Final Ride Fallen Angel's MC 4 (14 page)

“The kid? You think he’ll flip and give out info that you were
there?” Shaking my head, I don’t think he will. I saw him, felt
him. The fear that shook that kid from the inside out was
nothing I’ve witnessed before.

“He ain’t sayin’ shit.” Walking away from the two of them, I
need a break. I need a drink, and I need to make this right in my
head. I’m not the one pulling the fucking trigger, but it still
needs to make sense.

Chapter 34

Creed

Is this wrong? This whole fucking thing? There’s no way in hell
that Rit would leave some kid in charge of that much C4. It just
doesn’t sit right with me.

Cher walks into the club with Heather in her arms. My heart
leaps as I fly off the stool and straight toward her.

 

“How’s my baby girl?” Taking her from Cher, I kiss her head,
smiling down at her. Damn, that is one beautiful little girl.

 

“Thanks Cher.” She smiles and nods before passing me the
diaper bag.

“Jada will be here in a while. I told her to take her time and get a
shower. Pull herself together. I’ll keep Heather tonight so you
guys can talk.” Shaking my head, I don’t know how she did it. I
don’t know how she got her to come back, but I can’t thank her
enough.

“Thank you. I know shit’s hard around here, and I hate that you
and Jada are in this. You two were never the type.” Cher throws
her hand up before she speaks.

“It’s hard Creed. You guys don’t get it. We never know if you
guys are going to come back in one piece. Look at Dougie. We
worry, we get scared. You have to understand that there’s a
fear that sits in the back of our minds, even when you just go to
the store for cigarettes. It doesn’t leave.” I never thought this
through. I know she worries but even over the little things, I
didn’t realize that.

“I get it, but how do I make her feel more comfortable? I don’t
know what the fuck to do here, Cher.” Cher wraps her arm
around my waist before she looks up at me.

“There’s nothing you
can do
, Creed. You can reassure her that
you’ll come back, but this is something she has to work out in
her own head.” I never heard Cher talk like this. This was never
a role she would have taken.

“You have that shit worked out in your head? With Tank?” Cher
smiles and nods before she steps away from me.

“I do. He has my heart Creed, and I have his. His time isn’t going
to end before it’s supposed to. Plus, I have all of you now.” With
a wink, I watch her walk away as calm as can be. I don’t
understand that woman at all.
Looking down at my daughter, I think to myself. This is the
reason I want us in more legitimate situations. I don’t want that
fear to be there forever. I want reassurance that one day we can
go out and have no worries about a rival trying to take us out.
That’s the plan anyway.

“Is that my baby?” Bella squeals before I look up and see her
running straight toward me.

 

Snatching Heather out of my arms, I smile.

 

“You’re goin’ to be a good mother one day, Bella.” Her eyes are
bright, but there is a sadness that I can’t place in there too.

 

“I don’t know about that. I love
these
babies though!” Kissing
Heather’s head a million times, my heart settles in my chest.

“They
are
a good group of kids. That includes you. I don’t think
we give you enough credit around here. You’re always there
when we need you darlin’, and that means the world to us. To
me.” Bella’s eyes come to rest on mine. She looks like she wants
to say more, but she doesn’t.

“That means a lot to me Creed. You’re the best uncle I could ask
for. This club, you guys. It all means so much to me. It’s my first
home. It’s the first time I felt like I belonged somewhere.” I lean
in and kiss her cheek before I see movement out of the corner
of my eye.

Pulling back, I see her.
“Jada.” Her name slides from my lips like silk.
Chapter 35

 

Ryker

“Are you ok? You look off.” Jersey watches me carefully as I do
my push-ups. Lately, this is my go to when I need to work out
some pent up stress.

“Yep. Don’t I look sexy?” Locking my arms at the elbow, I turn to
glance at her with a shit eating grin on my face.

“You know damn good and well that you are the sexiest thing
I’ve ever seen.” I watch her lick her lips before going back to my
work out.

Sweat drips from my forehead, puddling on the floor beneath
me. Thoughts swarm my head. It’s a kid that isn’t a threat, but I
need to take him out. I don’t know why all of the sudden
something like that bothers me, until I hear that little angel of
mine cry.
Jersey moves to pick up Ansley, then it all makes sense. That’s
someone’s kid. That’s someone’s brother. He’s innocent in all
this shit.

“Think you can calm daddy down?” I smile when I hear Jersey
talking to our daughter. I love the things she says to her.

 

I push myself up and stand, before grabbing the towel off the
bed wiping myself off.

