KIWI

“Mommy,” Piper yells from the hallway.

“In the bathroom, baby,” I holler back and she comes racing into my room.

“Look,” she says with a hint of excitement in her voice and I look at her.

I smile wide. She’s wearing a black baby doll dress, black tights and her black Mary-Jane shoes. Around her neck is the necklace Sticks gave her yesterday. It looks like a dog tag with a purple background and the Wicked Angels MC logo on it. The boys get a red one and the girls get purple.

I kneel in front of her. “You look gorgeous. You want to keep your hair like that?” I ask and she nods. Her golden curls frame her face and she looks adorable, but I’m bias. She’s my daughter. “Okay then, I’m almost done,” I tell her as I stand up.

“Is Loki my dad?” she asks innocently.

I look over at her, tears prickling the backs of my eyes and I kneel again. “What makes you ask that question, sweetie?”

“He has my eyes.” I cock my head at her. “I was looking in the mirror and my eyes remind me of Loki’s.”

She’s ridiculously observant for a five-year-old and I don’t know what to say. “How about you ask Loki that, today, when you see him?”

Her face lights up. “Okay, I will.” She’s satisfied with that as she skips out of my room. I debate warning Loki, but I think it would be better if she surprises him with the same question she asked me.

I finish putting my make-up on and fluff my hair before turning off the lights and going toward the living room. “You sure you don’t want me to come?” Em asks me.

“If you want to, you’re more than welcome to,” I tell her. “You won’t know anyone.”

Em shrugs. “I don’t mind. Besides, I wouldn’t mind making new friends.”

I hide my cringe. I’m not sure she has a real clue about what she’s getting herself into, but it would be good for her to meet some new people. “How long do you need to get ready?”

“Ten, maybe fifteen.” My eyes widen at her. “I was hoping you’d say yes.” She blushes.

I smile and jerk my head toward her room and she scurries down the hall.

Piper is sitting on the couch, playing on her tablet and I grab a few things to throw into her bag to bring with us.

Following the funeral, the guys will ride through town, making a giant loop before landing back at Iron Wings. Loni told me yesterday that they were having today catered because none of the old ladies want to be stuck in the kitchen all day. They’re also bringing in tables and chairs to fill up the back lot for all the members of Wicked Angels and the bar is closed again tonight. The strip club owned by the Angels, on the other hand, is another story. Between the clubhouse and the strip club, there will be plenty of pussy to go around. I shudder at the idea of getting pulled in for that.

Would Loni seriously ask me to do something like that after yesterday? I close my eyes. I already know the answer to that. Until I’ve been given a cut or I quit working for Iron Wings, the answer is yes, she will.

“I’m ready,” Em says and both Piper and I turn to look at her.

“Wow,” Piper says mesmerized. I can’t say I’m not a little stunned myself.

Emily is a gorgeous girl with long black, stick straight hair, and she’s well-endowed in the chest department. She’s my height with gorgeous legs, which she is showing off in a short, A-line dress that’s black with a wide white belt that comes to rest under her chest. She’s also wearing a block high heel with black straps and she’s thrown a little make-up on that accents her bright blue eyes.

“You look nice,” I tell her and then I nod for her to join me in the kitchen. She follows and Pipes goes back to her tablet.

“You know I’ll always be straight with you, right?” I ask her and she nods, confused. “You’re about to go to the funeral of a biker. You’re going to be around slimy, sleazy, horny as fuck men.”

“I’m not a virgin,” she blushes, “I can handle myself.”

“I know you can. I just want to give you a heads up because once they get an eyeful of you, they’re going to want more,” I tell her and she nods in understanding. “You can say no,” I remind her. “And don’t take drinks from anyone except me, okay?”

“I’m not…”

“That won’t matter, not to these guys, and whatever you do, don’t get on the back of anyone’s bike.” She nods.

“I’m not going to drink. I figure at some point I’ll be bringing Piper home.”

“Probably after the funeral. We’re not going to the clubhouse, so it will be a little more civilized, for a little while.”

Her face lights up in a wide, excited smile. I wink at her.

