Page 8 of Panther’s Magpie (Mountain River MC #1)
CHAPTER
SEVEN
MAGGIE
I stretch as I wake up once again in the same bed that I’ve been sleeping in.
I should be freaking out that I practically had to drop out of school and move into a clubhouse full of men, but I’m not.
Dare I say that I am even enjoying this?
That would be crazy, though, right?
It’s now been two weeks since I arrived, and I’m starting to settle in. I’m understanding these guys more and more each day. They are even talking with me more. Well, at least some of them are.
Like when I asked Eagle why they didn’t party here like in the romance books I’ve read. He only laughed at me a little as he told me that Panther bought a bar for the raunchy shit. They only hold celebrations in the clubhouse now. It’s meant to be more chill.
I have to admit, I like the chill part of this life. I also like that no matter what time of day it is, I can find one of the brothers here. Even if it’s walking down to the gate to talk to whoever is guarding that day.
I shouldn’t love it here, but I do. I love that I’m never alone. I don’t have the opportunity to feel depressed at all.
The only thing missing is Aspen. God, I wish she were here.
I wonder if she knew that she had this the whole time. Did she hide this from me?
I love the girl to death, but she can be very possessive over the things she views as hers. I believe that she would have kept this whole family from me. It hurts to think of it, but I understand why.
I didn’t lead her life. I might have been emotionally abandoned by my family, but I’ve never had to fight to survive like her.
Not liking my thoughts, I head out to find someone to hang out with. For the first time, I see a woman here.
“Uh. Hello?” I call out.
She turns and smiles at me. “Hey. Are you the refugee?”
I frown. “Is that what they call me?”
Maybe these guys don’t like having me around as much as I like being around.
“No, but you kind of are one. You had to flee to safety. I don’t know, it sounded good to me.”
She’s not wrong.
I sigh. “Yes, I’m the refugee stuck in a prison that’s not really a prison.”
She laughs. “I’m Rain. My dad is a member.”
“Oh, are you today’s warden?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “Nah. Meek is around here somewhere. I didn’t feel like being at home, so I ended up here.”
“Is it bad there?” I ask her.
“Not the way you think. My dad has cancer. He’s still fighting it, but some days are harder than others. Today is a hard one.” She looks down at her hands.
“I’m sorry. I don’t understand because I’ve never been through it, but I am still sorry you have to experience that.”
“Thank you.” She is quiet a moment before she pats the barstool next to her. “So you are Aspen’s best friend? Hooker was holding out on me. You are gorgeous.”
“Uh, you know Aspen?”
The thoughts from before filter in. Aspen really did hide this world from me. That fucking hurts.
“Yeah. She didn’t tell you? I guess she liked to keep secrets, huh? I didn’t know you existed either. I came and visited last summer. I remember seeing pictures of you at the apartment, but she said you were a roommate.”
I nod. “Roommate. Best friend. Same thing, right?”
“No. Not the same thing. Don’t take this personally. I learned the first time I met Aspen that she holds her cards close to her heart. If she didn’t tell me about you, it’s because she thought she was protecting you.”
“Or herself,” I mutter.
“Or that. She is a possessive one, isn’t she?” She laughs.
“You know she never wanted me to hang out at her house when we were younger. She would say it wasn’t nice there, but I think it was because she didn’t want the attention on me.
Same reason I never really got to know Calloway.
She keeps all of the parts of her life separate,” I tell her, realizing the truth now.
Aspen is damaged, but not beyond repair. I wonder if she invited me on this trip to try and bridge that gap. She did say this was important to her.
“Calloway, huh?” Rain wiggles her eyebrows at me.
I wince. I have been calling him Panther, even in my head, since Eagle warned me, but I slipped up.
“That is his name. Unless she lied about that too,” I joke.
“Oh no, it is. Members don’t allow people to use their real names unless they are close or intimate.”
I gape at her. “Excuse me? So if I call him Calloway, people will think I’m sleeping with him?”
She laughs. “Pretty much. Don’t let them see you on his bike. It’ll be over for good.”
I swallow hard. He has had me on his bike, though. What the fuck?
“Okay, you are panicking. I’m picking on you. You knew him before he was Panther, so maybe he doesn’t mind you calling him his real name. Maybe don’t do it in front of the others.”
I vaguely remember Eagle saying the same thing.
“And the bike thing? Because I’ve been on his.”
She waves me off. “For the most part, they don’t let random women on their bike, but you’re his sister’s best friend and under his care at the moment. Besides, aren’t you, like, ten years younger than him?”
“Seven,” I mumble as I look down.
“So yeah. He probably thinks of you as his sister. Don’t let it stress you out. I’m sorry I even said anything,” Rain says confidently.
The words should comfort me, but they don’t. Instead they sting, hitting me where I least expect them to.
I don’t want to be like a little sister to him.
Do I?
When did this get so confusing?
“What are you ladies talking about?”
I freeze as I hear his voice.
