We left Chester at the vet. The doctor was a friend of Jason’s and after many reassurances from him that Chester would be just fine, Riot and Slade finally convinced Jason to leave him there. We headed to the clubhouse with Riot and Slade following close behind on their bikes.

The silence in the truck was deafening. I wanted to apologize. I felt so terrible about everything, mostly Chester, but with Slade’s broken nose, Riot’s blood-caked beard and the broken window…including well, all the fucking drama heaped upon them…

I was absolutely mortified.

I hardly knew Jason and my presence in his life had already caused all these problems. An apology seemed like a painfully insufficient response.

“I don’t know what to say,” I replied, my voice quiet and sad, even to my own ears. “I can’t believe this happened. I feel awful for bringing this to your doorstep, Jason.”

“Don’t,” he said, shaking his head firmly. “It’s not your fault.”

“Well, yeah it is,” I replied. “If I had just stayed at the shelter, none of this would have ever happened.”

“No,” he insisted. “If Luke Sullivan wasn’t a violent fucking asshole then this wouldn’t have ever happened. It’s all his fault. Don’t you dare blame yourself, Daisy. I won’t let you. He would have found you, no matter where you were living.”

I sat quietly, trying to let his words sink in. I wanted to believe him, but it was so hard not to blame myself.

“I was outside walking Chester and he just drove by…I wasn’t sure it was him. The Bugatti was a different color…”

“He drives a fucking Bugatti? Of course he does,” he said, shaking his head. “You could feed an entire country for how much those cost.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about him.”

“Gotta admit, I was a little surprised to hear Luke fucking Sullivan was Alex’s father.”

“Yeah…”

“So,” he said, anger rising in his voice. “He the one that…bought you?”

“It was more of a lease type arrangement, I guess. I belonged to Ruby, she just put me on a shelf for him to play with whenever he wanted and charged a pretty price for it.”

He shook his head, his eyes steely and squinted.

“For how long?”

“How long?”

“How many years have you been imprisoned, lying in wait for this asshole?”

“For Luke particularly? Five years, I suppose.”

“That motherfucker,” he sneered. “You were just a kid.”

“A well-seasoned, well-trained and very obedient kid,” I said, turning to stare out the window. His anger was too raw, too palpable. I didn’t want to see it. I’d stuffed my anger away so that it was non-existent, only coming out in the last year and even then, I didn’t think it was an emotion I could afford as a mother. I kept it locked away as tightly as possible at all times. Even now. Even during this insanity, I couldn’t access it. “I can’t remember the last time I felt like a kid…”

He glanced over at me, I didn’t see him with my head turned, but I felt the heat of his gaze. I didn’t face him. I kept looking out the window, my heart silently shattering.

He’ll be done with you now, I thought, that voice beginning to chatter away, the incessant nagging that almost always popped up in times like this. Times when I hated myself for making such colossal mistakes. Times when I didn’t know what else to do. Times when I began to question if I deserved any goodness in life at all.

Look what you’ve done. He’s taking you to this safe place, but as soon as you’re out of the line of fire, he’ll turn his back on you. He’ll leave. Why in the world would anyone want to stay around to witness this train wreck?

I shook my head, willing it away.

Fine, let him leave, I thought, talking back to myself like a crazy woman. I can go back to the shelter, find a better paying job, I’ve been fine on my own for a year. I don’t need anybody’s help.

“I’m so sorry,” he muttered, his voice low and quiet and calm now. “I shouldn’t have gone off like that.”

“You’re fine,” I said, my voice light and airy, despite the storm brewing inside of me.

“He can’t get away with this shit,” he said, his words a low, measured growl. I could see he was struggling to contain his emotions and I was touched. He was doing that for me. I couldn’t remember anyone ever doing that for me, ever caring how their words might impact me. “Listen, Daisy. These people I’m taking you to. They’re amazing, kind, wonderful people. They’re professionals. You’re going to absolutely love them, especially Grace. I want you to let them help you, okay? Do whatever they suggest. No matter what it is.”

