Chapter Thirty One

J agger handed Rachel a bottle of water, having already given Katrina, Brooke, and Daisy one. She sat with the other women in the waiting room, nervous for Cora, knowing she was going through childbirth.

Thank God she had Ruger with her. Rachel couldn't imagine going through childbirth alone.

When Katrina got the call at Daisy's house and heard about the mad scramble to find Wire, everyone dropped what they were doing and put all their energy into finding the baby daddy.

"This is taking forever." Daisy stood, rubbing her arms. "How long is this going to take? Did anyone ask Ruger if she was having the baby or having false labor pains?"

"Probably labor. It's close enough to her due date." Katrina rubbed her baby bump. "Everything will be okay."

Brooke reached over and squeezed Katrina's arm. "How are you feeling?"

Katrina waved off her concern. "I'm fine. Just anxious to hear what's going on in there."

Rachel set the bottle beside her in the empty chair, unsure if she should be included in the party waiting for the baby's arrival. These women were friends who had bonded over the years.

They barely knew her and had no idea what kind of family she came from.

The mixed emotions kept her quiet, lending her support by being here.

Jagger stood at the side of Katrina, keeping his hand on her shoulder. His thumb constantly thrummed against her.

Beside her, Brooke texted Maverick, keeping him and the other Havlin members updated on what was happening at the hospital. Everyone was more connected than her family had ever been.

She thought of Shady and glanced at her phone. There were no missed calls or random texts from her brother.

Swallowing the pang of loss made it hard to breathe. She once again wondered if her brother was dead. If the men responsible for kidnapping her had found Shady and gone through with their threat of killing him.

The double doors swished open, and Ruger walked out. Rachel stood, along with everyone else.

Ruger put his hand up in an attempt to calm them all. "Cora's fine."

"The baby?" Katrina stepped forward. "How's the baby?"

Ruger's face softened." Fine. I'll let Cora and Wire give you all the details."

Rachel exhaled slowly, relieved everything had gone okay. Ruger looked exhausted but surprisingly happy after dealing with his sister.

The others set out to tell those waiting back at the clubhouse. Rachel walked to Ruger and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Didn't know you were here." He kissed her.

"After Jagger found Wire, he came to Daisy's house and told us. The others wanted to come, so I tagged along instead of having them take the time to run my back to the cottage."

"I'm glad." He inhaled deeply. "Damn, Rach. That was a hell of a thing to see."

She smiled, looking up at him. There were things she wanted to ask, but she'd wait until they got home.

"How much longer until we can see them?" asked Brooke.

Ruger ran his hand over the top of his head. "Not long."

"What's the baby's name?" said Daisy.

Ruger shook his head.

"How much did she weigh?"

"Does she have hair?

"Did you hear her cry?"

He held up his hand. "Save the questions."

Jagger wrapped his arms around Katrina and brought her back against his chest. "I'm not leaving your sight until the baby comes. I won't go through what Wire had to go through when I told him his ol' lady was having a baby. It aged him."

Katrina smiled, tilting her head to kiss him. "You say that now, but you have a club to run, honey."

Rachel slipped her fingers into Ruger's hand. She once believed the bikers' relationships were superficial and temporary. They rode hard, partied a lot, and seemed to have women hanging around the clubhouse during downtime.

But the ones who had committed relationships inspired her. She wanted what they had. It would be even better with Ruger because he cared about those he loved.

"Havlin family?"

They all turned toward the voice. A nurse stood at the door. She looked over at Ruger and Jagger's leather vests.

"I'm sorry. I was under the impression that blood relatives were out here—"

"I'm Wire's brother." Jagger put his arm around Katrina. "This is my wife."

Brooke linked her arm with Daisy and smiled. "We're his sisters-in-law."

"Wire's my brother," added Ruger. "Cora's my sister."

Dead silence filled the waiting room. Rachel bit the inside of her cheek at the look of shock on the nurse's face.

"Wire and Cora are...?" The nurse looked at each of them.

"Jesus...they're not related." Having caught on to how it sounded, Ruger tightened his arm around Rachel. "This is my woman."

Rachel bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. The brotherhood was tight, and the relationships were sorted. The nurse could only sweep her hand out to invite them back to visit the new parents.

"Usually, we limit the visitors to four at a time, but since we're waiting for another room to open up, I can fit you all in delivery now that the nurses and doctor are out of there." The nurse led them halfway down the hallway and stopped. "We just ask that you keep voices down in consideration of others on the floor."

They all filed in, one by one. Ruger and she came in last and shut the door.

Katrina went straight to Cora, leaning over the bed to look at the baby. Rachel couldn't see more than a blanket from her position in the room.

"She's beautiful." Katrina smiled at the others. "She looks like Cora and Dad across the nose and cheekbones. The serious look and the chin, though, is definitely Wire."

