Patriot (Hades Abyss MC 6) Read online

  He apparently hung up since the phone went silent. Patriot held onto his phone and motioned for me to keep going.

  I grabbed bags of frozen chicken breasts, knowing while they may not be the most nutritious thing in the world, it was better than letting those kids starve. And what kid didn’t like chicken nuggets? I added two bags each for all three families. We circled around to another section and I loaded the carts up with bacon, sandwich meat, and even found some pre-sliced, pre-cooked hams that wouldn’t expire for a long while. I added six to the cart.

  And then it hit me. All this food might last them a week. Possibly they could stretch it two weeks. And then what? My shoulders sagged and my eyes pricked with tears as I thought about those poor children. Hungry. Probably scared. And their parents? I couldn’t imagine the fear of wondering how to feed their kids, or keep a roof over their heads. I’d felt good about this, but it wasn’t nearly enough. It might give them a slight helping hand, but… they needed more than this.

  “What’s wrong, Little Bit?” Patriot asked, his voice soft and low.

  “What happens when they eat all this food? What about next week? Or the one after? This isn’t a good enough solution, Ro -- Patriot. Yeah, it feels good to help them, but are we helping enough?”

  “One day at a time, MaryAnne. We’ll deliver the food, pick out trees and ornaments, and then we’ll sit down and figure out the next step.” He reached out to cup my cheek. “We’ll help however we can. If it means that much to you, I’ll find a way. Nice save, by the way.”

  “Thank you.”

  He pressed a quick kiss to my lips, then walked off with one of the carts. I caught up to him just as he grabbed several packages of cookies. While he stuffed his cart with those, I selected some crackers, then rushed over to the dairy section. I added milk for each family, two large blocks of cheese each, and even included packages of yogurt. If the kids didn’t like it, maybe the parents would. Eggs, bread, and a bunch of canned vegetables and macaroni finished off our shopping carts.

  We checked out and made sure everything got divided in a way that would make it simple for each family to collect their groceries, and I made sure my baking stuff didn’t get mixed in. After Patriot paid and we’d loaded the Bronco, we drove back to the church with our haul. The reverend smiled so wide I thought his face might crack. We sorted the sacks into three groups and as we turned to leave, a man in worn jeans and a thin sweater stepped into the church.

  “Is this them?” the man asked the reverend.

  Reverend Burson nodded. “These are our very own angels. Folks, this is David Boscoe. His family is one of the ones on your list. I hope you don’t mind, but he’d hoped to meet you.”

  “I’m Patriot and this is MaryAnne.” My good-hearted biker shook the man’s hand.

  “I can’t thank you enough for what you’re doing,” David said. “Ever since I lost my job, it’s been a constant struggle to feed my family, keep the lights on, and not lose our home. I appreciate everything you’re doing for us. You have no idea what a relief this is.”

  My throat grew tight with unshed tears. I didn’t know why I was so emotional. For whatever reason, I felt compelled to help. Not only in the small way we had already, but I wanted to do more.

  I tugged on Patriot’s hand and he leaned down. “Ronan, I… I need to…”

  “I got you, Little Bit.” He kissed my forehead. “Mr. Boscoe, I know we’re strangers, and I also know how hard it is to accept help even when you need it most. Would you let us help a little more? MaryAnne and I have so much more than we need, and my Little Bit here has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen. It’s tearing her up, thinking about your kids not having a home, food, or any other basics needed to survive.”

  I licked my lips and looked up. “Mr. Boscoe, it wasn’t so long ago I was in a bad place. Patriot saved me, and I’ve kind of been drifting this past year. Healing at my own pace, but this holiday season has been the best I’ve ever had. Everything seems brighter. Happier. I want to share some of that joy with other people. I’ve been blessed by having Patriot and his club in my life. I only wish other people could be so lucky.”

  Patriot pulled out his wallet and took out a chunk of cash. “Before you say no, think about your family. Use this however you see fit. If you’re behind on the utilities, put it toward that. Use it for rent, or whatever. It’s a gift with no strings attached. There’s only a few hundred there, but maybe it will ease a little of your stress over the next few weeks.”

