Page 6 of The Biker and the Single Mom

"Stay a few more days," he said, turning back to the stove where pancakes were starting to brown. "Until you figure things out. Where you're going next, what⁠—"

"We can't keep imposing⁠—"

"You're not." He flipped a pancake with practiced ease. "I've got the space. Luna's safe here. And honestly?" He glanced at me, raw vulnerability in his expression. "I like having you both around."

The admission hung in the air, honest and unguarded.

"Okay," I heard myself say. "A few more days."

Luna cheered, and Doc's smile—rare and devastating—made my pulse stutter.

Lunch at the Hellbound Saints clubhouse wasn't what I expected.

I'd pictured something out of a movie—dark, intimidating, full of rough men doing illegal things in corners. Instead, the converted warehouse was surprisingly bright, with afternoon sun streaming through high windows. It smelled like motor oil and leather, yes, but also like the burgers someone was grilling in the back.

And there were kids.

A few of them, running wild through the common area while a handful of bikers observed with indulgent expressions. Luna's eyes went wide, her hand clutching mine for about three seconds before one of the kids called out, "You wanna play?"

"Can I, Mommy?" Luna bounced on her toes, all her earlier shyness evaporating.

"Go ahead, baby." I barely got the words out before she was gone, chasing the other kids toward what appeared to be a makeshift play area in the corner.

"They're pretty good about including new friends," a woman's voice said beside me.

I turned to find Maddie—the baker from Sweet Salvation, the one married to Jax, the VP. She had that kind of natural prettiness that came from being genuinely happy, and a baby on her hip who couldn't be more than nine or ten months old. The little girl had dark curls and was currently trying to grab Maddie's necklace.

"I'm Rory." I offered my hand. "And that's Luna."

"I'm Maddie." She shifted the baby on her hip, who immediately reached for me with chubby hands. "Doc told us you'd be stopping by. Welcome to the madhouse. The kids will keep Luna entertained for hours."

"Thank you. She hasn't had much chance to just be a kid lately."

Understanding softened Maddie's expression. "Running's hard. Especially with a little one."

"Doc told you?"

"Not the details. Just that you needed a safe place." She gestured toward a cluster of tables. "Come on. I'll introduce you around. Everyone's harmless—mostly—and the food's actually good."

The next hour passed in a blur of names and faces. Hammer, the massive Sergeant at Arms who terrified until he smiled. Diesel, the Road Captain with laugh lines around his eyes. Rev, the mechanic who Maddie whispered had his own complicated love story.

And Pope.

The club president stood at the bar, talking with Doc in low tones. Even from across the room, his presence commanded attention—not through intimidation, but through the kind of quiet authority that came from actually earning respect.

I was near enough to overhear when Pope asked, "She in trouble?"

"Ex won't leave her alone," Doc said, tension threading his words. "He's a cop. Uses his badge to track her down. She's been running for months."

"Cop from where?"

"Two counties over. No jurisdiction here."

Pope's expression hardened. "She's under our protection then. Make sure she knows it."

The knot in my chest loosened. Just like that—no questions about why I'd run, no judgment about my choices. Just immediate, unconditional protection.

"Thank you," I said quietly, and both men turned.