by Jessica Ames
“You know we’re just worried about you, right? We don’t mean to smother you.”
Considering how close I came to losing my life, I can’t even blame their anxiety. I’m healing well, though, and other than a slightly dull ache around the wound, I’m able to function thanks to some killer pain relief. I’m lucky, which feels weird to say after being shot, but it could have been so much worse. Slade pulling Dylan’s aim at the last second actually saved my life. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a long recovery ahead, but I’m getting there one day at a time.
“I know, but I’m okay. I promise.”
She nods, taking this in.
“We thought you were a goner. It wasn’t a good feeling.” Her hands shake a little as she pushes her hair out of her face.
I wait for her attention to come back to me, then sign, “I’m stronger than I look.”
“I never doubted that for a second.” She glances out of the window before bringing her gaze back to me as my phone vibrates on the table.
I pick it up and see a message from Dane.
DANE: Miss you, baby. Wish I was with you.
“Is that Dane?” Sofia correctly surmises. At my questioning look, she adds, “You get this goofy look on your face anytime he messages.”
I snort. “I do not,” I sign.
“You do. I like it. He’s good for you, Kenzie.”
Her words hit me in the belly, a low warm feeling that spreads through my body. Having her approval means a lot to me.
“So, are you missing him?”
My smile grows. “Yes, but he’s messaging all the time.”
He’s barely left me alone since he had to return to Manchester and deal with the fall out of my attack. Not that I want him to. I’m more than happy to hear from him.
In the two weeks I was in the hospital the Devils and Saxons attempted to cover up their part in blowing their way into the Reapers’ compound in Northampton. So far, they’ve managed to.
The media called it an attack between gangs, but they didn’t know which gangs were involved. The boys have managed to keep out of the spotlight so far, but whether that will continue, I don’t know.
I miss Dane, though. I wish I could have been with him, but I needed to recover and a biker clubhouse probably wasn't the best place to do that—even if that’s where I am now.
I glance up as the doors open and I glimpse Beth, Liv, and the other girls. My heart soars seeing these women—my friends, my family, my rocks.
“Kenzie!” Beth exclaims. Other greetings are exchanged and it takes some manoeuvring to get everyone around the table and settled.
Once everyone is sitting questions fly around. I can barely keep up with the conversations happening. I peer at Paige who is joining in, but her attention keeps wandering around the room. I can’t help it. Now that I know what that bastard, Dylan, did to her—or suspect what he did to her—I want to talk to her about it, but there’s not been a good time.
Is there ever a good time to talk about these things?
Maybe I shouldn’t bring it up. If she’d wanted people to know, I guess she would have talked about it with Wade or even Piper.
“So, you and Dane,” Beth demands suddenly, catching me off guard. “What’s happening there?”
“Are you moving to Manchester?” Jamie asks. “Because that would suck, but I’d understand. I’d move for that hunk of yumminess too.”
I draw my brow together. “Nothing has been decided yet,” I tell them. Beth translates for the others.
“But you want to move in with him and have his babies and live happily ever after?” Sammy surmises.
I smile and a collective ‘aww’ goes around the table.
“I like him,” Piper says.
“I like him too,” Paige adds. “He’s easy on the eyes as well, which really helps.”
This earns a laugh.
The doors open again and Clara steps into the room. Liv shifts her seat aside, as does Jamie to make room for another chair.
“Come and sit with us,” Beth says softly.
Clara moves slowly, but snags a stool and pulls it up to the table. She smiles a little and then glances around. “Where are the boys?”
“Not sure,” Liv replies, bouncing Danny on her knee. “Dean said he had ‘shit to do’ and then left this morning.”
I snort.
“Logan did something similar,” Beth adds. “It’s like they all took the same frigging lessons in biker school.”
“How’s Slade?” Chloe asks.
“Complaining about everything.” Clara’s smile is faint. “Seeing him shot, knowing what happened to Lucas… Put a lot of things into perspective. It made all our arguing seem pointless…”
“Yeah, nearly dying will do that,” Jamie agrees.
“Speaking of…” Sofia says. “When’s Lucas’s funeral?”
“Thursday, I think,” Clara says. “We’re finalising the details, but…”
She breaks off on a heavy breath and the atmosphere grows heavy as we remember the fallen prospect.
“We’ll give him a good send off,” Jamie says, grabbing her hand and squeezing it.
“The best,” Sammy adds.
I can’t help but smile as the conversations continue. I love these women, and leaving them behind is going to be so hard, but I love Dane too. To be with him, I need to be in Manchester.
It sticks in my throat a little, knowing these could be the last conversations we have as a group—for a while anyway. Everything has changed so much over the past few years. Beth found her way back to Logan, Liv discovered a love for Dean, Paige and Wade found each other after a one-night stand, Piper and Jem became an unlikely couple, and Chloe and Weed matched up perfectly. Now, I’m going to be leaving in the next few weeks, and it doesn’t feel exactly good.
“You okay?” Sofia asks.
My emotions must be all over my face.
“I’m going to miss everyone,” I sign and swipe at the lone tear streaking down my cheek.
