"Just be careful. We're already stretched thin with the Eagles."
"I know. I won't be gone long." I hesitate, then add, "Thank you. For backing my play on this."
King gives me a rare smile. "She's your sister. That makes her family. And we protect family."
With a nod, I leave to make preparations. First, I grab my go-bag from my room—always packed with essentials for unexpected trips. Then I head to the garage to prep one of our unmarked vehicles, a nondescript black SUV with tinted windows andreinforced doors. Not bulletproof, but sturdy enough to withstand most threats.
As I'm checking the tires, Beast appears in the garage doorway, his massive frame blocking most of the light.
"So," he says with a smirk, "I hear you're driving a car tonight instead of your bike. Must be serious. You hate cars."
I straighten up, fixing him with a flat stare. "Get your shit together. You're coming with us."
His eyebrows shoot up. "To babysit?"
"To provide additional security," I correct him. "No Savage Rider walks alone during tough times."
Beast's smirk widens. "Tough times, huh? Sure it's not because you need moral support facing your little sister? She seems like she can hold her own."
I throw a rag at him, which he catches easily. "She gets that from our mother."
"She gets something else from your mother too," Beast says, his tone shifting. "That smile. Lights up her whole face."
The comment catches me off guard. I stare at him, not liking the way his eyes soften when he mentions Jenny's smile.
"She's twenty-four," I say pointedly. "Too young for you."
Beast holds up his hands in mock surrender. "Just making an observation, brother. No harm in appreciating beauty."
"Appreciate from a distance," I growl. "She's been through enough without adding biker drama to her life."
The truth is, I have no right to play the protective big brother. Not after leaving her behind. Not after years of minimal contact. But old instincts die hard, and something about the way Beast looks at her sets off alarm bells.
"Relax, Tank," Beast says, clapping me on the shoulder as he passes. "I'll keep my appreciation respectful. Besides, I'm not the one stealing glances at the pretty single mom."
Heat creeps up my neck. "I'm not stealing glances."
"Sure you're not." Beast chuckles. "And I'm not six-foot-four and devastatingly handsome."
I shake my head. Beast is an idiot, but he's observant. Too observant. I have been noticing Amelia. Not just her situation, but her. The curve of her cheek. The determination in her eyes. The way she seems to stand a little taller when she's near Anna, as if drawing strength from her daughter's presence.
And she is beautiful, despite the bruise on her face. Or maybe even because of it. Because it shows what she's survived. But she's also vulnerable, traumatized, and in danger. The last thing she needs is another man complicating her life, especially one like me with more blood on his hands than I care to remember.
I finish prepping the SUV and return to the clubhouse just as Luna is helping the women gather their things. Anna clutches a worn stuffed rabbit, her eyes wide as she takes in the club members moving around the main room. I watch as Beast crouches down to her eye level, his enormous frame somehow making itself less intimidating.
"That's a cool rabbit," he says gently. "Does he have a name?"
Anna regards him cautiously before answering. "Hoppy."
"Hoppy. That's perfect." Beast nods seriously. "You know, Hoppy looks like a brave rabbit. Is he brave like you?"
A small smile tugs at Anna's lips. "I'm not brave."
"Sure you are," Beast insists. "Moving to a new place takes lots of courage. I bet Hoppy is proud of you."
The interaction surprises me. I've seen Beast break a man's jaw for looking at him wrong, yet here he is, speaking softly to a frightened child, somehow knowing exactly what to say.
"We're ready," Jenny announces, coming to stand beside me with a small duffel bag over her shoulder.
