Page 89 of Riding Free

Her eyes widen before she shifts in her seat, and I can tell just by her body language that she does. She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip, her gaze shifting from me to Chassis, then Dare, and finally back to me.

“I don’t know much about that. I stay away from that world, by design, but I overheard Gauge, and he wasn’t happy. It sounded like he was fighting with his father. He doesn’t agree with any of it, and it’s been weighing on him,” she says, explaining her reasoning for even telling us.

“Which is why he was staying with you for so long after I left,” Chassis murmurs.

Heleni dips her chin in a single nod, then clears her throat before she continues. “I don’t know any specifics. All I know is that he said his father had signed them up for something he didn’t agree with and they’d been clashing. He moved back to Prescott shortly after that.”

That confirms what I need it to confirm: that there is something going on with the Russians that the rest of the clubs don’t know about. Thanking Heleni, I jerk my chin toward Dare before I say my goodbyes to Chassis and the baby.

Slipping back into the hallway, Dare close behind, I wait for the door to close behind him before I speak. “I’m pretty sure Gauge is going to be our informant. I’ll text Hippie on my way down to the clubhouse.”

“I didn’t want this to be the outcome,” Dare murmurs.

“What does this mean?” I ask.

I know what I would want to do, but Dare is the president for a reason. He usually rules the club with a fair, calm, all-options-considered thought process. I’m ready to go off half-cocked myself.

“It means we figure out what exactly is going on, then we have some serious conversations. If Cake doesn’t want to discuss this, then I have a feeling war with the Russians is going to be the least of our worries.”

“Civil war,” I murmur, hating those words, because that would and could get really fucking ugly.

“Exactly.”

Fucking hell.

CHAPTER

SIXTY-EIGHT

HOUND

Hippie is meeting me at home because I had to be here before Keely left for her classes. When I walk into the house, a smile instantly appears on my lips at the sight in front of me. All thoughts of war, civil or otherwise, completely leave my mind.

My woman is sitting on the sofa, my baby is lying on her tummy on the floor, and they’re both passed out cold. Neither of them hears me walk through the door. It’s fuckin adorable. Crouching down on the floor, I place my hand on Thea’s back and feel it move up and down with her breaths.

“You’re home,” a voice whispers.

Turning my head, I look over to see Keely’s eyes focused on me from the couch. “I’m home,” I murmur. “Are you ready for your meeting?”

She hums, but then something flashes across her face. Worry. I can tell she’s concerned, but I wait for her to give that to me. Something I’ve learned in this short time with Keely is that she’ll tell me what’s on her mind when she’s ready.

“You’re good with watching her for a few hours? I hope it doesn’t take that long, but it might.”

Standing from Thea, I walk over to my wife and sink down beside her on the couch. Reaching out, I cup her jaw, my thumb gliding across her bottom lip. I almost burst out laughing, but I don’t.

“Thea is mine, baby. I can take care of her, and if I can’t, I’ll call you.”

I watch as her worry actually leaves her body in a single whoosh. My smile stays firmly planted. I fucking love to see her carefree and happy. It’s my goal in life now to ensure that both of my girls have everything they need to succeed and to be happy.

“Okay,” she exhales. “Thank you, Brock. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Shaking my head once, I clear my throat. “You would thrive with or without me, baby. It’s not me who does a fucking thing. It’s you. It’s all you. I’m just thankful as fuck that I get to be part of that and watch it from the sidelines.”

Keely lets out a snort. “Nothing you do is anywhere near the sidelines,” she murmurs.

Shifting forward, I touch my lips to hers before I speak. “Maybe tonight I can watch you from the sidelines. You can show me that pretty pussy and how you touch yourself.”

Her breathing begins to come out in pants, and I can’t help but smile against her lips. That’s hot but also cute as fuck. I slide my tongue across her bottom lip, then shift back slightly. She wants that. She wants to show me how she touches herself, and I cannot wait.