“Well, I’m good at that…” I said, wryly. I instantly hated that I’d let the words fall from my lips. I’d gotten bitter and sarcastic about my past. “Sorry,” I muttered, reminding myself to keep my sarcasm to myself.

“This must all be tremendously hard on you.”

“I don’t care about myself, honestly. I can take anything. I just want to make sure Alex is safe and that Luke never gets his hands on him. If anything ever happened to my boy, I’d have no reason for living.”

“He’s lucky to have you.”

I scoffed and shook my head. “Oh, please. He’d be much better off with a normal woman, whatever that looks like.”

“Normal doesn’t exist. We’re all just out here floating around on a ball, flying through space together. Everyone’s different. We’ve all got pain and trauma that we deal with, no matter who we are. Different levels, sure, but the pain is still there.”

“Even you?” I asked. “You seem so…together.”

He nodded, his eyes darkening.

“Yeah, even me,” he said. “I miss my old man a lot.”

I’d forgotten about his father being murdered and I instantly regretted asking.

“That’s right. I’m so sorry.”

“Nothing to apologize for.”

“I feel like I have so much to apologize for.”

“Didn’t we cover this already?” he asked, flashing me a smile. He reached out, his hand covering mine. It was so warm. So big. A human connection that my body needed so badly. “Everything’s going to be okay, Daisy. I promise.”

I nodded, speechless, my eyes welling up with tears, so I looked away again. He removed his hand and my heart sank.

I wanted him to touch me forever.

He was so fucking kind, so damned comforting. I wanted to crawl into his arms and believe every word he said. I wanted to bathe in his kindness, I wanted to drink in every reassuring word, let it become a part of my fabric.

I could have reached for him, put his hand back on mine, asked for the comfort that I so desperately yearned for. But I couldn’t get past this wall I’d erected around myself. And that voice…

He’ll be done with you…

Why would he stay…

You don’t deserve a man like him…

I sighed and kept my hands to myself, keeping my shattered heart locked securely away in its cage.

We drove in silence the rest of the way, Alex sleeping peacefully next to me.

The city fell away behind us, the road opening up to meandering green meadows and farmland surrounded by towering forested hills in the distance. After a few minutes, the busy freeway narrowed to a small two-lane highway that led out to the rugged cliffs of the Oregon coast about an hour away. The winding road cut through the forest, tall, swaying pines surrounding us, their shadows blocking out the sun and making it seem much later in the day than it really was.

Eventually, Jason slowed the truck, turning onto a dirt road off the side of the highway and Riot and Slade followed behind us, the wheels of their bikes kicking up a huge cloud of dirt behind them. A half a mile in, we stopped before a black wrought iron gate and Jason pressed an access card up against a small black box. The gates opened up and we drove in.

“The clubhouse is about five miles up this way.”

“Seems very secluded,” I said.

“It is,” he replied. “And peaceful. I think you’ll love it.”

“An outlaw clubhouse is peaceful?”

“They’ve been known to go outside the law, sure, but they aren’t what you might typically think of as outlaws. You’ll see.”

I nodded, uncertainty rushing through me. What had I gotten myself into? I’d been perfectly fine at the shelter. I should have stayed there. What the hell was I going to do out here in the middle of nowhere?

After ten minutes of driving down bumpy dirt roads, the dirt changed to gravel and a few buildings came into view. Jason parked the truck by the side of a large log cabin and the Gods pulled their bikes into a garage at the opposite end of the property. Jason jumped out and I slid out after him, pausing to look around. Now that the bikes were turned off, the low, rumbling growls of their engines gone, I saw that Jason had been right.

It was peaceful here.

Like a small compound, there were several buildings scattered within sight. A large, old log cabin with a covered front porch was closest to me, but I also spotted a few other structures — a garage and two more other buildings that could have been homes. Way in the distance, barely visible through the trees, was another house with a flower-lined walkway leading up to the front door.

Riot and Slade walked out of the garage and greeted another man who walked out of the cabin next to us.

“What the hell happened to you two?” he asked.

“You’re not gonna believe this one, boss,” Slade said, shaking his head.

“Try me.”

