As soon as the police and paramedics arrive, the graveyard becomes a flurry of lights and activity. Almost as if it knows the trouble has passed, the storm moves on, and the rain slows to a drizzle. Cherri is the most gravely injured, so the paramedics carefully load her into the first ambulance. As they do so, she regains consciousness enough to cling to Ace’s hand and beg him to stay with her. He looks at me, conflicted, and I can read in his expression that he wants to go with her but also stay by my side, that he fears I would think he is somehow choosing her by leaving with her. I easily give my permission. “Go, we’ll be right behind you.” It’s the right thing to do. Ace is a good man. After everything we went through tonight, there’s no way I’ll feel jealous of Cherri again or doubt Ace’s loyalty to me.
Chopper is taken away by ambulance next, in handcuffs. Remarkably he’s still standing, much to everyone’s surprise, especially the medical professionals. Eli and I get checked over on the scene by the paramedics, who confirm we need to go to the hospital but that we’re safe to ride in the police car rather than waiting for an ambulance.
Gage refuses to leave my side until I tell him I want to speak to my brother alone. He nods, understanding as always, and after a brief debate, he and Cash follow in a second police car. The police still want to interview us all, though the guys insist we should do it at the hospital. No way were they going to be across the city from me. Thankfully, the cops seem torealize we’re the victims here and are going easy on us. They even offer to return the guys to collect their bikes later on. I can tell that this friendliness with the cops is a little jarring to them, I suppose bikers and police don’t always have the best relationship, but I know Ace is keen to keep things at the Road Renegades on the up and up as much as possible.
On the journey there, I tell Eli everything Chopper said to me about Mom and Dad. In return, he confides in me about how he has been trying to take the Rusted Scythes down from the inside this whole time. “I’m so sorry I hid it from you, Mouse, but it was too dangerous to tell you. And I can’t forgive myself for putting you in danger anyway, even if it all worked out fine in the end.” He seems so defeated, so downtrodden that my heart breaks for him, and I reach over to hug him.
“None of this is your fault, Eli. The only people to blame in this whole sordid ordeal are Chopper and his accomplices. We’ll get justice for Mom and Dad. Together.”
Eli hugs me back tightly, and I know we will be okay. I can’t stay mad at my brother. No matter what he’s done, he’s the only family I have left. I know things haven’t always been easy for him and that he tried to do right by me, even if he fucked up. I tell him this, and more, forgiveness coming easily. For the rest of the journey, I lay my head on his shoulder, and we chat about everything that happened, giggling over some parts and crying at others.
“I can’t believe you didn’t figure out my code,” he says, shaking his head.
I tap him on the arm playfully, but he still winces, bruised as he is; everything hurts. “I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly with a gun to my head the whole time,” I point out. I catch the cop’seye in the rearview mirror, fully aware that he is paying close attention to everything we’re saying, but we have nothing to hide.
***
Later, after the doctors finish treating me for my injuries and prescribe some medication and therapy to try to prevent any PTSD symptoms that may arise, I tell the same story to the police who interview me.
Now, after hours of interviews and being poked and prodded by doctors and nurses, I’ve been left alone in my hospital room. I lay my head back on the pillow, exhausted. No sooner do I close my eyes, I hear the guys outside my door, arguing with the cop stationed there for our protection—even though Chopper’s in police custody, we can’t rule out retaliation—saying that they want to see me. “We aren’t going anywhere until you let us in,” I hear Ace state firmly. I smile, imagining the poor cop trying to say no to my stubborn men.
I’m not surprised when they get their own way, and all three of my men come through the door moments later. My face breaks into a smile at the sight of them, powerful and handsome, their eyes filled with love and concern.
“Naomi,” they echo in unison, a chorus.
Ace strides forward first, taking my hand in his, looking anguished. “Naomi, I’m so sorry we didn’t get there sooner, that I left your side. I don’t want you to think that—”
I cut him off, knowing what he’s about to say. “There’s no need to apologize. I’m glad you went with Cherri. She needed someone with her. How is she doing?” I ask, genuinely hopingshe pulls through. For all that she did to me, she was just another pawn in Chopper’s game, and she doesn’t deserve to die for it.
Ace’s face crumples in relief. “What did I do to deserve you?” he says in awe, leaning forward to kiss my forehead before saying, “Cherri is in surgery now. I’m not sure what the prognosis is. For obvious reasons, the doctors aren’t keen on telling me much.” His mouth pulls into a thin line.
I squeeze his hand. “You did what you could for her.”
He snorts incredulously at this. “I was a hair’s breadth away from being the one who shot her.”
I shake my head confidently. “No. You wouldn’t have, you’d have found another way to save me, you just needed to buy time and distract Chopper long enough for the others to get behind him without him noticing, and you did it. It’s not your fault that he’s a monster who turned on his ally,” I insist.
Ace seems unconvinced. “Naomi’s right,” Gage says, kissing the top of my head on the other side of the bed where he’s moved to stand beside me. “You can’t blame yourself for what happened to Cherri. You did everything right.”
“Ace, you’re not the monster capable of doing the things that even you think you can. You’re good, and kind, and moral, you wouldn’t hurt anyone unless you had to out of self-defense or to protect someone you love, and you knew that actually hurting Cherri wouldn’t save me, even if it crossed your mind that you’d pull the trigger if you had to,” I say passionately.
Finally, my words reach him, and he nods his head. “I’ll try to be the man you think I am.”
I kiss him, long and loving, before he steps back to afford the others a moment with me. I look to Cash, gesturing forhim to come closer, and I kiss him, savoring the familiar spicy, smoky scent of him—though now it’s mixed with dirt and damp clothing. “Thank you for saving me, all of you,” I say, looking between them.
Gage kisses me too, soft and gentle. “Anytime, our damsel in distress,” he says with a wink. “Though I think you had it covered pretty well before they got there. Did you really hit Chopper with the shovel?”
I giggle and smile. “I did, three times, actually.”
“That’s our girl,” Ace says proudly.
“I did it after he told me about my parents. I couldn’t hold back my anger.” I go on to explain what Chopper told me about killing my parents and why. “Did you know my dad was once a member of the Road Renegades?”
They all look guilty, but Ace is the one to speak up. “Yeah, we did,” he admits apologetically.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask, unable to keep the sting of hurt from my voice.
“We were gonna tell you, we just never found the right time,” Gage says softly.
