4. Rory
RORY
Nearly two weeks living with Doc, and my entire life fit into three garbage bags.
I stood in his apartment—our apartment now—watching Hammer and Diesel haul in the last of my things from the storage unit. Everything I'd managed to salvage from my marriage to Matt reduced to this. Clothes. Books. Luna's toys. A whole life compressed down to what I could carry.
"That's the last of it," Hammer said, setting down a bag by the door. "You need anything else?"
"No, this is perfect. Thank you." I glanced around at the brothers who'd shown up to help without being asked. Doc's family had become ours so naturally I kept forgetting we'd only known them two weeks.
"Wait, wait!" Doc held up a hand before Luna could start unpacking. "I have something to show you first."
He led us to the living room, to the deep alcove I'd barely noticed before. Except now it held a small cot bed with a purple quilt, and tulle curtains hung from the ceiling to frame the opening. Fairy lights twinkled along the top edge, casting soft light over the cozy space.
Luna gasped. "Is that for me?"
"All yours, sweetheart." Doc crouched to her level. "Your own special place. You can close the curtains when you want privacy, and the lights have a switch right here."
She threw her arms around his neck. "It's perfect! It's like a princess castle!"
"Mr. Hops goes here!" Luna announced, already climbing onto the bed with her stuffed bunny. She tested the mattress, bouncing slightly. "And my coloring books can go here. And my blankie—"
"Wherever you want," Doc said. "This is your home now too."
Your home. The words settled warm in my chest. We'd been staying here, sure. But this was different. Official. Real.
Doc stood, his palm finding the small of my back, possessive and gentle all at once. She'd been so happy these past two weeks. No more flinching at raised voices. No more checking over her shoulder.
I met his gaze, heat and promise passing between us.
"I've survived three combat tours," he said, deadpan. "I think I can handle sparkles."
Diesel laughed from where he was organizing boxes. "Famous last words, brother. My old lady got glitter in my cut last Christmas. Still finding it everywhere."
"Noted." Doc's thumb stroked small circles against my lower back, the touch casual but intimate.
Two weeks of this—little moments that felt like more.
The way he watched me make coffee in the morning.
How his fingers found mine when we walked Luna to the park.
The kiss we'd shared on the couch that had left me breathless and wanting.
But nothing beyond that. He'd been careful. Respectful. Giving me space to settle in before pushing for more.
Even when I saw the hunger in his eyes every time he looked at me.
"Alright, we're out." Hammer headed for the door. "Maddie said to bring Rory by the bakery when you're done here. She wants to talk to you about something."
"About what?" I asked.
"Hell if I know. She just said it's important." He nodded to Doc. "Later, brother."
The door closed behind them, leaving us in sudden quiet. Luna had already disappeared back to her little space, chattering to Mr. Hops about how she'd arrange her things.
"This is really happening," I said, turning to face Doc. "I'm really moving in with you."
"If you want to." Doubt creased his forehead, his jaw tightening. "I know it's fast. If you need more time—"
"I don't need more time." I moved closer, my palms finding his chest. Solid. Protected. Home. "I want everything with you, Cole. The scary fast parts included."
He pulled me against him, and I melted into his warmth.
"I'm going to make you so happy," he promised against my hair.
"You already do."
Sweet Salvation Bakery smelled like heaven when we walked in an hour later—cinnamon and sugar and fresh bread. Maddie glanced up from behind the counter, her face lighting up when she saw us. She had a baby on her hip—a little girl with dark curls who couldn't be more than nine or ten months old.
"There's my favorite new neighbor!" She shifted the baby to give me a one-armed hug. "How's the move going?"
"Good. Done, actually. The brothers were amazing." I watched Luna skip over to where Jax sat at a corner table, already pulling out crayons to keep her entertained. "Hammer said you wanted to talk to me about something?"
"Right. Yes." Maddie bit her lip, suddenly nervous. "I have a proposition for you. And you can absolutely say no, but I'm hoping you'll at least think about it."
My stomach twisted. "Okay..."
"I need help." She gestured around the bakery, bouncing the baby gently.
"Between trying to manage everything with this little one and keeping up with orders, I'm drowning.
Jax helps, but the man can't frost a cinnamon roll to save his life.
" She laughed. "You mentioned you were looking for work, and I thought—would you want to work here?
Help me with the baking, handle the counter during the lunch rush, that kind of thing? "
Relief flooded through me so fast I almost swayed. "Seriously?"
