Ryder's Last Run (Dueling Dragons MC Series) (22 page)

****

Peggy

I can’t believe he did that to me. In front of me, like I was trash. I know he was angry with me about stopping him. He said he wanted to be with me and then, when I said no, he turns to a whore for comfort? Zeke is definitely not the man for me. I’m glad I found out before we went any further.

It’s not that I didn’t want to be with him, but he scares me. I feel so drawn to him
, but he’s not the man I pictured myself loving and having in my life, or in my son’s life. He’s lives a fast life and last night proved to me that I can never trust him.

I hate that man
. If I hate him, why do I want him so bad? Lord, help me, I need to get away from this place. I need to think things through. I have nothing left in Alabama, but I can’t stay here and see him every day with other women. Touching them like I want to be touched. Why couldn’t I just let him in, let him touch me? I was burning for his touch.

God
that man can kiss. He lit my body on fire. I just need to shake him out of my mind. I need to focus on Tucker and getting my life settled with Faith. I have no idea if we’re staying in Arizona or going onto Kentucky.

I need to talk to Faith. I wish she’d hurry the hell up and get out here so we can go. I
’m starving. I need to get out of this clubhouse and away from these people.

As I pace back and forth
, waiting on Faith to meet me so we can leave, I notice the girl that Zeke took to Tank’s room with him last night. Oh, Lord, please just let me get out of this place before she says something to me. I don’t want to talk to her.

I sit down on the couch with Tucker
; he’s fussing pretty badly this morning. I think he’s starting to teethe. He’s constantly drooling and he’s so cranky lately. I love my son, but it’s so hard to do this alone. I just wish I could get a break for a few hours to just sleep.

I have Tucker’s binky in my hand, ready to pop it in his mouth, and then I hear her. That voice. Trash.

“Well, well, well. Look at you. Ain’t you a good mommy? Your kid’s cute. Such a shame the Ziggy hates kids. Wanna know what he likes?”

I try
to ignore her.
God, grant me the serenity. Please grant it now
. I look at her and try to maintain the smile on my face. I want to get up and slap this cheap whore. She continues to yammer on.

“Well, last night Ziggy decided that he likes it when I suck his cock and use my tongue in a creative way on his piercing.”

I stand up and grab Tucker’s diaper bag. To hell with this girl. I need to get out of here.

She stops me and places her hand on my son. “Don’t you even put your scummy hands on my son.” I snatch Tucker back towards my body away from her.

I see Tank standing at the bar, watching everything unfold between me and this trailer trash. I walk Tucker over to the Neanderthal.

“Here. Uncle Tank, hold him and keep him safe. I have some trash to take out.” He stands there looking at me, and I give him the meanest look I can to let him know I’m serious. He scoffs at me and then holds his arms out to take Tucker.

“Come her
e, Lil Man. Your mama thinks she’s going take out some trash. I sure as hell don’t see that happening, boy, do you?” He lets out a deep laugh and Tucker smiles at him and snaps out of his grumpy mood. What the heck, Tucker? Traitor.

I slowly walk over to Ms. Trailer Trash as she’s laughing it up with her friend over by the bar. No one touches my child without an invitation. Her friend notices me stalking toward them and elbows her in the ribs. Twyla looks over at me and laughs. Apparently she doesn’t realize I can fight
, and I fight well. Looks can be deceiving. I am usually a lady, but not today.

I go straight for that blond hair of hers. I grab her and pull her close so we are face to face
.

“Look here, little Ms. Trailer Trash. I don’t give two cents about what you and Ziggy did last night. I don’t care that you sucked his dick, nor do I care if he’s pierced or not. That’s your business. I would kindly request that you keep your skanky sex life to yourself. I also would like to inform you that if you ever lay your nasty, trashy hands on my precious son again, I will lay you out. Do you feel me?” Oh, dear lord, I’ve picked up their disgusting slang.

She tries to pull away from me, but I tighten my grip on her hair and tug her closer. “I said
, do you feel me?”

She nods her head yes. I let her go and
, just as I turn to walk back to get Tucker, the broad runs toward me, screaming like a maniac. I duck my head to avoid her slamming into me. I manage to grab her around her waist and throw her up against the wall.

“Girl, you don’t want to go there with me. Just back off.”

She tries to grab my hair but I’m too quick. I give her one more warning to back off. She’s stupid and tries to smack me so I double up my fist and punch her in the mouth. She flies back against the wall. She’s got a dazed look on her face and then she slides down the wall. She’s out like a light. “Bitch, I warned you to back off. Next time, you better listen.”

I walk over to Tank to g
et Tucker back. He looks amused.

“Well, Lil Mama. I never expected that from you. I’m impressed. Say, next time I need some muscle, I am gonna give you a call to back me up.” Okay, so I kind of like this guy.

I grab Tucker, and just as I am heading for Ryder’s room to go get Faith’s lazy butt out of bed, I see her walk through the doorway. She looks awful. Like death warmed over.

“What did I miss?”
she asks.

“
Nothing I couldn’t handle. Come on, let’s go eat.”

