Page 102 of Praying for Thunder

My knees gave out and I plopped down onto the air mattress.

Fighting emotions I didn’t expect him to have, he took a knee in front of me. “Seeing you hurts me, too.”

My chest panted. Now I understood my anger.

He bit down on his bottom lip before admitting, “And it makes it all too real that I’ll never see her again.”

Letting the pain—the realization that both my mothers were dead—seep into my exhausted chest, I dared to reach out and touch a vest I had wanted to despise. The tip of my finger grazed the patch that was the same design carved into a lightning bolt charm. “Redemption Ryders.”

He let me touch him, in more ways than one. “Nice to meet you, Thunder. I’m Diesel.”

SEVENTEEN

CIRCLES OF PRAYERS

There are full circle moments, and then there are moments where you know nothing will ever be the same. That happened for me as I sat in that tent, so blessed to have two men willing to be father figures in my life. I even met my uncle, Dagger, the VP of the Steel Stallions, who wore an eye patch like a victory. I also learned I had a brother who was a Redemption Ryder.

Me, having a true blood brother. Wow.

Once it was only the three of us again, Dio listened intently, while Diesel told me about Rosa and his feeling she was key to all this. The Redemption Ryder President put my mother’s necklace in my hand and revealed that the charm was her family symbol. He didn’t know who they were or how to find them, but that Rosa was very sad about a mistake she had made.

Sitting on a camping chair in front of the blow-up mattress still owning my ass, Diesel told me, “I know we don’t have much time for all the details, so let me sum it up the best I can. Thunder, your mother was a very spiritual woman.”

Heavy in thought, Dio nodded to me. “Anita claimed the same about her.”

Diesel continued, “Her faith, it was unshakable. She felt everything had its ‘purpose’.” He glanced at his wringing hands. “Including me.”

I swallowed. “And me?”

Our eyes met as he struggled to talk. “Especially you.” He blew out a breath to compose himself. “Now I understand why she didn’t tell me of you.” His nostrils flared. “I would’ve killed for you both.”

The silent menace that floated through him and into me spoke of how truly deadly he was.

“But…” His nervous hands morphed into fists. “I wasn’t supposed to.”

Everything he was saying felt… right. “Purpose.”

Not looking away from me, he gestured to Dio. “Like I suspect he is, in your life.”

Full circle… “Yes, sir.”

Diesel cracked his neck. “It’s taking all I have not to unleash a fury on the Titans. My club can handle its own. And I have loyal friends, everywhere.”

In my side vision, Dio delivered one nod.

From his elbows resting on his knees, Diesel pointed a tattooed and ringed finger to me. “That means you do, also.”

Chills raced down my spine.

I was young and inexperienced in the MC world, but already had the power of a god. Between my Dio, my uncle, and my father, I already had more connections than most bikers could dream of. And the three powerful men, in three powerful clubs, were offering me protection.

It’s easy for fear to fade when you have an army of monsters—deadly guardians—of your own.

“Pup, all that being said, I don’t think Rosa wantin’ you hidden was ever about me being your father. I think it was to keep you from Onus, because of your heritage.”

The scar on my hand began to throb.

He noticed but didn’t comment on it. “And I’m not talking about clubs and manpower. I’m trying to explain something most wouldn’t be willing to believe.” He waited for me to interrupt, but I didn’t dare. I was far too intrigued. “There’s a reason I believe Rosa has been the key this whole time—that she has been the one with the ultimate power.”