Chapter 6
Kimmie
T he cooler afternoon air wrapped around Kimmie as they arrived at Bella’s Brew just as they have done every day.
The steady presence of Ringo beside her in the car becoming more familiar to her. An expectation that she wasn’t ready to admit that she enjoyed and looked forward to.
As we stepped into the cafe, Ringo catches my arm gently, his touch sending an electric current throughout my entire body.
Turning to look at him, my eyes zero in on those deep, intense eyes of his that have become both a comfort and a torment the last two weeks.
“Remmy,” Ringo started, his voice low and gruff, “would you like to...go out to the ranch with me tomorrow? I’ve got some work to do, but there are other kids there you can hang out with. We’ll have a good time.”
My breath hitches in the back of my throat. Unsure how I feel about Remmy spending the day out there without me, but before I can say a single word, Bella appears from somewhere behind me, her presence as always, calming to the nerves that seem to be simmering under the surface of my skin.
“That’s a great idea, Kimmie. He’ll be safe. And you could use a little time to yourself,” Bella adds, shooting Ringo a look that I can’t decipher.
Remmy looks at me with excitement brimming in his eyes. “Yeah, Mom, can I go? Please?”
I look between the three of them, my instincts warring with the trust that has been slowly building in Ringo. “You’re sure it’s safe?” I ask, needing reassurance more than anything.
Ringo steps a little closer to me, his hand brushing against mine as he leans in, his voice dipping just for her. “I’ll be with him the whole time, Kimmie. You know I’d never let anything happen to him.”
The promise in his voice calming my frazzled nervousness, but it was the look in his eyes that was making my pulse race.
There was something there, something making me feel...wanted. An unfamiliar sensation And it terrifies me with how much I want to give in to it.
I nod, feeling both relief and an unfamiliar ache. “Okay, but you better bring him back in one piece.”
Ringo smirks back with a cocky grin, surprising me. “Wouldn’t dream of it any other way.”
Walking further into the cafe, the warm, familiar scent of cappuccino wrapping around us. Remmy quickly finds a seat in the back corner, already diving into his game, leaving the rest of us to our usual routine.
Ringo orders a coffee but takes it into the kitchen. I’ve noticed how he avoids crowded areas and also how his sentences become more stilted while speaking to other people not close to him.
Exactly how he spoke with me in the beginning but seems to do a lot better with it now.
Being several minutes early for work, we take our coffee to the couch in Bella’s office. The soft light from the overhead lamp casting a soft glow around the room.
Ringo leans back, studying me with an intensity that makes me feel exposed, like he can see right through me.
“You’re thinking awfully hard,” he says, his voice a gentle rumble that she feels all through her.
Huffing, I stir my coffee absently. “Can you blame me? You spring this ranch trip on me out of nowhere. I didn’t even know you had other kids out there.”
Ringo chuckles, reaching out to still my hand. “Relax. They aren’t mine. They belong to some of my club brothers and their wives.”
I release a breath I didn’t even know I was holding in and he grins even bigger.
“I wouldn’t offer to take him out there if it wasn’t safe, plus the other kids wouldn’t be out there either. Besides, you need some time to breathe. When’s the last time you did something just for you?”
My breath stills at his touch, my mind momentarily blanking. “I...don’t remember,” she admitted softly.
His thumb begins to trace lazy circles on the skin of my hand, his touch warm and grounding, drawing all of my attention to it. “You’ve been running on empty for too long. Let me take care of this, take care of you for a bit.”
My heart pounds, my gaze locking on his. I feel an overwhelming need to argue, to push him away before I fall for him, but the way he’s looking at me, the way he’s started making me feel more alive, desired, and safe is too much to fight at this moment.
“I don’t need you to take care of me, Ringo. I’ve done pretty well on my own for thirteen years.” I whisper, though, even I can tell my words lack conviction.
His eyes darken with a hint of frustration and something else I can’t quite name flickering there. “Maybe not. But I want to. I feel like I have to. Just let me in, Kimmie.”