“Luke fucking Sullivan happened to us,” Riot said.

“What are you talking about? Is your nose broken, Slade?”

“Nah, man,” he said, reaching up to touch his nose and wincing in pain. “Just a sprain, maybe.”

“You can’t sprain your nose,” Jason said.

“Whatever,” he replied, shrugging. “I’m fine.”

“I’ll need to take a closer look at it, at some point, Slade,” Jason said.

“Sure, Bones, whatever you say. You’re the doc.”

“What’s this about Luke Sullivan?”

“We had a run in with him. He’s got quite a right hand,” Riot said.

“And a right foot,” Slade replied.

“I really don’t understand,” he said, shaking his head. He looked over at Jason as he began explaining.

“Ryder, this is Daisy,” he said. Ryder walked over and shook my hand, smiling down at me. He was handsome, more handsome than any of them, with an air of aloof coolness and confidence that seemed to seep from his pours. He wore his cut like a second skin, his name and the word ‘President’ patched underneath on the side of his chest.

“Nice to meet you, Daisy,” he said. “Welcome to the clubhouse.”

“Thanks,” I said. “Nice to meet you, too. I’m sorry about all this.”

“No need for apologies,” he said, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t mind a little explanation, though. Are we talking about Luke Sullivan, the MMA champ?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” I replied. “It’s a long story.”

“Well, we have plenty of time to hear it. Let’s get you settled and we’ll talk later.”

I’d never been more grateful to postpone telling my story in my life. Jason was behind me, getting Alex out of the truck. I grabbed his diaper bag, thankful I had a brand new box of diapers in the back. As far as I could tell, acquiring more was going to require a long drive back into town.

“This is Alex,” Jason said.

“Hey, Alex,” Ryder murmured, smiling down at him, before leading us into the large log cabin nearby. Alex began crying and I took him from Jason’s arms.

“Shh, baby, you’re okay,” I whispered, holding him close as we walked inside.

It was cozy and warm, with a state of the art kitchen along one side of the house and a big, comfortable-looking, leather sectional along the other. An older woman with a large shock of bright red curls greeted us.

“This is Cherry,” Ryder said.

She strolled over, her hips swaying, a slow smile spreading across her face as she approached.

“Hi, I’m Daisy,” I said.

She pulled me into her arms, pulling me in for a big, bear hug and smushing Alex between us.

“Good to have you here, Daisy,” she said, her voice as sweet as warm maple syrup. “And who is this little one?”

“This is my son, Alex.”

“Hi, Alex!” she said, smiling at him with bright eyes. He stared back at her, wide-eyed and shy. “He’s cute as a button!”

“He takes a few minutes to warm up to people,” I said, as he burrowed his face into my breasts.

“So do I,” she winked. I smiled back at her. “So, are you two hungry? Thirsty?”

“I think we’re okay for now.”

“Cherry, would you mind showing Daisy and Alex around for me?” Ryder asked. “They’ll be staying in the guest cabin. I want to talk to the boys for a few minutes and then I’ll be right along.”

“My pleasure,” she said, putting her arm around me gently and leading me to the door. “You’ll love the cabin, Daisy. It’s brand new, but it feels like it’s a hundred years old. All the convenience of modern living and all the character of the old days.”

“That sounds lovely,” I said, turning back to Ryder. “It’s nice to meet you, Ryder. Thank you for the hospitality.”

“It’s our pleasure, Daisy. You’re completely safe here. Please make yourselves at home, all right?”

I nodded and walked out with Cherry, flashing a quick look at Jason. He smiled and nodded, watching us go.

“So, I overheard you talking outside when you arrived,” she said. “Luke Sullivan, huh? I read somewhere that he was a real, bonafide asshole.”

I scoffed and nodded.

“That’s an understatement.”

She patted my back as we walked the few feet to the cabin next door.

“Well, fuck him. You’re safe now.” She flung open the door and I gasped when I saw the inside. She was right. I spotted another full, modern kitchen in the back and the front living room was even cozier than the other cabin, a huge stone fireplace lining an entire wall. The back wall was all glass doors, which opened up to a huge deck surrounded by the lush forest outside.

