Chapter 35
Sloane
If you had told me a few short months ago that I’d be on the beach, dancing with my husband while the waves lapped against the sand, I’d have told you that you were lying.
Yet, here I was. Riptide had me in his arms, his phone was playing soft slow music through the speakers, and I’d just promised to be his and meant it with every fiber of my being.
The first time we’d gotten married I’d been forced by Ethan.
My people had watched as I’d taken my vows and while I’d honored them, I hadn’t willingly said them in the first place.
What kind of games had fate been playing in order to deliver me the perfect man?
The kind I’d dreamed of in my youth, but given up on ever finding as an adult?
Rip fit my childhood requirements to a ‘T’. Handsome, brave, kind—at least to his family—and dangerous to those who threatened his loved ones. Adult me had been thrilled to find out that he also came with the ability to give me multiple orgasms, and a set of six pack abs.
I ran my hand under his shirt and over the ridges of muscles. We’d both put on jackets after the ceremony, but I didn’t let that deter me. Casting him a flirty look, I asked, “How are we going to consummate this marriage with so many people staying in our house?”
“Looks like we’ll have to sneak down here,” he told me with a wicked grin. “That rock over there looks like a good spot.”
Frowning at the rock he was pointing to, I imagined it digging into my back. “Maybe not there,” I suggested.
He leaned forward and purred into my ear. “Then I guess I’ll just have to bend you over that log there and fuck you from behind.”
My cheeks heated, but the vivid image he created had my heart pumping wildly in my chest. “That sounds better.”
He chuckled, then took my hand, leading me along the water’s edge. “I want to give you a wedding gift.”
“Oh?”
“Anything you want.”
I paused, tugging him to a stop beside me. “Really? Anything?”
“Anything,” he told me, eyes searching mine.
“I can’t believe how giving you are,” I replied with a smile. “I’ve never known a man like you, Rip. I hope you know that I consider myself incredibly lucky that you came into my life.”
His hand brushed over my hair. I loved his habit of always touching me. It was like it was a need he wasn’t aware of. It made me feel special and loved each time he did it.
He linked our hands again and started walking. “So what would you like?”
“It’s a lot to ask,” I started, hesitating. He waited patiently until I was ready to tell him. “I want to build a school.”
“A…school?”
“One where we can hire teachers for the kids who came from the village and others for the mothers. That way they can all get a good education. Tilly came home in tears the other day because she, Janice, and Audrey had started their first day at a local high school and they were so far behind they said they’d never catch up.
The principal ended up putting them in a lower grade, but the kids were jerks to them because of it. ”
Riptide sighed. “I worried that might happen. You did the best you could, teaching them, but the schools out here are pretty rigorous and you weren’t given much to work with inside The Order.”
“I want them all to go to school with each other and learn together. They need not just an education, but to learn how to integrate into a new culture.”
“We can make that happen,” he said thoughtfully. “I think you should set up to be the counselor.”
I frowned over at him. “What do you mean?”
“Schools out here often have a counselor. You help kids decide what they want to do after high school. Help them choose a path, a career. You talk to them about their emotional and mental health, pretty much anything they need.”
“I like the sound of that,” I responded, “but I’m not certified.”
“So? It’s our school. We can hire whoever we want.
” He shrugged his massive shoulders. “You can still go to college to get your degree and by the time all the kids are ready to go to school in the city, if they choose, then you’ll likely be done with your degree and ready to move on and help other people. ”
Biting my lip, I gave him an imploring look. “I think I’d really like that. And to be able to help others. I hate to think it, but we can’t be the only ones to escape a cult. Or other horrible conditions. I want to help anyone, everyone transitioning back to the real world.”
“Then it’s done, Angel. I’ll get Static to help me figure out the logistics. He’s a fucking miracle worker when it comes to that kind of shit.”
“I thought he was a lawyer?”
“He is,” Rip said with a laugh, “but he knows people. He’ll have someone who can help with this project. I’m sure of it.”
“Okay,” I told him, happy that this was a possibility. “Thank you so much. I’d like to give you something, too.”
He turned to me and placed his big palm on my belly over my dress. “You’ve given me everything, Angel. I don’t need anything but you and our child.”
Tears filled my eyes at his words. He showed me every day how much he loved me and I vowed to myself that I would do the same for him. There wouldn’t be a time where he’d feel lonely. I’d fill his life with so much love he wouldn’t know what to do with it all.
We walked along for a few more minutes, each lost in our own thoughts.
“Oh!”
The worried expression on his face had me finishing the thought that had materialized in my mind.
“Do you think you and Lockout could do me another favor?”
“Possibly,” he said. “I need to know what it is and will have to talk to Lockout before agreeing…”
“I wanted to see if we could have a barbeque with the MC and my people every couple months. Some of the kids are really missing their dads. The men of The Order were assholes for the most part, but these kids have been stripped away from everything they knew. They’re not old enough to realize how cruel their fathers were, they just know that there are no men around.
It's strange to them. I think it would do them some good to be in your guys’ presence and just… hang out.”
Riptide grinned and nodded his head. “Yeah, I’m sure Lock wouldn’t have any trouble agreeing to that. We were sort of thinking the same, but didn’t want to force ourselves on them in case some of them blamed us for their fathers’ deaths.”
I sat down on a log that had washed onto shore and stared out at the water.
“It’s sort of a weird situation. I think most of them are just pretending that their dads are still living out at the compound.
They haven’t come to grips with their fathers’ deaths yet.
The older ones will understand. The younger ones will have a harder time adjusting.
You saved our lives,” I told him, squeezing his hand.
“We’d do it all over again,” he replied. Something was weighing on him.
I could see it in the depths of his eyes. “What’s wrong?”
His jaw tightened, but then he sighed. “I’m worried about Ricochet. I didn’t want to tell you, because you knew everyone we fought, but he ended up killing Jarrett, John, and Gary that night.”
“Oh no,” I whispered. My eyes closed and I brought forth their faces in my mind. The kids were already brainwashed and indoctrinated, not to mention mean. There hadn’t been anything we could do to save them. That didn’t mean that I wasn’t upset about their deaths.
“He didn’t realize they were kids. It’s hitting him really hard.”
“I can only imagine. But…if he hadn’t killed them, what would’ve happened?”
“They’d already shot Hellfire. They wouldn’t have hesitated to kill both him and Ricochet.”
“I agree. Ricochet did the only thing he could do in that moment. He must know that.”
“He knows that, deep down, but it’s not the first time this has happened to him. He’s got some shit he has to work through and this didn’t help matters.”
“You and your brothers will help him through it,” I replied. “And if I can help in any way, I’d be glad to.”
“Thanks, Angel.”
“If you don’t get up here and cut this cake, I’m eating it whole!”
We glanced over our shoulders and up to where Seek was standing at the top of the bluff. Her hands were on her hips as the wind carried her words down to us. We started laughing at the indignant look on her face. Only a pregnant woman could look that offended about uneaten cake.
“We’d better go. She didn’t get breakfast because of the morning sickness.”
“How have you been feeling?” he asked as he pulled me to my feet.
“Fine, so far, but we’ll see how it goes as I get further along.” I placed a hand over my belly.
“I can’t wait to see you all swollen with my kid,” he said with a grin.
“Let’s see if you still feel that way once you have to help me up from the couch,” I replied with a grim look.
“I’m signing up now to help you up from any surface when you need it.”
We headed up toward the party and the family that was waiting to celebrate with us. I couldn’t wait to learn more about these people who were already becoming irreplaceable in my life.