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I wanted them to be able to grow up wild on a big piece of land, exploring plants and bugs and being partly-feral. So as much as I loved the clubhouse, I would want to do what Crow suggested. I would like to approach the owners of one of the farms and ask them to subdivide it, so I could have a mini farm myself.
It would still be close enough to the clubhouse that Crow would still be able to get there easily, but it would give us both a place away.
Those were down the line kind of plans, though.
I was happy just to be making the move to the clubhouse.
I had to admit that the water pressure was definitely a selling point. And the soaking tub. And Sal. And, yes, even Devil Cat. Even though I had some nasty scratches up and down my arm from attempting to show him my love.
Fine, having my meals mostly cooked for me by Detroit who genuinely enjoyed the task? Yeah, that was also a huge one.
There was so much to look forward to.
But there was still a bit of aching in my heart to be closing the chapter on my old life.
“What are you doing with the chickens?” Nyx asked, watching out the window as one of them scratched at the dirt.
“Coach built me a coop over at the clubhouse from wood that I’m not supposed to ask the origins of,” I said, shaking my head.
From what I could tell, Coach was a guy who believed in justice. Even if in vigilante form.
Apparently, some of the corrections officers inside had been corrupt and predatory, so since he got out, he’d been screwing with their lives in small ways.
I was completely okay with being an accessory to that to get my girls a new home over at the clubhouse.
“I like him,” Nyx decided. “He’s equal parts rough-and-tumble biker and philosopher.”
“Did you hear they have a new prospect lined up soon?” I asked, looking around my mostly-empty kitchen, thinking how strange it would be not to spend all my time in it anymore, making tinctures and teas, preserving the summer harvest for the cooler months.
“No, but I’m not surprised. I know Slas—they have been trying to scale up pretty quickly. Especially since no one ever figured out who shot Riff a couple months back.”
I had to admit, that was the aspect of the life change that I was struggling with most. Being a biker “old lady” meant there was a lot of uncertainty, a lot of worry. Crow had been gone for six days already, leaving me in Shady Valley to wonder and worry about him.
I knew that Crow was capable. While the guys didn’t outwardly tell me all the details, I’d gleaned enough from what they’d said to know that Crow was wild and ruthless in a fight, if one popped up.
But even wild and ruthless men could be bested, could be killed.
I never could have understood how much I would fret about that since I never could have known it was possible to care about someone as much as I cared about Crow.
I was so accustomed only to having myself to worry about. I had no idea the stomach-churning fear and uncertainty that would invade my system, would become the only thing I could think about, would make it impossible to sleep.
That was why I’d asked Nyx to help me clear out my place. Just to have a distraction from wondering exactly where Crow was, and what he was doing, and if he was safe.
Because those short morning texts and goodnight calls, they just weren’t cutting it. There were too many hours in the day in between that something could go wrong.
He was supposed to be back already.
And I was trying not to let Nyx catch me checking my phone every twenty seconds to see why he hadn’t texted me to say he was at the clubhouse, and that I needed to get back for a little ‘reunion.’
There was a buzzing noise that had both of us reaching for our phones.
“It’s me, babe,” Nyx said, checking her screen. “And that is my cue,” she said, putting her phone away.
“Your cue for what?” I asked, brows drawing together as she tucked her phone away and then grabbed her purse.
“I’m supposed to head back now.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I don’t know, honestly. Crow just said that I’m supposed to leave when he texted me.”
“He texted you?” I asked, my heart sinking because I hadn’t heard from him.
“Don’t be all jealous. I think he has a surprise for you,” she said as she walked toward the door. “You don’t want to have to cart all of these all the way back to the clubhouse, do you?” she asked, reaching into a box to gather several jars of the lotion she loved so much.