His words send a shiver down my spine, that desire for a man that I’ve not allowed myself to feel in years bubbling up from somewhere deep.
My defenses are starting to crumble, and the way he keeps looking at me, like I’m the only thing in the world that might matter to him, makes it nearly impossible to keep them locked away.
Without thinking, I lean forward, closing the distance between us. “Why are you doing this?” I ask, my voice barely more than a breath.
Ringo’s hand tightens around mine, his gaze dropping to my lips before returning to my eyes again. “Because I can’t stop thinking about you.”
My heart slams against my ribs, the weight of his words making me dizzy. Knowing deep down what he’s offering, more than just rides to and from work. He’s offering himself, all of him, and it scares the absolute shit out of me.
But it excites me, too.
Slowly, I nod, giving him the answer we both want. “Okay.”
Ringo’s smile sends a thrill through me. He leans in closer, his lips a breath away from my own. “You won’t regret it,” he promises, his voice low and full of heat that shoots straight to my center.
Closing my eyes, feeling the warmth of his breath on my skin, and before I can second-guess herself, I close the distance between us, pressing my lips to his in a kiss that feels like coming home.
It’s the kind of kiss that can unravel me, make me forget about everything else or where we are. His hands slide slowly around my waist as if afraid to spook me. He pulls me closer, deepening the kiss until I feel lost in him, in the way he’s making me feel so alive and wanted.
When he finally breaks the kiss, we’re both breathing heavily in the silence of the office. Ringo rests his forehead against hers, his eyes squeezed closed, as if trying to hold himself back. “We’ll take this slow, Kimmie. But I need you to know one thing; I’m not letting you go.”
My heart flutters as a smile tugs my lips. “I think I’m okay with that,” I whisper, my voice trembling with the realization that I’m taking a huge step into something new, something that could change everything.
I know that things are about to get a lot more complicated with my life but for now, I’m willing to see how this goes. I’ve considered the last few days that maybe we can try to settle down here.
It’s been a long time since Hugo almost caught us. Maybe he’s finally given up and we no longer need to worry so much about it.
Ringo
Driving back to the shop, the familiar streets pass by in a blur as my thoughts are invaded by Kimmie.
I’ve been spending a lot of time around her lately, making sure she has a ride to and from work, fixing up the car that I secretly bought for her, and just being there.
But it wasn’t just about helping out a woman in need. There was something more, something that made my chest tighten every time I saw her smile or heard her laugh.
By the time I pull into the shop’s lot, my mind is a whirl of thoughts, all centered around the woman that sleeps under my roof every single night, in my bed.
That’s a whole new turn on I never dreamed about even though I’m not in it with her.
Parking the truck, I slide out of the driver’s seat, and head straight into the garage. The familiar scent of motor oil and grease greeting me as I walk over to Bella’s old car that I’d been working on earlier.
Changing the oil was a simple routine task, something I could do without thinking, which left my mind free to wander.
As I drained the old oil from the car, my thoughts are filled with how she moved with such grace behind the counter, how she could handle anything the cafe customers threw at her with a calm confidence that I found incredibly sexy.
Chuckling to myself as I wipe my hands on a rag, I think about how Kimmie probably has no idea how much I want her.
She is so focused on taking care of Remmy and getting her life on track that she rarely seemed to notice the way people looked at her, the way they were drawn to her warmth and strength.
Removing the old oil filter and replacing it with a new one, my hands move on autopilot.
It wasn’t just Kimmie’s looks that has me hooked, though I can’t deny she is very beautiful, with those expressive eyes and the way her hair frames her face.
It was more than that. It was the way she carried herself, the way she cared for Remmy with a fierce and protective love.
The woman had so much love to give, so much more life to live and I hope that I can show her that she belongs right here. With me and the club.
I wasn’t yet sure if I was in love with her but I damn well knew that I was somewhere along the lines of falling. The only thing still holding me back was not knowing all of her, in every way.
I needed her to open up and tell me the truth about her whole life. Maybe if I finally tell her about mine, she’ll let me in even further.