  The man’s eyes got glassy and he nodded, his lips pressed together tightly. He accepted the money and sounded choked up when he spoke. “Thank you. So much. This will keep us in the house another month, give me some time to figure out what we’re going to do next. You have no idea what a tremendous gift this is.”

  Impulsively, I reached out and hugged him. It was quick and I immediately stepped back to Patriot’s side. It was the first time I’d hugged anyone who wasn’t part of the club. The way Patriot curved his arm around my shoulders and gave me a slight squeeze told me he knew what it had cost me. I could also see the pride shining in his eyes when he looked down at me.

  “We’ll be back in a little while with something else for your family,” Patriot said. “We heard your little ones don’t have a Christmas tree this year, and we can’t very well let them spend the holidays without a bit of cheer.”

  David nodded and I could tell he was close to crying.

  “Come on. Let’s get our shopping done,” I said, nudging Patriot.

  I was a woman on a mission.

  Chapter Eight

  Patriot

  I couldn’t have been prouder of MaryAnne. Not only for hugging that man, but everything she was trying to accomplish. She’d picked out three pre-lit trees and ornaments that wouldn’t break easily, not wanting the little kids to get hurt. She was a complete wonder, and I was so fucking glad she was mine.

  “Since we’re here, why don’t we see if they have any of the items on the lists? Although, if the families didn’t have decorations, they may not have stuff to wrap the presents either. Better grab some wrapping paper and tape,” I said.

  “Did you ever check your bank account? What if we’re spending too much?” MaryAnne asked. “I want to do some good, but not if it means spending all your money. Oh no! The animals! We’ve been gone so long already…”

  I sent a text to one of the Prospects, asking them to let Archimedes out and check on everyone’s food and water. Then I pulled up the banking app on my phone, checked my balance, and let out a whistle. It seemed Titan wasn’t kidding about the club helping. I showed her the screen and her eyes went wide.

  “The Pres had Wizard deposit ten thousand into my account, Little Bit. That means we get everything on their lists, maybe something for the parents too, and even give them some cash to help in the upcoming weeks. And that’s after the expense of the food and all the other things we stuffed into these carts.”

  “That’s so amazing!” She smiled and flung her arms around me, giving me a tight hug. “Thank you! I couldn’t have done all this on my own.”

  “Anything for you, Little Bit. In fact, we can make this a yearly thing. Each December, we can check in with Reverend Burson and see if he has any families in need. And maybe a few times a year, we can drop off some non-perishable food at his church for anyone who needs it.”

  “You’re the best.” She kissed me. It was brief, but it was the sweetest kiss I’d ever had.

  “Come on. Pick out some wrapping paper, I’ll grab the tape, and then we can buy the presents for these families.”

  We ended up having so much stuff, we had to check out and go back in for more. Seeing her so happy, so carefree, made it all worthwhile. Not only were we going to make someone’s Christmas a little brighter, but helping someone had given MaryAnne the last little push she needed to become whole again. I could see it in her eyes. The shadows were gone, leaving a vibrant, sweet woman I got to call my own.

  We drop
ped everything by the church, along with an envelope of cash for each family, and a few hundred as a donation to Reverend Burson’s church. I wasn’t ready for the day to end just yet. I pulled into a parking spot outside the diner and led MaryAnne inside. It had been hours since we last ate, having missed lunch because of all our shopping, and I knew she had to be starving.

  “I know you like their pie,” I said. “Figured we should grab a bite to eat. If you’re as worn out as I am, I know you don’t feel like cooking when we get home.”

  “This is perfect.”

  We were seated in a booth near the window and given menus. After we placed our drink order, the woman scurried off. As many times as we’d been here, I didn’t really need the menu but I decided to see if there was anything new. This time of year, they usually had some holiday specials.

  “I think I want the chicken and stuffing sandwich,” she said. “It looks interesting.”

