Page 96 of Baby for the Bikers

Leona?

Another piece of the puzzle slots into place. She changed her name, her identity, and everything except those skills she was born with.

“Interesting place, Wolf Pike,” Cypher continues, releasing Emma to trace his fingers along the counter. “Small towns, everybody knows everybody’s business. Except when they don’t.”

He pulls out his phone, taps the screen, and turns it toward me. Security camera footage plays—grainy but clear enough. Rowan entering our house. Rowan kissing Maddox on the porch. Rowan on the back of Ryder’s bike.

“Seems my little girl’s been busy.” His voice drops to a deadly whisper. “Living with the same men who tried to destroy her family. Who would’ve guessed she had that kind of betrayal in her?”

“Dad—” Emma starts, but falls silent at his glare.

My mind races, connecting dots at lightning speed. Matthews said Cypher believed we were still working for Cerberus and still targeting his operation. But this—this is personal. This is about his daughter sleeping with his enemies.

“Whatever you think is happening here,” I say carefully, “it’s not what it seems.”

“No?” Cypher chuckles. “Let me explain what I see. Three men who cost me millions, who killed my people, now keeping my daughter as what? A pet? A hostage? A whore?”

The last word ignites something primal in my chest. My fists clench at my sides.

“Don’t,” Maddox warns under his breath.

But it’s too late. One of the Vipers has moved toward the high school kids’ booth. Another blocks the main exit. The baldmountain stands near the kitchen, effectively cutting off our access to the back door.

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Cypher says, pulling a gun from his jacket. “You’re going to tell me where my daughter is. Then you’re going to die—quick if you cooperate, slow if you don’t.”

“Dad, please,” Emma begs, grabbing his arm. “Let’s just go.”

“You.” He pushes her toward one of his men. “Keep her outside. This isn’t for her eyes.”

40

MADDOX

The first shotdoesn’t come from Cypher’s gun. It blasts through the front window, spraying glass across the diner floor.

“Down!” I yell, diving for Mr. Peterson and yanking him from his booth as a second shot punches into the wall where his head had been.

Brick moves instantly, tackling Cypher as more gunfire erupts from outside. Ryder vaults the counter, the Glock already in his hand.

“Death’s Head,” Ryder growls, spotting the rival MC’s cuts through the shattered window.

Fucking perfect timing. The one MC that hates the Vipers as much as they hate us, choosing now to make their move.

I flip the nearest table, creating cover as bullets tear through the diner. “This way!” I wave the high school kids toward the kitchen. “Out the back, now!”

Cypher’s men scramble for weapons, returning fire toward the street. The diner transforms into a war zone in seconds—gunfire,shouting, breaking glass. The bald mountain grabs Emma, using her as a shield as he backs toward the door.

“Go help the civilians,” Brick orders, crouched behind the counter next to me. He chambers a round in the pistol he keeps stashed under the register. “Ryder and I will handle this.”

I nod, half crawling toward the kitchen where the construction workers are huddled with the high school kids. “Through the storeroom,” I direct them, pointing to the exit. “Cut through the alley, get to Teller’s garage.”

A familiar blue Honda screeches to a halt outside, and my heart stops. No. No fucking way.

But there she is—Rowan, ducking out of her car into the middle of a goddamn shootout. Her eyes are wild, determined, fixed on the diner entrance where Death’s Head and Vipers are exchanging fire on the sidewalk.

“Rowan!” I scream, but my voice is lost in the chaos.

She weaves through the gunfire with shocking skill, using parked cars as cover, timing her movements between bursts of shooting. She’s not just Cypher’s blood—she was trained by him.

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