There was a pause.
A beat where neither of us said anything, but there was a whole conversation happening anyway.
Fear.
Relief.
That weird space in between where you didn’t quite know which one was going to win.
Then she glanced at me sideways.“How long is your biker going to be hanging around?”
I groaned.“He’s not my biker.”
“Sure, sure,” she said with a chuckle, completely unconvinced.
“And I don’t know how long he’ll be around,” I added.“Probably until they find the guy who burned up the bar and shot me.”
She nodded slowly.“So… a while.”
I sighed and tipped my head back.“God, I hope it doesn’t take that long.”
Her hand squeezed my leg.“Well,” she said, “I know it drives you crazy…” She paused just long enough to make sure I was listening.“…but that biker of yours is the only reason I’m okay with you leaving.”
I rolled my eyes.“I have Tyson, Mom.He would keep me safe if Swift wasn’t there.”
She didn’t respond to that.
“Mom,” I said, softer now.“I’ve lived on my own for years.I think I’m going to be fine.”
She let out a breath and shook her head.“I thought that too,” she said quietly.“Until you got shot.”Her gaze dropped to her hands.“That is one phone call a mother never wants to get.”
My chest tightened.I leaned into her carefully, mindful of my shoulder, resting my head lightly against hers.“I’m sorry, Mom.”
She inhaled slowly, then wrapped an arm around my shoulders, gentle, careful, like I might break if she moved too fast.“It’s not anyone’s fault, honey,” she murmured.“There are just bad people in the world…” Her grip tightened slightly.“…and somehow one of them found the club and you.”She pulled back just enough to look at me.“I know I don’t know Swift very well,” she admitted, “but him being with you takes my worry down to about a two out of ten.”
I let out a surprised laugh.“Wow.That’s pretty good.”
She smiled and pressed a kiss to the side of my head.“Let’s just hope he doesn’t make me regret saying that.”She stood, smoothing her hands down her pants like she needed something to do with them.“Call me when you get to your apartment, okay?”
I nodded.“I can do that.”
She blew me a kiss and stepped out into the hallway.
I listened to her footsteps fade, the familiar rhythm of her moving through the house.
And for a second…
Just a second…
I felt it.That tug.That small, quiet ache telling me I was going to miss this.Miss her.Miss the safety of this house, even if it drove me a little insane.
But underneath that?
There was something else.
Relief.
Excitement.
