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Chapter Six
“Holy crap,” I gasped as I climbed out of the car. “This place is beautiful.”
Wrench came around from his side, his eyes following mine as I took in the massive cliff sides that framed one side of a beautiful, large swimming hole. The sun skipped across the deep blue waters, not a ripple or a wave to be seen on the surface. The air was still and warm, a perfect summer’s day, the conditions around me forcing me toward the water.
“Oh my gosh, this is so freaking cool,” Harlyn yelled as she jumped from the car and immediately headed for the miniature beach that sloped down into the water.
“Harlyn…” I warned with a stern look on my face.
She sighed overdramatically and spun around. “Freaking is not a swear word, Mom.”
“Yeah,Mom.” Wrench chuckled, following Harlyn down onto the sand. For a moment, I just stopped and stared, not even caring that he was being an asshole and mocking me.
“You took your boots off,” I commented, just as he reached for the hem of his shirt. His cut was gone too, but for some reason, seeing him without his heavy motorcycle boots on his feet just seemed… strange.
His hands paused. “Have you ever got sand in your shoes before? That shit is uncomfortable.” Then in one swift movement, he whipped his T-shirt up over his head and tossed it on a nearby chair, before working away at the button of his jeans.
A lump formed in my throat and I fought against it, knowing that if I swallowed that it would clearly show just how much I wanted to see his body. That, and I’d look like a horny pervert, getting my excitement by watching him strip off.
He dropped his jeans, revealing a pair of swim trunks that came to just above his knee.
“Come on, Wrench,” Harlyn’s voice called, followed by the sweet sound of water splashing as she waded in knee deep. Her giggles lit up around us, bouncing off the cliffs and echoing in the air.
I grinned, the light melodic noise filling my heart and driving away the apprehension I’d been feeling for the last week.
My baby girl was happy. We’d had a scare, but what I did notice was that each and every one of the brothers at the club had made a point to find Harlyn, and remind her of just what she meant to them. I couldn’t help but wonder whether that had something to do with Wrench. He’d spent hours with Harlyn—drawing, creating, trying to help her make sense of what was going on so she could be at peace with it.
I didn’t care what anyone said, seeing a man—any man—put your child in a place of importance in their lives, well, that does something. It changes how you see them. Maybe even alters the emotions you have toward them, because that little person who has always been the most important thing in your life, was now also important in theirs.
My eyes watched him as he picked up Harlyn under his arms and tossed her into the air, her body disappearing beneath the surface of the water with a booming splash before appearing again, laughing and demanding more. The muscles in his arms flexed as he swung back before tossing Harlyn, her delighted squeals sailing with her through the air. As he turned his back to me, the first thing I noticed was the tattoo, a full back piece identical to Optimus’ with the club name and insignia. I walked forward, my fingers moving on their own accord, wiggling at my sides as if threatening to take on a mind of their own if I didn’t let them have one touch of his inked skin.
“How many brothers have the back piece like yours and Ops?” I asked, managing to pull back my curious hands and detour my body to the side where there were a handful of beach chairs and loungers. Ham had already laid himself out on one, close to where Wrench and Harlyn were playing.
“I couldn’t even tell you off the top of my head,” he answered without turning around, his eyes carefully watching Harlyn as she paddled back to him. “Probably not as many as you’d think.”
“So it’s not like a compulsory thing?” I asked curiously. Even though I had Harlyn and technically had dated Optimus for a few months, there was still a lot about the club that I didn’t know. It wasn’t like there was a course you could take on being a biker. The rules for each club differed so often, and frequently so dramatically that a compliment for one club, may be an insult to another.
Clubs like the Brothers by Blood weren’t in the majority, they understood that people didn’t always agree or understand their way of life, and they were patient. But some would throw a fist in your face if they even sensed curiosity surrounding you.
“Nope, not every brother who patches in decides to get an entire piece done. But every one of them has something tattooed that identifies them as part of the club. It’s not law, but more out of respect… to show your loyalty.”
I listened silently as he explained some of the other brothers’ tattoos, all while he was entertaining my daughter happily.
The sun beat down from above, the heat lapping at my skin, heating me slowly from the outside in.
Ham started to strip off, making his way down to the water. “Hey Har, you wanna swim out to the platform with me?” he called, getting a bright smile back in return.
“Can I, Mom?” she asked, ducking around Wrench and jogging over to me.
Harlyn was a great swimmer. It was one thing we had done together. Since she was only a baby, we swam at least two times a week, come rain or shine. She loved the water, and I loved the time I got to spend with her, laughing and learning, watching her become more and more confident.
“Sure babe. But stay close to Ham, it looks pretty deep out there.” I looked over to where Ham stood watching. “Be careful.”
He snapped me a salute with a cheeky grin. “My eyes won’t leave her, mama bear,” he told me confidently before spinning around and racing into the water. “Last one there is a rotten egg!”
“Hey,” Harlyn called after him. “Cheater!”
The two of them dived into the water, laughing and joking as they waded deeper and deeper.