Not ten minutes later, we’re headed for the car when a bike comes roaring down the street from Loki’s direction. Piper gets excited and tugs on my dress. “Is that Loki?” she says.

“I think so, baby,” I tell her.

“Can I ask him now?”

I smile down at her. I’d hoped that she’d have gotten sidetracked, but it’s obvious this is something she’s going to find out one way or another. “Wait until we see him later, okay?”

She pouts and climbs in the car. Loki pulls up behind my car. He’s wearing his shades but I can tell he’s staring at me. So, I put my arms out to the side and twirl around. When I’m facing him again, he lowers his shades slightly so that I can see his steel grey eyes looking at me and a spark of desire ignites in my veins. “I have something for you,” he smirks.

I walk up to him and he wraps his arms around me, pressing me into his side. He’s still on his bike, but the engine’s off. He leans his head down and presses his lips to mine. I kiss him back with gusto, and he growls, pulling back from my kiss. “Is that all?” I tease.

“No,” he says with a growl. “But the fact that our daughter is in your car is the only thing stopping me from bending you over my bike right now.” His voice is gravelly, rough and breathless. He releases me and I step back from him. He turns toward his saddlebag and flips it up. “I was gonna give this to you later, but since you’re here.”

He pulls something out, it’s black and leather and I cover my mouth as his rough fingers open it. He turns it around and my jaw falls to the ground. “Loki,” I breathe as I take in the black vest with the Wicked Angels colors on the back and across the top of the logo it says, ‘Property of Loki’. It’s an old lady cut. He turns it back around and opens the flaps on the front for me to put my arms through. I stand there staring at it like an idiot.

“You’re killing me, woman,” he growls.

I try and smile at him. “Are you sure?” I finally manage.

“If I wasn’t sure, I wouldn’t be handing this to you.” His voice is a little harder, a little irritated maybe. “I realized last night, after you left the clubhouse that I couldn’t enjoy myself. Even surrounded by lines, booze, sex, and rock music, because you weren’t there. Now,” he shakes the vest, “you can be there whenever the fuck I want you there and I ain't gotta worry about some prickhead motherfucker sticking his dick in you.”

I smile at him and step forward, turning around and shifting my purse to put my arm through, then shift again for the other arm. It fits like a fucking glove. He growls again. “I’m fucking you tonight wearing only that.” He grabs me by my waist and pulls me into his side again. “I mean it,” he whispers before pressing his lips to mine chastely, “old lady.”

I pull away from him. “Give me a moment,” I tell him and I go to the car where Em and Piper are waiting patiently.

“Mommy, your back matches my necklace,” she squeals.

I hand over my keys to Em. “You mind taking her?”

“Not at all.” She climbs out and looks back at Loki, he smiles at her and she returns it with a blush. I want to roll my eyes, but she has a point, Loki is fucking gorgeous.

I hand over my purse and she takes it, putting it in the car with her. “I’ll be right back,” I say and dart toward the house. I can’t ride with these fucking shoes on.

I’m in and out of the house in a hot fucking second, shoes on my finger, boots on my feet and I’m running toward Loki and the bike. He has a wicked grin on his face. “That’s my woman,” he moans, flipping open the saddle bag my cut came out of so I can drop my heels inside before I climb on. The skirt I’m wearing is tight, so I hike it up, giving me barely enough room to put my legs on either side of his hips. Then I slide my arms around him and let my fingers trail over his cock. He growls almost as loud as his bike when he kicks it over.

He pulls out. Em and Piper follow us.

When we pull into the funeral home parking lot, there are no less than fifty bikes and Em finds a place to park toward the back of the lot. Loki steadies the bike for me to climb off, and once I do, I push my skirt back down.

“Son of a bitch,” a gravelly voice says and I turn to see Pyro a few feet away from us, staring daggers at Loki.

I roll my eyes and Loki ignores him.

“Oh, my god!” I hear a squeal and then suddenly I’m being spun around and Loni’s arms are wrapped around me. She looks past me at Loki. “You sneaky devil you. When you suggested her yesterday, I thought you were nuts, but now it all makes perfect sense.” She squeezes me tighter.

