“Sure, doll.”
I point back at the shop and hold out my hand with a ten-dollar bill in it. “The shampoo girl, Anna. Could you run this into her? I forgot to tip her, but I want to get Aurora into the truck. If we go back in and she sees Holly and Daisy, I think she’s gonna start fussing.”
Tank nods and takes the money, but then I see himshuffle on his boots and blush as he hands Anna the tip. They talk for a few minutes before he finally heads back to the truck. I pretend I didn’t see the whole thing and act like I just finished buckling Aurora in when he climbs behind the wheel.
“Sorry to ask you to do that,” I say. “But I appreciate it.”
He is still beet red, and he has a small smile on his face. “Not a problem,” he says, then heads the truck back toward the compound.
Tank’s a good kid. Poppy’s an amazing friend. Savage is a great buddy, I guess. Whatever I have and however long it lasts, I’m thrilled that I could pay even the smallest amount forward.
A few hours later,I take one last look around my room. Everything has been packed up except one final small load that we’ll move to the condo.
My heart thuds in my chest, and I sit on the floor with Aurora for the last time. There’s a knock on my door, and I call out, “Come on in.” I haven’t locked the door in weeks. The key sits unused on one of the bedside tables.
I’m surprised when it’s Phantom who sticks his head in and nods at me.
“Phantom,” I stand up, leaving Aurora playing on the floor.I look at the massive man in front of me and don’t know what to say. This is goodbye, and Iwouldn’t have expected him to stop by to see me. But since he has, I feel like this is the universe giving me permission to say everything that’s been on my mind. “I will never, ever be able to repay you.”
He holds up a hand, but I take it in mine. He looks at me, shocked. I squeeze his hand in mine, then release it, tears in my eyes. “Poppy,” I say, tears streaming down my face. “And you, Holly, and Daisy.”
I suddenly don’t have the words I thought I did. I glance up at his gruff face, and he looks a little lost. “Everything okay?” he asks quietly.
I do the only thing that I can. I have no flowery speech telling him how much their kindness, his generosity, has meant to me.These people saved my life. I don’t know where I’d be or how I’d be if they hadn’t taken me in. Even if Savage had bought my freedom, it was a completely different thing for these bikers and their families to take me under their wing.
I throw myself against Phantom’s chest and wrap my arms around him. “Thank you,” I say, my heart in my throat. “Thank you.”
He awkwardly pats my back.
I step back and wipe the tears from my eyes. If I’m not mistaken, I see a glimmer in his dark eyes too.
He just nods and barks, “All right.” Then he turns to leave, but he suddenly turns back. “Door’s always open,” he says, but then he flicks a look at Aurora, releases a full-face smile, and leaves.
I drop back down on the floor and stroke Aurora’s hair. “That didn’t go the way I’d planned,” I laugh. Butwith luck, the rest of the night will be just perfect. I got a text from Val a few minutes ago confirming the time she will stop by with dinner. Now all I need is for Savage to come get me, and this chapter of my life will close.
When Savage arrives, he’s dressed in black jeans and a black button-down shirt. He’s wearing his broken-in motorcycle boots, and he looks so gorgeous, dressed more for a date than for moving somebody in to their new place.
I grin at him.
His mouth drops open. “What did you do?” he asks.
I touch a hand to my hair, for a moment panicked that he doesn’t like it. “My haircut?” I rush out. “Poppy, she offered to give me a…”
But the words die on my lips when Savage strides over to me and touches the lengths that fall over my shoulders like he’s touching glass. “You look stunning,” he murmurs. “I thought you were beautiful before, but…” He swallows and widens his eyes. “My God, Claire.”
I throw myself at him, but this is a very different hug from the one I gave Phantom. I crush myself against him and lift my lips to his face. Our kisses are slow and deep, and they are over way too quickly.
“Let’s get you out of here.” His face is flushed, his breaths coming in as fast as mine. If things go well, maybe we can pick up where we left off later. He looks down at Aurora, composing his face into a smile. “You ready to go to your own home, little lady?”
Aurora does something then that nearly sends me to my knees. She holds her arms up to Savage. Not to me. To Savage.
He freezes and looks at me. “What should I do?”
I smile, my heart breaking into a million happy pieces. “She wants you to pick her up,” I say. “But I can do it if you’re not comfortable.”
“Are you?” he asks. “It’s okay?”
I shake my head, as if to dismiss the ridiculous thought. “Of course.” What I don’t say is that I trust him. It’s been slow coming, but I do. I trust him with my baby, and with me… Maybe not fully, but for now, it’s more than enough.
