Page 26

A few days after we hold church and Joker has the run details in place, we prepare to head out. We’re hitting the Florida location first, since it’s the closest to us.

Birdie watches me carefully as I finish the breakfast she made. “Do you think he’s really going to be there?”

I haven’t told her much about our plans, but enough to satisfy her.

The hot coffee scalds my tongue as I swallow the last of my cup down.

“Doubtful, but it’s the closest, so it’d be stupid not to check it.

There’s going to be brothers here around the clock.

Manic is bringing Valkyrie and Devereaux to stay with you all while we’re gone.

The gun safe is still in the closet. The code is the same.

If anyone shows up who isn’t wearing our colors, use it.

Everyone knows what’s going on and they know to identify themselves if they need to approach for any reason. ”

Her forehead creases in concern. “Please be careful. Frankie is dangerous.”

I carry my empty plate and cup to the sink before turning to her.

She’s different since she and Cyanide had their talk.

Whatever this is between us is brittle as hell.

She seeks me out at night to satiate her need or to help her fight her demons away.

She stays long enough for us to get off, and then she’s climbing out of my bed to head back to hers.

I don’t push her. I continue to let her take the lead, no matter how much I want control. She needs to see that I’m trying.

Birdie is slowly coming into herself, and it’s fucking beautiful.

Instead of pulling her to me like I want to, I open my arms for her to make the choice. She only hesitates for a second before stepping into them. My hands go straight into the back pockets of her cut-off jean shorts, and my chin rests on her head.

“I’ll be as careful as I can, little mama.”

When I pull away, she has her bottom lip tucked between her teeth, her eyes swirling with indecision.

Then she fists her hand in my shirt and pulls as she lifts to her toes.

Her mouth brushes against mine hesitantly.

Fire licks along my spine at the feel of her lips against mine.

With a guttural groan, I pull her closer and snake my tongue into her mouth.

Our first kiss in seven fucking years.

It’s a motherfucking homecoming.

Eventually, she slides her mouth from mine with a blissful sigh. Her eyes hold a dreamy quality to them as she runs her index finger over her wet lips.

Fuck, I’m unable to peel my gaze from her.

I bracket her waist, my thumbs caressing the bare skin that peeks out between her shorts and cropped t-shirt. “Thank you.”

Her nose scrunches in that cute fucking way it used to in the past and I chuckle, giving the tip of it a peck with my lips.

She sighs. “Come back safely. The kids would be sad if something happened to you.”

I raise a brow. “Just the kids?”

Birdie narrows her eyes and pulls away. “Yes.”

I’m so much of a gentleman that I won’t point out that she’s a big juicy ass liar. Emphasis on the juicy ass. So delicious.

Anyway, I’m sure that’d be impolite or some shit. Anyone who knows me will know just how polite I am. Okay, so they’ll say impolite, but same difference.

“Love, G-Man, come give your dad hugs,” Birdie hollers.

Two sets of bare feet smack against the hardwood as they race to the kitchen. I brace myself for their little bodies when they barrel into me. Their arms anchor around my waist from each side, and I drop my arms to squeeze them tight.

“Are you going to be okay, Daddy?” Lovelyn asks.

“I’ll do my best, sugar pop.”

She giggles at the new nickname, and I smile, running my hand over her hair.

“Stay safe, Dad.”

“Will do, little warrior.”

They walk me out to my bike, giving me one last hug before I head to the clubhouse. I don’t look back as I pull out of the driveway because then I’ll fucking hesitate leaving them.

Finding Frankie is too important.

The club is buzzing with activity when I slide through the gates.

“How are we looking?” I ask Malice when I climb from the bike.

“Crates are loaded in the cage. Bikes are in top shape and ready to roll. Brothers are securing their homes. Once they’re here, we’ll be good to ride out.”

“Heard. I’m gonna run through some shit in the office while we wait. Let me know when everyone is present.”

Unfortunately, before I get to the office, Spunky and Dimples waylay me.

“Pope,” Spunky purrs, reaching out to touch me. “You look a little tense. Let us help before you leave.”

Coldness hits my core, and my lip curls in a snarl.

I catch her wrist between my fingers and sling her hand away from me.

“I have never touched either of you. Why the hell do you think I’d want your fucking snatch now?

Either of you come at me with this shit again, you’ll be out on your ass.

