The road is bumpy, and I hold on for all the life I have. Which is a lot considering the shame I felt back in that place when I almost wanted to give up. Something I’ll deal with later when I can care about more than hanging on.
We’re on dirt bikes, and while great for off-roading, they’re not meant as two-seaters. My ass is basically off the damn back but for a fraction of cheek. Everything hurts, but pain means life. Pain means something to live for.
I hear gunfire, but we never see anyone. Not that the boys aren’t looking. Rooster has one hand on a gun, the other on his throttle. Only Kooper and the twin driving, Venom, have both hands on their handlebars. Viper is looking around, tracking everything to see if it’s moving or not.
I don’t know where we’re headed. I can’t see, but they seem to know where we’re going. I close my eyes briefly and just sink into the ride. I’ve been riding behind a man all my life. Even with Kooper. But never like this. Never because he came for me and I was his. I try to find some joy in this,thinking that I need to find more joy in the small moments. You don’t know when they’ll be your last.
In what feels like a mix between hours and minutes, the grass gives way to a clearing, and I see a cargo plane sitting with the bay door open at the back. The boys don’t even stop, just drive up the ramp.
Shots ring out, and they seem to be getting closer. I duck as I look back to the clearing we just left. A Hummer is coming our way, but it doesn’t look like it’s alone.
I turn back around in time to see Bulldog come rushing toward us. “It’s Casper,” he shouts, then goes out halfway and starts firing. The others get off their bikes and start shooting while Kooper cuts the rope and then pulls me off the bike, dragging me behind a crate.
“Stay here, Peaches.”
I grab his shirt, scared that once he leaves, I won’t see him again.
He puts his hand on mine and pulls it away slowly, looking me in the eye as he does. “I’m coming back, Peaches. I’m coming back. You’re my old lady now, and I’m not about to let you get away from me again.”
I nod, and then he’s gone.
I can’t see what’s happening, and I’m too afraid to look out. A few others run by, but they’re too fast for me to see who they are. I hear the guns, the shouts. Something pings against the plane, and I cover myself. To get hit by a stray bullet and bleed out when I’m so close to freedom would be the crown on a horribly bad day if there ever was one.
But then the shooting stops. The yelling dies down. And I’m picked up and pulled into arms I know. Smelling a scent I adore and feeling warmth for the first time in what seems like forever.
“She good?” someone asks, and I hear the plane’s engines purring to life, then a noise that sounds like something closing.
We’re going. We’re finally going.
“Give me a second,” Kooper says to whoever asked. I don’t look, my face buried in his neck as I hold on tight and give thanks to whoever is listening that I’m out. That I have him. That I’m not alone.
I hold on tight as he moves and sinks into a seat. My legs are straddling his, and I couldn’t give two shits who sees.
I need this moment. I need to feel him as the plane rushes down the runway and takes off. I need to find my peace as I break down.
And I do. I cry so hard, and for who knows how long. He lets me. And I let myself. I told myself I would. I saved it for this moment. I gave myself a reprieve when I saw him, letting those tears fall for joy. And these fall for everything else that happened.
Later, they can check me. Look me over and see what hurts. See what they can do to fix me. But for now? Now I get to be in my old man’s arms and just feel him hold me. Openly in front of his brothers. In front of family.
And know that everything is finally going to be all right.
Chapter 40—Kooper
Ilove my club. I love everything about it. I fuck up sometimes, and when I do, I know my club will deal with it. I’m not going to fuck it up so much that I get kicked out. But not talking about my feelings for Ruby? Hell,havingfeelings for Ruby at all? Using my own team because I hid shit from them that I knew they wouldn’t like?
Not only do they get it, but they get over it. Sort of. The free shots to the face probably helped too.
But for all the love I have, if Casper doesn’t fucking hurry the fuck up and end this meeting, I’m going to lose my shit.
At least he was willing to move it to the hospital. I haven’t left it. If Ruby’s here, then so am I. I lost her for seventeen days. Never again.
“Any word on Gina or Big Mike?” he asks.
Bulldog shakes his head. “Saw them leave before us. They took off to the west.” Opposite where we took off. They probably planned it that way.
“You see them?” Casper asks Walker.
He nods. “Got eyes on them for a second. They saw we had the roommate, and that was it. No looking back, not even to see if she was alive as I fireman-carried her out.”
