Page 51 of Deadly Secrets

Remi turns to our son and flicks her head to the side. With a final scowl at me our son hops up in the Bronco. Remi’s face is set in a hard look as she crosses her arms over her chest and turns back to me.

“Listen, Rhett, I’m not here to judge anyone’s lifestyle. God knows the things I’ve done to get by over the years. But there are certain things that I won’t stand for.” She waves a hand over at the brothers carrying some of the women inside the clubhouse, with their hands groping all over each other. “This is one of them. Ryder doesn’t know my past occupation as a stripper and I hope he never does, but this won’t work if it’s going to be paraded around him.” I put my hands up in a surrender motion but she continues to speak. “I think it’d be better if you pointed us in the direction of the nearest hotel and I’ll start looking for a place for me and Ryder to stay.”

“I can understand where you’re coming from and how that must’ve looked but…”

“I get it, Rhett. You had needs and sowed your oats. I did too…” My back locks straight as a steel rod at the mention of her having her needs met. I thought this last week together while Ryder was finishing his last few days of school, I was fulfilling her needs. “This is not something I want flaunted in front of Ryder. You and him can have your time together but it’s not going to be at a frat party you grown men call a clubhouse.”

“Whoa, whoa wait a minute,” I say. “First of all, from here on out we aren’t gonna talk about what happened in those fourteen years we weren’t together. As far as I’m concerned, I’m the first, last and only man that has ever been in your life and you’re the only woman that has ever been in mine. There isn’t going to be anyone else but you and me until we are cold in the ground, you got that?” I put a little heat behind my words.

Remi scoffs, shaking her head like I’m being impossible. “You’re crazy. Do you hear yourself?”

“My hearing is just fine,” I continue like she didn’t interrupt me. “You got needs, I’m your man and will fill them each and every time just like you’re gonna do the same for me.”

“You can’t be serious.” She points in the direction where Candy went. “There’s no way you’ll only be coming to me for your needs.” I have to bite my tongue to not curse Raegan and Sutton for telling her to watch that stupid tv show about a motorcycle club.

Stone has made it clear from the beginning that our word means something. If we claim a woman then she gets our undying loyalty. Once you break that trust then how do we expect to trust our brothers to have our backs in the club. Thank God Havoc never claimed his ex-wife who was murdered over a year ago.

“Secondly—”

“There’s more?” she blurts out, shocked that I keep going. God, how I’ve missed her sass.

“We are a family and will stay under one roof,” I say. “Stone and I have talked about how the men will act around Ryder when he’s at the clubhouse. Everyone will be on their best behavior for him and you.”

“I can tell it’s working fabulously,” she sarcastically says and it has my hand itching to spank the sass out of her.

Reaching out my fingers, I grab the belt loops of her tiny denim jean shorts, pulling her in so that she’s flush with my chest. Remi has to crane her neck to look up at me as I move my hand under her shorts feeling her ass.

“You got questions about anything, I’ll answer them. Don’t let your imagination run wild, thinking things are happening when they aren’t. Some club business I can’t talk about, but I can share most of it with you. Got me?”

She rolls her eyes while letting out an irritated huff.

“Doesn’t sound like I’ve got much of a choice,” she utters. My hand connects to the underside of her exposed ass. “Rhett!”

“Let’s go see our new home,” I say after gently rubbing the warmed skin I popped.

I walk over to the driver side door and hold it open for her as I wait for her to get in. Ryder is shooting me daggers and I’m sure a good, reassuring talk with him is in order. Ryder wants to open up and trust me, but I can tell something is holding him back. Like he’s waiting for the other shoe to drop. I can’t say that I blame him, I’d be skeptical too if I were him. It’ll take time but I know that once I show him I’m not going anywhere, he’ll come around.

Pulling up to the two-acre home, I swing my leg over my bike and watch Remi and Ryder take in the large backyard and house.

“This is your home?” Ryder asks in amazement.

“Stone wanted all the brothers to have a place outside of the clubhouse,” I tell them. “This is one of the first six that were built.”

Most all the houses have the same floorplan, with four bedrooms and four and a half baths. They all feature a large kitchen, living room, office and bonus room off the three-car garage. Raegan, Melissa and Sutton helped design these homes, built for a family with kids.

“Howdy neighbor!” Raegan says with a basket full of things in her hands. Sutton and Melissa are both standing next to her with their hands just as full.

“Hey.” Remi walks over to the women who all drove over in their golf carts. I always thought it was a little over the top to splurge on but now I think Stone was a genius for adding them to all the homes.

“We thought you could use a few things for tonight in case you weren’t able to get to the store,” Sutton says.

“Thank you so much,” Remi gushes. “I haven’t even thought that far ahead yet.”

“No worries. If there is something that’s not in there that you need just call or text us and we’ll bring it over,” Sutton offers. “Do you need help with unpacking?”

“What Sutton is trying to say is that she doesn’t like to sit around twiddling her thumbs,” Melissa voices. “She loves to keep busy.”

“Oh,” Remi says. “Maybe once all the boxes are in the right rooms you can help me organize.”