Page 26 of Roam

“Always. I might be needing your help soon.”

Roam pulled back and scrutinized War’s face. “What’s going on?”

War pulled in a breath, then blew it out. “Remi quit her birth control and wants us to try. I’m a little ashamed to admit, I’m scared. I can’t lose her. Women die in childbirth all the time.”

Roam clasped his brother’s shoulder. “You’ve got this and don’t go worst-case scenario. Remi’s healthy. We have a full-time nurse and an extra on the compound. Just relax. I mean, you’re working on the best part, making love to your wife. Everything else will fall together. You’re comfortable with the twins, changing diapers and babysitting even by yourself. You’ll make a great dad and then our kids can grow up together and take over the MC from us.”

A smirk tilted his brother’s mouth. His words had done what he wanted and calmed his brother down.

“Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow at lunch.”

Roam watched his brother walk out the door and imagined him with a baby. When the twins were born in Dodge City, War had made a quick drop by to see them. He’d awkwardly held Georgia, worried he’d drop her. Fast forward to his brother now, he had no problem holding little ones and had even nudged Rascal out of the way to hold Joey when he was little. War would make a fantastic dad and Remi would be an amazing mom.

He locked the door and did his circle around the house, checking everything before going to bed. He might live on a safe compound, but he still locked his doors at night just in case. He glanced in at the twins and then checked on Grant. He was star fished in his bed and had kicked the covers off on the floor. Roam picked them up and laid them over his feet. By morning, Grant would be curled up with his blanket tight around him.

Roam walked out of Grant’s room and headed to his own. Glancing at his large bed, he wished he was crawling into bed beside Sprite. Not just to slide into her body but to talk about their day and have her cuddle up on his shoulder. He didn’t look forward to the conversation about Shanna, but he knew it needed to happen. He just wasn’t sure how to drop it in the conversation.

Chapter Fourteen

Sprite settled Oakley into one of the booster seats around the large table in the clubhouse. Blake had immediately found Phoebe and was sitting by her. Sprite had offered to help bring food in, but Regina said she, Meg and Bear had it.

War, Scoop and Roam were discussing something and had pulled Cannon over too. Now they were dispersing and having a couple people move from where they were sitting. She watched them, trying to understand what they were doing. Once they were done, they sat down too.

Everything was on the table except for the platters of what Roam had called gravy steak. Sprite was excited for lunch because anything with gravy sounded delicious. The platters were brought in and the three took their seats.

Now, it was plain what the guys had done. They’d left two seats across from War and Remi available for Beth and the deputy. She didn’t even know his name yet. They just called him the deputy. The couple would have Bear on one side and Scoop on the other. Sarah and Winnie would be on each side of Remi and War. It looked like they’d set the couple up for an inquisition. They were in the middle of the table but situated close to the head where the originals all sat, including Locks. With Locks beside Winnie, he had a perfect view of where the deputy would sit.

Once the food was on the table, Baron stood up. “Looks like we’re just waiting on a couple of people...”

“We’re here. I’m sorry we’re late. Kerwin had to give someone a ticket for going two miles over the speed limit.”

“I know you don’t understand my reasoning but you’re not a law enforcement officer. We live by a different code.”

Oh, my freaking gosh! What a tool! Roam was right to be a little wary of him as far as Sprite was concerned. She wanted to stand up and smack him with his condescending tone.

“Well, you’re here now, so come and join us,” Baron invited.

As they walked to the table, Locks stood and put his hand out. “Noah Franks, Beth’s father. It’s nice to meet you.”

Kerwin did a quick shake of Locks’ hand, nodding at him. “Yes, you’re also a member of the club. The chaplain, I believe?”

Locks nodded and sat back down. “Correct. At least until one of the younger members is ready to take over. How are you liking Bluff Creek? Is it very different from where you were before? What was that place? I can’t rightly remember.”

Sprite looked down at her plate, composing her face before she looked back up. She was fighting a smile at Locks beginning the interrogation.

“Let’s say grace and then everyone can eat before the food gets cold. Lord, thank you for bringing us together and the new faces around our table. May we show others the blessings you’ve given us. Amen.”

Sprite took a piece of the gravy steak and then cut up some pieces for Oakley. She also took two rolls, one for her and one for Oakley. She glanced down the table and Blake was filling her plate. Cannon was by her and Phoebe and helping them move the platters to the next person.

Although the level of noise rose as everyone chatted and filled their plates, each time Kerwin spoke, almost everyone quieted down to listen to his words. He’d explained he’d been in a suburb of Dallas. His reasoning for moving was that the sheriff of Bluff Creek was looking at retiring in a couple years so Bluff Creek had more advancement.

Sprite got that strange feeling that she called her twitchy feeling. The back of the neck itch that made her think something was off. She’d never disregarded it and didn’t plan to now.

She glanced up and Roam was smiling at her. He flicked his eyes toward Kerwin and cocked an eyebrow. She scrunched up her nose and nodded yes that she agreed with his assessment from the night before.

Winnie said something that had Beth chuckling along with most of the table. Kerwin leaned close, whispering in her ear. Beth quieted but was still smiling. Sprite would give anything to know what he’d whispered in her ear and didn’t want the rest of them to hear.

“So, Remi, Beth tells me that you all run the bail bonds and do security. Do you employ a lot of larger men to handle threats?”

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