Page 39 of Ryder's War

“I’ve lived a lot in a short period of time. I’m smart and mature for my age. That’s why they thought of me first when it came to helping Darkness with his baby. I’m not whatever stereotype you’ve got floating around in your head of a teen rape victim, so don’t treat me like I’m some clueless fool who needs advice from you.”

Tiffany stared at the annoyed young woman for a brief moment, totally wowed by her grit and determination. Placing a reassuring hand over one of Rose’s fists resting on the table top, Tiffany cleared her throat. “This is one reason I don’t have friends. I really like you and am starting to have this little sister fantasy in my head when it comes to you. I was the only child always longing for a sister or brother. Sorry I tried to press you into that role.” Some bonds formed through blood, others through shared understanding. Maybe family wasn't just what you were born into. Maybe, sometimes, it was what you built from the broken pieces of other dreams.

Rose’s face lit up as her anger melted away. “Except for the whole giving me unsolicited advice, you’d make an awesome big sister.”

“So, I’m forgiven?” Tiffany asked hopefully. “That was a pretty harsh rebuke.”

“Oh, honey, that wasn’t just for you. I spent days working on that little speech when I got out of the hospital. Everyone from my folks to Ryder to Darkness himself has had a taste of it.”

Relaxing a bit, Tiffany grinned. “I’d love to have been a fly on the wall. Bet those badass bikers totally lost their shit when you told them off.”

Rose laughed outright. “You’re funny. I’ve always wanted a big sister.”

Tiffany rolled her eyes. “You’ve got a big brother.”

The girl’s smile was back full force. She made a so-what gesture with one hand. “Yeah, if big, muscle-bound freaks who curse like sailors and assign prospects to follow me everywhere were cool, I’d have it freakin’ made in the shade.”

Tiffany laughed. “You ready to get back to shopping, tiger?”

Nodding, Rose quipped happily, “Remind me later that I have a music video to show you.”

Tiffany had a sneaking suspicion which one she might be referring to.

Walking out of the coffee shop, Tiffany marveled at how life worked sometimes. She'd spent years running from family ties, and here they were, forming anyway—through bikers and babies and fierce teenage girls who refused to be defined by their scars.

Maybe that's what healing looked like—not erasing the past, but building something new around it.

~ Ryder ~

The brothers gathered around the table for church, tension thick as gun smoke. Today's meeting dwarfed others—not just because their president's life hung in the balance, but because some decisions changed more than just the men who made them. Darkness's daughter was living proof of that.

It had been ten days since that fateful night when he’d taken a bullet in the back. Though not fully recovered, he was moving easier and able to pick his baby up at will.

Today, Darkness had chosen to bring his daughter to the meeting. Ryder was certain his intention was to remind everyone of the little person their decisions would most impact. Theirclub president might be odd, but he was smart in his own way. The baby was alert and looking around the room. She was wearing blue jeans and a white T-shit, and a tiny pair of black boots someone had brought in for her. The kid was gnawing on a round, rubber teething ring like it was going out of style, which was just about the cutest thing Ryder had ever seen.

His heart squeezed with happiness for his friend, who wore an expression of pride as he looked down at his little girl. His heart skipped a beat when the baby looked up at Darkness and made a happy sound. The scary biker dropped a kiss on her forehead, and she continued to play with the toy in her hand.

“Damn, Darkness, if there’s a more heartwarming sight in the entire world, I’ve not seen it. Your little one is perfect.” Ven’s rough voice sounded pleased for his longtime friend.

Ryder teased his father. “What were Rose and I, chopped liver?”

His dad chuckled. “Rose was all kinds of cute. You came out of the womb a terrifying hellion.”

“Maybe that’s why I fit right in here,” Ryder mused. Glancing at Darkness, he smirked. “The eyes give it away. It’s clear as day, seeing her there on your lap.”

Grabbing his gavel, Darkness tapped it on the table lightly. “Call to order, brothers. We’ve got business to discuss. We’re starting with you this morning, Ryder. As the club’s Sargent at Arms, you’re vested with all things related to protection. Spell out what we’ve learned so far about the attempt on my life.”

Ryder watched the baby grab the gavel the moment Darkness laid it down. Fidgeting with it, she accidentally bumped herself in the head with it. Her eyes got big, and she looked all around.

Ryder stopped midstride to watch her. She waved the unwieldly object around, bumping herself in the head again. This time she got serious, peering all around to figure out who was hitting her. Several of the brothers laughed. Her suspicious expression mimicked that of her father, increasing the family resemblance. Even Darkness chuckled, replacing the gavel with her toy.

Smothering his smile, Ryder strolled up to the front of the table and turned on a large monitor hanging on the wall.

Pulling up a wedding certificate with Darkness and Abby’s names, he pulled up the birth certificate beside it. “These are pretty much the documents that are screwing you right now, boss. Abby, by her own admission, is in deep with the Seven Devils. She admitted to being Devil’sold lady. She also admitted to trying to kill you because they talked her into getting a life insurance policy for a quarter of a million dollars.” Some wars started with bullets, others with paperwork. The real damage often came from the quiet weapons—marriage certificates, insurance policies, custody papers. Paper trails could be deadlier than lead.

He continued, “I checked into her story, and the policy doesn’t pay out if there was foul play. That makes me think the whole issue about her trying to snip you was bullshit. I think she just wanted to pretend to be a victim who was being forced to do something horrible to get back on your good side.”

“That was pretty stupid. I don’t have a good side where she’s concerned.”

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