Page 69 of Roar & Lizzy: A Forever Kind of Love

"Can you promise me that nothing will ever happen to you?" she whispered.

"I can promise that I will do whatever it takes to stay with you." He caught her hand and entwined their fingers. "That's all any of us do. We all have families, some of us have children and wives. To raise kids and to keep our traditions alive so that we can have our family safe and happy means we have to protect ourselves against those who want to take that away from us."

"Why can't they leave you alone?"

"Motorcycle clubs have been around for generations. We fight for what we have." He kissed her hand and put it on his chest. "We fight harder to give to the club so that everyone can prosper. What I do here helps those in Seattle and Slag members in Norway."

"Do you have relatives in Norway?" She sat up on his lap.

His gaze softened. "Uncles and Aunts and cousins. My father was the only one to come to the United States. He wanted more for his wife, and he started over alone with two friends who came with him."

"So, problems like visiting bike clubs happen to your dad, too?" She wanted to ask her questions because whatever happened in Seattle made him come back and tell her more. He was opening up.

"Ja, it happens to my father, my mother, my sisters and their husbands who are also members of Slag." He inhaled deeply. "Do you understand?"

"I'm trying." Admitting that having him here makes things simpler was a hard fact to swallow. She couldn't exactly tell him that her acceptance relied on him being in her life and every time he walked out of the door she'd be back to worrying. Somehow, that seemed self-defeating and wrong.

"I would like to meet your family someday. Do they look like you?"

"I'll show you pictures of my family I have in my room at the clubhouse next time you come over." He kissed her softly. "You need to spend more time with me there and get to know Slag as the family we are."

"Can I ask you one more question?"

He nodded. "As long as afterward, you take me upstairs to your bed."

"Can you ever leave Slag?"

"Why would I leave?" He frowned. "I was born a Slag. I'll die as a Slag, as will my children that I hope to have one day."

He scooped her into his arms and set her on her feet. Holding his hand, she followed him up the stairs. The mention of children pleased her.

He was ready for marriage, a family, and he was older, more mature than most men she dated. He had every quality she looked for in a man.

Were their differences so unmanageable that they couldn't work through them? People of all religions and different economic statuses could see past the conflicts that showed up along the way to loving someone, how could she not work toward what her heart was telling her she wanted?

Outside her bedroom, her phone rang. She pulled her cell out of her pocket and read the screen.

"It's Coco," she said to Roar. She tapped the screen connecting the call. "Hey."

"Can you...get me?" whispered Coco.

"What?" She pulled away from Roar. "I can barely hear you."

"I need you to come and get me. I'm freaking out. There's something bad going on..."

She looked to Roar and spoke to Coco. "Where are your car keys? I'll come right away."

"They're...shit. They're in my purse. I forgot to leave them at home when Grant changed his mind and said he'd pick me up." Coco sniffed. "I'd call Uber but my purse is in the other room, and I don't want to go back in there."

"I'm going to put you on speaker because Roar's here and we can figure out how to come get you." She tapped another button. "Where are you?"

"The Blue Light on Fifth and Grand Street. I'm at the entrance, but Grant thinks I'm in the restroom. I'm afraid he's going to come looking for me if I don't go back in the room." She lowered her voice. "They're doing coke and talking about owing Xing Huo, you know the guy that's always in the papers linked to the Chinese mafia. I'm totally freaking out."

"I'll get Elling. We'll go get her." Roar put his hand on her back and raised his voice, "Coco?"

"Yeah?"

"I want you to keep your phone on, even if you have to put it in your pocket. Lizzy will be at the house and be with you the whole time. Can you do that?" he asked.

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