“I’ll bring something to drink and some food.”
I nod again, my stomach sinking now that I know what he gave up in order to ensure my safety. I lock the door behind him and sink onto the edge of the bed. It takes me a minute to catch my breath because this whole situation has been unreal.
Chapter 3
Slate
Ican’t get over finding Christina again, only to discover that she has a young daughter and is on the run from her abusive baby daddy. That’s some fucked up shit I will not stand for. I’m gonna track that fucker down and give him the beatdown he so richly deserves. I would have done it tonight, when I slammed him with my Harley, but it was more important to get them to safety.
I’ve already decided that I’m gonna do everything in my fuckin’ power to get her to come back to my clubhouse with me, so I can protect them both until she figures out her next move. Christina is a good and decent woman who clearly trusted the wrong guy. She doesn’t deserve to be beaten on by some asshole who ain’t fit to lick her damn shoes.
I fetch some food, a couple of sandwiches, a bottle of water, and some milk in case the kid wakes up tonight. There aren’t a lot of men here, but the ones who are, come from different clubs, some from one of our charters. Two of them are standing watch in the hallway with my cousin, Flint, and Jinx, our sergeant-at-arms. Flint only came to stay with us recently—he’s just got out of the military and was at a loose end. His old man was my dad’s brother. Dude’s solid.
I’m about to head back to my suite when I get a text from Rivera.
Rivera: You want to meet up for lunch before you leave?
Me: Yeah. How about the diner at 11 AM?
Rivera: See you there.
Stuffing my phone back in my pocket I head back upstairs.
“Open up. It’s me.”
Recognizing my voice, she quickly opens the door for me. I set the tray down on the table and gesture for her to have a seat. “Eat,” I tell her. “You’ll need the energy.”
She hesitates for a brief moment and then sits at the table with me. “Thank you. I don’t know if I can eat right now, but I’ll try.”
“Yeah, I get that you’ve been through some pretty serious shit lately. Just eat what you can. I’ll never ask more of you than you can give, darlin’.”
Her eyes slide away and her hands drop into her lap. “Look, Slate. I don’t know how to thank you for showing up when you did.” She pauses for a moment then looks confused. “How did you know to show up?”
I place a sandwich and bottle of water in front of her. “You don’t have to keep fuckin’ thanking me. You needed help and I stepped up. That’s what friends are for, right? It was a mutual friend who let me know you were in a bad situation.”
A short silence spins out between us. She doesn’t ask who. Though I’m guessing she’s still in shock. Looks like me and my club brothers turned up just in time. She reaches out and pulls the paper napkin off her sandwich. I can tell the minute she realizes that I left off the mayo. Her eyes light up withpleasure, and she quickly takes another bite. I remember shit, and everything about the time we spent together.
I want to ask what happened with her baby daddy, how bad it got, and if she’s been running long. I don’t though. It seems rude and I think I already know. A man doesn’t chase a woman the way he did unless he’s been given too much power for too long. I’ve seen that kind of control before. The damage doesn’t always show up as bruises. So, I shift gears and focus on the situation she’s currently battling.
“So, you got a plan?”
She glances over her shoulder at her still-sleeping kid, then back at me. “No. Not yet. I don’t have much money left. I’m between jobs right now. I was hoping to find something short-term, maybe rent a room until I can figure it out.”
I nod slowly, thinking about her potential options. None of them are good. “This place won’t do. It’s safe enough for the night, but it’s not meant for families. Tomorrow, we have to move.”
“Move to where?” she asks, her expression guarded.
“My clubhouse,” I tell her. “You can stay with me until you get back on your feet.”
She freezes and then puts her sandwich down on the table. “You mean we’d be staying with your club, right?”
“I have a nice suite at the clubhouse. So yes, it would be at the club. Is that gonna be a problem?”
She’s shaking her head no before I even get the words out. “I appreciate everything you’ve done, but I can’t take my daughter into a place full of outlaws.”
I meet her stare, hold it. “You think we’re criminals?”
“You’re wearing a one-percent patch, Slate. I’ve covered gangs when I was an investigative reporter. I know what that patch represents.”
