Page 86 of When You Stayed
“I need you to come down to the Hollow. Kody and Rev need to go through every single item in Rodney’s office. Check everything. Sweep for bugs too.”
Once he hung up, he slid the phone into his pocket. I was temptedto pull out mine and call my dad, so I could ask why Ford was the person who just made that order. I waited as a band seemed to wrap around my chest. Why wasn’t he telling me?
I refused to guess it, to make it easier on him. If we were going to be in a relationship, he had to do this. We had to be able to trust one another, and this was so far beyond club bullshit that the men liked to keep secret. This was about who Ford has been to me my entire life, and who he’d become over this past month.
He said he loved me, which meant he’d include me.
“Come on, Rose, I want you out of here.” He gently touched my hip and guided me out of the room. My chest flushed pink as irritation scratched and reminded me how close I was to losing him. Worse, reminded me how I might not have ever even had him in the first place.
Ford waited for me to finish work. He’d resumed his spot near the wall, but kept his phone in his hand, except for when his guys arrived. When they came in, he’d disappeared back into the office. I didn’t follow or ask about the note we’d found. I knew it was no longer my business according to Stone Rider law. However, I had my own secret with Taryn and Nova, and I felt a sense of pride over owning that. Not to mention, Connor had shared a piece of information that didn’t line up with the information Ford had and I wasn’t sure what to do with that.
While I was annoyed with Ford, I still straddled the back of his bike and hugged his chest on the way home. Except we didn’t go home. We rode to the clubhouse, and while my stomach flipped at the implication of what this might mean, I decided not to be bothered by it. If anything, I could walk over to my house, or steal Ford’s bike.
The club was packed with people. Music played, beers were sipped, and a few women milled about. I didn’t think Jasmine wouldbe in because while I didn’t like her, I knew she wasn’t the type to be toyed with.
Ford held my hand as we walked in through the throng of members. He was careful to keep me close, especially as a few men eyed me with hooded gazes. It made me curious when Ford planned on giving me his property patch. It would be nice to walk around the club without worrying that I would be harassed or groped by anyone. Things were different because it wasn’t just my father who would kill a member if they touched me: It was also Ford.
“Need you to stay here, baby.” He set me on a stool near the bar and then slid his leather cut off his shoulders and placed it around mine.
I quirked a brow at him. “Thought I was getting my own.”
His smile was tight as he pulled my hair from under the leather. “It’s coming, I promise.”
I opened my mouth, about to challenge him on why he was waiting when I knew it didn’t take that long to make them, considering my mother was the one who ordered new cuts and property patches. But Jameson suddenly burst in through the back door, yelling.
“Just fucking stop!”
“Dad, please, you’re not even giving me a chance to explain!” Nova ran in behind him. My little sister was right behind her, with her chin lifted and her fists clenched at her sides. Connor walked in after her, looking exhausted and annoyed.
Ford placed his hand on my thigh before checking the room.
“You have to explain this to me, Nova, because you’re not making any sense,” Jameson argued. Ford took the opportunity to get up on a random table and yell at all the members.
“Give us the room, go outside. Just get the fuck out.”
They started moving, but a few stayed behind as if they didn’t care that it was Ford who was asking. It made me rethink what I had assumed about him being the president because no one would dare defy his order if he was. My dad suddenly threw open the office doors and walked out, yelling at the stragglers. “The fuck are you waiting for? Get out!”
The members scrambled up off their chairs and ran outside. Thevast room emptied, save for Jameson in the center with his two kids and my sister. My dad glanced at where I sat with Ford’s leather cut on and stopped short. We hadn’t talked much since I entered my bubble with Ford. I had a feeling he was aware of when Ford stayed over at our house that night during lockdown, but he’d never said anything about it. Although the following morning, he was cranky as hell. Ford had walked downstairs with me, stared my father right in the eye as he kissed me goodbye and left through the front door.
“You aren’t even giving me a chance to explain—” Nova screamed, bringing my mind back to the moment.
Jameson shoved his hand through his hair, letting out a sigh. “Nova, you fucking know better than to date someone from a rival club.”
“It’s not that simple, Dad!”
“Which club?” Ford suddenly interjected.
Jameson turned toward him. “Murdoch Devil Riders.”
Ford’s head swung back to me, but so did Nova and Taryn’s.
It was Nova’s shaky voice that asked, “What did you tell them, Royce?”
“Nothing,” I snapped. I felt Taryn’s gaze hard on Nova.
“Nov, you already know why Royce wouldn’t say anything.”
Ford glanced between the three of us while Connor rubbed his brow. I didn’t know why he was even here. “Tell me what the fuck is going on. Now.”
