Page 35 of Dancin' with Demons

Standing in the master bedroom, I crouch to check under the bed again. I think I’ve gone through the house three times in the last hour as the U-hauls were loaded to make sure we don’t forget anything, especially anything of Savior’s. Once we’re on the road, we aren’t going to be able to just turn around and come back if she’s missing something, and I refuse to keep letting Renegade just buy her new stuff. Not that I can actually stop the man. Sometimes, I really do want to be angry at how he spoils my daughter. Then I remember how little she’s had since she was born.

A knock behind me makes me jump a little, spinning around to face the door. In it stands Freeway. I don’t remember him from when I met Renegade, but he seems like a nice guy. He’s the club’s Road Captain. Tall, like just about everyone else, but closer to Catacomb’s height as opposed to Renegade’s.

“Everyone’s waitin’ on you, Ray,” he says, his voice deep but gentle. I think Renegade may have warned them not to be too overbearing around me or something because they’ve all been much calmer and nicer than what’s expected from bikers— except the guy named Hammer. Truthfully, he makes me extremely uncomfortable, but I won’t say anything to Renegade or anyone else, for that matter. It’s not that he’s done anything specific the last few days since they arrived, more just the way he watches me when we’re all in the same room. Even more so, I swear when he watches Savior, he’s got like this sinister smile on his face. I don’t know if I’m imagining it or what, but I don’t want to cause a problem with Renegade’s club unless I absolutely have to.

Sighing, I scan the room one more time. “Okay. I really hope we don’t forget anything.”

Freeway chuckles as I walk past him. “If it makes ya feel better, hon, I’ll ride my ass all the way back and get whatever it is if ya did.”

I glance at him as he keeps pace next to me as we head through the house to the front door. “Did Renegade tell you all to be extra nice to me or something?”

The man’s eyes widen a little before his brows furrow. “What makes you think that?”

I scoff. “I don’t know much about clubs, but I expect Joshua to kiss ass because he’s a prospect. You’re an officer, though, and you’ve talked to me like you’re afraid if you use a normal volume, I’ll explode. Diesel called me ma’am this morning. Something tells me that he don’t usually do that.”

Freeway lets out a laugh. “Nah, hon. It ain’t like that. I know you probably don’t remember us, but Diesel and I were with Renegade when he found you. We’re the ones that helped get you off that table.”

I stop dead in my tracks, and he does two after he realizes I’m not still walking with him. “Seriously?” He nods slowly. “Thank you.”

Immediately, his eyes soften and he steps back and puts his arm over my shoulder as we begin to walk down the sidewalk toward where the cars are parked with the trucks. “No thanks needed, Ray. Even if I hadn’t been there, I’d respect you because Renegade’s made it clear you’re his woman, so that makes you family in my book.”

“Thanks,” I say again, a strange swelling of gratitude hitting my chest.

“Freeway, Iwillbreak your fuckin’ arm off and beat you to death with the bloody stump.”

We both look up to find Renegade standing at the front of his SUV, his whole body tense.

Freeway carefully removes his arm from my shoulders and chuckles under his breath. “My bad, man. Just being nice.”

As soon as I’m within arm’s reach, Renegade grabs my waist and pulls me against him. “Be nice without touchin’.”

“Enough, Renegade,” I snap, and both men balk, their eyes wide. “You wanna play the jealousy card, do it if he grabs my ass or something. Not because he gave me a half-hug. Be better than that.”

“Oh, snap,” Freeway says under his breath. “This one’s got fire, huh?”

“Shut it, dickbag,” Renegade snaps just as Savior comes around from behind him and stomps her little foot with her hands on her hips.

“Language,” she hisses.

I damn near choke on my laugh as Renegade grumbles and groans. “I’m sorry, little one. Come on. Time to get this show on the road.”

Savior darts back around the SUV with us behind her and climbs into the back and into her booster seat. Glancing around the parking lot, I realize everyone really was waiting on me. Miss Irene is riding back with Trickster in his truck. Diesel and Freeway are taking the U-haul. Joshua is riding with Catacomb and Sandra, and Hammer is on his bike. As I stop next to the passenger door, the hair on the back of my neck stands up. Glancing over again, Hammer has his sunglasses pulled down his nose, his eyes right on me. We stare at each other for a moment before that creepy smile slides onto him lips.

The door opening next to me makes me jump, and my eyes dart to Renegade’s. “You okay, little love?”

“Yeah,” I say softly, pushing up on my toes to kiss him.

After I climb in, he shuts the door behind me and then makes his way to the driver’s side. It takes a minute for everyone to get moving and on the road, heading toward the highway, but eventually, we’re on our way. The plan is to take Miss Irene to the cottage that Renegade purchased for her. He made sure it wasn’t far from his house, only a few miles from him home, and only fifteen minutes from the clubhouse. It’s going to be a little strange at first, not living right next to her, but this is better than us being in Tennessee and her staying in North Carolina.

Renegade turns the radio on but keeps the volume down. He got Savior an iPad yesterday and added some games for her and the Disney+ app so that she’d have something to do on the ride. I didn’t bother asking how much he spent because knowing what I know already, he’d just tell me not much and walk away. Right now, she’s got Beauty and the Beast on, singing to herself while Belle’s voice blares from the electronic.

The first hour of the ride is fairly quiet, and every now and then, Renegade reaches over to hold my hand for a bit while he drives. Savior eventually falls asleep while watchingCoco, and I carefully get her iPad and plug it into the charger Renegade hooked up for her. His SUV is pretty much top of the line with all the bells and whistles, not that I expect anything different. Trickster’s truck is the same, so clearly, the men of this club take pride in their vehicles, even outside the motorcycles.

Staring out the window, there’s a part of me that can’t help but think I’m batshit crazy for having my daughter and I in this car. What kind of woman meets a man, spends three days with him, disappears for a year, and then decides to move herself and her kid in within him in another state a week after he popped back into her life? Apparently, my stupid ass is who. The feelings I have for Renegade are insane to me to begin with but I know better than to think I can just make them go away. Human nature doesn’t work like that— it wants what it wants, and it doesn’t give a damn if it’s rational or logical. Hell, the heart doesn’t even give a shit if it’s healthy.

“What’s botherin’ you, little love?”

The deepness of Renegade’s voice sends a pleasant shiver down my spine, and I turn my head slightly to look at him. “What makes you think something’s bothering me?”

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