I tell Faith that I will drive since she looks like crap and she might fall over.

I offer to drive since she looks like she might fall over.

“You okay
, hon?”

She shakes her head. “Not really. I woke up nauseous and puked twice.
”

“Faith, sweetie. When was the date of your last period?”

“I know what you’re thinking, Pegs, but there is no way that I can be pregnant. I’m late but I’ve been so stressed out and you know that when I stress out, my period gets whacked. I think I am just upset over what happened with Ryder yesterday and I didn’t eat much last night.”

“Faith, let’s stop at the drugstore and pick up a test, just to be sure.”

She huffs out a loud breath. “Whatever.”

I pull into the drugstore in town and tell her to wait in the car with Tucker. “Shit
, Peggy, I told you I am not pregnant. I don’t know why you want to waste your money on this.”

I know she’s tor
n up over finding Ryder with that bitch yesterday and then finding out about a son and with his little freak out. I can’t say I don’t blame her for her mood, but this has to be done.

“Ok
ay, hon, you can sit there and deny the possibility, but if you
are
pregnant, Ryder has to know as soon as possible and you need to start prenatal care. It’s important for a healthy baby. I am only looking out for you, Faith Anne.”

“Okay
,
Peggy Sue
, go buy the test and I will take it. Are you happy now?”

I shut the car door and slip off inside the store to purchase a pregnancy test. After finishing up in the store, I get back into the driver seat and hand her the bag with the test. She sits up and rolls her eyes. I am starved and I need to feed Tucker soon.

I certainly don’t want to go back to the clubhouse right now. I hope that Ms. Trailer Trash has left by the time I get back and Zeke isn’t back yet. I don’t think I can face him. I turn to Faith; she’s got the box out and she’s reading it.

“So what do ya say we head over
to that diner we saw on the way into town? I don’t know about you, but I am starving. I also need to feed Tucker soon.”

She nods and we head over to Lily’s Diner on the other side of town. Faith lays her head against the window, still looking
sick. Poor girl. I remember how bad I was hit with morning sickness. It was rough and I hate that she’s going through this, even though she’s in denial right now.

We pull in to the parking lot and I notice Ryder’s motorcycle across the street at the gym. I think I need to get Faith inside quick. I unfasten Tucker and grab his diaper bag.

“Come on, let’s get inside and get this over with.”

She clutches the bag tightly to her chest and leads the way into the diner. They aren’t too busy so I take a seat in the back. I don’t want Ryder spotting us from the windows.

“Did you read the directions? Basically all you do is take the lid off the tip and shove it into the urine stream and let it sit for three minutes. One line it’s negative and two lines, well, it’s positive. I’d go in with you, but I have to feed Tucker.”

“Yeah, I can do it. Be right back.”

Faith

I walk into the small bathroom at the diner. I don't think she noticed but I
saw Ryder's bike across the street at the gym.
How did you get to this place in your life, Faith?
I hear my father’s voice in my head.

I lock the door and pull the box out of the paper bag. "Find out if you
’re pregnant in five minutes or less. Almost sounds like I’m at a drive thru window," I say to myself and look in the mirror. "Well, you ready to change your life forever." If someone was to walk in on my right now, they would think I am the craziest chick in the world. 

I walk over to the stall and close the door
. Who knows who has a key to these bathrooms? All I need is for someone to walk in while I’m peeing on this fucking stick. "'Best time to take this test is first thing in the morning.' Well, that's not going to happen. 'Hold the test into your urine stream for 20 seconds.' Disgusting!"
Oh, suck it up Faith!

I pee on the test, then
push the cap back on, and throw it back in the little box it came in and put it back in the bag. If Peggy wants to know so damn bad, she can touch the nasty thing.

After washing my hands and slipping the pee soaked test into my purse
, I make my way out of the bathroom.

"Well, did you take it?"
Peggy asks as I take my seat at the table. I take my purse off my shoulder and slide into the booth.

"Yes, I peed on that thing. I still feel gross
. I think I got piss on my hand."

She starts to laugh, I look
across the table and start to think that I could be her in a couple months. Holy shit! What am I going to do? Am I really ready for a baby? Is Ryder ready for a baby? Will we live here or will we live in Kentucky? I have so many questions running through my head that it’s starting to give me a headache.

"Have you looked at the test yet? What are you going to do if it comes up that you are...you know...pregnant?" She hesitates at the end.

"I don't really know. I just know that I am not going through what I went through when I was pregnant before. It is just so strange; I have been on the Pill this whole time."

I look over the menu
; everything on it looks amazing but revolting at the same time. I realize I’m not going to be able to eat until I know if I am pregnant or not. I’m just about to tell Peggy that I will be back when a server steps up to the table.

"Hi ladies! Good afternoon, my name is Tracy and I will be your server today. What can I get started for you guys?" She looks between the two of us. Tucker is sitting in his carseat drooling everywhere with a huge gummy smile on his face.

