Chapter 7 Rachel
Ifelt anxious as soon as Crypt walked away with Grim. It was silly since most of the men knew who I was since I was a girl, but I hadn’t been around them in years.
“Rachel?”
I tore my gaze away from the room Crypt had entered with Grim, focusing on the big mountain of a man in front of me. “Hi, Mammoth.”
The VP of the club gestured to one of the tables. “I’m sure you’ve been through a lot. Why don’t you take a seat, and we’ll get things sorted?”
Exhaustion threatened to buckle my knees as I rubbed my eyes, so I sat across from Mammoth. He pulled out a chair and flipped so the back rested against the table’s surface. His thick, meaty arms leaned on the edge.
“How long has it been since you slept?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted truthfully. In the weeks since my daughter’s abduction, I had spent nearly every minute trying to find her, only to end up with a ransom note long after she disappeared.
He nodded. “I wouldn’t be resting either if it were my babies.”
Did he have kids? “You’re a dad now?”
“Yeah. Two boys. Jakey is eight, but my little guy is only a year old.”
Wow. I didn’t think Mammoth would ever settle down. Not because he was the type of guy to sleep around, but because he was picky and seemed to enjoy his independence.
“That’s wonderful.”
“Most of us have kids,” Mammoth continued. “The Crossroads has changed since you were little. Less chaos and parties, more family-friendly.”
“I see what you’re doing.”
He wanted to convince me that the biker lifestyle wasn’t as dangerous or deadly as I believed. Mammoth knew my mom. He’d been around when everything fell apart. I was sure that it wasn’t easy for Hannibal, but he didn’t fight hard enough to keep me around or be a part of my life.
“I’m not telling you only for Hannibal. We’ve built something permanent here. A way of life that protects our loved ones and enables us to live life on our terms. But the part that really matters is the loyalty, friendship, and protection we provide. This is a safe place for you, Rachel. You and little Rylee are welcome. You’re family, too.”
I blinked back the onset of sudden tears, a little choked up by his words. He described a perfect world for Rylee and me. A place we’d be welcome and sheltered from the type of men who preyed on children and the innocent. “Thanks, Mammoth.”
“You need rest, Rachel. You’re barely coherent.”
“I know.”
“I’m betting you haven’t eaten either.”
I shrugged. “None of those things matter when my little girl needs me.”
“That’s admirable, but it’s also foolish. You can’t do shit for her without rest, food, and water.”
I already knew that.
“I’m going to set you up in a room and get something prepared for you. Got any cravings?”
No. I honestly didn’t care. It really didn’t feel important until I had Rylee in my arms. “No.”
“Preferences?”
I shook my head. My brain was just too tired. Too foggy to think over details like that.
“Let me show you to your room.”
I wanted to argue that I should stay right here until Hannibal returned with my daughter, but he didn’t give me a chance.