“I know I’ve never talked to you about a lot of shit that runs
around in my head, but I want to ask you somethin’.” Looking
over at Jersey, her eyes light up. She loves the fact that I’m
offering to talk to her. That doesn’t happen very often.

“You can talk to me about anything Ryker.” Nodding, I scrub the
towel over my face and down my beard.

“There’s a decision that’s been made. I don’t know how well it
sits with me. There’s a silent understandin’ though with another
brother. If I go rogue on this, I don’t know where the fuck that
leaves me.” I don’t look at her. I can’t. I want so much to tell her
what’s going on, but there’s no way in hell that I can do that.

“You’ve always done your own thing Ryker. Since the day you
busted into my room, I’ve known it. What makes this any
different?” Finally looking up into those sexy eyes of hers, I
rethink it all.

“My place in this club could be at risk. Opportunities that we
have here might be gone. I don’t know where the fuck that
would leave me darlin’.” Jersey looks down at Ansley before
stepping closer to me.

“That would leave you with me and your daughter. We would
figure it out. If this is something that is eating away at your
heart, don’t do it. You won’t like the regret that you would have
to live with.” Kissing my cheek, I smile at her.

“I’ve never been one to have a heart darlin’.” Jersey giggles
softly before looking back at me.

“You’ve always had a heart. Sometimes it fades, but it’s never
completely gone. It’s always there.” I watch Jersey’s ass as she
bends over the crib to lay Ansley back in it.

Walking over, I wrap my hands around her waist and pull her
against me. Jersey stands up and straightens out before turning
her head to the side.

Her lips brush over mine but I know she has more to say, I can
see it.

 

“Say it Jersey.” Her smile melts me inside, like it always does.

“I want you to be happy. I want you to have a clear conscience
with whatever you choose to do. I know some things don’t
make sense to me, but in this world they do. Just make sure
your heart can handle it ok?” Damn, I love this woman. I love
her more than the air I breathe.

“You know what my heart can handle? You Jersey. I love you
more than you could ever know.”
Chapter 36

 

Tank

Wandering outside the clubhouse, my brain is going crazy. That
kid hasn’t left my mind in days. The closer we get to moving in
on that warehouse, the worse it gets.

Shit’s changing inside of me. A million things vie for attention,
but the constant remains on him. I’ve never been the type to
care if it was a younger kid when we went into these things, but
there’s something about that one that strikes a nerve. I saw it in
Ryker too.

“You want my opinion?” Ryker leans against the wall with a
cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

“You’re goin’ to give it anyway.” Shrugging, he blows out a ring
of smoke.
“Yeah, that’s true. I don’t like this kid thing any more than you.
You want to tell me why in the fuck this is botherin’ me the way
it is?” Leaning against the wall next to him, I don’t know if I have
the answer to that.

“Maybe because we’re all dyin’ slowly. We see ourselves in
those kids.” Ryker chuckles before looking over at me.

 

“You know I don’t see myself in that little fucker. I saw what I
could have been.” Nodding, that makes sense too.

 

“Yeah, that might be it too. Either way, it’s off brother.” I can
feel it. He knows this shit is wrong.

“Where would that leave me, Tank? Where does the loyalty
lie?” Ryker’s eyes close as he takes a drag from his cigarette.
With his head tilted back, the world spins.

Ryker’s always been the loyal type. It’s his life. It’s
our
life.

“No one has that answer, but lately I’ve been wonderin’ the
same goddamn thing. When the hell does it end though?” Ryker
doesn’t look over before blowing out a ring of smoke.

“Maybe this is my hell. It’s where I belong.” Ryker shoves off the
wall and walks away leaving me to my own thoughts.

 

“What’s that about?” Creed steps up next to me passing me a
beer that I gladly take.

“Confusion. We all have that shit at one point, yeah?” Creed
moves to stand in front of me before I look at him.
“Say it Tank. You’ve never held back. What the hell’s goin’ on?”
Scrubbing my hand over my head, I look around. How do I tell
him we’re drowning?

“I don’t like the shit with the kid. I get we voted, it’s the way of
the club. You saw him though.” Creed swallows hard before
punching the wall next to me. I step aside and let him take his
frustrations out on it. Better than fighting with me.

Punch, after punch, until blood drips down his knuckles.
Leaning forward, he rests his head against the wall.

“There’s days when I wish I was never voted in Tank. Days I wish
I didn’t have to make these choices. It’s fucked up brother! My
heart, and my head, rip me the fuck apart!” He screams out his
anger and I feel for him.

As much as he’s been putting into this club, it’s sucking his life
right back out.

 

“Go inside Creed. Take a break.” Slapping my hand on his
shoulder, I think we’re all about to hit rock bottom.