Kimmie
Wiping down the last table, the clinking of dishes in the kitchen and soft hum of the cafe’s background music now replaced by the quiet stillness that settles in at the end of the night.
It was a normal day with customers packing in for dinner. The usual chatter and orders keep us all busy.
Now, with the day nearly finished, Bella and I are trying to get everything cleaned up so that we can go home.
"All that's left is the trash," Bella says with a yawn as she closes the register, rubbing her eyes. "Then we can get out of here."
I nod in response, grabbing the last bag of trash from the can near the door. Just as Bella tied up the one from behind the register, her phone rings. The sound echoing in the now mostly quiet space. Bella glances at the screen with a frown.
"It's my mom," She says, her voice tinged with concern. "She usually doesn’t call this late."
"Go ahead and answer it," I say with a smile, already heading toward the back door with the trash bags in hand. "I’ll take care of this."
"You sure?" She asks, hesitating with her phone in hand.
"Positive," I call over my shoulder, pushing open the back door and stepping into the alley.
The night is starting to feel cooler and crisp as the days begin to shorten. Making my way toward the dumpster, the alley’s lone light casting long shadows that dance eerily against the walls of the building.
It’s quiet out here, the distant hum of crickets the only sound as I approach the dumpster.
Heaving one of the bags over the side into the dumpster, the loud thud of it hitting the bottom echos through the alley. As I turn to head back inside, I feel a sudden presence behind me. A shadow moving too quickly to react against, grabs me.
Strong arms wrap around me from behind, pulling me back into a solid chest. I freeze, a scream catching in my throat as fear floods my senses.
"Where is the boy?" a low, menacing voice growls in my ear. The words laced with anger and desperation.
My heart pounds, my mind racing as I try to comprehend what is happening. I struggle against the hold, but the man’s grip is too strong, his intentions clearly dangerous and I know deep down he’s here by Hugo’s command.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about!" I gasp, my voice shaking as I try to twist out of his grasp.
The man tightens his hold, cutting off more of my air. He starts to drag me backward into the deeper shadows. "Don’t lie to me," he hisses, his breath hot against my ear.
Panic surges through me, my thoughts racing as I realize I have no way to fight him off. Just as the man begins to pull me further into the darkness, the back door of the cafe creaks open.
Ringo’s familiar face steps out, his silhouette framed by the light spilling from the door. His eyes immediately lock onto the scene in front of him, and for a moment, everything seems to stop. My wide, terrified eyes meet his as he takes in the situation.
The man holding me tenses, his grip faltering for a split second as he realizes we are no longer alone.
Ringo’s presence sends a jolt of fear through the man holding me, who clearly hadn’t anticipated being caught.
"Let her go," Ringo’s voice, calm but deadly serious, his stance tense as he slowly walks closer.
The man hesitates for a moment. With a sudden, jerking movement, he shoves me away from him and bolts into the shadows, disappearing into the shadows of the buildings.
I stumble forward, catching myself against the dumpster, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I turn to see Ringo running after the man, but he had already vanished into the darkness, the sound of his footsteps fading quickly.
Ringo stops at the edge of the building, scanning the shadows for any sign of the man, but it is too late. He’s disappeared into the night.
He turns back, rushing to my side. "Are you okay?" His voice urgent, his eyes scanning for any sign of injury.
I nod, still trying to steady myself and slow my breathing. "I’m okay," I finally manage to say, though my voice trembles with the lingering fear that I’ve yet again been found.
Ringo’s expression softens with relief as he places a hand on my shoulder, his touch soft. "Did he hurt you?" he asks, his eyes darkening with concern.
"No," I shake my head, though my body still trembles with the adrenaline coursing through my veins. "He just... he grabbed me. I don’t know who he was or what he wanted."
Ringo’s jaw tightens, anger flashing in his eyes. "He’s gone now," he says, his voice firm as if trying to reassure both of them. "The club will figure out who he is. You’re safe now."
His eyes give away that he doesn’t completely believe that I don’t know who the man was or what he wanted.
I nod, grateful for his presence, but the fear still lingers. Who was he? Did Hugo send him to bring Remmy and I back?