Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 417

CHAPTER 226-1

Paige’s POV-

The clubhouse stopped feeling like a temporary shelter after the third morning.

It became a home.

Several families had moved in because nobody wanted to risk sending children back to houses that were scattered across town while the Black Reapers were still active, and the clubhouse had

enough secure rooms, food, and people to keep everyone together.

The children adapted faster than the adults did.

They turned the common room into a classroom, spread laptops across tables, and complained about internet connections instead of worrying about gunfire.

Emma had organized a schedule for online school, and Sophia had somehow convinced six children that completing their assignments was more exciting than playing video games.

I had no idea how she had managed that.

“Did everyone finish math?” Emma asked and several children looked at each other but only one

raised his hand.

“I finished most of it.” He said and Emma narrowed her eyes.

“That’s not the same thing.” Emma said and he lowered his hand.

“I was going to finish it.” He said and Sophia laughed from across the room.

“That answer won’t save you.” Sophia said.

The children groaned, but nobody looked frightened.

That mattered.

After everything that had happened, I had started noticing the little things more.

The way children laughed when Diesel walked through the room. The way Emma and Sophia

argued about breakfast. The way club members carried boxes without being asked. The way

people still complained about whose turn it was to make coffee.

The war was happening outside, but inside these walls, everyone was determined to keep living.

That morning, I stood in the clubhouse kitchen making breakfast while Emma prepared coffee.

“You should sit down.” She said.

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CAMPTER 226 1

“I have been sitting down plenty.” I said.

“You were working at Lawson Customs until midnight.” She said.

“I was helping.” I said.

“You were repairing motorcycles.” She said.

“That’s helping.” I said and Emma shook her head.

“You are impossible.” She said and I smiled.

“You sound like Derek.” I said and she laughed.

“Derek is currently complaining about his shoulder.” She said.

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I glanced toward the common room and Derek had refused to stay in the secured room after Liam

cleared him to move around, although he had been ordered not to use his injured arm.

He had ignored that instruction approximately twelve times.

Jace had caught him carrying a box earlier and threatened to tie him to a chair.

Derek had laughed and told him to try.

It was the kind of argument that made the clubhouse feel normal.

Even with everything happening outside, people were still being themselves and I placed another plate on the counter.

“Breakfast is ready.” I called out.

Children appeared almost immediately and Emma smiled.

“They can hear food from three rooms away.” She said.

“They are Iron Vipers children.” I said.

“That explains everything.” She said.

We laughed, and for a few minutes, the kitchen filled with ordinary noise.

After breakfast, I walked through the common room and watched the children return to their

laptops.

One little girl was helping another with a reading assignment, while two boys argued quietly about a game they wanted to play later.

Emma had already arranged activities for the afternoon.

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CHAPTER 226-1

“There will be cards after lunch.” She announced and the children cheered.

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