Chapter 8 - RIDING INTO THE SUN
Six months later.
The air in Clarksburg, Tennessee, was crisp with the onset of autumn. The leaves on the oak trees had turned brilliant shades of orange and gold.
In the driveway of a beautiful, modest farmhouse on the outskirts of town, Lily Whitmore was drawing with chalk on the concrete. She looked vastly different from the battered, terrified child sitting at the gas station. Her cheeks were full and pink, her hair was brushed and tied with a bright yellow ribbon, and she was wearing a brand-new pair of sneakers with both laces securely tied.
The farmhouse belonged to Brenda, the CPS worker, and her husband, a retired Marine who couldn't bear to let the little girl enter the system after hearing her story. They had become her foster parents, and the adoption papers were already moving through the courts.
Lily paused her drawing, her head tilting as a low, distant rumble echoed through the valley. It was a sound she knew well. A sound that, to most people, meant danger. But to Lily, it meant safety.
She dropped her chalk and ran to the wooden fence at the edge of the property.
Over the crest of the hill, twelve motorcycles appeared, riding in perfect, tight formation. The chrome flashed in the autumn sun. The deep, guttural roar of the engines vibrated in Lily's chest, and a massive, gap-toothed smile spread across her face.
The pack slowed as they approached the farmhouse, pulling over onto the shoulder of the dirt road.
Bull Hadley killed his engine, kicked the stand down, and pulled off his helmet. He looked exactly the same—a mountain of a man in scarred leather, his beard wild, his eyes sharp. But when he saw Lily, his face softened into a warm, genuine smile.
"Hey, sweetheart," Bull called out, walking over to the fence.
"Bull!" Lily cheered, climbing up the lower rail of the fence and reaching her arms out.
Bull reached over the wood, lifting her up effortlessly and giving her a tight hug. He set her back down gently. The rest of the brothers—Iron, Chopper, Dex, Bear, and the others—walked over, all grinning, offering fist bumps and high-fives to the little girl who had stolen the heart of a motorcycle club.
"We were passing through on our way to Atlanta," Bull said, crouching down to be at eye level with her. "Figured we'd check in. How's the new house?"
"It's great!" Lily beamed. "Brenda makes pancakes every Sunday. And I have my own room. It has stars on the ceiling that glow in the dark."
"That sounds pretty good," Bull nodded approvingly. He looked up as Brenda and her husband walked out onto the porch, waving warmly at the bikers. Bull tipped his head in respect.
"I have something for you," Lily said, reaching into the pocket of her denim overalls. She pulled out the heavy silver challenge coin Bull had given her six months ago. It was polished and shining. "I kept it safe. Just like you said."
Bull smiled, closing his massive hand over hers, pressing the coin back into her palm. "That's yours forever, Lily. You keep it."
"Dex got you something else, though," Iron chuckled, elbowing the young prospect.
Dex stepped forward, looking slightly embarrassed, holding a small, tissue-wrapped package. He handed it to Lily. "It's, uh, getting cold out. Figured you needed some proper gear."
Lily tore open the paper. Inside was a tiny, custom-made black leather jacket. It was perfect. And stitched on the back, in small, careful lettering, was a rocker that read: LITTLE SISTER.
Lily gasped, throwing her arms around Dex's waist. The young biker flushed red, awkwardly patting her back while the rest of the club laughed and cheered.
Lily put the jacket on immediately. It was slightly too big, but she wore it like absolute armor. She stood tall, looking at the twelve men who had saved her life.
"You guys look out for each other on the road," Lily ordered, putting her hands on her hips, mimicking Martha's bossy tone.
"Yes, ma'am," Bull laughed, standing up. "We always do."
Bull gave her one last salute. The men walked back to their bikes, firing up the massive engines. As they rolled out, heading south toward the highway, Bull looked in his rearview mirror.
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He saw a little girl in a leather jacket standing by a white fence, waving until they were out of sight. The world was a dark, ugly place sometimes, filled with monsters disguised as men. But as the wind hit his face, Bull Hadley knew that as long as there were men willing to stand in the gap, the light would always win.
And that was a ride worth taking.