  “Chicken, stuffing, and gravy on toasted bread. Does actually sound pretty damn good. Think I’ll get the same.”

  A server rushed to our table with our drinks and set them down, a smile on her face. “My name’s Beth and I’ll be waiting on you today. Do you need more time?”

  We told her our order and promised to save room for dessert. Although, I’d have much rather had MaryAnne’s pie or cake than anything the diner had. My woman could bake like no one else. There’d been some burnt disasters along the way, as she taught herself how to follow recipes, but she’d become a pro. In my opinion anyway. And I knew my brothers damn sure liked it when she sent goodies over to the clubhouse for them. They’d devoured everything she’d made the other day.

  She hadn’t realized I’d shared with a few of them in the past. If I ate every cookie she baked, I’d be too wide to fit through our front door. So I ate my share and pilfered a few here and there to pass off to someone else. I’d never told her, not wanting to hurt her feelings. If I told her I couldn’t eat them all, she’d probably think I didn’t really like them, which was the furthest thing from the truth.

  “Christmas is nearly here. I know we didn’t do much last year. I didn’t want to overwhelm you. Is there anything you’d like to do this year?” I asked.

  “The Christmases I spent with my family, we’d go visit our distant relatives on Christmas Eve night, usually at my grandparents’ house and later at an aunt’s home. When we got back to our place, everyone got to open one present. Mine was usually a book and I’d spend the rest of the night reading.” She smiled and leaned forward. “Christmas morning, my mother would get up before everyone else and make a breakfast spread. French toast casserole, small ham steaks and rolls, and another casserole which had ham, eggs, cheese, onions, and hash browns in it. The smell would always wake us up.”

  “And you’d sit at the table to eat together?” I asked, trying to imagine having something like that. My childhood had definitely been different from hers.

  “Not exactly. Mom would put it all out on the dining room table, like a buffet. We’d grab a plate and get whatever we wanted, then find a spot in the living room. My dad would put on one of those Burl Ives animated movies like Rudolph. I think they were Claymation or something. Anyway, we’d watch it while we ate and after everyone finished and we’d taken our dishes to the kitchen, we’d claim a spot in the living room again and Mom would pass out the presents.”

  “That sounds pretty great,” I said.

  “It was. I miss those days sometimes, but I think…” She worried at her lower lip. “I think everything that happened changed me in a way that made me better. The MaryAnne from before wouldn’t have thought about anyone else this time of year. I’d have been too busy trying to talk Mom or Dad into some expensive present or something. I’m not saying I’m glad I went through all the pain and humiliation, but I do think it had a positive effect on me as a person. I had to have ugliness and darkness touch me to realize what I had before.”

  I reached over and placed my hand over hers. “Little Bit, you were always remarkable. You just hadn’t had time to grow into the woman you were supposed to be. You were still a kid when those bastards kidnapped you. The fact you survived, and came out even stronger than before, makes you one badass lady.”

  She gave me a slight smile. “Guess I’d have to be for someone like you to want to keep me. If anyone in this relationship is amazing, it’s you.”

  I sighed and leaned back. Before I could say anything, our food arrived, and Beth topped off our drinks. I waited until she’d walked off before I decided to tell MaryAnne a little more about my past. We hadn’t really discussed me much.

  “I didn’t have a home like yours. My dad was a drunk. A mean one. When I was eleven, he walked out and didn’t come back. We found out two days later he’d been so plastered he’d stepped in front of a moving car. His wallet had been knocked so far away from him, it hadn’t been found right away. As soon as he’d been identified, they knocked on our door to give us the news.”

  “Oh, Ronan.”

  I should have corrected her, since we weren’t alone, but she’d said it soft enough no one had heard. I never told anyone about my past. I didn’t want their pity -- or worse, having them think I used it as an excuse.

