Page 28 of Warrant (The Berserker’s Rage MC: Wyoming Chapter #1)

Warrant

“ Y ou have so much explaining to do-” Ainsley broke off when she saw Jared standing there. Her eyes widened as she took in all the bruises and the way the boy was holding his ribs. “And now you have even more explaining to do.”

Riding on the motorcycle behind Riggs had been torture for him since he likely had a broken rib or two, but he hadn’t said a word. He’d just gritted his teeth and held on. The kid was going to make one hell of a biker someday.

“Oh no ,” Ainsley said, her gray eyes shooting to mine. “ Warrant ,” her tone was warning.

“It’s just for a bit,” I said, giving her a charming smile.

“I already don’t know what to do with the first one you pawned off on me.”

“First one?” Jared asked, his eyes widening. He looked back at me, the hope so overwhelming that the pain in his ribs was forgotten.

The door was jerked open behind Ainsley and a blur hit Jared with the force of a small hurricane. “Jared!”

He dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around Aella. His face was buried in her shoulder, but by the way he was shaking I was sure he was crying.

I gave Ainsley a look. “You want us to separate them? Put the boy in more danger?”

She put her hands on her hips and glared at me. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re trying to guilt trip me! And what do you mean more danger?”

I pulled her away as Riggs knelt down and hugged both his kids. “Look,” I told her. “I’m sorry about this, but we have no one else to go to right now. They need someone who can protect them.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Fine,” she snapped, her eyes straying toward the little family and softening. They hardened again as she looked back at me. “Under one condition.”

“No problem,” I told her, grabbing her into my arms, dipping her back and kissing her until we were both breathless. When I came up for air, she smacked at my chest.

“That wasn’t the condition,” she complained. She put her hand in my face before I could kiss her again. “But it helped.”

“Fine,” I told her with a smile. She was still in my arms and didn’t seem concerned with moving. “What do you want?”

“You tell me what happened here.”

I opened my mouth to protest.

“Once it’s over,” she said, cutting me off. “Once these kids are safe I want to know everything . You can’t keep things from me.”

Eyeing her warily, I gritted my teeth. Sighing, I told her, “I don’t think you do want to know, Baby Girl.”

“It’s not a matter of want, I need to know. This is my town now.”

Glancing over, I watched as Riggs and the others took the kids into the house, leaving us alone.

I cupped Ainsley’s cheek. If I told her everything it was going to drive her even further away from me.

But I wasn’t kidding before. I didn’t have anywhere else to stash these kids where they’d be safe.

Not like they would be with her. My woman could handle herself and anything that came at her.

I knew it with every ounce of my being. I trusted her fully.

Knowing what the trust could cost me, I still couldn’t put the threat of losing her, even permanently, over the well-being of these kids. Sighing again, I nodded.

She held up her pinky and arched a dark brow at me. “Swear it.”

Chuckling at that, I jerked her a bit closer, enjoying the gasp of shock that came from her. “I’d rather kiss on it.”

This time when our lips met, she kissed me back.

I didn’t give a shit that we were standing in her front yard where anyone who drove by could see.

As soon as this was all over, I planned to officially make Ainsley mine.

Wasn’t sure how I was going to get around her stubborn insistence that we couldn’t work, but I’d figure it out.

As much as I didn’t want to, I eventually let her go. We still had shit bags to find, and the rest of the club would be waiting for us. I walked Ainsley inside and she sighed softly as we stopped in her living room. “What?”

“These poor kids. I don’t even know what they’ve been through, but-” She eyed Jared.

“They’re okay,” I told her in a quiet voice. “Once this is all over, Riggs will take them home to their mom and they’ll forget all this ever happened. Eventually.”

“Aella is a great kid,” she said with a soft smile.

I chuckled. “I knew she’d grow on you.”

“Doesn’t mean I want you dropping kids off at my place on a weekly basis,” she warned.

“No kids, deal.”

Not for a while anyway.

I didn’t say the second part out loud. No need to freak her out, but I was already imagining a toddler with her solemn gray eyes and dark hair.

We’d make beautiful babies and I had every intention of doing so with her.

But telling her my future plans would have my sheriff running for the hills, so I stayed quiet.

