Chapter Twenty-One
Diana
I should have known it was too good to be true because the next morning, Shame called to tell us that George knew I was in Ann Arbor.
August had inadvertently led whomever George sent, straight to me.
This time, there was zero chance to pack.
After a frantic and heartbreaking goodbye, I watched from my rearview mirror as August stood frozen with worry in front of my dorm room as I drove away.
Something in my gut told me that would be the last time I ever saw August. I couldn’t explain it, but I knew this move would be different.
That everything would change. I decided that there would be no more colleges, no more dorm rooms. I needed to focus on my baby and ensuring that whoever wanted me never found me.
Tired and alone, I just wanted to have my baby and live in peace. If peace existed for someone like me.
I had thought about going home to Texas and letting the chips fall where they may, but I refused to take the chance my family would seek retribution.
It was bad enough that I had fallen in love with a brother in the Soulless Sinners; it was altogether different that he knocked me up. I could explain one, but not the other.
For a few weeks, I zig-zagged around the country, only stopping long enough so I could sleep in a bed at night.
Don’t get me wrong, I could have slept in my car, but when my belly got bigger by the day, a girl really needed a bed to stretch out in.
I didn’t know where I was going, and I no longer cared.
The fight had finally gone out of me.
I was done.
All that mattered now was finding somewhere where I could disappear and raise my baby.
As I drove, my mind raced with worry and fear.
I had no plan, no real destination, and a very prominent baby bump that seemed to grow more noticeable with each passing minute.
I felt like a sitting duck, vulnerable and exposed, knowing that at any moment, George Stone could catch up with me.
The only thing that kept me going was the thought of my unborn child and the life I wanted to build for us.
I needed to be strong, for both our sakes.
So, I kept driving, taking back roads and avoiding any major cities, until one day, my car sputtered and died near a small town, just north of San Francisco, California.
It was then that I realized my wandering days were over.
This was where I would make my stand and build a new life for me and my baby.
I should have known it wasn’t going to work out that way.
Walking into a small diner, I looked around when a beautiful woman smiled at me. “You look lost, honey. Can I help you find something?”
“My car broke down just outside of town. Is there a tow company I can call?”
“Clara,” the beautiful woman shouted as a cute brunette woman walked through the swinging doors that led to the kitchen. “Call over to Golden Salvage and have one of the boys bring the wrecker. This young momma’s car broke down.”
“Yeah, sure, Caroline. No problem.” She nodded, reaching for a phone.
“Come on over here and sit. You shouldn’t be walking around in your condition, anyway. My name is Caroline Doherty, and yours?”
“Eve Lyons,” I said, taking a seat at the small table.
“I hear a Southern accent. Texas, right? I’m originally from Tennessee.”
I nodded but didn’t elaborate when a squad car pulled in front of the diner.
I said nothing as I watched a tall man slip out of the car and walk into the diner, taking his hat off as he entered and walking right over to the beautiful woman and quickly kissing her cheek.
“Brian Conners, I would like you to meet Eve Lyons. Her car broke down just outside of town.”
The sheriff frowned. “You’re traveling alone in your condition?”
“Not by choice,” I muttered.
“Where are you headed?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Haven’t decided yet.”
Caroline laughed. “Well, honey, you better decide soon. That baby is going to be here before you know it. I should know. I have two myself.”
In the next instant, I heard pipes and turned toward the window just as a wrecker and a man on a motorcycle rode past, then another biker pulled in next to the sheriff.
I sat there and watched as a very large older man stepped off his bike and sauntered into the diner.
Upon seeing Caroline, he walked over and frowned.
“What happened to the car?”
“Nothing happened,” the woman snipped. “As you can see, it’s parked out front.”
“Then why do you need the damn wrecker?”
The woman smiled as she waved her hand toward me. “James, I’d like you to meet Eve Lyons. She needs a tow.”
The second the man took off his sunglasses and looked at me, I froze, and so did he. Caroline must have noticed the tension and reached across the table to pat my hand. “Don’t be afraid of him, Eve. He’s harmless. A big teddy bear. James, you’re scaring the girl. Smile for fuck’s sake.”
“Kids are out of school. Go try to be a decent mother,” the man said harshly, never taking his eyes off me.
The woman huffed, grabbing her purse as she stood. Leaning close to the biker, she whispered, “Fuck you, James.”
The man smirked at that as he turned to look at the woman. “Not even on my deathbed, bitch. Now go.”
Saying nothing more, she quickly left along with the sheriff, who said, “I’ll go make sure she gets home safely.”
“Yeah, you do that and keep your dick out of her while you’re at it.”
