Page 41 of Owning the Prez’s Ol' Lady

It's why I didn’t follow Ratt to the Crows. I knew what Sabbath and Leppard were capable of. They literally kidnapped her off the streets and held her at the club against her will. She was a prisoner... one that I had no idea about until she finally told me.

“I like that name,” I said quietly, meeting her eyes. “Can I hold her?” I asked, my fingers itching to get my hands on my daughter and meet her for the first time.

“Will you give her back?” There was a seriousness to her tone, and I felt bad that she was that afraid of me taking her.

“Despite what you think of me, Ramona, I would never take our baby away from you.”

Reluctantly, she lifted the baby up, offering her to me like some cult sacrifice. “Just don’t hurt her.”

“Never,” I breathed out, tears instantly moving over my eyes as my daughter was gently placed in my arms. I couldn’t hide the love I was feeling in that moment, or the sense of pride that washed over me when she smiled and cooed at the same time. “She’s so beautiful,” I murmured, nuzzling her little fingers as they curled around one of mine. “She’s perfect.”

Ramona blushed. “I think so too.”

The girl next to her tried to remove her hand, but Ramona was gripping it still, holding on to her for dear life.

“This is Josie,” Ramona said, introducing us.

Eyes the color of newly fallen snow met mine, taking my breath away for the briefest of seconds. She must’ve felt the zing too, because she sucked in an intake of breath, and then shyly smiled.

“Nice to meet you,” she said kindly. “Though I’m not sure of your name.”

“Darren,” I said, my focus returning to my daughter. “But my club calls me Axl.”

“I’m not going back, Axl,” Ramona quickly said, breaking my concentration. “I won’t go back.”

My head shot up to look at her, and the second I did, she frowned.

“I’m in love with Josie, and I’ve fallen in love with this town. I don’t want to raise our daughter in a club full of bikers. I want to raise her here where it’s safe...”

I wanted that too. But leaving the Outlaws wasn’t really an option for me. Not when I just took on the rank of Secretary and stepped into Warrant’s shoes.

Before I could respond, Shasta flounced into the room. She looked completely wrecked with her smeared makeup and tears silently streaming down her face.

The second Ramona saw her, she straightened, her mouth falling into a frown.

“Shasta? What’s wrong?”

“I’ve messed everything up, Ramona. I don’t know what to do. The last thing I wanted was to hurt Joe, but the second I saw Snyder... I knew... he’s the only man I wanted to be with.”

Josie gasped. “Shit! Did you already tell my brother that?”

Shasta nodded.

“Fuck, I need to go find him before he does something stupid. I’ll be back, babe. Don’t go anywhere.” They shared a hot as hell kiss, one that had my dick instantly hard.

Ramona’s focus returned to Shasta, and mine was back on my little Summer Rayne.

“Is that what you want, Shasta? To return to that life?”

Shasta shook her head. “All I want is to be with him.”

Ramona nodded in understanding, but then she looked sad again. “I can’t go back, Shasta. I won’t. I’m building a life here with Josie, and this is where I want to raise my family. I’m finally in touch with my parents again, and my life is finally starting to piece itself back together. If you go back, you’ll have to go alone.”

Shasta let out a sob. “I would never ask you to come back with me, Ramona. You belong here with Josie.” She shot me an apologetic look. “Sorry, Axl. I know you probably don’t want to hear that, but it’s true.”

She was right, I didn’t want to hear it, but I also knew that our daughter deserved a good life, one that wasn’t full of corruption and destruction.

“I know.”

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