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Rowan
The next morning, I awoke before the sun and padded out to my kitchen, passing my sectional to find it empty. Lord came bounding up to me and I leaned down to scratch him behind his ears with a smile. “So, it looks like you were released, huh?”
I grabbed my phone off the island where it had been charging and found a text from Scooby.
Fed Lord. Took him out. Had shit to do. Squishy’s out back, Orion’s out front.
I didn’t know who Orion was, but I figured I’d probably find out soon enough. I got dressed and brushed my teeth before throwing on some makeup and heading downstairs. Lord settled onto his bed in my office, and I made my way to the kitchen.
“Morning, Rowan.”
“Hey, Monty. You’re early. How are you?” I asked as I tied on an apron.
“If I were any better, you’d have to arrest me.”
I grinned. “Glad to hear it.”
“You want some eggs benny?”
“Oh my god, I’d love some, if you wouldn’t mind.”
“It’d be my pleasure,” he said.
While he made breakfast, I set up the tables for the day, then opened the diner, eating quickly before our first customers arrived.
A family of five had walked in just as Dusty had pulled out a batch of fresh blueberry muffins, so the day had started out perfectly, and continued to improve as business increased throughout the day.
By the time dinner was over, I was missing Scooby something fierce, and didn’t like that I hadn’t seen him at all during the day. I pulled out my phone and sent him a text.
Me: Hey. You okay?
Scooby: I’m good. You good?
Me: Yep.
He didn’t reply immediately, and I tried to think of something witty to say. In the end, I caved and just asked the question I’d wanted to ask in the first place.
Me: Are you coming by today?
Scooby: No. Tango’s on shift tonight.
I frowned, dialing his number.
“Hey, I’m in the middle—”
“Is Tango the big one who looks like a serial killer?”
“I think you need to be more specific,” he said.
“He was one of the men there last night. The one who didn’t smile. Ever.”
Scooby sighed. “Yeah. That’s him. He’s a good guy, Rowan. He has his demons. But he’ll keep you safe.”
“Are you mad at me?” I asked.
“Why would I be mad at you?”
“Because you’re ghosting me.”
“I’m not ghosting you,” he countered. “We’re talkin’ right now.”
“But you’re not here,” I said.
“I told you I wouldn’t be.”
“You told me if I said no, you wouldn’t be. I haven’t made a decision yet, ergo, there’s no reason for you not to be here.”
“I think having me there will just muddy the waters,” he said. “So, I’m gonna hang back so you can think clearly and figure out what you want to do.”
I lets out a frustrated grunt. “But how can I figure it out if you’re not here to woo me?”
“Look, there’s nothin’ more I’d like to do than take you up to your place and woo you all night long, but right now, you need to focus on what you want and where you want us to go, and I need to focus on keeping you safe. The best way to do that is to give each other some space.”
I bit back tears. “Do I have any say in that?”
“Not today.”
“Okay, well, you have a nice day, then.”
“You too, baby.”
I hung up and closed myself into my office. I gave myself seven minutes to cry, then pulled myself together and closed out the till while Dusty and Gizzard mopped the floors.
* * *
Scooby
After hanging up with Rowan, my heart breaking in two because I wanted nothing more than to ride back to the diner and pull her into my arms, I slid my phone into my pocket and let myself into my mother’s home. “Ma!”
“In here, baby,” she called back.
My mother owned a tiny three-bedroom bungalow in Colorado Springs. We’d moved into it when I was about ten and she’d moved heaven and earth to hold onto it even when things had been really hard on her.
I headed toward the kitchen and set the bag of groceries I’d brought on the counter. Mom was sitting at her little table by the window, a cup of tea in front of her, staring out the window. I made my way to her and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “Hey. You doin’ okay?”
She met my eyes, and I could tell the answer was no. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, evidence of crying. “Not really.”
My mom was almost sixty, but she was still beautiful. However, the tragedies of the past few years were definitely starting to show.
“Why didn’t you call me?” I asked, sitting beside her, and taking her hand.
“If I called you every time I missed your brother, honey, you’d have to move back in.” She squeezed my hand. “Parents aren’t supposed to lose their babies. I just have to figure out how to move through this.”
“I’m gonna find out who did it, Mama. Swear to Christ.”
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Can you promise me something, Crew?”
“Anything.”