I raise an eyebrow, catching Pyro in my peripheral; he doesn’t look as pissed as he did a moment ago. Thank God.

“Mommy,” Piper squeals and Loni releases me.

“Welcome to the family,” she says softly.

“Thanks,” I tell her.

“Piper,” Loni says excitedly and Piper jumps into her arms.

“Hi, Loni!” She smiles at her and wraps her arms around Loni’s neck. Then she turns to Loki. Her face lights up in a big, beautiful smile as she looks at him. If you ever want to watch a biker’s heart melt, have a kid look at him the way Pipes is looking at Loki. “We need to talk, Loki,” Piper says completely serious and Loni laughs as she sets her down. Piper walks right up to Loki, tugging on his cut and beckoning him to her level with a crooked finger.

“What’s up, buttercup?” Loki says when he’s face to face with her.

“Are you my daddy?” she asks him.

Loki freezes, his eyes coming to me and I nod my head, letting him know he can answer her question and he looks back at Piper. There is so much love radiating out of his eyes when he does that my heart melts. “I am, baby girl,” he tells her softly.

“Yay!” Piper squeals and she wraps her arms around him so tight that he nearly falls over from the impact.

I look at Loki and for the first time since I’ve known him, his eyes are full of unshed tears and my heart flutters in my chest.

“Does this mean I get to see you whenever I want?” Piper asks as she pulls back from their huge hug.

Again, Loki’s eyes find mine. I shrug, raising an eyebrow and I let my fingers slide over the collar of my cut. “Yeah, baby girl, it does,” he responds and she squeals again. Loki picks her up and flips her around so she’s riding on his back. “Hang on,” he says and her little hands wrap around his neck, holding on for dear life. “I’m gonna kiss your mommy now, is that okay?”

Her face scrunches up. “Ewwww,” she snickers.

Loki leans over to me and I lean up on my tip toes and he presses his lips to mine then pulls back. “Thank you,” he whispers.

“There’s those words again,” I smirk.

“You gonna stand here all day?” Piper asks and bucks on his back.

Loki laughs and takes her toward the funeral home doors. We’ve managed to amass a crowd of bikers, including Big Daddy, Whistler, Pyro, Sticks and Pixie.

Sticks gives me a wicked grin then grabs his cut, straightening it before he winks at me and heads for the funeral home.

Big Daddy comes over and he wraps his arm around my shoulders and kisses my temple. “Welcome home,” he says. “You do realize that you just made him Pres, right?”

I turn to look at him, narrowing my eyes in confusion.

He cocks his head. “Angels rules, family first. You’re the last of the Roswell line, female or not, he’s Pres.”

“Well, fuck me sideways,” I breathe.

“That’s his job, darlin’.” Big Daddy squeezes my shoulders and releases me. I pull my heels from the saddle bag and set them on the ground before kicking off my boots and climbing into them.

I readjust and Emily is standing behind the bike with my purse. “So, does this mean Loki’s moving in?” she asks with a hint of a blush on her cheeks.

“Uh, shit, I have no idea.” I laugh. “I guess we have some things to talk about.”

She laughs, “Looks like you’ve got time.”

I put my boots back in the saddle bag and close it up before taking my purse from her. “Thanks,” I tell her.

“She’s happy?” Em asks.

I look over at Loki and Piper. Loki is bouncing her all over the place and her giggles can be heard from here. “I think so,” I tell her.

“Good,” she sounds concerned.

I look at her. “This doesn’t change anything about our arrangement.”

She lights up at that. “I’m not…” I give her a knowing smile. “Okay, good.” She breathes a sigh of relief.

“Come on,” I tell her and I lead her to the lawn in front of the funeral home where Piper is trying to climb up Loki as he’s talking to someone.

“Pipes, come here, baby.” She wraps her arms around Loki’s leg and looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. Loki’s eyes meet mine in a silent apology and I smile before joining him.

Immediately he wraps his arm around my shoulders and tucks me in close to his side, holding me there. He’s posturing and I know he’s reminding everyone that I’m his. If my cut doesn’t prove that enough, his arm will.

