Page 61 of July 27

"I totally owe you." Brooke blew out her breath. "I was afraid I'd need to take the afternoon off since they need a parent there, but Daisy promised me it would be okay if you were there. She needs a responsible adult to sign the release forms—for insurance purposes."

Dio chuckled. "Paperwork."

"Exactly." Brooke reached out and swept Skye's bangs behind her ear.

Skye moved away from her touch and grabbed Dio's hand. "Let's go."

As soon as the door swung shut, Brooke shook her head. "Teenagers."

Rachel laughed softly. Though Brooke didn't look old enough to have a teenager.

"Do you have any kids?" Brooke cleaned the top of the table next to Rachel.

"No." She finished the last drop of coffee. "I'm only twenty-two."

"You're younger than Katrina." Brooke straightened. "Sorry, that was rude. Trust me, I have no room to talk about age differences."

She'd noticed Maverick was a lot older than Brooke. Ruger never talked about the others, but her curiosity about the people surrounding him brought that detail to the surface. In the same way, Jagger was older than Katrina, and Wire was older than Cora. More couples were farther apart in age within the Havlin Motorcycle Club. She had to assume bikers preferred younger women, but that kink wasn't what brought her and Ruger together.

Age wasn't something they discussed. They were together because of their history. No one would understand what she'd gone through or the sacrifices Ruger made for her. But she knew in her heart that even if they hadn't lived through the kidnapping, she would've still been drawn to him if they had met some other way.

His heart spoke to her. While others viewed him as a loner who needed nobody, she knew differently.

"It's okay." She smiled. "It's no secret."

Brooke pointed at the vacant chair on the other side of the table. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not."

"When Ruger left you here, he told me to watch out for you and call the clubhouse if we needed help." She sat down and leaned against the table. "Are you still in danger?"

Everyone had seen her when she and Ruger arrived at the clubhouse after escaping. They'd seen the condition she arrived in. But that's all they knew. They had no idea what she'd lived through.

The men who'd hurt her were dead. A secret she'd keep for the rest of her life.

She exhaled. "Ruger's just protective."

Brooke nodded. "I get that. Maverick is the same way with me and his daughter. That's why we rely on Dio so much with Skye. Since she was little, Skye idolized Dio—he could do no wrong in her eyes. And I'd trust a biker around her before anyone outside Havlin."

She was learning Havlin Motorcycle Club was a tight-knit group. While Ruger remained a loner, the others had formed a community. An extended family.

She pointed at the empty mug. "The coffee was really good."

"Want a refill?"

"No, thanks." She looked around. "I've already drank too much. Do you have a restroom I can use?"

Brooke stood. "Follow me."

She walked behind the counter and entered a small room off the short hallway. Going inside, she used the bathroom, washed her hands, and took a deep breath. Never one who socialized or hung out with others past high school, it took a lot out of her to put on a false front that everything was okay.

Things were so far from okay that it left her trembling inside.

Her brother was somewhere, and she had no idea if he needed her. She only hoped Ruger found him or got word that Shady was okay.

She dried her hands and left the restroom. When she returned to the coffee shop's main room, she found Cora and Katrina standing on the other side of the counter, talking to Brooke.

Katrina frowned the second she spotted Rachel. She looked away, not wanting to annoy Ruger's daughter.

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