Jake
I wanted this to be like any other time I relaxed in the clubhouse with my biker buddies, but there was no denying that things were different this time. Not only had there been that screw-up with Brian, but today was the day that Halley and Cole came to the clubhouse to meet everyone. And I was practically buzzing with nervousness. What if they didn't like her? What if they didn't think my sacrifices for them were worth it? What if something happened to Cole? Not that I thought anything would happen to the boy, but … well, I was a father now, and I couldn't help worrying.
I wondered again if this was maybe too big a step to take. I should have introduced the two of them to Frank first, in private, before I brought them here to the clubhouse. I should have–
But it was too late for 'should haves' now. I hadn't introduced them to Frank first, and now there was nothing here to ease my worry.
“Hey,” Bryce said, slipping into a seat beside me and reaching out to squeeze my shoulder. “Look, I don't know what kind of monster the kid is. You said he's seven, right? But I met Halley at the shop, remember? And she was perfectly lovely then. You've got nothing to worry about. Unless you're so insecure that you think half these guys are going to actually be sleeping with her by the end of the week, because with legs like that, well, you'd be lucky to have things otherwise.”
I couldn't help but laugh a little at that. Good ol' Bryce. I could always count on him to be there to lighten the mood. I grinned over at him. “Just make sure that you're not the one sleeping with her at the end of the week,” I said, my tone mock-stern.
Bryce gave a sketchy salute. “Aye aye, captain,” he said cheekily.
I laughed and shook my head. But before I could respond, there was Halley, walking confidently into the room.
To everyone else, she appeared cocky, that was. I could see the nervousness in her eyes and around the edges of her smile. I could see the way she kept glancing down at Cole as though worried about his own reaction. I could see the way ... well, there was just tension, in every line of her body. It wasn't natural.
Her eyes searched the room, and she looked relieved when they found mine. She made her way over to me, and I stood to meet her.
“Hey,” I said to her, in a quiet undertone. I knelt down next to Cole. “Hey buddy, how are you?”
“Okay,” he answered, sounding nearly as worried as Halley looked.
I smiled at him, hoping to reassure him. “Hey, that doesn't sound too happy—did you know this place has a TV screen as big a movie theater?”
His eyes became saucers in their sockets, and he glanced back at his mom. “Really?” he asked.
And Halley, bless her, had taken my advice. She pulled out the latest animated movie from her purse. “I brought you something to watch while Jake and I have adult conversations with the others,” she said.
Jake's eyes lit up, but then he frowned. “Don't want to leave you,” he muttered, practically pasting himself to Halley's side.
Halley looked stricken at that, biting her lower lip.
“Hey, bud,” I said, reaching out to him. He reluctantly came closer to me, and I clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You know me, right?” He nodded mutely. “And do you think I would ever do anything to hurt your mama?”
After a long moment, Cole shook his head. “You beat up Daddy 'cause you thought he was being mean,” he said slowly.
I winced but nodded. “That's right,” I said. I looked pointedly around the room. “And if any of these guys gave your mom a hard time, I'm going to be right here with her, okay? So you can trust me to keep her safe.”
Cole cocked his head to the side for a long time, considering me carefully. Finally, he nodded slowly. “Okay,” he said. “But if you don't help her...”
One of the bikers gave a low whistle. “Pity the poor boy who tries to take home his sister one day!”
Cole, for his part, looked a little confused at that comment, but he let me lead him into the other room and get him settled in front of the large screen that was up on the wall. As Halley and I left the room, he was giggling at whatever was happening in front of him.
“Thanks for that,” Halley said under her breath as we rejoined the others. “I needed that for him.”
I smiled gently over at her. “Any time. I mean it.”
“Thanks,” she said again.
I led her out into the living room again. “Everyone, this is Halley.”
Bryce was the first person to come up and introduce himself. “Hi,” he said. “You might remember me from Reaper Custom Choppers—I work for Jake.”
And then it was Frank. “Hello,” he said, squeezing Halley's hand in his firm grip. “I'm Frank, the head of this chapter of the Devil's Route MC. Jake has been like a son to me.”
On and on it went, each member coming up to shake hands with her, and I could tell Halley was probably not going to remember a single name by the end of the night. The only person who was conspicuously absent was Max.
I leaned towards Frank, just as we were wrapping up the whole thing. “Hey,” I said, quietly so that no one else could overhear. “Where's Max?”
Frank pursed his lips, looking around the group as though his son might suddenly disappear. “I don't know,” he said finally.
I frowned and folded my arms over my chest, wondering what the kid was plotting now.