He continues talking, not about me or anything I truly care about, so I just people watch.

I see a few of the old ladies walking into the building with their old men in a similar fashion to how Loki is holding me and it makes me smile.

I shouldn’t have wanted to be an old lady. I should have wanted to keep as far away from the club as humanly possible, but standing here now, a biker’s arm draped over me possessively, I feel like I’m home. Piper is vying for Loki’s attention and he gives it to her without a second thought. “What is it?” He lets me go and kneels at her level. I don’t hear what she says to him, but whatever it is, he laughs and picks her up. He settles her in one arm, his right, and wraps his left around me and we go into the building.

“What’d she ask?”

“She said she was bored and wanted to go inside,” Loki tells me. His voice has a hint of humor and maybe even happiness in it that I never expected to hear and regret swims in my veins as we approach the door to the funeral home.

“Mommy, why are we here?” she says as we stand in line to pay our respects.

“A friend of Loki’s passed away, sweetie.”

“Oh.” Her mouth makes a little ‘O’ and she looks around. There are a couple of kids about her age playing quietly in the corner of the room. She leans over to me, whispering, “Can I go play with them?”

“What do you say?” I tell her.

“Please?” She scrunches up her face in a way she thinks is cute and Loki chuckles.

“Sure,” Loki says and sets her down. She runs over and I hear her introduce herself. The two kids tell her she can play with them and she sits right down.

“Whose kids are those?” I ask.

“The girl is Opie and Kara’s daughter, Jess. The little boy belongs to Taz.” The name sends ice through my veins. That’s the chick whose tits he was sucking the night I ran off on Rack’s bike. “His dad’s Shifter,” he answers my unasked question.

“Oh,” is all I can manage. I have no business asking a question like I nearly did. Sticks let me in the clubhouse with Piper and I worked in the bar. But Boulder’s clubhouse is run a little differently. There’s very little sex in the common rooms. Making out is about as intense as it gets in there. If it goes beyond that they’d go to one of the rooms upstairs in the clubhouse. But Angels’ kids are all you’d see in there. The whores, if they had them, kept them away. So seeing one of Roswell’s whore’s kids shouldn’t be the shock that it is. Being a member’s kid changes things.

He looks at me, wondering where my mind has wondered, but doesn’t say anything.

We spend thirty more minutes in line to pay our respects to Rack, but I notice something’s missing. “Where’s his cut?” I ask Loki.

He gives me a sad look but shakes his head. “Tell you later,” he whispers in my ear. I let him go ahead of me. He knew Rack longer than I did, but I need a moment with him too. If I’d have brought him into my house that night, and slept with him instead of sending him packing, he might be alive and that notion has been eating at me since I learned he was killed. I don’t know the details, just that someone from the visiting club got a wild hair up his ass, got pissed, they got in a fight and Rack ended up dead.

Rack’s missing cut could only mean one thing- either the asshole who killed him took it as a trophy or they can’t find it. Burning cuts of fallen brothers is a big deal with the Wicked Angels. Their name patches end up on the Wall of the Fallen in the clubhouse common room and their cuts are burned. Loki finishes and he offers me his hand to take. “Can I have a minute with him?” I ask and Loki nods reluctantly but lets me have my moment.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper and a tear slides down my cheek, landing on the back of my hand that’s holding onto the side of his casket. He looks so peaceful it’s surreal. “I wish I’d have asked you to stay,” I mouth because I can’t get my voice to work. I kiss my fingertips and then press them to his cold cheek and walk toward Loki.

He opens his arms and I wrap my arms around him. “What did you say to him?” he asks quietly.

“I told him that I was sorry and that I wished I’d asked him to stay that night.” Loki stiffens under me. “Stop,” I whisper harshly. “If he’d stayed, whether we did anything or not, he’d still be alive,” I explain.

He loosens up around me. “Or if he’d told you no to taking you home, you could have been in the middle of it.” He squeezes me tighter.

“I was pissed at you. I wanted to hurt you. If he hadn’t taken me home, someone would have,” I tell him.

He narrows his eyes at me. “Is that all it was? An act?”

