CHAPTER ONE
Seventeen years later…Troy, New York
The last three weeks had flown by. Deke realized as he sat alone at the table. It was early morning and he was alone. The clubhouse was quiet and he was enjoying the peace. He knew it wouldn’t be long before the peace was shattered but for now, he was enjoying it.
He looked up at the tiger murals on the walls of the club. Then chuckled as he remembered the wedding that had taken place here in front of those very murals. The look of surprise then love on Reva’s face was worth the extra effort everyone had put in. When she and Gator were exchanging their vows, Deke had gazed at his own brides’ face to find her looking back at him with that same look of astonishment on her face.
Cassie (his Spitfire) had leaned forward and whispered the same words of love as she had spoken on their wedding day.
He knew it wouldn’t be long before Izzy and Mountain exchanged their vows too. They’d wanted to be married already, but with her brother’s surgery and the aftermath of learning to walk again, had put them behind. Mountain was hoping they could get the wedding done soon. Izzy’s belly was beginning to swell and Mountain wanted to give her and the new baby his name.
Deke couldn’t help but chuckle. Picking up his cup of coffee, he lifted it high in a silent toast to the new generation of Sin’s Bastards coming up quickly. A year ago, he wouldn’t have thought it was possible but now, he loved the idea. So much had changed in his life, now he had two sisters and a brother, along with Cassie and two babies soon to be three. Life was good.
The back door opened and Cassie came in herding the twins. Little Sam and Jemmia toddled over to him and he lifted one, then the other into his lap. Kissing the tops of their heads, he looked over at the woman who meant the world to him.
Cassie smiled then winked back as she made her way to the kitchen.
The main door opened and the newlyweds came in. Gator went over to the table and lifted Jemmia off her dad’s lap. Sitting down, he looked over at Deke and grinned. “Been thinking about how our lives have changed in the last year.”
“Yeah, me too.” Deke nodded.
“Reva and I have an appointment with the social worker later today. We’re going to start adoption proceedings for Aliana, Jackie and Benny.”
Deke grinned. “That’s great man.” He held out his hand. “Congratulations.”
Gator shook it and nodded. “Do you know what Jackie boy had to say about it?”
Deke shook his head.
Gator sighed. “He said I could be his dad if he could brag to his friends about the MC. He wants to tell the bully in his class his dad is coming after him if he doesn’t leave him alone.” Gator shook his head. “Hell, I didn’t know he was being picked on before this morning. What the hell am I supposed to do about that?”
Deke grinned. “I can help you with that. You, me and some of the boys will pick the kids up tonight after school. Hey, those kids belong to you now and they have the protection of the MC, just like anyone else. It’s time to show the bully what might happen if he keeps it up.”
Gator grinned. “Yeah, we’ll scare the shit out of the kid just by showing up. I love it. I want those kids to be proud of this club and everything it stands for.”
“That’s what I want for my kids too.”
“Maybe we should start a sons and daughters club,” Reva joked as she joined them.
Cassie came behind her with food for the kids. “That sounds like a plan. It can be known as the second generation club, but the name would have to be kid friendly.”
“How about the sons and daughters of the white tiger?” Reva suggested. “Everyone in town knows what the tiger stands for.”
“That would work,” Gator agreed. “I want the kids to be proud of what we are and what we do here.”
“Maybe it’s time to bring Redemption House under the MC,” Cassie suggested.
Deke snapped his head around to stare at her for a moment. ”You mean that?”
She shrugged. “It would mean we would lose the state backing but that wouldn’t be so bad.”
Deke shook his head. “Then leave it alone. It doesn’t belong to the MC anyway. That was your dream.”
Cassie reached out and laid her hand on his arm. “But don’t I belong to the MC too?”
“You bet your ass you do.” Deke growled. “You belong to me and I am the MC.”
“Then my dream should belong too,” Cassie insisted. “What we do there reflects on the MC anyway. Everyone knows who we are.” She snickered. “The guys down at the House want vests like yours. It wouldn’t be the MC colors but they could share Rufus with you.” She looked over at the orange tiger on the wall.
Deke laughed out loud. “Yeah, they can have Rufus as long as we have the white tiger.” He looked over at the painting. “Does he have a name as well?”
Cassie turned and stared at the white tiger. “Yeah, he has a name. You’ll have to ask Melora to share it though. It’s sort of her guardian.”
“Melora huh?” Deke whispered.
“Yeah, she and I have more in common than I thought.” Cassie nodded. “So how about if I make up some vests for the kids? Do you think that would work?”
Gator grinned. “Yeah, I think that would work pretty damn good. Jackie boy would love one.”
“I think all the kids would wear them with pride,” Reva added.
“Then I’d better get busy.” Cassie grinned.
Deke handed little Sam to his mother and kissed the top of her head. “And I’d better get to work.” His hand rested lightly on her belly. “Take care of my family, little mother.”
“I will.” Cassie smiled. “You better take care too.”
Deke nodded. Turning, he walked to the front door and out into the parking lot. Out in the sunshine, he paused and glanced carefully around the compound. The hairs on the back of his head tingled briefly. Something or someone was out there watching him. He could feel it. For a moment, his gut tightened and his senses went on alert. His eyes narrowed as he did another search of the area but he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
~* * * *~
For a moment, the shadows lengthened then pulled back. The figure standing there gasped as Deke’s eyes washed over her. She’d found him! After years of waiting to grow up and then years of searching for him, she had found him. A thrill ran down her spine and before she could stop herself she took a step forward, then the door opened again and she saw a woman come out.
Deke’s arms went around her waist as he pulled her close to him and kissed her.
The woman in the shadows gasped as her heart shattered. She watched then as two small children came through the door.
Deke smiled and picked them both up. Kissing them soundly, he laughed out loud as the children giggled at him.
The woman in the shadows stepped back and watched from the safety of the woods until Deke finally swung his leg over his motorcycle and started the engine. The roar of his bike blocked out any sounds she might have heard from the compound but that was okay. It would also block out the sounds of her tears as she openly wept. Hugging the tree she was hiding behind, she sobbed as her dreams disappeared.
She’d been searching for Deke for a very long time. Seven years to be exact, ever since the day she buried her father. Leaning her head against the rough bark of the tree, she began shaking. She’d loved Deke since she was twelve years old, that fact hadn’t changed in the last seventeen years. When he left Maine, he’d taken a big piece of her heart with him. She survived only knowing the fact that one day, they would be together again.
She turned her head and watched as the woman gathered the two small children into her arms and escorted them back inside the clubhouse. With eyes narrowed, she decided she hated the woman that had taken Deke’s love from her. Her tears dried on her face as a deep rage began to build within her. Her rages of the past while bad enough was nothing like the fury inside her now. Before her soul had burned various shades of red, but this wrath burned black and threatened to consume her very soul. This might be the one rage she would never return from.
With her hands clenched into fists, she vowed then and there to bring nothing but pain and misery to the other woman. If she couldn’t have Deke, then the other woman wouldn’t either. She would see to that.
Making her way to the edge of the wooded area, her cycle sat parked there. Swinging her leg over the seat, she started the engine. Old Captain’s bike still ran like a charm. Cordy smiled and pulled out of her hiding place. She gunned the engine and raced into town. She had places to be and people to see.
Her plans might have changed a bit but she still had to get everything ready. For now, she would wait and watch carefully. When she knew more, then she would step in and act. For now though, she would just watch. It might break her heart but she would deal with that later.