The sheriff snarled but didn’t reply. The second they were gone, James Doherty pulled out a chair and sat. Leaning forward, he looked me directly in the eyes and said, “Your dad has most of the underworld looking for you, girl. Give me one good fucking reason why I shouldn’t call him right now.”
“George Stone.”
“Jesus fuck,” he cursed, hanging his head. “So the rumors are true then?”
“I don’t know what’s true or not. I haven’t been in contact with anyone.”
“The father is a Soulless Sinner?”
I said nothing, refusing to speak.
James sighed, leaned back in his chair, and took a good long look at me. “Got a problem here, girl. I call your dad, and it’s war. I don’t and he finds out I knew, it’s war.”
I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “I’m not asking you to protect me, Mr. Doherty.
I know the consequences of my actions, and I’m prepared to face them alone.
But please don’t call my father. He wouldn’t understand.
I just need time to get my car fixed, and then I will leave.
I promise.” I paused, searching his face for any sign of empathy.
James was silent for a long moment, his gaze unwavering.
Finally, he reached into his cut for his cell phone and made a call.
“Shane. Did you find the car? Good, get it over to the garage. Top priority. Don’t leave until it’s done.
Angela home? Good, you’ve got a guest for the night.
No one is to know. Understood? Good. See you back at the clubhouse then. ”
Disconnecting the call, he looked at me, his expression softening slightly.
“You will stay with my brother’s old lady tonight.
Her name is Angela. She is quiet and knows how to keep her mouth shut.
When your car is fixed, you need to move on.
I can’t guarantee your safety here, not with my dad still president, and I won’t start a war over you.
Got love for your dad, but right now there is shit going on here that needs my attention more. ”
Relief washed over me, and I wanted to cry. “I understand and thank you,” I whispered. “I promise you won’t regret this.”
“Something tells me I will, no matter what,” he grumbled as he got to his feet, escorting me out of the diner.
A short time later, James pulled up in front of a cute white two-story house on the other side of town as a pretty woman stepped onto the porch and two kids ran down the steps. “Uncle James!” the little girl with flaming red hair squealed loudly as James scooped her up into his arms.
“Hey, Kitty-cat. You being a good girl for your momma?”
“No,” the mulish boy standing not far from James groaned. “She’s a brat.”
“So, all is normal in the Keller house, then.” James laughed as he walked over to greet the quiet woman.
She was beautiful, of course, but her eyes held a certain sadness.
They seemed to long for something or someone, as if they were searching for a missing piece.
In them, I could see the depth of emotion that she tried to hide but couldn’t quite conceal.
There was a gentle melancholy in her gaze, a longing that tugged at my heartstrings.
It was as if she carried a hidden weight, a secret sorrow that she couldn’t shake off.
Despite her beauty, it was her eyes that captured my attention, drawing me in with their sadness and vulnerability.
“Angela, I’d like you to meet Eve. She’s gonna stay the night with you until Shane can get her car fixed.”
Extending my hand, she looked at it, then turned and walked back into her house, never saying a word.
“You’re gonna have to excuse Angela. She’s not very talkative,” James stated, placing the young girl on her feet.
“Lucas, Kitty, I want you to help your momma today, okay. Your dad is going to be at the garage working on Eve’s car, so in the meantime, I’m counting on you both to make sure Eve feels welcome. ”
Both kids nodded.
Angela’s silence unnerved me, but I understood her reserve, especially after James’ warning.
The children, however, were a different story.
They were curious and full of questions, their lively chatter filling the quiet house.
I learned that Lucas was twelve and Kitty was seven, and they were as different as night and day.
Lucas was all serious and stoic, while Kitty was a whirlwind of energy and giggles.
They reminded me of myself and my siblings, and a pang of sadness hit me as I wondered if I would ever see them again.
That night, as I lay in the guest room, I couldn’t stop thinking about Angela and her sad eyes.
I sensed a story there, one that I might never uncover.
I felt a connection to her, a shared understanding of pain and loss.
Little did I know that in a few short years, my life would soon mirror hers in ways I could never have imagined.
Shane Keller was a big man with a smile that could light up the night sky. Holding his daughter Kitty, he handed me the keys to my car. “All fixed. James would have been here himself, but he had to take care of some family business.”
“Is everything okay?”
Shane groaned. “Not really. Let’s just say if he were smart, he’d hire a divorce attorney fast.”
“I understand.” I smirked, looking at my car. “Thank you for fixing it up. I really appreciate it.”
As I drove away from the Keller house, I felt a sense of unease settle over me.
Shane’s words about James’ failed marriage had me wondering about what the future had in store for me and August. I knew all too well the dangers and temptations that lurked within the shadows of a clubhouse, and my heart ached just thinking about the what-ifs.