Page 14 of Dancin' with Demons

“I’m glad you had someone, at least, even if it didn’t make things easier. I guess it was better than bein’ completely alone,” I say just as Edna comes over to the table with plates stacked in her hands.

“Alright, all the bacon for the little miss,” she says as she leans over and sets a plate in front of Savior. “Omelet for my girl and pancakes for the gentleman. You guys need anythin’ else for now?”

“No, ma’am,” I say as Raylynn shakes her head. “Thank you, Edna.” After she leaves, I watch Savior grab a piece of bacon and shove the whole thing in her mouth, doin’ a happy wiggle as she chews. “You want those pancakes cut, little one?”

She looks up at me and nods quickly. “Please.”

Raylynn reaches for the plate, and my hand darts out and gently smacks the back of her hand. When she turns her wide eyes on me, I wink at her. “I got it.” Grabbin’ Savior’s plate, I cut her pancakes before settin’ it back in front of her.

“Thank you for breakfast, Ren-Ren,” she says as she picks up her fork and stabs a small stack.

“You’re welcome, sweetie.” After cuttin’ my own pancakes, I wait for Raylynn to take a few bites of her food. “I have more questions, but I think they need to wait until we have some privacy.”

Raylynn stares at me for a moment. “ I appreciate that.”

Right there, she knows what I want to ask— Savior’s birth father, her time with Havoc Ryders; there’s a lot of unanswered shit there that I’d like to know, especially since our club knows that some of those fuckers got away.

For the rest of breakfast, we eat in relative silence, but I glance at Raylynn every few seconds. A few times, I catch her starin’ at me, and everythin’ in me wants to know what’s runnin’ through that beautiful head of hers. I’m not gonna ask, though, because it's clear as fuck she’s strugglin’ to wrap her mind around the fact I’ve just waltzed back into her life after three long fuckin’ years. Hell, I’m havin’ trouble wrappin’ my damn head around the fact that the woman whose absence sent me to damn near to rock bottom is sittin’ across from me again.

“You beautiful ladies ready to go?”

They both nod, and I slide out of the seat at the same time Raylynn does. She bumps into me and tilts her head back to look up at my face. Restin’ my hand on her lower back, I lean down and gently kiss her forehead as Savior stands on the booth seat.

“Ren-Ren, can you carry me again?”

Lookin’ over at her, I hold my arms out, and she leaps into ‘em. After gettin’ her situated, I hold her with one hand and get my wallet out with the other. Throwin’ a hundred down on the table, I don’t fail to notice the way Raylynn looks from the cash to me and shakes her head a little. I know she’s struggled, but she’s gonna have to get used to money because I got more than enough of it and have no problem spendin’ all of it on her and her daughter from this point on.

“So,” I say to Savior as we head out of the diner and back to the truck, “I’m thinkin’ when we get to the house, we can set you up in the livin’ room on the big TV, put on some Disney movies, and chill for the day. How’s that sound?”

“I’ve never seen a Disney movie,” Savior says quietly.

I let my jaw drop playfully. “What? Oh, we have to get you a Disney education, then. All the princesses.”

Savior giggles as I open the doors of the truck and get her in the back, makin’ sure her seatbelt is on right. I’m gonna need to get a car seat for her, especially in this truck. She is too damn small to be ridin’ without one, but Raylynn doesn’t have a car, so it makes sense that she wouldn’t have one. I already know I need to take this child shoppin’. Raylynn had three bags when we came out to the truck, and that ain’t enough for ‘em in my eyes. I want Raylynn and her daughter to have everythin’.

Both of ‘em are quiet on the ride to the house, but the moment I pull into the driveway, Savior lets out a soft“Wow,”as I cut the engine. Raylynn opens her door, her eyes roamin’ over the main house and the in-law suite with her eyes wide and mouth slightly open. I take my time gettin’ Savior out but get distracted as a string of cuss words comes from the other side of the driveway.

“I’m gonna kick your big, tree-lookin’ ass, Renegade,” Trickster yells as he comes down the steps from the main house with Sandra and Catacomb behind him. “You don’t leave no fuckin’ note and take my fuckin’ truck. Have you lost your fuckin’ mind?”

Hoistin’ Savior into my arms, I close the doors and step around the front of the truck. Trickster’s eyes go right to her and widen, his jaw droppin’ as Savior locks her arms around my neck tightly.

“He uses bad words, Ren-Ren,” she says softly, but it’s still loud enough for everyone to hear, and Sandra and Catacomb both try to hide their smiles.

“Watch your mouth around this kid, Trick,” I say sternly, pinnin’ him with a glare. “I mean it.” His eyes dark between me, Raylynn, and Savior, his mouth still hangin’ open. “Y’all know Raylynn. This is her daughter, Savior. Savior, this is Trickster, and if he cusses in front of you again, let me know. This lovely lady is Sandra, and that’s my best friend, Catacomb.”

“Catacomb?” Savior sits straighter and looks at my president with a strange expression. “That’s a funny name.”

“Savior,” Raylynn hisses, “be nice, please.”

Catacomb steps closer and holds his hand out. “It’s a nickname. My real name is Phoenix.”

Savior gives him a gentle smile. “Oh, that’s a pretty name. I like that one. Is Trick a nickname, too?”

“Yeah,” I say, reachin’ up to playfully tweak her nose. “It’s Trickster, but his name is Dylan.”

“What’s your real name?”

Tiltin’ my head back so I can see her face fully, I smirk. “Makoa.”

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