I was just as reluctant to leave this little bubble as I’d been three years ago but now there was TJ to think about. And his mom. When she hopped on the back of my bike and pressed those curves against mine, I knew without a fucking doubt she was exactly where she belonged.
***
The ride to the clubhouse was tense as fuck. I knew the Russians were out there somewhere, but not knowing where, meant they could be anywhere waiting to ambush us. Thankfully, we made it to the clubhouse without any incidents.
As soon as the door opened, a streak of blond curls rushed towards us, wrapping his arms around my legs. “Dada!”He squeezed tight, squealing when I gripped his little body and lifted him in the air.
“Hey little man. You been good for Uncle Diesel and Aunt Ellie?”
He nodded and then his eyes widened and he launched from my hold and straight at Viv. “Mama! Mama! Mama!”
Viv reached out wordlessly, grabbing our son against her chest and holding him so damn tight I thought she would crush him. She held him as though he was the only thing keeping her sane, which he probably was.
Watching them together, the love and the connection they shared, nearly knocked me on my ass. They were, without a doubt, my whole fucking world.
I know she said she had to leave, but I also knew that wasn’t what she really wanted. What she wanted was for her and our son to be safe, and I was gonna do everything in my power to make sure that happened.
Viv whispered something into his hair, kissed his temple, then caught my eyes over his shoulder. No walls, no sharp edges. Just a woman who loved her kid more than her own life. “C’mon sweetheart, help me put away my things.”
“Mama gone?”
Her smile dimmed but it lasted less than a second. “Yeah, Mama had some work to take care of. Did you have fun here?”
TJ nodded and then launched into a tale of his night with his new friends and Chopper the bulldog. It was half English and half baby babble, and I smiled because I couldn’t wait to become fluent in baby babble.
“Why don’t you tell me all about it while I put my things away,” she asked gently, watching me again with an unreadable expression on her face.
“Okay, Mama.”
“We’ll be in… there,” she said, nodding to the room where her things still sat.
“I’ll go check in with the guys,” I said nervously, reluctant to leave her side and not just because I was worried that she’d run again.
I thought I was worried about that too.
But I realized I just wanted to have her near me, goddammit.
I let out a sigh. Now wasn’t the time for daydreaming. It was time for business, so I went in search of Diesel and Rocky, and found T-Bone, Gio, Slate, and Sniper all inside the office looking serious as fuck.
“Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in.” T-Bone flashed a teasing, knowing smile. “Viv come back with you?”
I nodded. “For now. She’s still skittish, still thinks her leaving is best for the rest of us.” I shook my head and took a seat, my expression grim. “It was the fucking Russians, right?” The truth was they weren’t our only enemies, just the newest, so I had to ask.
Slate nodded, his expression more fucked than my own. The screens fixed to the wall were all black and the one on his laptop looked like some old ass Greek shit. “Yeah, it was definitely the Russians. I spent all night tapping into emergency dispatch until I got the right call. The accent was thick as fuck,definitely Russian. But even better,” he began with a hint of a smile. “The call came from a burner purchased with a credit card tied to the Petrov Bratva.”
“That’s about as fucking definitive as you can get,” I grunted.
“Russian fuckers,” Gio agreed and smacked the table.
“The caller said we were keeping a woman against her will,” Slate explained. “They gave our address like they were reading it from a piece of mail. “Cross is coming by later to speak to thevictim, seeing as there was no sign of her when he and his boys rocked up yesterday.”
“That’s gonna be a fight.”
Deep chuckles sounded around the room. “Better you than me,” Diesel shot my way. “But it has to be done.”
“It will be,” I promised. I understood her reluctance, but Diesel was right, if Sheriff Cross didn’t talk to her he’d have no choice but to investigate the claims himself before he could clear it. “I’ll talk to her.”
My mind wandered back to Viv. Was she already planning another escape from the clubhouse or was she resigned to stay for a while? I needed to get her to trust me first, which was rich considering she was the one who up and left.
