“You owe me one hell of a drink when this is all over.”
Finn grinned wide again, flashing those mischievous eyes.
“Deal. But fair warning, I’m a terrible drinker. So, if I survive, it’s gonna be a miracle and a party.”
Maria chuckled softly beside us, the tension easing enough to let a tiny bit of peace in.
It was late and quiet. The jukebox was stuck on the same half-played song as the pool balls on the table clicked too loud in the silence. Every sound made me flinch because the one I was waiting for hadn’t come home yet.
I sat at the edge of the bar, nursing a drink that did nothing to take the edge off. Finn hovered nearby, throwing out easy jokes, trying to make me laugh, but my eyes never left the door.
Every second stretched like an eternity. I told myself not to think of Caleb, but the thoughts crept in anyway.What if it was the same? What if Jay didn’t walk back through the door?What if I had to bury him too?My hands trembled around the glass.
Then, the rumble of engines was followed by the sound of heavy boots on the floorboards. The door slammed against the wall, then they poured in, bruised, bleeding, some limping, but alive.
My heart leapt into my throat. Relief and fear tangled until I couldn’t breathe.
And then I saw him, coming in last.
Our eyes locked across the room. He offered me a small, tired smile, but it was enough to break me wide open. He looked rough, with a cut on his cheek and a bruise blooming on his jaw. His knuckles were split, the blood drying dark across his skin.He looked like hell but my kind of hell, the kind you survived. He was here, and he was breathing.
Before anyone could stop me, I pushed through the crowd. My chest ached, like I’d been holding my breath for hours, days maybe. And then I was in front of him, lunging, wrapping my arms around his neck, and pulling him down into me.
The kiss was fierce, claiming, desperate. The world faded away, leaving only us. Whistles and catcalls erupted behind me, along with Riot’s dry laugh, Maria’s sharp whistle, and someone shouting, “About damn time!”
But none of it mattered.
He was mine.
He tasted like smoke and blood, and beneath it all was something I hadn’t felt since Caleb was alive.Home.Relief hit me like a wave, drowning me and washing away all the fear, all the doubt.
When we broke apart, he didn’t let me go. His hand stayed warm against the back of my neck, and his eyes held mine, fierce and tender all at once.
“Missed you,” he murmured.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I promised.
Finn clapped me on the shoulder, grinning wide. “That’s my girl.”
I barely noticed. Surrounded by the battered but unbroken club, I knew we were ready for whatever came next. But for now, it was just him, just us, and I would make sure he never doubted it again.
Chapter 53
Reaper
Ifelt the world shift the moment Lucy’s lips found mine, bold, fierce, like a storm I never wanted to fight. Heat blazed through me, lighting every nerve on fire. Around us, the brothers hooted and hollered, boots stomping, bottles clinking against wood, but none of that mattered.
It was her claiming me, marking me as hers.
I wrapped my arms tight around her, pulling her closer and showing her I wasn’t just there to be claimed. I was hers, completely.
When we finally broke apart, I glanced around the room. Finn’s grin was wolfish as he raised his beer in salute. Maria let out a piercing whistle, shaking her head with mock exasperation. Riot sat back in his chair, unreadable behind those damn shades, but he didn’t look away. Spider’s jaw ticked. Keno leaned towards him, muttering something low, the kind of whisper that bred trouble. The other prospects avoided my eyes, pretending not to care but watching all the same.
Some nodded, some smirked, but every one of them saw it. Lucy was mine. And damn, it felt good to know I was hers.
“Damn right, you’re not going anywhere,” I said, my voice thick with everything I felt but couldn’t put into words.
The bar hummed softly, the storm giving way to quieter conversations. The stink of blood, sweat, and whiskey hung in the air, but it wasn’t chaos anymore. It was survival. It was family. Maria shoved a rag and bottle of peroxide into my hands, but before I could say a word, Lucy snatched them.
