The Biker's Fate Chapter 681

Waverly

Two weeks later, I was heading home after a busy day. I'd been texting with Gio in between clients, and all the warm fuzzies were rapidly settling in my belly. I was pretty sure I was falling in love with him, but I needed to get a handle on those feelings because it was far too soon to make any kind of declarations.

Tonight, however, he was coming to my place for dinner, and we were going to cook together. He was doing so well with his rehab, he could navigate stairs (slowly and carefully), so Katie was dropping him by at six and I would drive him back to Connor and Maisie's later. For now, I was stopping by the store to pick up ingredients to make my grandmother's fried chicken and mac 'n cheese.

I headed into my local Fred Meyer and grabbed a cart, wheeling it through the security area, then heading to the back to grab the chicken. I had pretty much everything else. I'd remembered the label of the beer Gio had been drinking, but not the name, so once I procured the chicken, I made my way to the beer aisle, where I was surprised to see Katie reaching for the same brand.

"Katie! Hi," I said.

Her eyes widened, and she grimaced, but then forced a smile. "Hi, Waverly. How are you?"

"Um, fine. I was going to get some beer for tonight."

"Yes, that's what—"

"Okay, I think these will—"

Gio appeared before me in all his gorgeous glory, holding a bouquet of flowers, but he looked different, and it took me a minute to process.

He wore dark jeans, a black henley, with a biker's vest with a patch on it that read, 'Razor,' and a pair of well-worn motorcycle boots.

I will repeat, he wore a biker's vest.

I frowned. "Gio?"

Guilt covered the tight features of his face. "Hey, Fizzy."

"Why are you dressed like that?" I whispered.

"I was going to talk to you about that."

"Why are you dressed like that?" I repeated.

"I just came from a meetin'."

"A meeting," I parroted. "A meeting where?"

"At my club."

I felt the blood drain from my face. "You're a biker."

"Yeah, but you have to under—"

I bit back tears. "You lied to me."

"No, baby—"

"Do not call me that." I grabbed my purse out of the cart and practically ran out of the store.

Razor

"Fuck," I hissed.

"I thought you were going to tell her," Katie admonished.

"I was. Tonight," I said, dragging my hands down my face. "Goddammit!"

"She left her shopping bags."

"Let's buy all this and take it to her place."

"I don't know if that's a good idea, Razor."

"I won't go up. You can drop it off." I met her eyes. "If you don't mind doing that."

"I don't mind," she said sadly.

We finished our shopping and went through the checkout, then headed to Waverly's. Katie grabbed the bags and carried them up while I stood by the side of the car and watched.

Waverly

I'd been home for about half-an-hour when my doorbell rang. My phone was charging in my bedroom, so instead of hoofing it down the hall to look at my camera, I pulled the door open instead of checking first. I wish I hadn't.

"Oh!" Katie squeaked. "I thought for sure, you wouldn't answer."

"Pretend I didn't," I snapped and started to close the door, but she was faster than me and slid inside, carrying my shopping bags. "Get out of my house."

"Let me just drop these off and I'll get out of your hair," she said.

"Just drop them right there."

She set them on the floor and smiled gently. "He's in love with you."

"I don't care."

"Honey, by the looks of you and your current state, you're in love with him too."

I squared my shoulders, wiping my tear-stained face. "I'll get over it."

"Well, that's a neat trick," she sassed. "How do you do that?"

"Katie," I warned.

"You can fall in love with someone, then get over it, just like that? Amazing."

"How can you hang around with… with… criminals?"

"They're not criminals," she countered. "My brother's certainly not a criminal. He's the best person I know. As is Razor. And you've met Hatch and Maisie."

I frowned. "Who's Hatch?"

"Ah, right. Um, Connor. Hatch is his club name," she said. "He's the president."

"He's the president of a biker gang?" I hissed.

"They're not a gang, Waverly. I promise you."

"I'll take your word for it."

Before she could get her next bullshit excuse out, the door opened and Gio stood in the threshold.

"Jesus, Razor," Katie snapped. "You look like you're going to pass out."

My need to take care of people overtook my fear and disgust and I rushed to wrap an arm around his waist as Katie did the same. He was drenched in sweat, and he appeared to be having a hard time catching his breath. It was like he'd jogged four miles to get here, in the snow, and up hill.

Katie and I worked in tandem to get him to my recliner, helping him to sit down.

"You can't stay," I said.

"I'll go and get his walker," Katie offered. "Do you have an elevator, or just your stairs up?"