“This is incredible,” I said. “But I don’t need an entire house to myself. I just need a small room, really.”

“Don’t be silly,” she said. “That’s what this place was built for. Privacy, seclusion, peacefulness. I don’t know what your story is, Daisy, but if you’re here, then that usually means you could use a bit of healing. This is the perfect place for that.”

“It’s so generous of all of you, really,” I said.

“We’ve helped dozens of other women over the years. Some of them were in a position to give back. You’ll meet Frankie later. She’s an unexpected benefactor, but she was able to help fund the construction on this place and the other cabins, too. She’s happy she could pay it forward. Solid Ground helped her when she needed it, too. Like I said, this place was built for women to find a little peace. Hopefully, you can find some, too.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, overwhelmed by all the kindness.

“We’re happy to have you,” she said. She walked through the house, showing me where everything was. “The house is fully stocked with anything you might need.” She flung open a large pantry door and I gasped when I saw all the shelves lined with food. “We could feed an army, if we needed to. We never know how many women will show up, or when, so we like to stay prepared at all times. In the bathroom closet, you’ll find anything you might need for Alex. Diapers, baby powder, all that good stuff.”

“Oh, wow,” I said, feeling instantly relieved. “That’s wonderful.”

“Take whatever you need, don’t be shy. That’s what it’s all there for.” She strolled to the back of the house. “This is the bedroom. There are some extra blankets in the closet. And there’s a portable crib in the closet, too, feel free to use it.” She gestured towards a wall that was lined with built-in bookshelves. “And the books. All kinds of self-help books, too, or if fiction is your thing, you can find a little bit of everything here. And, if you need someone to talk to, I live in the cabin up front. I’m always here, and I’m a good listener, to boot,” she winked.

“Thank you,” I said.

“Other women live here, too, it’s not just a sausage-fest, in case you were wondering. Grace is Ryder’s woman, and there’s Lacey, who’s hooked up with Riot, and Frankie, who I mentioned earlier, is Wreck’s girl. The Gods, as tough and intimidating as they can be, are really just a bunch of ol’ good-hearted men just trying to do the right thing.”

“This is an amazing place,” I said. “Have you lived here long?”

“Oh, yeah, longer than I care to admit. I was here way before Solid Ground was formed, back in the old outlaw days. Things are a lot different now, but in a good way.”

“I see,” I said. “And you don’t have a partner? Sounds like everyone’s partnered up.”

“Well, I was soft on Jason’s old man, to tell you the truth. But Doc died a while back and I haven’t exactly aged well.”

“Jason told me about his father. Such a tragedy.”

“Doc was a good man. It was hard to lose him. Bones is a lot like his old man, actually. Determined, strong, set in his ways. He and I are the only single folk around here, so late at night, when the couples all drift off to bed, it’s nice to have him to hang out with.”

I nodded, smiling.

“Of course, with a pretty young thing like yourself hanging around, looks like I’ll be hanging out alone again soon.”

“Oh, no! We’re just friends,” I said, ignoring the feeling of Jason’s kiss still lingering on my lips from days ago.

“Sure you are, doll,” she said. “That’s how it always starts.”

“No, I don’t think —.”

“— I’m just ribbin’ you, Daisy,” she winked.

“Oh!” I said, a nervous laugh escaping from me. “Right…”

“So, I’ll leave you be for now. I do all the cooking for everyone, we have a big dinner every night, but if you need time alone, I’ll be happy to bring you a plate, or you can cook for yourself. Whatever you’re feeling.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course. Get settled and I’ll see you in a bit, okay?”

I nodded, walking her to the door. She turned and hugged me again, her voice whispering in my ear.

“You’re gonna be just fine, sweetheart, don’t you worry about a thing.”

I closed the door behind her, silence blanketing the cabin as I leaned back against the door. Alex was still in my arms, taking this all in quietly. I put him down, letting him wander around as I took a deep breath.

The silence was almost deafening.

If I listened hard enough, I could almost fully sense the peace everyone had been talking about.

Almost.