Page 11 of Monstrosity (Raiders of Valhalla MC: New Blood #5)

"Someone who was watching you. Taking pictures of you and the girls."

Her face pales, but she doesn't pull away. "What did you do?"

"What I needed to." I catch her hand, link our fingers. "What I'll always do to protect you."

She's quiet for a long moment, processing this. Meghan watches us nervously, probably ready to jump in if Dasha balks.

"He had photos," I continue. "Detailed surveillance. Your routines, the girls' schedules. They were planning something, Dasha."

"Planning what?"

"To hurt you. To use you against the club." I squeeze her hand. "I won't let that happen."

"Okay," Dasha says finally. "How long?"

"Until it's safe."

"And when will that be?"

"When Bembe Reyes is dead." I don't sugarcoat it. She deserves honesty.

She nods slowly. "Okay. Let me grab my things. We'll need to pack for the girls too."

"Dasha—"

"I said okay, Rio." She stretches up to kiss me, soft and sweet despite the blood on my neck. "I trust you. If you say we need to be at the clubhouse, then that's where we'll be."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that." She pulls back to look at me. "You're not the only one who protects this family. I'll do whatever it takes to keep the girls safe. Even if it means leaving our home for a while."

"Our home," I repeat, the words warming something in my chest.

"Our home," she confirms. "Which we'll come back to when this is over."

Meghan clears her throat. "Not to interrupt this sweet moment, but can we get moving? I'd rather be behind club walls before dark."

She's right.

We move efficiently after that—packing essentials at Dasha's apartment first.

She's practical about it, filling suitcases with clothes and toiletries, grabbing the girls' favorite toys and books.

I watch her work, this woman who's taking upheaval in stride because she trusts me to keep her safe.

At my house, we pack more strategically.

Clothes for a few weeks, the girls' school supplies, medications, important documents.

Dasha knows exactly where everything is, moving quickly.

"The girls' stuffed animals," she reminds me. "Cali won't sleep without Mr. Bunny."

"Already packed him."

She smiles at that. "You're a good dad."

"Trying to be."

By the time we pick up the girls from school, I've arranged for prospects to watch both properties and had their teachers alerted to the security situation.

The girls are excited about staying at the clubhouse—to them, it's an adventure.

"Will we have sleepovers with the other kids?" Florencia asks.

"Maybe," I allow. "But you'll have your own room with Dasha and me."

"Like a family vacation!" Cali declares.

Dasha meets my eyes in the rearview mirror. "Exactly like that, baby."

By evening, we're settled into one of the family rooms at the clubhouse.

It's not home, but it's safe—steel doors, armed brothers, and the kind of security Bembe's crew can't breach.

The room is bigger than I expected, with a queen bed and bunk beds for the girls.

Someone's put fresh flowers on the dresser and stocked the mini-fridge with juice boxes and snacks.

The girls are in the common room, playing with some of the other club kids, their laughter drifting down the hall.

It's good for them to be around other children who understand this life, who won't ask questions about why they're suddenly living at daddy's clubhouse.

Dasha stands at the window, watching the sun set over the compound.

She's changed into one of my shirts and leggings, her hair loose around her shoulders. She looks beautiful and brave and everything I never knew I needed.

"You okay?" I wrap my arms around her from behind.

"I'm good." She leans back into me. "This is temporary. We'll get through it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She turns in my arms to face me. "But Rio? Next time you come home with blood on you, maybe clean up better. Cali notices everything."

"Noted." I kiss her forehead. "I'm sorry you have to deal with this."

"I'm not." Her voice is fierce. "I'm sorry those assholes think they can threaten our family. I'm sorry you have to become a monster to protect us. But I'm not sorry for choosing this life with you."

"Even knowing what I did today?"

"Especially knowing what you did today." She frames my face with her hands. "You're not just a monster, Rio. You're our monster. And I love every part of you."

I kiss her then, deep and claiming, pouring everything I feel into the connection. When we break apart, we're both breathing hard.

"I love you too," I tell her. "More than you know."

"I know exactly how much," she corrects. "It's written in blood on the walls of some shitty apartment. It's in the way you look at me and the girls. It's in every choice you make to keep us safe."

A knock on the door interrupts us. Tor's voice carries through: "Family dinner in twenty. Runes wants everyone there."

"Guess we better get the girls," Dasha says.

"Wait." I catch her hand. "I need you to know something. What I am, what I do—it's not going to change. When this is over, there'll be another threat. Another enemy. Another reason to become the monster."

"I know."

"And you're okay with that?"

She pulls me down for another kiss. "Rio, I fell in love with all of you. The father, the protector, and yes, the monster. I'm not asking you to change. I'm asking you to let me stand beside you through it all."

"Always," I promise.

"Good. Now let's go eat dinner with our weird, violent, wonderful family."

As we walk toward the common room, hand in hand, I think about the duality of this life.

In a few hours, I tortured a man to death with my bare hands.

Now I'm about to eat dinner with my daughters and help with homework.

I'm a monster.

I'm a father.

I'm a man who'll burn the world to keep his family safe.

And for the first time in years, I'm okay with all of it.

Because Dasha's right—I'm not just a monster.

I'm their monster, and that makes a huge difference.