Page 28 of Dancin' with Demons

“Do you want to read some books for a bit while I talk to your friends, Savior?” Miss Irene smooths the kid’s hair and smiles softly.

Without answerin’, Savior is off the couch and flops on the floor in front of a bookshelf, hummin’ happily to herself. Miss Irene stands, and motions for Trickster and I to follow her to the kitchen. I pause and watch Savior readin’ to herself for a few seconds before Miss Irene lets out a soft whistle to get my attention. Headin’ into the kitchen, she tells us both to take seats at her little table, and Trickster and I glance at each other while Miss Irene gets three glasses and fills ‘em with tea before bringin’ ‘em to the table and joinin’ us.

“Now that it’s just the adults,” the old woman says, her voice much harder than it’s been since we arrived as she pins me with a glare, “what exactly are your intentions with my girls? As happy as I am that you found ‘em, I don’t want anyone hurtin’ ‘em, and sadly, when Savior gets attached to people, it can be a recipe for a broken heart.”

Swallowin’ the lump in my throat, I take a deep breath. “The truth?”

Miss Irene narrows her eyes. “Well, lyin’ to me wouldn’t me a smart move, son.”

Noddin’, I sigh. “Well, my intention is to get Raylynn and Savior to come to Tennessee with me so that I can marry her and adopt that little girl. Whether or not I can convince her of that is still in the air, but I ain’t givin’ up any time soon.”

Miss Irene’s eyes widen a second before a large smile comes across her lips. “She’ll go. Even if she fights you at first, I think Raylynn has secretly hoped you’d find her. Hell, she wouldn’t write those journals to you if she didn’t have feelin’s for you all these years.”

“Did you say those journals are written to Renegade?” Trickster asks, sittin’ forward some in his seat.

“Yes,” Miss Irene says with another smile. “If I remember correctly, she once told me that she started writin’ to him on the bus the day she left him. And she’s done so almost every day for the last three years. Gosh, she’s filled up I know close to a hundred of the composition books.”

“Irene,” I say, reachin’ over to lay my hand over hers, “how would you feel about comin’ with us to Tennessee? So that you can stay with Raylynn and Savior? I’ll handle everythin’, make sure you’re well taken care of, have a house of your own that’s close to mine. Whatever will make you and the girls happy.”

Miss Irene sighs as she pulls one of her hands out to cover mine. “Oh, aren’t you sweet. I don’t know, though, son. The last thing I want is to be a burden for anyone.”

Shakin’ my head, I gently squeeze her hand. “You wouldn’t be. Raylynn looks at you like a mother, and you’re the only grandmother Savior knows. I need ‘em with me, but they need you. And I can’t ask little one to just leave you here. It would break that little girl’s heart and I don’t ever want to do that to her. But I can’t lose Raylynn again, Miss Irene, and I think you understand that. So, I’ll do anythin’ to get her to stay with me, for Savior to stay with me.”

Miss Irene slowly brings her palm to rest against my cheek. “How about I come to dinner? Give me some time to consider it.”

“I’d like that,” I say before sittin’ back, and movin’ my hands to take a sip of my tea. I don’t know where the hell that came from, but the moment the offer was in my head, it was out of my mouth, and I knew I’d stick to it. From what Raylynn says, Miss Irene doesn’t have a family aside from ‘em, and I don’t want to take that away from any of ‘em. Especially since Savior will be the first child really comin’ into the club, and I already know Raylynn’s gonna need time away from the clubhouse and the lifestyle I’m askin’ her to live with me.

For the next hour, we talk with Miss Irene and agree to dinner tomorrow. By the time we’re headin’ out the door, Savior is dozin’ off on my shoulder, and I’d be lyin’ if I said I wasn’t thinkin’ about a damn nap myself. It’s been a long time since I took care of a kid this young— like not since my siblings were this young, and it’s gonna take me a minute to get used to the energy level required to keep up with Savior.