After about ten minutes of just watching Riggs and Jared play with Aella, I cleared my throat. Everyone looked my way. “We should get going. The others will be finished with-” I paused and looked over at Ainsley. “Their work,” I continued as vaguely as I could. “They’ll be ready to keep looking.”

“You’ll be fine here,” Riggs said, cupping Aella’s cheek but he was looking at his son. “Take care of your sister.”

“I will, Dad,” Jared said, determination written all over his face.

We all headed toward the door and I stopped and knelt as Beau came walking out of the back of the house. He sat next to me, his heavy tail thumping the floor. “Take care of them, Boy.”

Ainsley rolled her eyes. “He sleeps all day and night. I’m not even sure he’d know if someone broke in.”

I grinned at her. “Don’t you talk that way about my guy here,” I told her. “You have no idea what he’s capable of.”

She frowned at that, but I wiped it away by hauling her close and kissing her once more. I wasn’t sure how long it was going to be before I saw her again. Hopefully we’d wrap this up quickly, but these fuckers had proven to be slippery. Either way, I had lost time to make up for with her.

“Let’s go,” Steel said with a shake of his head. “You can make out with her later.”

“Give the guy a break,” Axel told his friend.

Grinning at him, I said, “I like you. I’ll remember you’re around from now on.”

Axel cursed and walked out the door.

“What?” Ainsley asked, confused.

“Eh, everyone forgets about Axel,” I told her. When her brow furrowed even more, I shook my head. “Never mind. Inside joke. Thanks, Ains. We’ll be back soon.”

She leaned against the doorframe as I walked outside. She waited until I was halfway across the small front yard. “Warrant!”

I looked back at her. There was worry written all over her face. “I’ll be fine, Baby Girl.”

“Be careful,” she said with a sigh.

“I like that you’re worried about me.”

“I’m worried about the paperwork I’ll have to do if you get yourself killed,” she countered, but it was obvious the woman was head over heels for me. She just didn’t realize it yet. Or was too stubborn to admit it.

Winking at her, I turned and got on my bike.

The crew that took our kids—because they belonged to all of us now—were going to die regretting every choice they’d made that brought them here.

I’d make sure of it. Then I’d come home to my woman and spend the next week in bed with her, making everything up to her.

I was about to take off from Ainsley’s when I saw Owen pull up in his squad car. “Hey, go and meet the others,” I called out to Riggs. “I’ll be right behind you.”

He nodded and the three took off down the road.

Turning off my bike, I got off and walked over to the car. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he said. “You’ve been MIA.”

“Sorry. Working on something.”

He nodded. “Figured that out.”

“What are you doing here?” I asked, looking between him and the house.

“You being busy but local, I can put two and two together. Met the kid,” he said with a shrug. “Thought maybe having some of us deputies hanging here could be helpful. Make sure everyone is safe.”

“That’s really helpful,” I told him. “I should’ve thought to ask.”

“You don’t need to ask. You’d do the same for me.”

“I would,” I agreed. “Keep your head on a swivel. What we’re doing is potentially dangerous.”

He nodded. “Always is with you guys.”

“Oh,” I said, pausing before walking away. “Do me a favor.”

“What’s that?”

“Switch phones with me.”

He blinked at me as he dug his cell out of the cargo pocket on the side of his pants. “Why are we switching phones?” He dropped it into my hand and took mine when offered.

“My sheriff there is a smart lady,” I said, jerking my head toward Ainsley’s house. “She’s going to eventually think of tracking my phone. I need to not be tracked for the next couple of hours, maybe days.”

Owen snorted out a laugh. “Yeah, fine, just don’t break it.”

“Why does everyone think I break shit?”

“Because you do,” he replied, arching a brow.

“That’s Demo. The fucker is as graceful as a bull in a china shop.”

“Yeah, and where you are, Demo usually is. So don’t break my damn phone.”

Waving it at him, I walked away. Knowing he was watching I tossed it from hand to hand, then dropped it. I caught it right before it hit the sidewalk. Turning, I laughed as Owen flipped me off.

I got back on my bike and pulled away from the curb. It was time to go handle some business.