Meeting my eyes again, she stroked my cheek. “Don’t let that hate and need for vengeance destroy your joy. You were always so happy as a kid, and when we lost your sister, I know you and Otis did everything in your power to try and keep it, but I see it fading. It will destroy you faster and worse than any bullet or cancer ever could, and I can’t bear to lose you too.”
My sister, Carina, had died four years ago from a rare form of brain cancer. It had nearly destroyed all of us, but she’d made us promise to figure out a way to find some kind of happy. And if we didn’t, she’d haunt us in the worst possible way. She never let an opportunity to remind us she was our older and wiser sister slide.
We’d done it. Somehow, the three of us found a way to be happy. Or at least, found a way to survive without much bitterness.
Tango, on the other hand, not so much.
I couldn’t really blame him. He was ready to marry my sister. They were solid. Deeper in love than anyone I’d ever known, and she was taken from him. Don’t know that I could find happiness after that either.
“I brought you some groceries,” I said, avoiding more of the uncomfortable conversation.
“Thanks, baby. You just missed Ridge.”
I did my best to hide my shock as I stood and made my way to the bag of groceries.
“How often does Tango come around, Ma?” I asked as I put things away.
“Couple times a week. He cooks for me, and we hang out for a few hours. Watch TV or play cards.” She cocked her head. “Don’t be angry with him, son.”
“I’m not angry, Mom, I’m surprised. Figured his obligation was done.”
“I still consider him a part of this family, and I tell him as much every time I see him,” she said. “And if you tell him otherwise, young man, I will box your ears.”
I sighed. “Mama, he’s part of my club. We’re brothers. As close as blood. I will always consider him family.”
“Does that go for Wrath, too?”
“No. That fucker’s dead to me.”
“He didn’t kill Otis, honey.”
“Might as well have.”
She slammed her hand down on the table and I turned to face her. “I’ve had enough.”
I leaned against the counter and crossed my arms as she rose to her feet.
“I knew what I was letting you get into when Thorne came to me and asked for my permission to let you and Otis prospect—”
“He what?” I snapped.
“Baby boy, you don’t think if I’d said no way in hell my boys were gonna be part of his club that Sundance wouldn’t have pulled the plug on that right quick? Morgan was my best friend, and, no I had no interest in being in the life, but you needed a man or two to guide you, and quite frankly, I’ve never met better than Sundance and Rocky, so I allowed it. It was either that or your asses would have been in juvie.”
“Fuck me,” I breathed out. “That was a long time to keep that little nugget secret.”
I knew Mom was tight with the club, but I had no idea Sundance had okayed our prospecting with her.
“Jekyll and Wrath are not the reason your brother is dead. Neither are you. The bastard who killed him is. You cannot, and I mean, cannot turn on your brothers, honey. Especially Wrath. He was Otis’s best friend. He is as deeply wounded by this as you are.”
“Bullshit,” I hissed.
She settled her hand over my heart. “Blood doesn’t always mean best, baby boy.”
I glared at her, but she wasn’t deterred.
“Nice try. I pushed that giant head out of my vagina, your little scowl doesn’t scare me,” she retorted. “You need to give Wrath a little compassion, Crew. The only reason you weren’t there was because you were doing something with Moses.”
“The only reason Scrappy prospected at all was because of Wrath,” I bit out. “He’d still be alive if not for him.”
“Crew Dominic Faulkner, I did not raise a liar. Otis prospected because his big brother did. There was no other reason,” she countered. “And that night, it could have just as easily been you and you know it. Work it out. I adore Wrath, you know I do. I’ll choose you every time, baby, but I love having Wrath in my life.” She squeezed my face so hard my lips puckered. “So, fucking work it out.”
“You’re over wanting me to leave the club?”
“No,” she admitted. “I’m choosing my battles. Are you going to work it out with Wrath and Jekyll?”
I pulled away from her grip. “I’ll think about it.”
“Think hard.”
I wrapped my arms around her waist and lifted her off her feet and kissed her neck. “No wonder I love bossy women so much.”
She leaned back. “What bossy women?”
“No one, Ma,” I lied. “Just in general.”
“Put me down,” she ordered, and I set her on her feet. “Are you hungry? I’ll make you a sandwich.”
“Yeah, that’d be great, thanks.”
