Boulder (Riders of Apollo #5)

Epilogue: Ford Wilson

It's coming up on three weeks of Riley being gone. Well gone is a loose term, she calls like twice a day and if she's not talking to Toby or me then she's on the phone to the girls. I don't know how she has so much free time over there but she finds it. Come to think of it, with the time difference, she'll be calling in the middle of the night on her end.

Right now, we're all in the clubhouse as usual. The kids are running around in the garden with Kota - Runner's dog - and Gemma has gained herself two bodyguards now instead of the one she had before. The teachers at their school has said Toby and Ollie will get in between her and any boy that even looks at her.

Hunter is loving it and he gives them a dollar every day after school, especially if the school has to call home because of their interference. Gem doesn't really notice, I guess she doesn't need anymore guy friends if she already has two. They also don't stop her from making friends with other girls so she doesn't care.

"Where are the women?" Runner asks as he sits down on the deck next to me, laughing as Ollie falls over the dog. We've realised that despite his dexterity and his amazing ability of pickpocketing, he really is bad on his feet. The poor bastard is as clumsy as Cassidy, who falls over close to three times a day at least.

"They all went out somewhere, dunno. I don't ask questions when Lexie looks annoyed."

"Ah shit, she looked annoyed? How annoyed? Like 'I'm gonna murder everyone' annoyed or 'I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed annoyed'? I don't know why I ask, it'll be bad either way." Runner shivers dramatically and he gets clipped around the back of the head by Bear. "Ow! Prez!"

"My wife is having a bad week," He explains pointedly and it takes Runner a few more minutes to click on what that means, "besides, they all went out so some restaurant or something. I wasn't paying much attention because I am allowed no opinion on the matter."

"They've probably gone for ice cream, did you know they sync up? It's like a week of terror." Breaker explains as he joins us, his baby on his hip.

"They all do it at the same time?" Romeo asks, Runner nods since he's the one that spends the most time with them. "Huh, thank God Riley isn't here."

"Riley doesn't have periods. Why are we even talking about this?" I respond without even thinking about it. They didn't need to know any of that, what the fuck have our conversations come to?

"When is she coming home anyway? It's been very quiet without her." Bear sits on one of the deck chairs and drinks like half of his beer in one gulp.

"Don't know, I haven't heard from her today. I'm kind of on edge." I pick at the grass by my feet before sparking up a cigarette to settle my nerves.

"I'm sure she's fine, she's indestructible." Runner claps my shoulder in comfort and I give him a look. Just because she's survived a lot doesn't mean I'm not gonna worry about her. The only time I know she's completely safe is when she's standing right fucking next to me. I feel like I've lost a limb without her here.

"Yeah, I'm sure that doesn't help, Runner." Reign explains, knowing exactly how I'm feeling. Saviour is a fighter and he's watched her almost die more times than we can count and despite her proving her strength, he still worries all the time.

We settle in a quiet lull as we watch the kids fuck around on the grass until the emergency alarm rings. Within seconds all of us are up and out the door, leaving the kids with the others as we mount our bikes and speed off. We're Team A - the rapid response team - and the guys who stay are Team B.

Thing is by the time we get to the girls' location, everything has already gone down. "Lexie!" Bear is the first one through the door of the ice cream parlour and the rest of follow in, there are bodies in the doorway covered in strange tattoos, ones I don't recognise but there are more than I would've expected.

At least twelve men lay outside in the parking lot and just inside the entrance of the building. Saviour did a number on them. The others are still in training so I doubt they did much damage on their own. "Fucking hell. What did you do to the white supremacists, boys? I was gone for like three weeks."

I smirk at Riley, who looks fucking good in her leather jacket and tight jeans. She has blood on her hands and face and damn, is she fucking hot. "Welcome back, Riley." Bear greets as he ventures across the room to grab Lexie. We all move to grab our women and I feel relieved as Riley presses up against my chest.

"Hey." She greets and I hug her tightly. It felt like forever but she made good on her promise. Riley mounts my bike behind me as we all head back to the clubhouse where we'll have to figure out what the fuck is going on. I'll admit, it was brave of the bastards to go after our women considering how protective we are of them.

"Riley!" Toby runs flat out into her and knocks the breath from her as she cuddles him to her chest.

"Hey kid, how've you been?"

"Good, school is fun. I got 100% on a math test and I tested out of seventh grade English."

"I'm proud of you, little man." He ends the conversation by fucking off again and Riley rolls her eyes. "Oh I missed you so much, Riley. It's been horrible without you! Nope, nothing. Wow, I feel the love."

I sit down on the couch and pull her down into my lap, happily tracing her skin with my fingertips as she shivers against me.

I know we're supposed to be paying attention to what Bear is saying but since when do we listen? Besides, I haven't seen her in awhile and I've got a lot of lost time to make up on, starting now.