FOUR
NATTY
I staredat the door until my eyes started to water.
Rook squeezed my hand, and like usual, I could hide nothing from him. He seemed to know when Callie first made her comment about dinner that it wasn’t about food, but instead war. Just like her son Ford did.
And when Wes had barreled into the kitchen with a look of panic on his face, I knew that Silas wasn’t with him. My husband had the rare ability to annoy most everyone around him, merely by breathing and scowling, but when he was with the Stone Riders, they all seemed to be a little more at ease. As if they knew, with him on their team, they’d be okay.
Wes didn’t look like he had a friend in the whole world that distinct moment his eyes locked on Callie in the kitchen. She’d run into his arms, and his gaze found mine, silently telling me to get my kids and all my things because we were leaving.
Him bursting into the room in a panic meant we were out of time, and there were likely people in town already after us. My theory was proven correct when Wes picked up Ellie and held Callie’s hand while walking us through the back door. He’d informed me that I was leaving my car behind and doubling up with Callie. The kids sat two to a seat, and I took the passenger seat while Callie drove, and her husband followed behind us on his bike all the way to the club.
My stomach had been in knots, and I knew Callie’s was too by how her fingers continued to shake. She’d push her hair back and give everyone a smile, but I didn’t miss how her expression would flick to the door or the picture of her father up on the mantle.
This had been her hell far longer than it was mine. While I had grown up amongst the club, it was different being the daughter of the president, and constantly targeted for who her father was.
“Pen and Jameson aren’t here yet,” Callie whispered to me, as she took a seat next to me, forcing my eyes away from the door. She had placed warm mugs of hot cocoa in front of the kids, who were watching some holiday movie on the large television screen above the fireplace.
We were in the club, surrounded by members who were being polite enough to give our kids a wide berth. Most of them were on patrol, but any time they walked into the main part of the club, they’d tuck away their weapons and plaster on warm smiles. Ford and Rook seemed to be silently communicating, but Ryle and Ellie were happily watching cartoons while sipping cocoa.
“Mommy, when is Royce and Taryn coming?” Ellie turned her little head of dark hair, asking her mother. Callie was about to reply when the back door to the club opened, and the sounds of little girls’ laughter filtered in.
I turned to watch as Killian walked in, holding his daughter Taryn against his chest, her little legs and arms wrapped around him like a koala bear. Then Royce, their oldest, walked hand in hand with Laura. Both girls looked like miniature versions of Laura, with white gold hair and beautiful blue eyes. They could nearly pass for twins, if it wasn’t for differences in facial features and ages. Taryn was only seven and her face was more round like Laura’s, but Royce was nine, and had her father’s features, especially his expressions that often left people unsure if she was planning something or just really pissed off.
“Yay, you’re here!” Ellie jumped up and ran over to the girls.
Rook and Ford glanced over, both boys nodding to Royce before smiling at Taryn. Ryle blushed and just sipped his cocoa as if no one had arrived at all.
Laura plopped down next to me and let out a sigh.
“So we’re in the thick of it again, ladies. Should we start knittingblankets, you think? That way every time we have to do these little lockdowns, we can remember what was going on in our lives at the time? Like a little time capsule.”
“Yes, we should. This time I’d have to learn how to knit being shot at in the middle of the road.” Penelope suddenly appeared in the foyer. Her long winter coat was over her fashionable skinny jeans and low-heeled boots, her sweater was thick and her hair perfectly curled. She looked fabulous as always. I jumped up and ran over to her, ensuring she didn’t have any bullet holes tucked away under that designer outfit.
“You guys okay?” What did it say about us that her being shot at didn’t even surprise me? We had honestly just been through too much shit for any of this to be surprising at this point.
Jameson pushed in after her, holding Nova to his chest, much like Killian had with his daughter. “Giles got him.”
I gave Giles a warm smile, wondering if his wife had accompanied him…then registered that he was likely only here because we were in trouble again. Connor, Pen’s oldest, stormed in after everyone, his face red as if he were upset. Rook jumped up, same as Ford, and walked over to him, likely to make sure he was okay.
Nova took up residence next to Ellie and Taryn. Royce was watching the older boys with a mildly hurt expression. She was closer in age to the two older boys, closer than even Rook, but they often left her out.
My stomach flipped around like a fish on land, desperate for air. Silas was still out there, and everyone in this room assumed he was in the orchard. No one knew that he was currently in Death Raider territory, visiting Lance after an urgent call had come in this morning from him.
Lance wouldn’t betray Silas…but he might betray me. I was the one out of the two of us that identified as a Stone Rider. I was the one that would give my dying breath to save my friends…these people that had become my family. Silas protected them on my behalf, but even ten years later, he still only tolerated them.
It was no secret how he felt about the Stone Riders, even to our sons who loved this place and these people. They knew their father’s colors still belonged with the Death Raiders. While Silas didn’t fight anymore, didn’t even ride for any clubs anymore, I knew deep down, he missed it. Which was why I’d never betray that he was with Lance right now. There was adivide between Lance and Killian, had been for years. It had gotten worse over the last few months…to the point where Killian had asked Silas to pick a side, and my husband merely left the room without saying a word.
“Have they talked about how long we’re here, or who is after us?” Penelope asked, pulling off her coat to lay over the back of the couch.
I glanced over at Laura, but she only shook her head before helping her daughter Taryn tie off her braid. Once she was done, she locked eyes with Callie, then me and Pen.
“Let’s go make the kids a snack, and I’ll tell you what I know.”
The three older boys watched as we went; I waved my hand over toward Ryle, making sure Rook understood I wanted him to watch his brother.
The kitchen was clean and quiet as we made our way toward the back pantry area. We’d expanded the space so we could hold more food above just the cellar, since it was so rare any of us would go down there. All these years later, and my heart still throbbed when I looked up and saw the apron we’d pinned next to Red and Brooks' picture. She was still here with us, and sometimes I’d even feel a gust of wind pass me, or something touch my back whenever I was in this kitchen.