“Tell Raylynn I’ll see her tomorrow,” Miss Irene says as we head down the stairs of the buildin’.

Trickster and I both wave, and steppin’ onto the sidewalk, the breeze hits me, and the hair on my neck stands up. Shakin’ the feelin’ off for now, I head to the truck and get Savior in her seat. She barely wakes up, so I know we’ve worn her out today. Gettin’ in the truck and pullin’ onto the road, Trickster turns the radio off and glances in the back seat. I try not to smile at the fact he’s already thinkin’ of the little girl in the back before anythin’ else.

We’re both quiet as we head toward the house, but passin’ the diner, my gut drops at the fact there’s a shit ton of bikes in the parkin’ lot, all parked with the same on that was there this mornin’. Lookin’ at Trickster, his brows are bunched together and I can tell he’s worried the same as me. Instead of ignorin’ it, I make the left turn and drive to the other side of the buildin’, parkin’ near the alley that has the employee door.

“Stay with Savior,” I say quietly before throwin’ the door open and damn near joggin’ to the door of the diner. Steppin’ inside, the loud, obnoxious laughter from two full booths and a full table of bikers dominates the diner. I glance at ‘em but don’t make myself too obvious as I spot Edna at the counter, her eyes dartin’ to the men, too. Walkin’ to her, I try to keep my voice down and my tone steady. “Where’s Raylynn?”

Edna glances at me and then at the men again. “Outback on break.”

Without askin’ permission, I move past the counter and into the kitchen, and right to the back door that leads to the alleyway. It’s eerily quiet back here and my eyes move back and forth, tryin’ to find my woman. I don’t see her but as I turn toward the side alley that leads to the street, a sob echoes through the air from somewhere behind me. Turnin’ back around, I walk quietly deeper into the alley toward the set of dumpsters that rest against the buildin’ behind the diner. As soon as I step past ‘em, I don’t know whether to be pissed or fuckin’ heartbroken.

Raylynn is sittin’ on her ass, tucked next to the dumpster, her knees to her chest with her arms wrapped around ‘em. Her sobbin’ and tryin’ to suck in air at the same time, and her shoulders shake so bad it’s like she’s suffocatin’. Movin’ to her, I drop to my knees and put my hands on her shoulders. The moment I touch her, her head snaps up and she whimpers, tryin’ to push her body tighter against the wall behind her. Her eyes are wild, movin’ over me at a hundred miles an hour.

“It’s me, little love, just me,” I whisper, “take a deep breath, honey. You’ve got to calm down, okay? I’m here. I got you. You’re safe, I promise.”

Out of no where, she scurries off the ground to her knees and wraps her arms around my neck, buryin’ her face in my shoulder, and as I put my arms around her, the gravity of her panic attack hits me. She’s Shakin’ like she’s havin’ a damn seizure. It takes me a second, but I shift my feet so that I can flop on my ass, but keep Raylynn straddlin’ me. She’s holdin’ on so tight it’s kind of hard to breathe let alone move, too much.

“Little love, what happened? I need you to tell me.”

“They-just-kept touchin’ me-and I-couldn’t breathe, and—”

“Shh,” I say, holdin’ her tighter, “okay. It’s okay. I got you, little love. Come on.”

Raylynn can hardly stay standin’ her body is vibratin’ so hard, but she gets up long enough for me to as well. The moment I’m standin’, I scoop her up in my arms and quickly walk through the alley and up the side of the buildin’ to the truck. Before I even get to it, Trickster is out and comin’ around the front.

“What the hell happened?” he says, his tone flooded with worry.

“Put her in the truck,” I snap as I gently shift her to his arms, “I’ll be right back.” Turnin’ back to the diner, I rip the door open and spot Edna in the doorway tot he kitchen. As I stomp toward her, she backs up and it’s clear she’s scared by the look in her eyes. “Raylynn is done. For good. Consider this her quittin’.”

---