"I'll get the ranch burger with no onions and a strawberry milkshake," Pegs orders. I know that I am supposed to say something, but I can't get my lips to move. "Faith, do you know what you want to eat?" She reaches over and touches my hand. I drop my head and start to cry, in the middle of the diner, with the server standing right there.

"I'll give y'all a few minutes
," I hear her say and Peggy thanks her.

"What am I going to do
, Pegs? I just know I'm pregnant. I just know it!" I start to cry a little bit harder. "Ryder is a biker; he is an outlaw. Look at the life he leads. He wants me to stand behind him like he is some god or something."

She starts to snicker a little bit and
I snap my head up to look at her.

"Faith, where is that test?"

I grab the paper bag out of my purse and hand it to her under the table. She grabs the bag and I hear her wrestling with it to get the box out. I see her looking down. She smiles. A tear runs down her cheek. She covers her mouth with her hand and starts to do a cry laugh.

"Faith, you
’re going to be a mommy," she says to me and stands up to give me a hug.

"I'm gonna...
I'm gonna... be… a mom...," I stutter out. can feel the vomit in my throat. "Excuse me, Peggy!" I push her away from me and scramble to my feet and run for the bathroom.

****

After throwing up for ten minutes in the bathroom
, Peggy decides that it’s best to get our food to go. She orders her burger and a salad for me. We leave the diner and find a park along the side of the road with a covered area, deciding to pull over and talk before we get back to the compound. I need to figure out how I am going to tell Ryder and what the plan is going to be. I know that I don't want to raise my child around a bunch of bikers. That is scary enough for me to want to live around them but having a small child around this lifestyle is something else.

"So, now that we know that you
’re pregnant, how do you want to do this? Are you going to tell Ryder right away or are you going to wait? Are we still going to Kentucky or are we going to stay here?" Here she goes firing questions at me again.

"Peg, shut the hell up for two seconds so I can think!" I snap at her. "I guess I will have to tell Ryder and see what he wants to do, but I would feel so much better and safer if we just went back to Kentucky. I mean
, does Ryder really have to take over as president?" She looks clueless. "I don't know why I am asking you; you know about as much as I know. What the hell am I going to do?" I start to sob a little again. "Am I seriously going to be this emotional the whole time?" I look over at my best friend as she bounces her babbling son on her knee.

"It all depends on the woman, Faith, but I know that you
’re always moody so what is the big difference?" She smiles at me. She is trying to make me feel better about the situation and I thank my lucky stars that I have her back in my life right now. I couldn't imagine going through all of this without her.

"So, are you wanting to stay here or do you want to go with me if I decide that is the best thing to do?" It's an honest question and I wanted an honest answer.

"I am glad to get the hell out of here whenever you are. Just let me know."

****

We arrive back at the clubhouse and I see that Ryder and Ziggy's bikes are gone
. I guess if Ryder actually wanted to work on things he would be the big man and come find me.

You need to tell him!
I need to shut my brain up for two minutes. I want some peace and quiet, even if it is from my own thoughts. I look around the room as we walk in and see Tank putting up a new jukebox. Marko is behind the bar mixing a few drinks and handing beers to a few guys that I’ve never met before but they’re patched.

All of the guys stop talking the second we enter the room.

"What? Have you guys never seen two 'normal' girls in this place?" One of the club whores gives me the stink eye. "What, honey? Look at you and look at me?" Marko and a few guys laugh. "Marko, if you see your uncle, please tell him I need to talk to him."

He nods his head at me
. I turn on my heels and follow Peggy down the hall towards Ziggy and Ryder's rooms.

Peggy is the first to break the silence between us. "Well, let me know what you decide. Just remember that he needs to know,
and the sooner the better." She brushes the hair out of my face all motherly like. She turns Tucker toward me. "Say ni night to Auntie Faith, Tuck."

I lean over to the slobber faced baby with the huge blue eyes and giant smile. "Night
, baby boy. Auntie loves you. Night, Pegs."

I say turning towards Ryder's door but I stop before I enter the room. "Hey, also. Thanks for today." She smiles at me. "Anytime. That's what best friends are for. Goodnight." She shuts the bedroom door and I open the door to Ryder's room.

I walk over to the bed, setting down my purse. I decide that I need a long bath. I gather all of my clothes and bath items together and walk into the huge bathroom. Starting the bathtub, I squeeze a little bit of my body wash in the tub causing bubbles to start to form. Stripping out of my clothes, I step into the bath and slowly lower myself.

After what seems like a lifetime
, I decide that I am wrinkly enough to get out of my now lukewarm retreat. Sliding on my yoga pants, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and rub my hand over my stomach.

"Well, little pod. It's me
, Faith Anne, your mommy. I am promising you right now that you're going to have an amazing and wonderful life. A life full of love and hope. Your father and I love you very much, my little pod." I start to laugh a little bit when I feel the tear coming down my cheek. "Look at your mommy, getting all emotional talking to herself. Well, I am really talking to you, my little pod. That's what I will call you, mommy's little pod." I smile to myself in the mirror and rub my stomach a little more. "It's you and mommy against the world."