Claimed by the Biker Giant (Maxine and Tank) novel Chapter 275

Cloe POV

The adrenaline rush I got from riding was terrific. I missed riding and getting away from life, blocking out all the troubles, letting the ride take over, and thinking mainly about the ride. It was an opportunity to turn off and just be.

My thoughts drifted back to Storm as I watched him leave with his dad.

“Cloe, come with me, let’s go to my office and chat. Okay, was that a man’s talk for Storm and a girl’s talk for me? I wheeled myself at a brisk pace, keeping up with Fixer; she rarely slowed just because I was in the wheelchair. I took it as a mark of normalcy that she didn’t slow for the kids; mind you, her pace wasn’t as fast as Storms or Tanks. Fixer sat on the lounge in her office, and I rolled to be close to her; she didn’t push for me to move to the chair, like Fixer often did, when it was a girl’s chat.

“Storm is being told he, as we speak, he was becoming the owner of the Astore empire, all his

businesses and the associated properties, except the house you are moving to. That house was already discussed before Grams moved on. It was your reward for your bravery. The lands that surround the house will be Storms. He needs it for the helicopters and other services, so the ownership is split. This may sound odd, but it was always divided up like that: the business side of the property and the home. Gramps and I have discussed this at length, and we feel Storm was the only one with the passion to keep the Astore empire going strong. He will need to move over with you, hopefully, that meets to your approval.” Fixer blew me away.

“Of course, I was hoping he would join me, we are girlfriend, boyfriend, and distant relationships are hard. Storm had been so torn, wanting to stay with me and see where our relationship would go, or, should I say, he was waiting for me to be ready for what he wanted to give me; he hadn’t said yes or no to moving. Storm was worried he was letting the club down by moving so far away. The clubs his life, as much as you and the family are.” I almost let my emotions take over. As I spoke, the thought of losing Storm had been gnawing on me since the reading of the will, because any long-distance relationship always falls apart; all the ones I have seen have.

“Moving will be hard at first. Storm has never been away from friends and family for more than a week or so. When out on school camps, he will miss his brothers and sister, but sooner or later, they must all leave the nest.” Fixer was touching my hand, trying to offer support, but my hands were on my lap, clenched into tight fists; Fixer’s touch had me unfurling my fists.

“You will miss him too.” I could tell she was already getting as emotional as me, even though she was hiding it well. That was all Fixer needed, for a rogue tear to spill and run down her cheek; she didn’t brush it away, instead took some deep breaths to get herself back under control.

“We have arranged for your treatment to continue in Mayfield. The hospital has forwarded your comfortable with. Before you know it, you will have your legs back and be running around with everything you are not kids.”

“Kids? Better get hitched first, no?” They would be okay with us just living together, technically that’s what we have been doing, but somehow, I hadn’t seen it that way till now.

“He has already claimed you, in our family, it’s as good as being wed, if not better. Because they are one woman, man, they would never stray. You are already my Daughter-in-law. I think it might be nice to do a little commitment ceremony between you and Storm before you leave. What do you think?” Fixer’s eyes lit up as she made this suggestion.

Seeing that look in Fixer’s eyes and a sort of hope, and my resolve to wait for Storm to make up his mind faded; something inside of me wanted to please this woman, who had given me so much already and had given me a mother’s love that I had been missing.

Storm moved to me and pulled me into his arms once Tank stopped spinning me around.

“Do you understand what you have agreed to?” Storm whispered in my ear, so low I almost missed.

“That I accept you as my man,” I replied, thinking that’s what it meant.

“It’s like we are getting married, but club style, if we do one here, when I become president at Mayfield, we can do another one there, which will also mean you get a cut, a sort of copy of mine. You ready for that?”

“We will be sort of married, but not in a court of law?” I asked, shocked at what I had agreed to.

“Yeah, but in our world it’s law. You will be my wife, in the eyes of all club members.” He kissed me softly, a sort of brushing of lips, barely a kiss.