Wire smiled bigger than any expression Rachel had witnessed on the man's face before. "My girl."

"The delivery doctor thinks the due date was wrong, and I was at least two weeks further along." Cora inhaled deeply. "She weighed eight pounds."

"What have you named her?" asked Daisy.

Cora gazed at her husband, pure joy on her face, and then looked across the room at Ruger. "We've named her Clara Grace Albright-Wilson."

Ruger stiffened beside her. Rachel leaned against him, putting her arm around his back. Something was going on. Everyone else in the room might as well not be there for the amount of electricity being shot across the room between Cora and Ruger.

After several tense seconds, Ruger said, "It's a fine name, sis."

Everyone took a breath. Rachel held on to Ruger. When it was their turn to visit the baby, she marveled at how Ruger's broad, calloused hand cupped the baby's head.

"She's beautiful," whispered Rachel.

"I couldn't have done it without Ruger here." Cora squeezed her brother's hand. "I'll never forget it."

"Just take care of yourself and this little girl." Ruger whispered, "Little Clara."

Cora's eyes brightened with unshed tears. Ruger bent down and kissed Cora's forehead.

"We're going to leave and let you rest." Ruger slapped Jagger on the shoulder and hugged his daughter.

Rachel walked out with him, exhausted and yet happy. It was a good day.

Ruger led her through the hospital and to the truck in the parking lot across the street. She buckled herself in and glanced at Ruger.

He hadn't moved. Slumped behind the steering wheel, he stared out the windshield in no hurry to leave.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

"Clara." He inhaled deeply. "That was my mother's name."

Ruger rarely spoke about the past and his family. She held her breath, knowing that whatever was going on in his head was essential to who he was as a man.

"By the time I was twelve-thirteen years old, I never got along with my parents." His hands fell into his lap. "I was never good enough. Quiet enough. Smart enough."

Rachel slowly let out her breath, listening to the monotone of his voice.

"After a while, I quit trying and accepted that I'd be their biggest disappointment." His upper cheek twitched. "I ran around with the wrong people, got into trouble, and ended up getting a chick pregnant, which was taboo within their conservative social circle. That was the thing that finally ruined my relationship with them." He glanced at Rachel. "I took off and...never knew I had a little sister until Cora showed up a couple of years ago."

She slipped her hand into his. There was nothing she could say that would change the past for him. All she could do was listen when he decided to talk.

Her opinion of his parents, turning their back on one of their children, wouldn't help him accept his past.

"They're dead now." He scoffed. "And I feel nothing."

She knew differently. He felt everything. That's why he sat in the truck talking about something he couldn't change.

Everyone around Ruger knew him as a hardened criminal with no feelings. Even Katrina was unsure of where Ruger stood in her life despite her loving him.

He'd gone through hell and survived but came out with scars and memories that tormented him.

Rachel would never say she knew Ruger better than anyone, but she understood him. He wasn't the only one with a sad family background.

Ruger had lived through raising Katrina by himself until he got thrown into prison. He'd come out and rebuilt his relationship with his daughter. Most men would not have.

She removed her seatbelt, crawled over, and sat on his lap, facing him. Cupping his face, she kissed his lips softly.

"I have a hard time understanding why anyone wouldn't love you how you needed to be loved." She stroked his cheeks. "You are the strongest, smartest, most loving man I have ever met, and I've fallen completely in love with you."

"I'll disappoint you—"

"Never." She locked gazes with him.

"I don't want to hurt you, " his voice grew huskier. "I don't want to lose you."

"Never. Never. Never." She peppered kisses on his lips. "I'm the one who is afraid of losing you."

He cupped the back of her head and kissed her deeply. His chest rose and fell underneath her hand. Wrapped up in his words. His fears. She pressed against him, breathing heavily.

Ruger cupped her ass, dragging her up against him. She rocked on his lap, wanting closer.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

She jerked back, snapping her gaze at the driver's side window.

"Get a room." Outside, Jagger looped his arm over Katrina's shoulders.

Ruger flipped Jagger off. But there was an ease about the banter they shared.

She crawled off his lap and sat on the passenger side, straightening her hair. Caught up in Ruger, she had forgotten where they were and what had happened that day.

He started the truck and looked at her. "You with me?"

"Always." She reached across the seat and grabbed his hand. "Let's go home."

"I need to pick up my Harley, " he said as he pulled out of the parking lot. "Do you want me to drop you off at the cottage first, or are you up for a ride?"

The warmth of her smile spread throughout her. "Let's ride."

They rode back to the cottage in silence. Every once in a while, he strummed her hand with his thumb. Every once in a while, he glanced at her.

Every once in a while, he inhaled deeply, matching her breathing.

Her heart burst. He was everything she wanted and more.