“Sounds like you have a lot of excuses to me,” I tell him as we get closer to the clubhouse.
“Fuck you and your fucking happiness. Not all of us are lucky to have a Raegan as an Ol’ Lady,” he argues trying to sound bitter, and it makes me laugh. He’s come a long way accepting Raegan and I being together.
“Say what you want, but I saw the way you looked at Sutton when we pulled them out of that lake. Don’t hold back over some bullshit excuse, because it’ll only lead to misery and heartache. If she’s worth it, then burn down the world to have her.”
It’s been a month since I’ve been out of the hospital and things are finally starting to get back to normal. I’m still a little achy, but for the most part I’m good. Kane hasn’t laid a hand on me sexually, and it’s frustrating the hell out of me. If he doesn’t touch me soon, I think I’ll implode.
I’ve just come back from the cemetery visiting Trick’s grave. Every other week I go and place fresh flowers on his grave. The guilt is still heavy, and I continue to blame myself for what happened to him. I put him in an impossible situation by deceiving him into thinking that Kane knew we were headed to the race, and for that I’ll always have regret. I’ve spoken with several members in the club, and they do their best at assuring me that this is what happens when they decide to put a cut on, but I’m still wrapping my head around it.
The best news that’s come this month is that Sutton moved down the street from Kane and me. Well…more like hiding out from her father and his weird followers. But that’s a long story that I hope she’ll tell in depth soon. Kane actually owns another house and when his renters left, he offered it to her. She started crying when he brought it up to her. She gave him the biggest hug. Things at home were getting bad, and I’m not even sure she told me everything that’s happened. What I find funny is that the backyard shares a fence with Havoc and Zane. The person she’s been trying to avoid for weeks.
Dad and Claire stayed for two weeks after I was released from the hospital. Claire hovered over me like a mother hen, while Dad and Kane got to know each other better. One night they came home so drunk from the bar that Turner had to bring them home in the back of the police car. I’m glad they like each other and get along, I don’t know what I’d do if my dad was against me being with Kane.
The biggest gossip of the month was when Mayor Dennis Burns was found dead with a heroin needle hanging out of his arm. Beside him was a naked woman, both dead from an apparent overdose in a little love shack on the outskirts of town. It’s the biggest scandal in years according to the papers and the little old ladies at the grocery store. Of course, Carly played the heartbroken widow well, gathering the sympathy from the town. She didn’t waste a second after the funeral when she hightailed it out of here counting her money all the way to the bank. Little does Carly know, but all that money she’s counting is from under the table deals that Dennis did as mayor. An anonymous tip to the city’s attorney and the money is going to be frozen soon.
“Hey!” I hear and am forced out of my thoughts of this past month.
“Hey, Sutton,” I greet her as she walks in the front door. She has her own key like I have one to her house as well.
“I was just thinking. How about we take a road trip and get out of here for a while?”
“It sounds like fun, but I’ll need to see what Kane has planned. The club is meeting right now about having to do a last-minute run somewhere.”
“Fine but once we find out, we’re out of here!” She claps, and I love how happy she always seems to be these days being out from under her parents thumb.
I hear the garage door lift and know that Kane is home.
“Let me know what the boss says!” she jokes as she backs out the door and skips through the yard towards her house.
“Hey, Wildcat,” Kane greets me with a chaste kiss as he walks through the door. I’m making some lasagna for dinner and have an apron on. In all my free time, once I answered all my emails and completed all the jobs I was behind on, I took up cooking.
“How was the meeting?” I ask as I pull the food from the oven. He lets out a grunt and rolls his eyes.
“We’re leaving in the morning for a run, but should be back in about four days.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, we’ve got a meeting set up with some very important people and can’t turn down the offer they’re making us. Plus, the reward in the end will be worth it.”
“Oh, okay.” I try to keep the disappointment out of my tone. This will be the first time he’s left me since the accident, and I hate the thought that we might not even be in the same state. “Well, Sutton mentioned getting outta here to get some fresh air with everything that’s happened. So maybe while you’re gone, she and I can take a girls’ trip to distract ourselves.”
He looks over my shoulder like he’s thinking about something before giving me a nod.
“I don’t see why not. It might be good for you to get out of this house and town for a change.” He shrugs but for some reason this doesn’t seem right. “I expect you to wear your cut while gone. I don’t want any fucker questioning who you belong to.
Right after getting out of the hospital, Kane gave me a large box with a ribbon holding it together. He looked thoroughly pleased as I kept glancing at him as I undid it. Lifting the top of the box, the first thing I noticed was the smell of leather. Reaching in I pulled out a black leather cut with the Dead Road MC logo on the back. I wasn’t sure why he was giving me this at first. Was I in charge of a backup one for him if he lost his? Looking closer I saw the words Property of Stone at the bottom and when I turned it over I saw my name scrawled across one side and Ol’ Lady across the other side. I couldn’t believe it at first, but now any time I leave the house it goes with me.
“Alright, I’ll let her know.”
“Cool, I’m going to get cleaned up.” He kisses my head and walks off towards the bedroom.
I walk over to the living room and find my phone.
She answers right away. “So what did he say?”
“Girls’ trip is a go!” I say, and she shrieks so loud I have to pull the phone away from my ear.
“Okay, I’ll get on the details. Don’t worry, Raegan, this trip is going to rock!”
