Leather & Love. A True Biker Romance.

Chapter 6.

Shannon’s POV.

I hear the longing and disbelief in his voice as he says my name just above a whisper. Chase tries to step forward when he is grabbed back by Ruby. I notice the diamond wedding band on her finger and the grin she gives me.

“Hunter.” I say as my heart shatters all over again and he flinches at the use of his road name.

Chance squeezes my hand tighter, pulling my gaze down to him, and I feel the eyes of the club, the family I grew up with, watching me. I lift my son onto my hip and look around the bar area. I can feel the tension from the members, but I know they are expecting me to react to Ruby and to Chase but I won’t. This club was founded by my grandfather and I have more right to be here than Ruby does.

“Come on, Shan, let’s sit down over there.” Katie says and I nod my head and follow behind her as I take a seat in the booth and look at my nieces in their car seats, my nieces, children I didn’t know existed until an hour ago. I am their guardian now. They are the only connection I have with their father and the only family apart from Chance that I have left.

Gypsy starts to get cranky and I reach to unclip her and gently lift her out and place her in my arms as Katie hands me a bottle that was in a warmer pocket. I thank her and I know some of the members have moved closer to the booth. I will catch up with them in the next few days but right now my focus needs to be on the kids.

“Shannon.” I look up and see Chase looking at me with hurt in his eyes. I place the n****e of the bottle into Gypsy’s mouth and she starts sucking. Rose is asleep and I will feed her after I have fed her sister.

“I’m so sorry, I’m so f*****g sorry.” Is he sorry for the deaths of my father, brother, and Lily or is he sorry for what happened in the past?

“You owes me a dollar.” I look at Chance and he holds his hand out to the man that is his father and Chase looks at his son in confusion, then at me, and I smile, fighting to hide the smile on my face. The members chuckle at Chance’s boldness as he stands there with his hand open waiting.

“For the swear jar.” Is all I say as I focus my attention on the little girl in my arms, who has just had her life, like her sister’s, blown wide open.

“Mommy, look it. He gives me a hundred.” I look and see a ten-dollar bill in my son’s hand. I smile at him.

“Wow, what do you say?” I ask him, and Chance turns and thanks his father before running to Bear, who picks him up and sits him on his lap as Chance talks about the money and what he will do with it. He would make a killing here, but I know we won’t be here for long. Just long enough to say goodbye to my father, brother, and Lily.

“Is he? Is he …” I don’t look up at Chase but nod my head.

“Yes, he is.” I say when I hear a shriek and a glass smashing, Gypsy, Rose and even Chance jump before they all start crying. I snap my head up to Ruby to see her chest heaving and she looks unhinged.

“You lying little slut.” She screams and I freeze but tighten my hold on Gypsy when I hear a thud and look up and see Ruby on the ground as Katie stands over her.

“No, if anyone is the slut here, it is you. Shannon is here because it was her father and brother who died in that accident yesterday as well as Lily, so have some goddamn respect.” Katie hisses at her and I fight the tears as I soothe the kids.

“Get her out of here now! Stinger, go with her and watch her pack. I want her out of this compound in thirty minutes.” Chase says, and Ruby only cries louder as Stinger grabs her up off the floor and drags her towards the front doors and out. Members who don’t have a property on the compound stay in the clubhouse, but some who do have properties here can use the rooms to crash if there is a party or they are returning late from a run.

“I’m sorry about her, Shan,” Chase says and I look up at him as the tears fall from my eyes and I see the tears are dripping off his chin too.

“She is your wife, you should treat her better than that. Once the funeral is over, Chance and I will be heading home with the girls. I don’t want to disrupt your lives or cause trouble. I only came home to pay my respects to my family.” I tell him and he staggers back like I just punched him. Maybe I did, but he destroyed us first. Whatever we had is gone. He made his choice, and it wasn’t me.

“No, you can’t take my son away from me.” He snarls and I sigh, ignoring him when Chance comes to my side, looking at Gypsy, who is nearly finished with her bottle.

“Mommy, I will stop people being mean to you, like Terry said.” I smile softly at my incredible boy. I hear a growl.

“Terry? Who the f … fudge is Terry? Has he been playing dad to my kid!” Chase roars, startling the kids again. You know what? I’m done with this s**t!

“Terry is of no concern of yours. Even if he was my boyfriend, you have no right to be upset with me when you are married. Bear, can you take us back to the house please, coming here was a bad idea.” I say as I stand up and place Gypsy back in her car seat. I take Chance by his hand, and Katie moves to lift the car seat with Rose in as Bear takes the one with Gypsy in.

I walk past Chase and he grabs my upper arm and I stop in my tracks. The brothers stand and move to grab their president off me but I hold my hand up, stopping them.

I don’t bother looking at him, because if I do, he will see the pain on my face. Not physical pain but emotional pain.

The pain he caused me years ago and the pain from losing my father and brother. The pain I feel for the twins at the loss of their parents and the pain of my son, who never knew his family, his father included and right now I don’t think I want Chase anywhere near Chance. Not when he is like this.

This man is not the one I walked away from. Did he change because I left? No, I shake that thought away.

“You will not be taking my son away from me. Like him, you are mine, just like I am yours.” He whispers in my ear and I shiver before I turn my head to look at him. Letting him see the devastation and pain on my face that I wanted to spare him from. He winces but quickly covers it.

“You lost that right when you kissed Ruby that day and then made her your ol lady. I heard what you said about her losing your kid and it being the best thing she did. You are disgusting to even think that, let alone say it aloud.” I say, and he releases my arm and steps back with a wounded look on his face.

“This isn’t over, Shan, and you know it.” He says as I walk towards the doors of the clubhouse but stop and turn to look at him, the brothers, their ol ladies and even the sweet butts standing behind him all of them look gutted some even ashamed at what their prez has said here today.

“It was over before it began. You made sure of that, now deal with the consequences.” I say, pulling the doors open and walking through them.

“You ok mommy?” Chance asks and I gulp down the hurt, the heartbreak, and the betrayal down as deep as it will go and smile at my son.

“Yes, little man. I’m more than ok.” I say, and he runs ahead of me, and I follow him.

I know Chase is watching me. I can feel his stare. But I don’t stop, I don’t turn around and run into his arms, because as much as I want to deny it. Chase is my home. He always was and I know deep down he always will be. Why is this so messed up? Why does this always happen to me at Christmas?