Page 12 of Where We Promise

She walked over, washed her hands and then situated herself on the rolling stool.

“Okay, you’re thirty-two weeks pregnant, and so far seem to be doing wonderful. Your weight gain is a bit of a concern for me, so we’ll dive into that a bit more, but let’s listen to this little guy’s heart.”

I loved this part the most.

Lying back against the crinkled paper, I looked up at the ceiling as Dr. Beckett squirted a small amount of warm gel near my belly button, and then applied the doppler. A swooshing sound filled the room, as his heartbeat drummed into the air. I nearly cried from how beautiful it sounded. That was my son’s heartbeat.

Not Luke’s. Mine.

Dr. Beckett smiled down at me, after timing my son’s beats, then removed the doppler. “He sounds wonderful. Do you have any concerns or questions? I see here that you just moved to the area. Looks like you’re living with the Stone Riders?”

My brow tapered as worry threaded through me. Club business was usually secret to outsiders, but for some reason, it felt safe to explain.

“I’m running from my ex…the Stone Riders are friends of my old club. It’s a much safer situation now.”

Dr. Beckett nodded. “Simon Stone remains one of the kindest humans I’ve ever met. I once broke down in the middle of a downpour, the roads were flooding and he not only found me but made sure I was taken to safety and the next day my car was in my driveway, completely fixed, free of charge. He’d left a note thanking me for my service to Rose Ridge. I was devastated when I learned he had passed away.”

I dipped my head, knowing it was a blow for the entire motorcycle community. Even as rivals, Jameson had talked about how big of a deal it was that the world had lost Simon Stone. It was strange though, the people who had been closest to him, Callie, Wes…even Killian, none of them seemed to be grieving and yet their president’s passing had only been a few months back.

“I never met him, but I heard he was a great man.”

Dr. Beckett stared off, musing almost to herself. “Thought I saw him the other day…it was the strangest thing.”

I watched her, unsure of what to say.

“Well, I’m glad to hear you’re doing well. I know moving and starting new maternity care this late into your pregnancy can be difficult, but I want you to know that we’re happy to have you. From here on out, I’d like to see you once a week to monitor things, as well as check on your weight. Try to have a few nutrient shakes if you can, or even just an extra peanut butter and jelly sandwich, those calories will be good for you. We also need to give you a tour, so you can see the maternity ward and rooms over at the hospital.”

I nodded my understanding. The stress of moving had me eating less and less, not that I meant to, but I just didn’t have an appetite.

Once the appointment was over, I wandered outside about to head to my car when I saw two Chaos Kings ride up. It was the two men that had crowded Jameson and I outside the Stone Rider clubhouse, Bones and Kline.

I nervously toyed with my keys as I walked to the driver’s side, pulling my door open. I tossed my purse inside and was about to slide in, but the men parked next to me, remaining straddled over their bikes.

“If it isn’t the club whore,” Bones joked.

He was a burly man, nearly six five, with a bushy, gray beard that covered his jaw. He was in his early fifties, and regardless of what he said about his loyalties, his values were on par with Luke’s father, Tuck Holloway.

Kline sneered, his greasy hair was slicked back, revealing his receding hairline and pockmarked face.

“You two can fuck off now,” I stated evenly, turning to get into the car when suddenly Bones twisted the throttle on his bike and lurched forward. His front tire was an inch away from my knee cap.

“Don’t talk to me like that, you fucking cunt.”

My heart knocked against my chest. I felt like a rabbit caught in a snare, being surrounded by hounds.

My hand dropped to my stomach protectively. Bones followed the movement.

“Would have been better if you’d just ripped that thing out of your stomach. No one wants it, or you.”

Tears burned the backs of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I bit down on my lip to prevent it from wobbling. I didn’t care what they thought of me, but I hated that they wanted to hurt my baby. If I weren’t pregnant, maybe I’d stand up for myself…but I also knew the cruelty of these two men combined. I’d overheard Miles talking about runs with them and what they’d done to rivals while out on those runs.

Kline shifted on his seat while looking around, like he was worried he’d be discovered by someone. “Once Jameson tires of you, he’ll let us play. Never fucked a pregnant chick before but might be fun. Even if it’s just your mouth.”

I tried to step back, but the angle of the seat and the tire wouldn’t allow me to. I couldn’t even shut my door, or maneuver around the tire still lodged an inch from my knee. A shuddery breath left me right as Bones slid his kickstand down as if he was about to leave his bike.

No, this couldn’t be happening. Were they going to hurt me right here in broad daylight? I needed to leave, to get my cell out, I needed to call Jamie.

Just then another vehicle pulled into the parking lot and veered into a spot a few spaces down from us. The driver’s door opened and Wes Ryan, one of the Stone Riders, climbed out with his shades on and his leather cut in place. No designation to what he did in the club on his vest, but there were still rumors about him being selected as president after Simon died, even before Killian. Ryan had led for a few months if I understood everything correctly, then he just stepped down and handed everything over.

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