“What the hell, Shine?” I knew this was coming, but I don’t give a damn. Cap said she was hands off as in sex, not as in claiming.

“I want her. I want her as mine. She needs me.” Makes perfect sense to me.

“We’re all going to help her. She has us now. You don’t need to do this. You are not what she needs. You stick your cock in anything with a hole. Do you think you can change that? She doesn’t come off as the kind of girl up for that. I don’t even know if she knows what a motorcycle club is, and I doubt she’s even been on a bike. Not your type at all.”

Cap don’t get it. She’s under my skin. I saw the way she lives. She always wants to do the right thing. She’s tough and it shows by how she has survived, but she has a sweetness and innocence about her. She has brought out the protectiveness in me. I’ve never had sweet, and I want it more than anything right now. I don’t just want her, I need her.

“I don’t have a choice. I’m going to take care of her and I’m going to claim her, and I hope I have your support in that. She’s mine. She just doesn’t know it yet, but she will.” Cap is shaking his head.

“You know you are going to have to fight Lil on this. Her mother bear instincts are at work. She’s taken that girl as our own.”

I’ll do that, and I will convince Lil and Katie. “Plus, if you claim her and bring her into the club, the club bitches will eat her alive. If Lil wasn’t as strong as she is, I would never have claimed or married her. She would just shoot the bitches and they know that. You’re my brother and a grown ass man, and I won’t forbid it, but you better think it out. Because if you screw this up, I have a feeling Lil will make us all pay for it. I know you have it in you and you are a good brother. She will be lucky to have you, but it won’t be an easy task. She’s an innocent when it comes to our life.”

I’m glad I won’t have to fight Cap over this, but he is right about the club girls and taking it slow with bringing Katie to the club. I’ll have to work up to that and make sure all the girls know I am taken and to stay away from Katie. I turn and see Con coming off the elevator. He looks better now than he did three hours ago. When I left he was still passed out with a bitch on each side of him and all three were butt ass naked on the pool table. I hope I was never that bad. He is moving slow, so I know he is feeling that hangover.

“Do you want to move over here, so I can give you the update. It’s not very long because there is nothing to tell.” We move over to the corner. “Zig Zag says there is not much to tell. She was raised by her grandma. Her dad’s mom, Nina Walton. She died two years ago. Probably worked herself to death, but death certificate said stroke. The lady was sixty-nine years old and had both a full time and part time job. She took custody of Katie Bug Walton when she was four years old after her dad was killed in a construction job accident.” Con is smiling. “Yes, Bug is her real middle name. The lady was not only raising Katie but paying all her son’s debts off. He had no insurance. He was working for cash money and off the books. Son’s name, Thomas Walton. Katie’s mom died in child birth, Katherine Walton. Nina lost the home they had owned for years a year before she died. It was mortgaged to the max and she couldn’t keep up with the payments. They lived in a rent-controlled apartment, but when Nina died Katie didn’t qualify, so she had to move.

“Katie has worked since she was legal to. Sometimes more than one job at a time. Katie is in her first semester in college at TJC. She is making good grades with a full schedule and the full-time job with Brown. Brown said he gave the job to Katie because he knew her grandma and wanted to help her until she got on her feet. He said she is one of the best workers he has. He said she keeps to herself and always shows up. He also said she works forty plus hours every week and didn’t like it when I told him she wouldn’t be returning because she would be hard to replace. I told him it was a personal favor for the club.

That’s about it. No criminal record, not even a ticket. No credit. Zig Zag said the only thing that brought up a red flag is the time between living in the apartment with her grandma to the time she rented her apartment. There is no record of where she lived.”

“Oh, hell no!” Cap is off and headed back to the room. He doesn’t even knock. My woman better be dressed, or I am going to be pissed. We are on his heels, and I see she is sitting in a chair, dressed. “Young lady, where did you live the year after you left your grandma’s apartment and before you got your apartment?” Katie’s eyes hit the floor and she is blushing.

“Answer me, now.” Cap is angry, and I push him aside and go to stand beside Katie. I want in between the two before he blows a cork. When Katie looks up she has tears in her eyes and is close to crying. Even with the one eye swollen I can see her beautiful blue eyes are full of tears, but she squares her shoulders and sits up straight, and keeps them in. I can barely hear her reply.

“In my truck.” No, she did not just say that.

“Calm down, Jethro, you’re scaring her.” Lil is trying to comfort Katie, but she isn’t having it.

“I’m not ashamed of it. I had no money, but I was working. I would go to the shelter and shower and then I would sleep in my truck. Went to the laundry mat to wash my clothes. I broke no laws. I had to save money to get a place to live. Grammy had burial insurance, but there were other expenses and I couldn’t stay in the government apartment we had. They gave me a little time, but I could never save enough, so I slept in my truck. It is why it is important for me to work so I won’t be homeless anymore.” That’s all I could take. It’s like every word out of her mouth was a dagger to my heart. I reach down to her and lift her. I took her in my arms and whispered to her.

“You will never be alone again. I promise you, I will be there for you. You are mine from this day forward.” She was stiff at first, but then she relaxed some, although she was wiggling to get down, so I set her down again. I can’t believe the things Katie has been through.

“Darlin’, I didn’t mean to scare you. I just can’t believe you slept in your truck for almost year.” Cap has calmed down.

“I didn’t trust the shelters. I mean, I know there are good people there, but I have heard some bad stories, too. I had rather be in my truck with locked doors. Now, when I have time I volunteer at the shelters to help people like myself who just need a little help. I wasn’t asking for a hand out, just a hand up.” She thinks we are judging her.

“Babe, we’re not judging you. We just hate it for you. Con and I didn’t have a home until Cap and Lil took us in and we aren’t the only ones. We have a motorcycle club full of brothers who didn’t fit anywhere, and we came together, and we are a family now. Do you know anything about motorcycle clubs?” Katie has a genuine smile on her face.

“You mean the kind like in the romance books?” My baby reads trashy romance books.

“No. You like trashy romance books?” I swear Katie turns three shades of red. “We are real men.”

“They are not trashy. They are sexy and interesting.” She still won’t look at me.

“Well, I am sexy.” I shoot Con a go to hell look.

“We are a brotherhood. Family. We have each other’s backs and we love to ride and we love the freedom of the road.” Cap tells her.

“We are each other’s family.” My girl is smiling big at me and I need to let her know I know my brothers are my family.

“My Grammy always said there are rules in life. Rule one is your family is always related by heart but not necessarily by blood.” I think Katie’s Grammy was smart woman.

“That’s it exactly, babe. I am claiming you and you are mine and I am yours. You will learn what this means. I will give you the time to adjust, but it is a fact. That means we are all family now. You have a family now.” I take her hand and kiss it.

“Shine, I think you are moving a little fast for Katie. Give her some time.” Lil is afraid Katie is going to run. It’s okay, because if she runs, I will catch her.

“Lil, Shine, and I have already spoken. Not your business. Katie, you have a family now, so let’s see if we can get this nurse to turn you lose so we can get you home and settled.” Cap gives Lil the look that always shuts her down. Lil has free rein most of the time, but when Cap has that look she shuts her shit down. The nurse comes in and we are out of there.