“Girl, we are going to be in Manchester every chance we get. Those Devils’ boys won’t know what’s hit them.”
I hope it’s true. I love Dane, but I love my girls too.
“And there’s video chats and messaging and phone calls,” Clara says.
“You’ll never be alone, girl,” Paige adds, grabbing my hand and holding it in hers. I squeeze as hard as I can. Letting her know the same. She’s not alone, no matter what she’s dealing with.
“Love you all,” I sign.
Preparing for the next chapter in my life is going to be tough but I can’t wait to settle down with my guy either.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The Club gets a visit from the police two days later. We’re sitting in the common room when the building is swarmed by armed officers. For the second time this year, I’m staring down the barrel of a loaded gun. Flashes of Dylan taking me roll through me and it’s only Sofia’s hand in mine that grounds me enough to stay in the present and not have a full-blown panic attack.
Derek comes off his stool, Slade on his heels—both men standing shoulder to shoulder.
Morgan steps into the room and moves directly to them, taking in the sling on Slade’s arm.
“Are you looking for a harassment suit?” Derek demands, his face contorted angrily.
Morgan ignores this and focuses in on Slade. “What happened to your shoulder?”
“I’m clumsy.”
Morgan meets his gaze, his own brow knitted together.
“It wouldn’t have anything to do with an attack on another MC’s clubhouse, would it?”
“Don’t know nothing about that.”
“I thought you wouldn’t. Any idea how the Reapers clubhouse might have burnt down?”
I exchange looks with my sister. They burnt the Reapers’ clubhouse to the ground?
“Maybe they’re clumsy too.”
“Did you burn that building down?”
“DCI Morgan, I’m offended,” Derek says. “We
don’t go far from our patch and we’re friends with the Reapers. Why would we burn down their clubhouse?”
“To destroy evidence.”
“Which I’m guessing you don’t have or you wouldn’t be here now.”
“Wrong. There are eyewitness reports of you and another club on the site.” My stomach sinks as he pulls out the document from his jacket pocket. “I have a warrant to search the property. You better hope you don’t have even an aspirin out of place here.”
Derek holds his hands out from his side. “Look wherever you want. We’ve got nothing to hide.”
I hope that’s true.
“You don’t mind if I call my lawyer, right?”
“Be my guest.”
Derek juts his chin at Weed, who moves off to one side, his phone coming to his ear.
The armed officers file out of the room, but some stay, guarding the doors and stopping us from leaving. I glance around the girls as Morgan orders his men to tip the place upside down. I don’t know what he’s hoping to find, but I hope the boys don’t have anything incriminating here.
“I heard you lost a member,” Morgan says.
“Yeah, kid was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Derek’s sadness is genuine as he says this. “Got himself jumped.”
“Do you know who by?”
“If I knew that, I’d be sure to tell the good boys in blue.”
Morgan snorts at this assertion. Derek would absolutely not tell the police anything and Morgan knows it.
“Well, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry for your loss. When’s the funeral?”
“Why? You looking to come?”
“Just curious.”
I try to hide myself in the background, aware that my face is still messed up. Somehow the Club managed to keep my hospitalisation off the record and avoid the police. I don’t know how, but the Devils have a bigger reach than the Saxons. But the last thing we need is for the good DCI to start digging around. Jamie and Sammy discretely move their seats so they’re blocking me from sight.
“Why’s this dick always looking for ways to bring us down?” Jamie mutters.
“He’s got nothing better to do,” Beth tells her. “Just keep quiet and let them get on with it.”
“I hope those boys are clean,” Sofia says under her breath.
Me too.
The raid takes over two hours to complete and by that time, I’m getting sore and in need of more pain meds. I don’t complain or say a word, though. I know what is at stake here. One wrong move could bring down both the Saxons and the Devils.
Morgan stops trying to engage an unwilling Derek and Slade in conversation, as an officer steps into the room. He pushes up from his perch at the bar and when the officer doesn’t say anything, Morgan scowls.
“I will get to the bottom of this,” he mutters, the threat hanging darkly over the room.
Then he leaves.
“Nice chat,” Weed yells after him.
But the room breathes a collective sigh of relief that it’s done. Morgan will be back—he can’t help himself—but for now we dodged a bullet.
As soon as the room is empty of police, I reach into my bag and pull some pain meds from the prescription bottle.
“You doing okay?” Sofia asks.
“Sore,” I sign.
She grabs me a drink from the bar and returns.
I take the tablets, swallowing them down with the drink.
“Kenzie,” Derek signals to me, “a word.”
My stomach feels like a rock dropped into it. I know what this is about. It’s about Dane and me.
I push up, careful not to jostle my healing wound and make my way over to Derek and Slade who are still seated by the bar. He gestures for me to take a seat, his eyes roaming over my face.
“How you doing, kid?”
I nod. Then sign, “Some days are better than others.”
I don’t know why I’m candid with him, but Derek has a way with people.
“I’m sorry you got hurt. I never wanted that to happen.”
“I know.”
“We do need to discuss the elephant in the room though. You and Dane.”
“I won’t give him up,” I quickly sign and Derek holds up a hand.
