3. Chapter Three
Chapter Three
Revenant
Iwelcome the run to Chattanooga. Crossing into Tennessee is a hell of a better ride than hauling shit to Atlanta or Blue Ridge.
Out on the open road, wind hitting me in the face, keeping my brothers safe as we make our delivery.
Unfortunately Sunny knocked me off kilter yesterday and she’s been all I could think about.
Dream about. Fuck. Why did she have to come into the clubhouse, into my safe space and stink it up with her fresh linen-y scent?
Why did she have to bring me baked goods, so fucking delicious that I ate the lot of them in one sitting and growled at any brother who dared look at them?
I don’t know if she did that because she’s that fucking kind or she did it to mess with me.
But what would she get out of messing with me?
Fuck, what would she get out of being anywhere near me?
I’m broken goods. I’m the man who convinced my brothers in arms that God had their backs.
That I’d sent up prayers for protection and all of them went unanswered.
I’m the man with the faith and that faith got some of my closest friends killed.
I’m the man that went willingly into that village to help a woman and her child because that’s what my faith said I should do and instead I got them and five of my closest friends killed.
And I didn’t learn that first time either.
The next time I was faced with that same choice I turned my back on a mother and her two children, only to come back days later to find all of them had been raped and killed.
I did that. Me. And now love-and-light Sunny is in my orbit and it’s fucking unnerving.
Nothing good can come of her presence in my life. Nothing.
“You good, brother?” Road Captain Cedar asks, pulling in line with me as we follow the truck Coyote is driving.
I remain silent. I’m not good. I’m…confused. Cedar swerves toward me slightly, before pulling out, to get my attention.
“I’m not sure, brother.” I tell him through bluetooth speakers. Around Winlaw I forgo the helmet, on a run, a helmet, bluetooth and all the bells and whistles are a must.
“Got anything to do with the pastor's lovely daughter?”
A grunt escapes me before I can hold it in.
The fucker laughs at me, but doesn’t push for more.
My brothers know me. They know when to push and when not to.
Sunny is one of those buttons I don’t need pushed.
Ever since I arrived in Winlaw, full of piss and vinegar, she’s been there.
The bright light in a town so fucking depressing that it’s amazing she’s still standing.
I shove thoughts of Sunny out of my mind.
We have a job to do and I need to be on the ball.
I barely survived losing brothers when I was enlisted.
I’ll never recover if I lose an MC brother.
These fuckers are the ones who saved me from myself and gave me purpose.
Without them I’d be back in my own podunk town, drowning my sorrows.
Or blowing my brains out with the shit we’re transporting over state lines.
Shaking off the dark thoughts, I concentrate on my role.
On my brothers. On making sure the club does its job and gets paid handsomely for it.
There are families in Winlaw relying on us.
We might not be a club that does everything above board, but when the shit hits the fan and your kids’ bellies are going hungry, you know the Saints have your back.
And when we need a favor? Well, we just might darken your door.
Cedar glances at me over his shoulder, dipping his chin when he sees my head is back in the game. Where it should be.
Sunny
“Honey, are you up to something?” My dad looks at me over the top of his tablet as he absorbs himself in today's news or something or other. He raises a dark brow and I can’t help the smirk on my face.
“Nope,” I say as I pop the last bite of toast in my mouth. I hold his gaze as I chew, daring him to ask.
He doesn’t. He stares back, hoping I’ll break. It didn’t work when I was five, and it’s not going to work at twenty-five either.
“Leave her alone, love,” Momma says, dropping a kiss to the top of dad’s head.
I sigh internally. They’re just so freaking cute the two of them.
According to Momma she knew as soon as she set eyes on dad that he was the one for her.
He must have been, as she hadn’t stepped foot in a church for years until they went on their first date.
Yeah, I get that it’s weird, having to pick your date up from church, but it’s what Revenant will have to do when he picks me up. And he will.
“She’s playing with fire,” Dad sighs, his gaze bouncing between me and momma.
“Revenant is a good man, he just doesn’t know it yet,” he says to Momma before turning to me, “and until he finds out what we all know, he’s going to make your life difficult.
He’s going to fight you every step of the way. ” He nods at me.
“What makes you think I don’t want that?” I ask as Dad’s eyes widen. “Look Daddy, you taught me nothing worth having comes easy.” I rest my chin in my hand, elbows on the table like I know he hates. “I know that Revenant doesn’t see himself the way we see him. But that’s OK. He will one day.”
“You’re sure about this?”
I give him a bored look. “Do I ever give up?”
He lets out a long sigh. “You’re too much like your mother.”
“Without me you’d still be that sad vet, whining about how hard life let you down. But look at you! You’re a pastor in a lawless town with a passel of kids and a beautiful daughter hell bent on wooing a local biker. I’d say you’ve done pretty well for yourself.”
I join my mother in grinning at my father. I mean, my momma is cool and insanely hot. He totally won in the lottery of life.
“You two will be the death of me,” Dad grouses.
“Nope, that’ll be Goldie.” I snort thinking about my little sister as I stand from the table and put my breakfast dishes into the dishwasher.
“So, what’s the plan for today? You’re gonna bake until the man can’t resist you?” Momma smiles softly.
“Nope. I’m gonna go for a ride and let inspiration hit me.” I kiss Momma on the cheek before doing the same to Dad.
“Why couldn’t you be a normal pastor’s daughter?” Dad laments.
“You didn’t marry a normal pastor’s wife.” I point out, “Unfortunately those rebel genes of Momma’s took over.”
“Well, if you insist on wearing Revenant down, just make sure you stay out of trouble.” His voice follows me down the short hall, “I don’t want to have to bail you out of jail because of your stalking. You’ll never live that down, sweetheart.”
I snort as I wave over my shoulder. Winlaw knows what I’m like. That’s the best part about living in a small town. Everyone knows that Pastor Richards has a “spirited” daughter that’ll do and say what she likes. Soon enough Revenant will learn that too.