  “Mom worked twice as hard, trying to pay the rent on our trailer and keep food on the table. Some weeks we didn’t quite make it and went hungry. Others we had a little extra if she got nicer tips. I’d just turned eighteen when she passed away. Doctors said her heart gave out. I think she held on just long enough for me to officially be an adult.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  I shrugged a shoulder. “Long time ago, Little Bit. Anyway, I joined the Army. Fulfilled the terms of my contract and decided I was tired of following orders. Drifted a bit until the Hades Abyss took me in. Our chapter is pretty new. I was with the original charter in Missouri until this one started up. I volunteered to come with Titan.”

  “The compound here seems too well put together to be so new,” she said.

  “It’s new compared to the Missouri chapter. Titan has built it up a lot just in the last few years.”

  She eyed her sandwich, then picked up her knife and fork, cutting into it. I had to admit, picking it up wasn’t an option. The chicken and stuffing spilled out of the sides and the gravy pooled under it. As we ate, I tried to think of ways to make Christmas feel more like the ones she’d had before. Neither of us would be going to visit family on Christmas Eve, but we could start our own tradition.

  “I have an idea,” I said.

  She paused with her fork halfway to her mouth. “Does it involve more shopping?”

  “Um. Sort of.”

  “It’s either shopping or it isn’t.”

  “It is, but I think we can do it from home and just have stuff delivered. I thought we could buy a handful of Christmas movies. On Christmas Eve, we could make a bunch of different finger foods to snack on all day and watch back-to-back movies. Then that night we can each open one present, just like you used to do with your family.”

  She set her fork down. “Really?”

  I nodded. “I don’t want you cooking all morning on Christmas, though. Maybe I could help you put one of those casseroles together the night before so you’d just have to pop it in the oven when we wake up. We can open presents while it warms up, or whenever you’d like.”

  She picked up her fork again and studied me. “Why are you being so nice to me? Not just now, but from the very beginning you’ve gone out of your way for me. Even when we were strangers.”

  “Because I’ve always known you were mine,” I said. “Even when I didn’t think of you in a sexual way, you were still mine to protect.”

  She ate a few more bites before she started pushing her food around her plate. “The two who got away. If no one finds them, do you think they’ll come back here?”

  “Are you asking if you’re safe?”

  She nodded. “I haven’t been overly cautious today. Didn’t look over my shoulder constantly
because you said you’d taken care of all but two.”

  “I won’t let them anywhere near you, Little Bit. I told you, they’re states away. There are enough clubs out there who are outraged by what happened to you they’ll be extra vigilant. Those men get anywhere near a member in those clubs and their days will be numbered.”

  We finished our meal, and had dessert, but MaryAnne had grown quiet. I worried those two remaining men were going to give her nightmares tonight. Unless something else was bothering her. The fact she wasn’t telling me what was on her mind didn’t sit right with me. I didn’t want to push, but I wouldn’t let her fret all night either. I’d give her until we reached the house. If she hadn’t opened up by then, I’d find a way to get it out of her. I couldn’t help if she didn’t tell me what was wrong.

  I paid for our meal and left Beth a good tip. With the holidays so close, I figured she could use some extra cash like most people. Being on her feet all day wasn’t easy, and I knew people could be assholes and either leave no tip or shitty ones. Getting a decent tip had always made my mom smile. Now I tried to do that for others when I could, but especially close to Christmas.

  I took MaryAnne’s hand as we walked outside. She closed her fingers around mine and leaned her head against my arm. This little slip of a woman made me want to be a better man.

  I unlocked the Bronco and helped her inside, reaching over to buckle her. I gave her a wink before I shut the door. The second before I turned, I saw the reflection of a man standing behind me and MaryAnne’s eyes went wide. I ducked as he swung an iron bar at my head. It smashed into the glass, making MaryAnne scream as it sprayed across her. Little cuts dotted her fair skin. Seeing her bleed let loose the monster I tried to keep locked down tight.

  With a roar, I spun to face the man and slammed my fist into his face. He swung the pipe at me, and I blocked it with my arm, snarling at the pain radiating up into my shoulder. I didn’t think he’d broken it, but it would be bruised by morning. I went after him again, landing a punch to his ribs, one to his nose, then kicked his legs out from under him.