand. They couldn’t be more different.
“Everything alright, Pix?” I asked as I walked past.
She was still Hell’s cousin and one of the sweet butts here at the club, so I looked after her. After years of shooting her down she’d finally stopped trying to hit on me, which made it easier to give a shit.
I’d never once welcomed her advances. There were two reasons, one was Hell.
I wasn’t about to sleep with his cousin.
Shit would get too messy. And two, she was the kind to trap you into a relationship you didn’t want.
It was ironic that here I was with Dani in much the same situation, only I didn’t resent her for it.
She hadn’t done this on purpose. Pixie was the type to plan it all out in advance with you none the wiser.
“It’s fine,” she said as she rushed to end the call.
I was pretty sure she’d just hung up on someone, but I didn’t really give a shit what she was doing. As long as she said it was fine, I had more important things to think about. Like Dani.
Once I got to our apartment, I searched around in the closet in the master bedroom until I found the helmet. It’d been so long since I’d had anyone on the back of my bike, I never carried the thing with me anymore. That was going to change.
The guys, and my sister, were right. I’d realized it a few days ago when I’d walked in here and found Dani waiting with a packed suitcase at her feet.
In that moment, I couldn’t help feeling as though I’d self-fulfilled my own prophecy.
I’d been so worried about her walking away from me that I’d all but shoved her out the door.
I’d made the decision then and there, that she was mine and I was going to fight for her.
It had been my plan to show her that I could be the kind of man who was worth sticking around for.
Sure, in the past I’d been a player, but it was different now.
Because of her. The fact that I’d willingly changed my own habits, without her having to ask, should have been my first clue that I cared for this woman.
I’d just been so hung up over the idea that I didn’t know her, so it was impossible to be in love with her.
It was fucking stupid. From the minute I’d walked through the door of that bar all my attention had been on her.
And now it would be for the rest of our lives.
All that was left to do was convince Dani that I was worth the investment. I was doing my best to show her what life with me would be like. Going to a bar to have a drink hadn’t even crossed my mind, and it had been one of my favorite pastimes before.
Staring down at the helmet, I shook my head in bemusement. She’d changed me without even trying. There had been women who’d tried to convince me that the wife and kid thing would be great if I’d just give them a shot. I’d never believed it until now.
Jerking out of my thoughts, I realized I’d been standing here for a while, thinking over everything. I left the apartment and loped down the stairs, excited to show Dani part of my world. I hoped she’d love riding as much as I did.
As soon as I walked out of the clubhouse, I stumbled to a stop, staring in shock at what was happening. “What the…fuck?” I stormed across the lot to where Butcher and Toxic were standing near my bike. “What the hell are you doing?” I bellowed.
Both their heads lifted at the same time, but they kept turning Dani around in circles between them while they wrapped her in…
bubble wrap. They reached the end of the roll before I got over to them, so Toxic straightened up and handed the roll of tape to Butcher, who proceeded to wrap that around the bubble wrap.
Dani looked a little green in the face from the spinning. She blinked hard a few times, probably to get the world to stop rotating in front of her eyes. “Help,” she squeaked.
Toxic raised a brow at me. “You’re taking a pregnant woman riding. We’re just protecting the goods.”
I looked past him at Dani. The bubble wrap went from her chest down to her thighs, with her arms caught beneath the wrap. She gave me an amused look, but didn’t outright laugh.
“How do you expect her to get on the bike?” I asked, motioning to where her thighs were compressed together. She was only being wrapped up tighter as Butcher continued to move in circles around her with the tape. “Or hold on?” I folded my arms over my chest.
Toxic scratched his chin, then turned around and surveyed their handiwork. “Huh. Might have miscalculated.”
“Butcher!” I barked. He stopped and shot me a glare. “Get her the fuck out of there.”
Butcher gave Dani a considering look, then walked over to me. “Probably not a good idea, Smoke.”