This is about to go from bad to worse.
Fuck my life.
PANTHER
I didn’t expect to see Rain and Maggie bonding as I came back to the clubhouse today, but I can’t say I hate it.
Rain has been the only girl around this clubhouse for far too long. If I were to admit it to myself, I like having Maggie around.
Not only is she funny and smart, but she brings a softness to the clubhouse that I think we need.
Back before I bought the bar, this place was a pigsty.
Every night there was a party with alcohol covering almost every square inch of the place.
Between that and the half-naked women strolling around, well, it wasn’t a place I would want to bring Aspen, that’s for sure.
I didn’t blame Mustang for not bringing Rain around either.
When I pitched it to the guys, I said it was a security risk. We were opening our gates every single night to women that we had no idea who they were. Sure, Meek was quick to run their names as soon as they handed over their IDs at the gate, but still, it wasn’t the best way to keep our place safe.
So I bought the bar, had this place deep cleaned multiple times, then made it a rule.
Only old ladies and family were allowed in the clubhouse.
Maggie was granted a pass for the reason she was here, but usually we wouldn’t have even allowed her in.
A friend of a family member isn’t a reason to be in our space.
This is our sanctuary. The place we should be able to come to feel safe.
To see Rain here for the first time on her own, I’m glad I made that decision. She felt safe enough to come here by herself, and that’s what I wanted.
“What are you ladies talking about?” I ask.
I don’t miss how Maggie’s back goes ramrod straight. Rain has humor in her eyes.
“Aspen. She sure knows how to get herself into trouble. She was telling me stories about their childhood.”
“Oh yeah? Which one?” I quirk an eyebrow.
“When she snuck over and stayed at my house and you met us at school the next day.” Maggie looks over at me.
“Yeah, that wasn’t funny. I thought she had run away or something bad had happened to her. I stayed out all night looking for her. Eagle too. I only waited at school hoping she would show, but I didn’t think she would,” I tell them.
Maggie’s eyes soften. “I didn’t know you stayed out all night. All she told me was that you yelled at her but that you cared, and that’s all that mattered to her.”
“I did care. She was a little girl who needed protecting. I guess that was the day I took her in as my little sister,” I tell her.
“It meant the world to her. She probably never told you that, though. I’m learning that Aspen never told people about herself truly,” Maggie says low, glancing back at Rain.
“I should get going. I only wanted to stop in and see our little refugee. I’m glad you are cool. The last girl that stuck around this place was a real see you next Tuesday.”
I roll my eyes. “You can call Ava a cunt. I won’t stop you, Rain.”
Rain gasps. “I am just a child. Don’t use those words around me.”
“I’ve heard your father use the word to describe your mother on more than one occasion with you in the room. Somehow I think your delicate ears will be okay.”
She laughs. “You got me. I’ll check in later in the week. Call me if you need anything. Here’s my number.”
Rain takes out a piece of gum, popping it in her mouth before writing her number on the back of the wrapper.
“Thanks. It was nice meeting you,” Maggie says.
“You too.” She stops next to me, whispering, “Be gentle with her. I like her.”
I roll my eyes as I mess up her hair, making her pull away and run toward the door.
“Menace,” I call out.
She flips me off before heading out the door.
“I should go too,” Maggie says.
“Or we could have breakfast together?” I ask.
She smiles. “Okay. I could cook us something.”
I shake my head. “Come watch the master.”
She follows me into the kitchen as I set out to make French toast.
“Where did you learn to cook?” she asks.
“Growing up in foster care. A lot of the families were too busy to make real meals, so I taught myself how to cook. Stole a lot of the ingredients at first, but I think God will forgive me for a little thievery.” I look over and wink at her.
“Aspen never told me much about you. Sometimes she would mention you when bragging about having you around, but she tried to keep you away from me. I always wondered why.”
I don’t want to admit it, but I do. “I didn’t even know you really existed. I mean, I remember the day she got into the fight with that bully and you were there, but I forgot that she stayed at your house that night. You were part of her life more than I realized,” I admit to her.
“We spent every day together, pretty much. From the moment she moved in with the Rices. She became the one person I could count on,” Maggie admits softly.
“I’m sure she loves you. She wouldn’t have spent all that time with you if not.”
She shrugs. “I think she’s lonelier than she lets on. She doesn’t even truly let anyone in. I mean, we have been friends for over twelve years, and I’m starting to realize there are parts of her I never knew.”
I sigh. “Yeah, well, if it makes you feel any better, I think you know her better than anyone on this planet.”
“Yeah. Maybe.”
I leave her with her thoughts as I finish breakfast, the mood now somber. When I slide onto the stool next to her, opting to eat at the large kitchen island, I reach out and squeeze her hand.
“We all have our own demons. It doesn’t make her love you any less.”
She smiles at me, letting her head rest on my shoulder. “She doesn’t love you any less either.”
Then we eat in the comfortable silence, both thinking about the girl who ties us together.