Page 14 of Pit's Salvation

Chapter Ten

PitfollowedArielintothe snowplow barn. Christmas Eve in Bluff Creek was beautiful. It was a clear night with no clouds. The night sky was filled with twinkling stars. It was cold but not freezing. Tonight was some secret that the MC was allowing him, Ariel, his mom, aunt, and Justice to be a part of. They were spending Christmas Eve and Christmas at Bluff Creek because Ariel’s brother Roam was getting married tomorrow.

Ariel had been in a strange mood, and he wondered if his woman was hiding something. The month since Thanksgiving had been busy with the restaurant. Ariel had traveled a couple times when Rose had needed backup on a job. He hadn’t met Rose until they’d arrived today. Rose was a former police officer who was also one of Scoop’s younger sisters. She and her sister Tasha were twins, and talk about twins being so different. Rose was rougher and harder, whereas Tasha was in nursing and softer.

If his Sugar was going to be backing up someone, he’d want it to be Rose. She seemed to be able to handle herself well.

He glanced around the barn that tomorrow would be where Roam and Sprite saidI do. It seemed like an extremely busy weekend: the secret thing tonight, present opening at lunch at the clubhouse, and then a wedding in the evening.

In an effort to hopefully garner some space from his father-in-law, Pit had brought a huge amount of smoked meats for the Christmas Day meal and the wedding. Baron seemed to have this habit of just dropping in and checking on Ariel as if he thought Pit was going to kill her and hide her body somewhere.

He adored his woman. Although her father was driving him up the wall, he wouldn’t retaliate against Baron yet. Of course, if the visits continued, Pit might change his mind.

Everyone had gathered in a circle. War whistled to get everyone’s attention.

“Last year, I remember showing up to this meeting wondering why the heck, as Bluff Creek Brotherhood MCs President, I didn’t know what was happening. For those of you who are new, I’d like to welcome you to the Santa’s Slay MC. This secret MC is only active on Christmas Eve. It was formed thirteen years ago when my mom, Regina, and her best friend, Kathryn, who was dying, decided that Christmas Eve would be a time of changing lives and bringing hope to those who need it. Tonight you’ll be Santa’s helpers, making sure that you help others.”

Pit listened to War explain more about how Santa’s Slay MC functioned and all the rules for tonight. He had to admit he got a little teary-eyed listening to all of them take the vow to embody love to those you meet. Ariel leaned over and wrapped an arm around his waist. He slid his arm around her shoulders and hugged her.

He wondered if this was something they could do Christmas Eve in Kansas City if they weren’t able to make it home. Everyone needed hope. He glanced over at Justice, his mom, and aunt. His mom nodded, and he knew she was thinking the exact same thing.

He shrugged on the Santa’s Slay MC cut they provided and then stared at his beautiful Sugar as she situated the Santa hat on his head. He and Ariel picked up the red Santa bags filled with presents. When they got out to the bikes, he saw that some of them had been modified with racks. His already had a special carrier. When he’d replaced his bike that had been wrecked when Ariel rescued him, he’d had a special rack built so he could carry the pans his restaurant used if needed. When he wasn’t using them, they looked like any rack on a motorcycle. When he needed the larger rack, he just flicked a little lock and the longer pieces slid out to be used.

He watched Ariel secure the sack since she’d done that before, then got on the bike with her behind him. He followed her instructions to the first house. The smiles on the faces and the gratitude in everyone’s eyes made him feel ten feet tall. Although they were giving to people, Pit was receiving so much in return.

It took him and Ariel about two hours to finish their bags. Bluff Creek was organized and had trucks with more bags at loading points along the road. If Ariel decided she wanted to do something like this in Kansas City, they might need to start planning soon.

He parked his motorcycle in front of the house they were staying at. He and Ariel were staying with her parents along with his mom and aunt. He wanted to end the night with him inside Ariel, but Baron had put them in the room right next to them. He wasn’t sure if his father-in-law would try to kill him if he made the princess of the MC scream out Pit’s name as she came.

Ariel got off the motorcycle and then held her hand out to him. He took her hand and then followed as his Sugar led him around the house and out toward some trees behind her parents’ house. The cold, crisp air and silence surrounded them. He could hear motorcycles as people returned home, but otherwise, the night was quiet. Ariel paused close to the trees but in the middle of the field. He glanced around to see if he could figure out what she was doing.

Ariel turned until they were facing each other. It was dark out, and he could barely see his Sugar’s face. She pulled out a little wrapped package and her phone.

“Open this,” she said, putting it in his hand and then turning the light on so he could see what he was opening. He ripped the paper and then stared at the stick inside of a plastic bag. He flipped it over and stared at the word –Pregnant. When he looked up at her, she smiled, “Merry Christmas, Gavin.”

He grasped her by the back of her neck, pulling her close and kissing her lips. He was equal parts scared and excited. He poured it all into his kiss, trying to let her know how much she and their baby meant to him. His Sugar, his salvation, had brought the MC President the best Christmas present ever.

When he pulled back, he couldn’t keep from asking, “How far along?”

She smiled at him, touching his cheek. “It’s early yet. I’m barely two weeks overdue for my period. Can we keep it just between us until we’re further along?”

He pulled her close, holding her tight as if he could keep her safe and well.

“We can do whatever you want because my Sugar is giving me the dream.”

Chapter Eleven

Pitwaitedashiswife finished putting on her makeup. Why, when she swiped the lipstick on her lower lip, did it make him want to muss her all up again? He knew that wasn’t a possibility. Her brother was getting married today. Pit and Ariel were in charge of the kids making it down the aisle as the ring bearers and flower girls. He only hoped he and Ariel could keep them all wrangled.

Ariel’s news last night had him looking at the kids differently. Roam and Sprite’s minions had scared him, but holding little Matthew had him imagining a little boy or a little girl with his and Ariel’s features. He stood and waited until she was done, then held his arm out.

“Shall we go wrangle the kids? It will be good experience,” he said quietly. Their door was closed, but he wasn’t chancing anyone finding out when Ariel wanted it quiet.

“Yes, let’s head over there. Mom said we could take Roam and Sprite’s side-by-side because it has the car seats already installed.”

He followed his woman downstairs, then to the living room where the kids were all waiting. It took a little bit to get them all in car seats or seatbelts, along with all the little wedding things they needed: flower girl baskets, ring bearer pillows, and shoes. Oakley and Georgia kept kicking off their shoes. He finally slid them into a little bag he ran back into the house to get. If they kept kicking them off and he had to stop on the drive, they’d never make it in time.

Once they had all the kids ready to go, he had a huge amount of respect for Roam and Sprite to wrangle this many children day after day. Blake, their six-year-old, had definitely helped. She was a junior bridesmaid and was going to carry Matthew down the aisle until she got to Regina. Then Regina would hold him during the ceremony. Grant, who was four and a half—because the half was apparently very important—was carrying the rings along with his younger brother Casper. Pit was thankful the rings were tied on the pillow because he’d stopped Grant from hitting his sisters with it or from him and Casper playing football with the pillow. Georgia, Casper’s twin, and Oakley, who was close to the same age, were flower girls.

---