I roll my eyes. “You knew that already.” His chest shakes with silent laughter and I push him. “Caveman,” I murmur.

His arms tighten, pulling me back into him. “Your caveman.”

I snuggle into him again. “Mine.”

There was a small service in the funeral home before Loki, Opie, Cowboy, Gunnar, Pyro, and someone else I haven’t met yet, carried Rack’s casket out of the home and it into the back of the hearse. As we’re walking out behind them, Em and Piper join me. Then Kara comes over. “You ridin’ with Loki?” she asks.

I shrug. “No clue,” I tell her, and it’s true. I rode here with him but the bikes are for members and old ladies.

“Can Jess ride with Piper? They seem to be having a good time together.”

“I don’t mind. Emily?”

“Fine with me,” she says with a smile looking down at Piper and Jess.

“Thank you, the ladies are riding,” she whispers as if it’s a conspiracy and then it hits me, Loki colored me.

“Will you be okay if I ride with Loki?” I ask Emily.

“Absolutely, I’ll just follow the line.”

“The hearse goes first, the family car, which…” I look around the crowd of people and in all honesty, I don’t see anyone outside of the biker community here. Huh. “Then the higher ranks of the home club, followed by the other charters, then cars. The rest of the bikes will bring up the rear. There will be bikes on either side of the car.” I fill her in on Wicked Angels’ funeral protocol and she nods in understanding.

I tell Piper bye, but she and Jess are in their own little happy world. I think she’s made a new friend because she doesn’t care what I’m doing. Emily takes them to the car and I find Loki. He wraps his arm around me when I do. “Am I riding?” I ask.

He glares at me. “Why wouldn’t you be?”

I shrug. “Because you made me an old lady about two hours ago,” I tell him.

“You’re wearing my colors, you ride with me,” he says in a way that brings my favorite caveman to life. “Next it will be my brand.”

I laugh. “I need my boots,” I tell him and he lets me go. I go straight to Loki’s bike and flip the saddlebag up.

“Just because he colored you, don’t mean shit.”

My blood freezes at the voice behind me. It’s not Pyro, but I voice I know all too well. Gunnar. “Why would that change anything?” I say with more confidence than I feel.

“Don’t think we don’t know who you are, Kiwi.” He says my name with such disdain that it makes my blood turn from ice to boiling in a nanosecond. I turn and he’s gone. I only get his back as he retreats toward his bike. My eyes roam around, looking to see if anyone saw it and the only eyes I find are none other than Rooster’s, glaring at me.

“You alright?” Pyro says and I turn to him. I simply shake my head but say nothing.

“Kiwi?” he says in a tone that begs me not to argue with his question, much the way Kellen used to do when I was younger and once again I find my eyes locked on his. They’re similar, familiar, but not the same. Kellen had bright green eyes. These eyes are a dull, seen too much shit in my life, brown. The hair is long, he smokes, he has a wicked fucking scar down the side of his face. There’s too many differences. It’s not possible, I remind myself.

“Later,” I whisper. I have to learn to trust someone. Loki, Pyro? I don’t know anymore.

Pyro gives me a small nod before he walks off toward his bike. I drop my boots to the ground and kick off a heel before sliding my foot in. Then repeat the process with the other foot.

“You shrunk,” Loki says with a laugh.

“Heels and bitch riding don’t mix.” I smile at him, putting my little encounter with Gunnar out of my mind. Now’s not the time. “Neither do tight skirts,” I say deadpan.

“Oh no, the skirts work.” He smirks.

“Caveman,” I mumble and he laughs. I pick up my heels and toss them in the saddlebag and wait for him to situate.

“Where’s Pipes?” he asks and I smile again at the nickname.

“With Em and Jess, her new best friend,” I answer with a hint of bitterness.

“Jess is a good kid.”

I huff. “She didn’t even say bye to me.”

Loki throws his head back laughing at the same time as bikes start firing up. I should have brought ear plugs. I feel sorry for anyone in Roswell we’re about to drive past. There’s more than two hundred hogs roaring down the streets, revving engines, determined to let God know that an Angel is making his last ride home.