“What happens now?”she asks.
“One day at a time.Hawk’s working on a plan.Our club is small, and our resources are limited, but we have firepower when we need it.You’ve got to trust us.”
She puts her hand on my cheek, looking straight into my eyes.“I trust you, Matthew,” she says.She uses my given name in her soft, sweet voice.I rest my forehead against hers.
“Jesus, Tessa.I want to take you up to my room and show you how much those words mean to me, but I have the guys waiting and work to be done.”I sigh, not wanting to move away from her.
Tessa moves first.“Then you should get to it.I’d better call Ruth, though.She’s going to be worried if we don’t show up.”
“I’ll call her and fill her in,” I offer.
“She likes me.She’ll want to hear it from me,” she says.
“Okay, babe.”
I leave her to make her call and get my ass back out to the bay area to help my brothers.
Tessa
“You’ve got to be shitting me!”Ruth exclaims when I tell her about the chaotic day I’ve had.“That fucker!I knew he was bad news.That crocodile smile didn’t fool me,” she says with a huff.
Then I make the mistake of telling her about the fire, and that sets Ruth off on another tangent.Her rant includes a slew of expletives, some of which I’ve never heard before.I can’t get a word in edgewise, and before I can stop her, Ruth tells me that she’s on her way over to the club and to let the boys know.
Etain and Sasha join me as I am speaking with Ruth.I’m sure they hear the entire conversation, because Ruth isn’t quiet by any means.
“You’d better give Hawk fair warning.”Etain giggles.“When Ruth gets riled, she’s a force of nature.But don’t worry, Hawk always has a way of settling her down.”
“Does she get like this often?”I ask.
“Ruth grew up in the MC life.Ruth is protective of the ones she cares about.Hawk and the boys have a special place in her heart.To answer your question, she gets riled when someone messes with her family, and the Redemption Riders are like family to her.It’s mutual.Hawk and the others would do anything for her,” Etain explains.
I hate to interrupt the guys when they’re working, but I heed Etain’s advice and walk over.The sound of tools clanging, engines revving, and machines making their noises drowns out my voice.I catch Shooter’s eye, and he points to the car closest to me.At first glance, I can’t see Motown, but as I get closer, I recognize his legs and feet sticking out from under the car.
“Motown, honey,” I call to him.Still nothing.I get down on my haunches and place my hand on his thigh.“Honey,” I try again, and this time, he shoots out from under the car.
“What’s wrong, Tessa?”His brow is furrowed as he sits up.
I gather it’s best to give it to him straight.“Ruth is coming over.I told her the whole story, and she is a little…miffed.”
Motown hangs his head for a second, then rises to his feet.He scours the floor between the cars and portable tool shelves and spots Hawk.He takes me by the hand and pulls me gently along with him over to where Hawk is working.He sees us from the corner of his eye and turns to look at us.
“Ruth’s on her way over,” Motown says, and Hawk looks to the heavens.
He expels a heavy sigh before saying, “Right.”He points to Motown.“Keep working.I’ll handle Ruth when she shows up.”Hawk turns to me.“Let me know when she gets here.She’s going to be riled up, but I don’t want her in the garage.We need to keep working.”
I nod and start to go back to the girls, but Motown wraps an arm around my waist and seals his mouth over mine in a brief, hard kiss before he lets me go.He nuzzles his face into my neck, then murmurs in my ear, “It’s impossible to have you this close without touching you.Do this man a favor and hide yourself away for a while so I don’t get in trouble with the guys,” he jokes.
I can’t help but smile and reach up on my tiptoes to give him a quick peck on his jaw before I leave him to his work.
I follow the sound of women singing through the main room and down the hall and find myself in a massive kitchen.I mean huge.It’s the kind of kitchen you would see in a restaurant, with multiple stoves, a massive refrigerator, which is more like two side by side, and a pantry that stretches across one side of the room.
“Look at this place!”I exclaim.Etain grins and continues chopping vegetables.
Sasha, at the stove simmering ground beef in a large cast iron skillet, glances over her shoulder.“We decided on chili for tonight.It’ll keep if they can’t all come in for food at the same time and it’s an easy meal.”
By the size of the pot sitting out, it looks like they’re making enough for twenty people.“I guess you can freeze the leftovers,” I mumble.
Etain bursts out laughing.“There won’t be leftovers, Tess.These guys can eat.”She rolls her eyes and adds, “A lot!”