“I’m not asking that.” He considers me. “It’s serious between you both?”
“I love him.”
A small curve of his lips is the only response he gives to that.
“It’s a dangerous line to straddle,” Slade warns.
“Yeah, but life is dangerous, and short. For what it’s worth, you have my blessing,” Derek tells me.
I didn’t need it, but having it relieves some of the pressure on my shoulders. I hug him awkwardly because of my wound and then sign, “Thank you.”
“He’s a good boy, Dane, but you know you’ll always have a home here, no matter what, no matter how long you’re gone. Kingsley will always be your home, girl.”
I beam at him, then I turn to Slade. “Sort things out with Clara. She needs you.”
He arches a brow. “How about you worry about your own shit and leave me to worry about mine?”
I smile and slip off the stool. Having the backing of my family relieves the pressure.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lucas’s funeral takes place on Thursday, as Clara suggested it would. I’m just getting ready at home when the front doorbell goes. I hear Mum moving towards it and opening it, but I continue to get ready in my bedroom. I’m wearing a black dress with thick black tights and knee-high boots with a small heel. I wrap a pale blue scarf around my neck as Mum shouts for me to come downstairs.
I head down and step into the living room. Sitting on the sofa is Dane. My heart leaps in my chest and I can’t stop myself from rushing to his side. I throw my arms around him as his envelop me. He kisses my head and then finds my mouth.
I should care that my mother is sitting right there, but my only focus is on the man in front of me. I take his mouth, taking everything he’s offering me, everything he’s freely giving. I’ve missed him so much, and I want this moment to never end.
When he pulls back, he’s breathless.
“That was a hell of a welcome, baby.”
“I missed you,” I sign.
He follows my slow-moving hands and nods.
“I missed you too.”
“What are you doing here?” Mum translates this.
“I couldn’t let you go to the funeral alone.”
My heart soars. He came for me.
I kiss his mouth again, tasting him, wishing we did not have an audience right now.
“Well, if you want to make it, we need to leave soon,” Mum says.
I force myself to release my hold on Dane and grab my bag from upstairs. Mum and I go in her car, but Dane rides. It’s a way of showing respect for a fallen brother.
And as we get closer to town, we catch up with the funeral procession. There are hundreds of bikes, the roar almost deafening. It’s not just Saxons, but also Devils, Untamed Sons, the Vipers and the Hell’s Rangers. It’s an impressive show for Lucas, a man who died trying to protect us.
My tears come thick and fast as we drive to the cemetery, but I draw strength from watching Dane in the procession of motorcycles riding ahead of us.
The rumbling of the bike engines is loud and it makes me feel proud to be a part of this Club, of this lifestyle.
The ceremony for Lucas is beautiful and it hits me in the gut that he’ll never get his kutte now, he’ll never patch in. His life is over and that’s a sobering thought.
Afterwards, all the Club and out of towners head back to the clubhouse for the wake, which was arranged by the girls. I was banned from helping because I’m still healing.
The booze flows freely and while the atmosphere is sad, there’s a hint of celebration too.
Dane finds me sitting with the girls and offers his hand, which I take. He pulls me into the corridor and before I can contemplate what is going to happen, he’s
kissing me.
I sink into the kiss, my arms going around his neck, ignoring the slight tug on my stitches.
“How are you doing?” he asks, a little breathless.
I nod, indicating I’m okay.
“I want you to come back to Manchester with me once the dust settles.”
I mouth at him, “I want that too.”
“I was hoping you’d say that. I bought us a flat in town. It’s a stone’s throw from the clubhouse.”
My pussy throbs at his words.
“How about it, Mackenzie, move in with me?”
I don’t even think about it. I nod.
His mouth descends on mine. “I love you, baby.”
“I love you too.”
Rabbit appears at the bottom of the corridor and Dane doesn’t move away from me. He keeps one hand pressed against the wall above my head.
“Problem?”
“That dickhead private investigator is at the gate.”
I roll my eyes. Does he never give up?
“Tell Logan or Dean,” I mouth at him. He nods and disappears into the common room. My brother is going to bury this guy if he doesn’t back off. Then again, we’ve survived worse than some idiot man snooping around. We can survive this too.
Logan emerges from the room a moment later, Dean and Jem on his heels. His mouth is pulled into a snarl.
“Need back up?” Dane asks.
“Nope. We’re just going to put the fear of God into this little prick once and for all.”
My stomach twists at his words, but I don’t want to know the details of what they’re going to do. The less I know the better, in fact. I cling to Dane’s kutte, keeping him in place, although I don’t miss the mischievous look Jem throws in my direction as he passes.
Ass.
I stare up at my handsome man and I smile. Then I sign slowly, “I can’t wait to start our lives together.”
He dips his head and presses his mouth to mine. “I love you, Mackenzie Harlow.”
“I love you, too.” I sign the words.
Then he kisses me again like I’m his reason for breathing. Maybe I am, because he sure as shit is mine.
We head back into the room hand-in-hand and sit together at the table. The girls make room for us and looks are exchanged as they do. Jamie gives me a thumbs up while Sofia grins at me.