Chapter Twenty-Six

Moon

The past few days had been tense and everyone was starting to feel stir crazy from being cooped up in the Reckless Bastards compound all week. Their hospitality was nice and I felt safe enough to stay, but cabin fever was starting to set in. I joined Jana, Teddy, Rocky and Mandy at a picnic table behind the clubhouse filled with food and lemonade. It was nice, feeling like I had a group of friends to sit around and just talk with, and pretend like there wasn’t danger lurking around every corner.

“But what I really wanna know,” Jana began with a mischievous smile and a soft caress of her belly, “is what’s going on with you and Cross, Moon?”

I blinked at the sound of my name and looked up at four pairs of expectant eyeballs. “We’re enjoying each other’s company, that’s all.” I didn’t bother to tell them I wanted more because I knew Cross didn’t have anything to give to anyone other than Lauren.

And I wouldn’t take that from him—or her.

Teddy arched a perfectly sculpted auburn brow and leaned back in her seat. “Because of the whole biker thing? Because I had that same thought when Jana first met Max, but these guys are bigger marshmallows than the guys I worked with when I was a model. And Cross is fuckin’ hot. Not as hot as my Tate but hot, nevertheless.”

“No, not because of the biker thing, Teddy.” Not that I could reasonably say anything else while surrounded by four women married to or engaged to be married to a family of bikers.

“Then, what?” Teddy’s expression was pure disbelief but it didn’t bother me.

“It’s the whole still in love with his wife thing.” I stared right back at Teddy, daring her to give me a hard time, but she didn’t. Instead her expression softened, and she did that sympathetic head tilt that could produce rage in me like no other, so I looked away.

Jana’s big green eyes blinked slowly, shocked. “I’m surprised he even told you about her. He never talks about her.”

Probably because he didn’t want to share her with anyone. I shrugged off her effort to make the secret into something it wasn’t. “People always tell me things they shouldn’t or don’t want to. It’s a gift, or a curse, I suppose.” Though that one time a woman confessed that she was cheating on her husband with his sister had left even me shocked.

“You’re wrong, and scared,” Jana accused, her steely glare daring me to challenge her. “That’s okay, we were all scared once.”

I shook my head, refusing to let her words or their determined and eager head nods sway me. I knew the truth. “I can’t put myself in a situation that I know will end badly, especially with everything I have on my plate. I need to make good choices for me and Beau.”

Teddy and Rocky both laughed. “I find good choices to be terribly boring,” the stunning redhead said with a laugh.

“Maybe but I’m all Beau has and I can’t afford to lose my shit over a man, especially one who has heartache written all over him. Boring is preferable to broken.”

“Who said anything about broken?” Rocky asked, far too astutely. “Oh shit, you like him. Like seriously maybe-could be love, kind of like?”

I shook my head silently.

“That’s bullshit Moon and you know it,” Jana said with more ferocity than I expected. “It’s not just you and Beau anymore. You have us. All of us.”

I accepted their kind words because it was the only thing to do in the moment. Cross was their family, technically the boss of their men and I knew how break ups in a situation like this worked. I’d seen it plenty with my family’s social circle. Usually the couples all kept the half of the couple with the most power or influence, so usually the husband. I vowed that after this was all over, I’d do better about getting out and making new friends.

Living life.

“Thanks, ladies.” My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out, frowning at the unknown number. “Excuse me. Hello?” I got up from the table and walked to a spot where I could hear.

“Is this Moonbeam Vanderbilt?”

I didn’t recognize the almost robotic voice but immediately I went on alert. “Who’s asking?”

“Please confirm your identity, ma’am.” The voice on the other end spoke with an air of authority and a whole lot of irritation.

“You first.”

“Officer Jones,” he grunted out angrily.

“That’s a common name, do you have a first name?” What kind of cop called without identifying themselves?

“No.”

“Okay, neither do I. Have a good day.” I ended the call and took a quick glance over my shoulder where Beau played with the other kids but mostly he climbed up Stitch’s long body which was perfect since he was little more than a kid himself. My phone rang again and I went in search of Jag. I couldn’t be sure, but if the caller was a cop, he was a crooked one.

Jag looked up when I placed a hand on his shoulder and I pointed at the ringing phone. “What’s up?”

I answered the phone on speaker. “Hello?”

“Ms. Vanderbilt?”

“Who’s calling?” I couldn’t help but smile at the frustrated growl he let out.

“Officer Jones.” Jag grabbed the phone from my hands and did a bunch of quick hand moves before he handed it back. The call was recording and I relaxed.

“Officer Jones who refuses to identify himself properly? Tell you what, keep your first name and give me your badge number.”

“Are you Moonbeam Vanderbilt, mother of Rainbeau Vanderbilt?”

“How is this any of your business? I don’t even know who you are.”

“There’s been an accident at the camp, Ms. Vanderbilt.”

Jag’s dark brows rose in question and I shook my head, pointing at the area just outside where Beau played with his friends.

“And what does that have to do with me?”

The faux officer sighed heavily. “We think one of the injured kids is your son, Rainbeau. That is your son’s name, isn’t it?”

“You think? Well when you have your facts straight Officer Jones, let me know. It’s pretty reckless to pass out this information if you don’t have any real answers.”

“You’re saying Rainbeau isn’t yours? Little kid with black hair?”

“Nope, I’m saying it’s none of your business. Officer.” It probably wasn’t smart to taunt a police officer or a gangster, but when he messed with my kid, he would get a fight right back.

“Yeah, you think you’re so smart, you dirty bitch! Wouldn’t it be a shame if something happened to that little bastard?” After that he hung up the phone and Jag took the phone from me.

“That was rough but don’t worry, Moon. We’ll get that asshole.”

He walked away with my phone and I walked to the window, staring at my boy who was having a ball using Stitch as a Jungle Jim.

“I hope so.”

In fact, I hoped they found the caller and systematically dismantled everything that mattered to him, and that vengeful thought only made me angry.

“Hey, you look like you’re ready to slug someone.” Cross’s hands landed on my shoulders in a soothing caress. “Everything okay?”

I shook my head and told him about the phone call. “Pretty sure he just threatened me, but I will be fine.”

“He did,” Jag said when he returned and handed over my phone. “It was smart to hang up and force him to call back. It’s taken care of, or at least it will be soon. Very soon.”

“So we’re still on lockdown?” I looked up at Cross for an answer and he nodded with a sympathetic smile.

“Yep. Sorry babe.”

“You don’t look even a little bit sorry.”

His grin widened. “I’m not.”

Truth was, I wasn’t sorry either. Spending this time with Cross was nice even though the circumstances weren’t ideal. I knew I’d be disappointed when it came to an end.

But for now, I’d enjoy every minute I had with him.