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“Why would I do that now that we’re all here? It’s fitting, really, you coming to the rescue a decade after Grant did the same thing.”

Shane freezes at the mention of his brother, his eyes darting between the two of us.

“What are you talking about?”

Jackson grins against my cheek. “You don’t know the full story either, do you? I guess that makes sense when you and your brother lost touch for a few years. But it was a funny twist of fate that you were the one who came to replace me at Ironside Ridge. I didn’t know who you were until I saw the tattoo that matched Grant’s and figured out who you were to him.”

“How did you know Grant?” Shane’s jaw tics.

“He was part of Dex’s road crew. At least, that’s what Dex thought. Grant was a rat, helping a rival club infiltrate their ranks. He hid it well until he revealed his true loyalties by saving this bitch’s life.” Jackson drags the barrel of the gun down my temple, scraping skin.

Shane’s dark eyes meet mine, and I can hardly breathe.

When I told Shane the story of what happened the night my mom died, I mentioned a man who rode up and stopped them from killing me. I didn’t know who he was at the time, and in the chaos of everything, I didn’t know if he was a friend of theirs warning them that someone was coming or a person intervening.

But if Jackson is right, then Grant saved my life.

Bile rises in my throat as grief floods Shane’s eyes.

Jackson grabs my chin painfully. “Grant showed us who he was that day. Apparently, you both had a weakness for this pretty face. And just like he learned his lesson, you will too.”

“What did you do to him?” Shane’s voice drops, and Jackson laughs.

“What do you think? Grant betrayed us. He got Dex killed, so we made sure he paid for it. Did you think he just OD’d on his own? He barely even drank, much less touched drugs. At least we did him the favor of sending him out feeling good.”

Shane swallows hard.

His brother’s overdose was murder.

“Your end won’t be as painless.” Jackson grins, pressing his nose to my hair and breathing me in. “Maybe I’ll make you watch what I do to her first. She is pretty, I’ll give you that. I bet she’s a good fuck too.”

Shane is a patient man, but he snaps at that comment.

He moves, and so does everything around us. Jackson pulls me closer, but more figures pour out from the darkness. Lawson and East close in on either side while someone behind us tugs Jackson off me.

Shane barely catches me before my knees hit the ground. His strong arms cradle my body, helping me find my footing. The second I’m stable, he leaves me to deal with Jackson, who is cornered by the rest of Shane’s club.

“You’ll get what’s coming to you either way,” Jackson sneers, but panic is evident in his tone. “This place will give you hell.”

Shane towers over Jackson, his gun aimed at his head. “It can try.”

With that, Shane pulls the trigger, and Jackson’s head snaps back. He falls lifeless to the ground, blood forming a pool on the cement.

“Deal with this,” Shane says to Aiden, then he tucks his gun away and pulls out his knife, rushing to me.

“Fuck, Harloe.” He slices the rope at my ankles, setting me free. The anger that turned his tone stone-cold moments ago has melted completely. “Did he hurt you? Are you okay?”

He sinks to the ground, sweeping me into his arms and running his hands over my face, my arms, my body, like he’s checking for any injury.

“I’m fine,” I say, but Shane’s hand pauses on my cheek, where I feel an angry bruise blooming. “Except for that. He hit me once—twice, actually.”

Shane growls. “I should have made him suffer.”

“It doesn’t matter now. He’s gone.” My breath comes out stuttered; I can hardly think. “The things he said—” It catches in my throat.

Shane holds my face gently in his hands. “I heard everything. Harloe, it’s not your fault. You were protecting yourself.”

“I know,” I say, actually believing it.