“Guys,” I muttered, keeping my voice low so Dani didn’t overhear. “You seriously think I’m going to do anything stupid enough to hurt my child or its mother?”
They gave each other a look. I swear they could communicate without speaking directly to each other.
Not telepathy, that would require higher intelligence.
More like how dogs communicate, with grunts and growls.
As one, they moved away from me and started unwrapping Dani like she was a present.
A precious one. This time they spun around her.
That was the only reason I didn’t kick their asses.
Their hearts—who knew they had them—were in the right place.
There was a time I thought Butcher was a crazy psychopath.
And honestly, he was. But something about the women and children around here was changing him.
Softening him. At least toward them. We couldn’t forget his offer to kidnap Fremont, torture, and kill him.
He’d do it, and probably whistle a happy tune while he did.
If we let him loose he’d take care of every single problem the club had right now, and more.
Only, a free Butcher was too dangerous. I wasn’t sure we’d get him back if we sent him down that road.
He’d come to us like a feral dog. No one could look at him without starting a fight that ended in bloodshed for the first year.
A few of us, myself included, couldn’t figure out why Lock let him hang around, much less let him prospect and make his way into the club.
Now I knew. He’d been out of control, but Lock saw past that.
He was a wounded animal who’d needed us.
He hadn’t had anyone to ground him after his career was over.
He’d been lost and searching. Lockout had found him and brought him home.
Lock was always bringing home strays. Whether he found us or we came crawling to him, he always seemed to find the broken and downtrodden. Then he fashioned us into a family.
Butcher opened his mouth like he was about to say something, then shook his head and walked off. Toxic shrugged and followed after him.
“You okay?” I asked with a laugh.
“I’m fine. Do any of you realize how sweet those two are?”
A year ago I would have laughed at that assessment, but we’d all seen it first hand in the way they treated the kids.
And how they followed Sloane around like they were her personal bodyguards.
They knew better than to stick too close to Seek.
She’d snap their heads off at the moment, but it was like they’d assigned themselves as the protectors over our families.
If I were being honest, I’d admit that nothing would make me sleep better than knowing those two were watching out for my girl.
The things those men would do in order to keep our family safe were unspeakable.
And I approved one hundred percent. The thought of Eli hurting Dani, or our baby? My hands clenched at my sides.
“Are you okay?” she asked, stepping forward.
When I relaxed my fists and held open my arms, she stepped right into my hug.
Rachel had never done that. She’d hated any kind of public display of affection.
Shit, she’d hated affection. It should have been a red flag, but I just figured it was the way she was.
I hadn’t realized how much she’d shaped the man I’d turned into.
Over the years I’d refused to hug anyone other than my brothers and my sister.
Even then, hesitantly. Dani was changing that. Holding her in my arms felt damn good.
“You still want to go for that ride?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah!”
“You know I’ll be careful, right?”
Her smile was bright and sweet. “There isn’t anyone I trust more than you, Smoke.”
Jesus. That hit me in the chest like a sledgehammer.
I believed her, truly. I swallowed and placed the helmet on her head without a word.
I didn’t know what to say to that. My pride was puffed up like a peacock and my heart was beating a crazy tempo in my chest. How was it possible that Eli lived with her for six years and never fell for her?
After two weeks she had me wrapped around her finger.
I wasn’t sure that I disliked it either.
This was what I’d been afraid of. Still was, if I was being truthful.
I knew how easy it would be to love her.
The trust came with giving her all of myself and giving her the opportunity to do with it as she would.
If she walked away she’d be taking a huge chunk, but the other option was unthinkable.
If I wanted her I’d just have to trust that she’d do the right thing and stay. It was all I could do.
My fingers brushed her chin as I tightened down the strap on the helmet. “Just hold on tight and lean with me. Okay?” I stepped over to my bike and started it.
She scampered on behind me and we settled in. Her arms wrapped around me and I closed my eyes for a brief moment before I pulled out of the lot. I took it slow at first as we headed on back roads toward the main highway.