* * *
Rowan
Two days. It had been two days since I’d seen Scooby and I was hating every second. Tango had been my ‘watcher’ the last two nights, but still no sign of Scooby. I’d texted him a few times to check in and he’d always answered, but he’d never initiated anything, so I felt like an idiot every time I pressed send on a message. God, I missed him.
By the time the lunch rush ended, I finally had a few minutes to take Lord out and once I’d settled him back into his bed, I grabbed a muffin and headed back out to the front where I found a group of ridiculously beautiful young women standing at the podium waiting to be seated.
“They’re waiting for you,” Dusty said.
“Really? Okay.” I made my way to them and grabbed menus. “Hi. Table for... five?”
“Yes,” a tall blonde answered for the group. “You’re Rowan, right?”
“I am.”
“We’re friends of Scooby’s. I’m Violet. This is Raquel, Indigo, her bestie, Bellamy, and Sierra.”
“This is for you,” Sierra said, handing me a Starlight Express orchid.
“Thank you.”
Sierra looked like she’d been transported straight from the 1960s, floppy hat and all. She had curly blonde hair and a ring on every finger, and wore a long flowy skirt, snow boots, and a heavy coat over an embroidered blouse.
“Let me guess, Scooby sent you here as the club’s welcome wagon,” I said, suddenly hopeful that he might care enough to want me to meet the club women.
“Oh lord, no, if Scooby knew we were here, he’d blow a gasket,” Violet said, to laughs and nods around.
I frowned. “Well, you can’t all be here for the pie.”
“No, we’re here for an intervention...” Violet hedged.
“Not really an intervention, he hasn’t done anything yet,” Indigo said.
“That we know of,” Bellamy retorted.
Bellamy was blonde, curvy and obviously sassy, and from the looks that Indigo threw her in the form of eye rolls, I could tell she must be the outspoken one in the group. Indigo and Raquel were both stunning brunettes and all the women had such perfect complexions, I felt like I’d entered a Dove skincare commercial.
All eyes turned to me, and Bellamy’s head bobbed from side-to-side as she sized me up.
“No, she looks okay,” Bellamy said.
“Well, a pre-intervention, then,” Indigo said.
“Look, we’re intervening,” Sierra said.
“Intervening... what?” I asked in exasperation.
“We just wanted to make sure we had a chance to introduce ourselves before Scooby Dooby Dumbass goes and does something stupid, like scaring you off,” Bellamy said.
“Me? Why would you care about what happened to me?”
“Because any woman that’s managed to spark the interest of Scooby the way you have is a woman worth knowing,” Raquel said.
Sierra chuckled. “Sparks the interest. That’s funny. You know, because he’s an electrician?”
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“Ever since Scooby started hanging around this place, Mr. Mopey Pants has been floating around with cartoon hearts over his head.”
“Well, he was probably sad because his brother died,” I pointed out.
“That only made him extra mopey,” Sierra pointed out.
“He’s been nothing less than jovial around here,” I blurted out.
“See?” Bellamy exclaimed, jabbing a finger toward me. “This is what we’re talking about. Jovial.” She snorted. “Scooby isn’t jovial.”
The women virtually dissolved into laughter on the spot.
“Look here, Flo,” Bellamy continued. “You and this diner have somehow managed to pull Scooby from a very dark place and that hasn’t gone unnoticed from the women in this club.”
“Yeah, mostly we notice because he hasn’t shut up about you since he walked in here,” Violet added.
“He’s talked about me?” I asked.
“How do you think we knew about the plant?” Indigo said.
“Flower,” Sierra corrected.
“Starlight Express orchid, actually,” I said.
“Okay, if we’re done with the botany lesson, can we get to the point?” Bellamy asked.
“I wish you would,” I said, realizing I was still holding the orchid.
Violet smiled. “In all seriousness, Scooby’s in a raw place, and he’s going to look for any excuse to bolt. I don’t want to tell you how to run your personal life, I’m just looking out for a really solid guy, who could use a special person like you in their life right now. I would hate to see him scare you off when you clearly make him happy.”
“I appreciate that. Thank you for the orchid and the, uh, not intervention.”
“Now, what did you say about pie?” Raquel asked.
I chuckled. “Follow me.”
I seated them at our largest booth and Dusty floated over with waters all around.
“Why don’t you hang out since we’re slow, honey,” Dusty offered. “Let me serve you for once. If we get busy, I’ll tag you in.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes,” she stressed. “What can I get everyone?”