There’s plenty of dick around here. Go hop on one of those because you’ll never have mine. Understood?”

Ice drips from my words as I stare at them with eyes even colder.

“Come on, Spunky,” Dimples pleads. “I told you this was a bad idea.”

“You should’ve listened to her,” I tell Spunky then speak to Dimples.

“Next time, don’t follow her like you’re her bitch, because now you’re complicit in this fucking stunt.

You’re both on bathroom cleaning for two weeks.

You crossed a boundary I set in place a long time ago. Get out of my fucking face.”

Anger flashes in one set of eyes while something dark and hesitant sparks in the other, but neither says a word. They scurry away with their heads down.

Very smart of them, really, because I want to cut off both their hands to teach them a lesson about consent.

I don’t get much work done before Malice texts to let me know the others have made it.

After updating the brothers who are staying behind, fifty of us roll out the gates in formation, with Joker taking the lead.

According to Cypher and Joker’s information, we shouldn’t encounter any rival clubs, so our colors stay for the ride.

The roar of our pipes garners attention as we pass.

People watch us glide by in varying expressions of awe, fear, and enjoyment.

Little kids bounce excitedly next to their guardians when we acknowledge them with waves.

It’s nice to not see so much fucking judgement of us for a change.

Despite what we could be possibly heading into, we enjoy the hell out of the freedom being on the open road gives us.

This is how we spread our fucking wings and fly.

We’re vigilantes on steel steeds delivering retribution with the strike of my gavel.

About a mile from our destination, we coast into the parking lot of an abandoned building.

“Grab any weapons from the cage that you can conceal for the rest of our ride. We don’t know what we’re riding into, and we need to be ready,” I order, climbing from my bike and heading to the back of the cage.

Cyanide passes me my precious, and I run my hand over her shiny blade lovingly.

“Hey, there, pretty girl,” I croon. “Did you miss Daddy?”

Malice shakes his head at me and passes the holder I had commissioned so I can carry my girl on my back. I’d be a neglectful father if I didn’t ensure she was strapped in properly.

“Don’t worry, my precious, I’ll feed you soon,” I promise, the anticipation for spilling blood sending a thrilling rush of adrenaline flooding my veins.

That same hunger lights my brothers’ faces as we climb back onto our bikes.

There’s a stillness in the air as we pull down the road that leads to the house Birdie shared with Frankie. Electricity dances along my skin in warning, and I cast my eyes about as we slow.

I form the letter ‘d’ with my right hand and then lift it above my head, twirling it in a circle to warn them that danger is in the air.

Bike engines throttle down as my brothers go alert, trusting the instinct I’ve had for as long as any of us can remember.

There’s no sign of anyone, but the hair on my arms warns me to stay vigilant.

When I was here five years ago, the subdivision was bustling with life. Now, houses sit abandoned, neglect showing in the overgrown yards.

The only house that isn’t in a state of disrepair is Frankie’s.

Did he fucking isolate her out here? Why didn’t Cypher pick that up?

Joker signals for us to spread out along the empty road in front of Frankie’s house while me, Malice, and Cyanide pull straight into the driveway.

The sound of bike engines fades from the air as we shut them off, leaving us in eerie silence.

Cypher climbs from his bike and jogs over to the cage, grabbing his laptop setup from the front. He sets it on the hood, and his finger flies over the keyboard.

He and Bugsy were supposed to be heading back to bring their partners home, but they got a call last night that they’re all packed up in the moving trucks and are already heading this way. We sent some brothers out to meet them to lead them safely home while Bugsy and Cypher did the run with us.

I keep my eyes peeled for trouble as I climb from my bike and head to him.

“I’m sorry, Prez,” he mutters. “I don’t know how the hell I missed this. I should have been aware of all these empty houses.

“Don’t beat yourself up.”

The back of my neck prickles as if a thousand tiny spider legs dance across it.

Cypher, Malice, and Cyanide must feel the alertness in my body because they come to attention next to me. Their hands fall to the weapons at their waists.

“Someone has me in their sights,” I murmur, sliding the gun from my shoulder holster.

I let out one long whistle and two short ones to warn the rest of the brothers. As a unit, they unholster their weapons and turn back-to-back to stand at the ready.

“Drone is in the air,” Joker says in a low tone.