"Completely serious. I can't pay much at first, but it's steady. Normal hours, so you can pick up Luna from preschool. And honestly, I just really like you. I think we'd work well together."
Normal work. Steady income. A friend who wanted me around, not because she pitied me but because she genuinely liked having me there.
"Yes," I said, probably too fast. "God, yes. Thank you, Maddie. You have no idea what this means."
"I think I do." Her smile was knowing, warm. "We all need a fresh start sometimes. Welcome to Sweet Salvation, Rory."
She hugged me again, and I blinked back tears. Two weeks ago I'd been terrified and running. Now I had a home. A man who protected us. A daughter who was finally happy. And a friend offering me the kind of normal I'd been craving for years.
"When do I start?" I asked.
"How about tomorrow? Six AM. I'll teach you everything you need to know."
"I'll be here."
The clinic closed at five, but Doc kept me there helping with inventory while Luna colored on the floor with a box of crayons he'd given her.
The space was basic—a back room behind the clubhouse with shelves of supplies, a treatment table, and the bare essentials.
Nothing official. Nothing that would attract questions.
Domestic and easy, like we'd been doing this for years instead of weeks.
"Can you grab the gauze from the top shelf?" he called from the supply closet.
I stretched up on my toes, fingers just brushing the box. "I'm too short."
"I noticed." He appeared behind me, his body pressing against mine as he reached over my head to grab the gauze. The contact made my breath catch. He lingered there a moment longer than necessary, his mouth close to my ear. "Better?"
"Much." My voice came out breathier than intended.
My breath caught. His palm slid to my waist, thumb stroking the strip of skin where my shirt had ridden up. I registered his heart hammering against my back.
"Rory—"
The clinic door burst open.
Matt stood in the doorway with two men in police uniforms flanking him.
Everything in me went cold.
"There you are." Matt's smile was all wrong—too wide, too sharp. "We've been looking everywhere for you, baby."
Doc moved in front of me so fast I barely saw it. One second I was frozen, the next I was behind him, his body a wall between me and my ex-husband.
"Luna," I managed, my voice shaking. "Luna, go hide. Behind the desk."
"But Mama—"
"NOW."
She must have heard something in my tone because she grabbed Mr. Hops and scrambled behind the desk in the corner. Smart girl.
"You need to leave." Doc's voice was flat. Deadly. "Now."
"I don't think so." Matt took a step forward, and the two cops moved with him. "That's my wife. My daughter. And you're harboring them illegally."
"Ex-wife," I said, finding my voice. "We're divorced, Matt. You signed the papers."
"A mistake. One we're going to fix." His gaze slid over me, assessing. "You've lost weight. Not taking care of yourself. See? You need me."
"Those aren't local badges," a new voice observed.
Pope stood in the doorway, arms crossed, blocking the exit. Hammer appeared beside him, then Diesel. The brothers had heard the commotion and come running.
"Because we're from two counties over," one of the cops admitted, looking increasingly uncomfortable. "We're just here to—"
"To what?" Pope's voice was cold. "Intimidate a woman who left an abusive marriage? Help your buddy stalk his ex-wife?"
"She's my wife—"
"Ex-wife," Doc corrected, his tone lethal. "Learn the difference. She said no. She left. It's over. We're done here."
Matt's face went red. "You don't get to decide that. She's MINE—"
He lunged forward, trying to push past Doc to get to me.
Doc's fist connected with Matt's jaw before I could blink.
Matt went down hard, sprawling on the clinic floor. Blood trickled from his split lip. The two cops tensed, hands moving toward their weapons.
"I wouldn't." Hammer stepped forward. "You're out of your jurisdiction. No badges here. And you just watched your friend try to assault a woman."
"This isn't—we weren't here officially," one of the cops stammered, holding up his palms. "We were just—Matt said he needed backup to talk to his wife—"
"Ex-wife," Pope said again. "And you've done enough talking. Time to leave."
The cops glanced at Matt, still on the floor holding his jaw. Glanced at the three Saints blocking their exit. Made the smart choice and backed toward the door.
"Come on, Matt. We need to go."
"This isn't over," Matt said, climbing to his feet. Blood stained his chin. "You hear me? This isn't OVER."
"Yeah." Doc's voice was quiet. Certain. "It is."
Matt tried to hold his stare but couldn't. He dropped his gaze first, backing toward the door with his cop friends. "You'll regret this. All of you."
"I doubt it," Pope said.
They left. The door slammed shut. Silence filled the clinic.