Once the orders were in, Dusty took the menus and my orchid behind the breakfast bar, and I turned to the women.
“Can I ask you about the club?” I asked.
“Oh, honey, you can ask us anything,” Violet said.
“They may not answer,” Bellamy warned.
“Bell,” Indigo admonished.
“What? You don’t always.” She turned to me. “I’m not an ‘old lady,’ therefore, I’m not privy to the inner goings on of the club.”
“I don’t actually know what that means,” I admitted.
“Okay, we’ll start with the basics,” Violet said. “I’m actually Sundance’s daughter who’s the president of the club, but I’m also Aero’s wife, so I’m both an MC princess and an old lady...”
“Can we start with the bike thing?” I asked.
The ladies all gave a little moan that sounded almost sexual.
“For our guys,” Violet said. “You’re never on the back of their bike unless you’re family or an old lady, so if Scooby puts you there, then he’s committed to you.”
“But the statistics of dying in a motorcycle crash are astronomical,” I breathed out.
“Yeah, but the orgasm you can have on the back of said bike is worth the risk,” Violet said.
“Plus, our men aren’t weekend riders,” Raquel said. “They know how to handle themselves on the road. And more importantly, they’re experienced enough to avoid the types of drivers that tend to cause those accidents.”
“Look, we’re not saying it’s a hundred percent safe, but that’s part of the thrill. Life isn’t always safe,” Sierra said. “And instead of being afraid of what could happen, this life is all about enjoying the moments you make happen.”
I bit my lip. “I just don’t know if I could get on one of those things.”
“You not only need to make peace with that thing, but you need to learn to love her because you’re with a biker and his bike will always be the other woman in your relationship,” Violet warned. “Make her your friend or his bike will become your enemy.”
“Whoa, Letti, that’s kinda harsh,” Bellamy said.
“Well, if he wants me on the back of his bike,” I said. “He’s going to need to make room for my dog. I don’t do anything without him.”
“You have a dog?” Sierra asked. “Oh my god, I love dogs. Can we meet him?”
“He’s back in my office, resting. How about we save that for another day?”
Sierra looked disappointed, but she nodded and went back to her dessert.
For the next hour, I got a crash course in MC life from the point of view of a wife, girlfriend, or ‘old lady’ as they were called. But I also got some much-needed insight into the men these women were committed to.
Indigo was a perfect example. She’d been beaten extremely badly outside her man, Jekyll’s tattoo shop a few months ago, and although they hadn’t been in a relationship at the time, he’d dropped everything to nurse her back to health. She still had to use a cane for stability, and it was evident to me that Bellamy was just as protective of her as Jekyll was.
What was also evident was that her man, and this club, did everything to bring the men responsible to justice, which resulted in the rescue of several little girls, who were being trafficked. The tragedy of it all, however, was it also ended the life of Scooby’s brother.
“Are the little girls okay?” I asked.
“They’re amazing,” Indigo said. “Healthy and working toward being settled and happy.”
“That’s all because of you and Bellamy,” Violet said.
“I have to give Jekyll some of the credit,” Indigo said. “He got them out.”
“Speak of the devil,” Bellamy said. “And the devil looks pissed.”
“Oh, shit, what time is it?” Indigo asked.
Jekyll stalked to the table and gave everyone a half smile. “Ladies.” He turned to Bellamy and scowled. “What’d I say?”
She waved her fork at him. “I’m not her jailor, big man.”
“I feel great, honey,” Indigo said, and Jekyll turned his attention to her.
“Yeah, but you tend to lie about your level of discomfort GoGo, so it’s why I gave your girl strict instructions on how long you should be on that leg.” He held his hand out. “Come on, I’m gonna take you home.”
“I came with Bell, though.”
“I’m good, honey. Go with Gigantor,” Bellamy said. “I’ll drop your car back at your place. Jekyll can drive me home later. Right?”
Jekyll nodded and Indigo gingerly slid out of the booth. “I really am good, Hyde.”
“I’m sure you are. Now, get your ass in the truck.” He grinned, leaning down to kiss her before guiding her out the front door.
“I need more pie,” Bellamy said.
“That’s your third piece,” Sierra pointed out.
“Maybe you should be Gizzard’s old lady,” I murmured, and the table erupted into laughter.
