Page 86 of Moon's Promise

Stud leaned a forearm on his handlebars. “Brother, I feel for you, I really do.” He nodded his head toward the restaurant. “Unfortunately, Larissa is under the protection of the Destructors, which means if she doesn’t want to talk, she doesn’t have to.”

“You’re giving her protection? Why?”

“Not that I have to explain shit to you …” Stud placed his other forearm on his handlebars, giving the impression of being laidback, but Moon wasn’t stupid. “Larissa is Killyama’s midwife, she did a solid for Crazy Bitch, and my old lady likes her. So do I.”

“Enough to go to war over her?”

“The question is: is she worth going to war when there are much easier ways to get what you want without leading to a conflict between our clubs?”

Moon put out his cigarette with the heel of his boot.

Stud had fought his way to become the president of the Destructors. His brother was president of the Blue Horsemen and was considered an ally of The Last Riders. If he started a fight with Stud, it could be Viper’s final straw to throw him out of the club.

“I’ll leave, but I want to talk to her first. We can talk out here, in front of you, but I’m not going until she does.”

Stud took out his cell phone.

Moon remained sitting on his bike while Stud talked to his wife.

“Bring her out. All he wants to do is talk, then he’ll leave.”

From Stud’s expression, Sex Piston was giving him hell.

“Bring her out now.” Stud disconnected the call, pocketing his phone as he gave him a harassed expression. “You sure you don’t want to take off while the going is good? Brother, sometimes, they aren’t worth the headache.”

Moon gave a hiss of air through his teeth. “I have already found that out,” he agreed.

Sex Piston and her crew all filed out of the restaurant, glaring at him. Larissa walked out last, next to Sex Piston. She said something to her before she left Sex Piston’s side. Moon was surprised Larissa approached alone without the women.

Stopping in front of Stud’s bike, she stared at Moon cautiously. “You wanted to talk?”

Moon’s eyes dipped to the swell of her belly. “The kid is mine.”

“Yes.”

His eyes bore into hers. “I wasn’t asking.”

Red flooded her cheeks. “Oh … I thought you were—”

“You have some misconceptions about me that we need to clear up,” he stated coldly. “I’m not some kind of patsy you can play games with then make me out to be the bad guy. You’ve fucked me over twice. You know that, right?”

Larissa’s bottom lip began to tremble. “I didn’t mean to.”

Moon hardened his heart. “You know I was at the clubhouse when you left town?”

“Yes, I did—”

“Then you meant to,” he cut her off again. “All you had to do was come to the clubhouse and tell me you’re pregnant. That’s it. That’s all you had to do. We could have worked out an agreement where we could have shared custody of the kid. I’m not a selfish man; I would have been reasonable. On the other hand, from how you reacted by deliberately leaving without telling me, then when I talked to your sisters and mother, you still didn’t call, that shows me you have no intention of sharing. I’m afraid that won’t be acceptable to me.”

His hands were hanging loosely on the motorcycle’s handlebars. Now, raising one lone finger, he pointed at her belly. “Enjoy having the baby with you. Cherish the time you’re going to have together, because I’m making a promise right here and now that once that baby comes out of your womb, it’s mine.”

“You can’t do that—”

“Watch me.” Moon let his expression show just how serious he was.

“No judge in their right mind would give you custody of a child.”

“Why not? My record is clean. I served in the military. I have a steady job. You might think I’m a loser, but I’m far from one.”

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