Page 19 of Odin
Whether Odin’s ever had a birthday celebrated or not, he’s getting one tomorrow.
Planning something special for him would be one small way I can say thank you for all that he’s done for me. I just have to figure outwhat. I might be in a strange city, know virtually no one, and Odin might also be basically a stranger, but Tarynn lives here. She’s connected to the club. She’ll help me.
I quickly text back, hoping that she hasn’t gone to bed.
Me: I had no idea. That’s crazy timing! Can I change the pickup time tomorrow morning? I know that given how late it is now, it would make 9 feel like the butt crack of ass, but would you be able to pick me up?
Barely a minute passes before she responds.
Tarynn: Sure! It’s no problem. I have an idea already, if you wanted to surprise him. I’ll involve Crow and he’ll get Tyrant and Raiden into this, and probably Wizard and Dravin and whoever else needs to be down for making up a bit of a white lie, but I think we can pull it off.
Me: Ahh, OMG, tell me! Or is it a surprise for me too?
Tarynn: The club owns a cabin up in the mountains. It’s only a few hours from Hart. If I can get Wizard, the club’s IT guy, to say there’s a problem with the security cameras, then Tyrant could ask Crow and Odin to go up there and fix it. He already knows you’ll be with me tomorrow getting your hair done, we could skip that and head to the cabin and get everything ready. Crow could give me a ride back and we could peace out right after they get there. You guys could have alone time.
Me: Odin’s my ex’s biological dad.
Tarynn: And?
Tarynn: I’m kidding. Sorry. I shouldn’t joke over text.
Tarynn: Even if I do the voice to text thing. That’s why I’m bombarding you with the longest messages.
Tarynn: Sorry again. I didn’t mean alone time like that. We can stay, if you want.
Me: No need to be sorry. This whole thing is wild. Can you convince Crow to convince Odin to bring his camera? He’d love some time getting nature shots.
Me: Not that I’d know anything about that. I’m a city girl through and through. The woods terrify me. And sort of thrill me in equal measure.
Tarynn: I hear you! Anything you want, I’ll make it work. Crow’s awesome like that. He seems all scary and quiet on the surface, but once you know him, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for the people he cares about.
Tarynn: I might be biased.
Me: It’s okay to be biased. Thank you for everything, times a MILLION. You guys are the most amazing found family I never knew I could have. I was starting to feel super lonely when I got back here, but I’m good now. I’m freaking excited. Seriously. Very much so.
Me: Can I still meet your dog?
Tarynn: First thing, babe. I’m coming for you at nine. And we’ll for sure do your hair soon! Have a good night! See you in like… a few hours, haha.
Me: Thank you again. You’re amazing. Goodnight!!
After texting, it’s crazy how my energy has been poured back into me. I might as well have just been jolted with a livewire. My skin prickles, the back of my neck tingles, my heart is beating wildly with excitement, and the rest of me can’t sit still.
It might be crazy, but I always thought that people who made others out to be that way just for being different or thinking differently were in the wrong. Crazy is a perception, and it doesn’t matter that I didn’t even know Odin twenty-four hours ago.
I know him now.
Tomorrow is his day. A day that I’m going to do everything I can to make special. If that’s crazy, then the whole of the world probably needs to adjust its opinions. Either way, sleep or no sleep, I’m throwing my whole self behind this, and I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.
Chapter 7
Odin
One ride was all it took for me to start a love affair with speed, the open air, the freedom of the road, the way that riding washes everything else away for just a short time. I’m one of the few guys in the club who doesn’t hate cars. Most bikers call them cages, but give me a good classic truck, done up sixties muscle, or a fun little deathtrap with a roll cage ready to drift down back roads at excessive speeds, and I’m almost just as happy. The difference between that and a bike is that when I’m riding my Harley, it’s not just going fast. It’s the way I’m connected with the open air and the ground below me. Riding is so elemental that it’s as close to real peace as I’ve ever come.
I’ve been riding behind Crow for hours. It’s an hour from Hart to Seattle, then a decent chunk of time to pass through the city, even though we basically just skirt the edges to get to the freeway that turns into the maze of little backroads that climb into the mountains.
I woke up at ten, expecting to be able to see Willow off with Tarynn, only to find that she’d come early, at nine. Crow was waiting for me when I stumbled into the kitchen, looking for my usual three shots of espresso and steamed milk. He’s never made fun of me for being a coffee snob. Crow’s a quiet, decent man. Now that he’s allowing Raven out more and more, he’s way more chill than he used to be. One minute, he’d be placid, drawing in his sketchbook, and the next, he was aching to fuck someone up,bad. None of us figured out that was because thefighter in him is literally a different personality. It makes a lot of sense now. Raven wanted to take the club’s enforcer position when it opened up, and to keep him satisfied so he could lock him down most times, Crow relented. Even Raven isn’t half as violent anymore, now that his frustration at being trapped behind Crow’s dominant personality, has diminished.
