“Shhh,” I said, gingerly cracking the door and peeking out.
I’d heard voices but I wasn’t sure who it was. Now, I saw a large man in a wet suit standing in front of Dad, his back to me. My eyes widened as I listened.
“I had to kill Leo! To shut him up! I had just saved his life and he was going to rat me out?” Dad shouted. “There was no fucking way I’d survive in prison.”
My head spun at his words. Dad was the one who killed Uncle Leo? How could he have let someone else go to prison for something he’d done? I’d known my Dad was an awful person, but the full impact of just how horrible he was hit me so hard I couldn’t breathe.
If he could kill one of his best friends, he could definitely kill me, too.
Neither of them noticed me as I snuck out of the bathroom, gently closing the door and leaving Lucy inside.
Dad’s gun was on a table by the stairs.
I crawled over to it, pulling it down and crawling back behind the kitchen counter to hide and listen.
“That’s true, they would have eaten your weak ass alive,” the man said.
“Look, man, I’m grateful for you. You didn’t have to do that, though. I would have gotten off, no matter what. But you had to be the big man. You had to step up and protect a woman that didn’t even belong to you. How fucking stupid was that? To confess to a killing you didn’t commit? Who does that? Oh!” Dad said, laughing. “Does this mean you enjoyed prison? You want to go back? For life this time?”
“I’m never going back,” the man said, the sound of a hammer cocking echoing through the cabin.
Fear ripped through me, my hands shaking as I checked to make sure there were bullets in Dad’s gun.
Chapter 43
WOLFE
“I’m going to ask you one more time, Shane. Where’s Leo?”
He scoffed, his arrogance on full display. Pulsing with rage, my finger was itching to pull the trigger.
“I told you,” he said. “He’s fucking gone. December’s going to be fucking crushed. So, enjoy your new broken bitch, you goddamn idiot. Maybe I’ll kill her next, just to fuck with you.”
“Fine,” I said, pressing the gun to his forehead. “You just signed your death warrant, motherfucker.”
“Oh? You liked prison that much, huh? You shoot me and you’ll go to prison for life. I’m a fucking cop, dumbass! You’ll never be free again, Wolfe.”
His words didn’t faze me.
The thought of a life in prison didn’t faze me.
If he’d really killed Leo, and managed to kill December’s son, too, then I’d happily go to prison if necessary
But the Gods had my back. I knew we’d clean up this mess and there was no way in hell I’d get busted for it.
Pulling the trigger was going to be the best thing I’d ever done in my life.
“Killing your sorry ass will make it all worth it,” I growled.
Chapter 44
DECEMBER
The closer and closer we got to the boat, the more I thought I was going to just fall apart completely. My entire body was shivering, not from the biting cold, but from fear.
We were just a few feet away when a gunshot rang out, breaking through the silence in a violent explosion of sound.
I jumped into Slade’s arms, my eyes wide, my body trembling.
“It’s okay, baby girl,” he said. He looked over at Storm and Wreck. “I’m jumping on.”
He pulled away from me and started to climb over the edge of our boat and jumped onto Shane’s stern. Without thinking, I followed him, ignoring Wreck calling my name as I climbed over the edge. All I could think about was Leo. I had to get to him.
“Stay back!” Slade hissed, staying in front of me as we snuck towards the cabin. He pulled a handgun out of his boot, pointing it in front of him as we headed down the stairs.
The scene in front of me left my blood cold.
Shane lay on the floor, a river of blood pouring out of his head. I whipped my head around and saw Wolfe taking a gun out of Leo’s hands.
“Leo!” I cried. He spotted me and ran towards me, his arms wrapping around me tightly.
“Mom!” He sobbed so hard I could hardly understand his words. “I shot Dad! He killed the man on the boat! He killed Uncle Leo! He was going to kill me and Lucy, too!”
“Shh, baby, you’re okay now, you’re okay,” I said. He was shaking with fear and I held him as close as I could, my eyes wild, trying to make sense of it all.
Wolfe stood staring down at Shane’s motionless body, the gun he’d taken from Leo still in his hand. Slade rushed over to him, taking the gun from him gently.
“You good, dude?” Slade asked, looking him up and down. “You get hit?”
He shook his head, slowly, “No, man. I’m alright.”
Slade put the gun down and walked over to Shane, kneeling down and checking his pulse.
“Is he dead?” Wolfe asked, as Wreck and Storm ran into the cabin with us.
“Sure the fuck is,” he replied, standing back up.
Wolfe nodded, slowly turning his head to look over at me and Leo.
He walked over, putting his arms around us and holding us tightly.
“It’s over,” he growled, as we sobbed in his arms. “Nobody is ever going to hurt either of you again.”
Epilogue
CHRISTMAS EVE
“Mom, look at him!” Leo shouted, his eyes lit up with joy as Oliver landed gracefully on his shoulder. Lucy rested at his feet peacefully, ignoring the owls all together.
“Wow,” December said, beaming at her son. Since they’d arrived at the Gods’ clubhouse a few days ago, Leo had bonded with the two owls that seemed to always be hanging around. “I think he likes you!”
Olivia sat on the porch railing, quietly watching with her wise, blinking eyes as her partner snuggled his beak against the boy’s cheek. Never one to be left out, she took flight, landing on December’s thigh as she sat on the swing.
“I think they like both of you,” Wolfe said, smiling as December reached down to pet her soft feathers. He sat next to December as closely as possible, having not left her side for more than a few minutes since they’d made it safely back to shore.
The road ahead would be a long one for them, full of pain and grief, but they were determined to brave it together. The Gods had done what they always did — they took care of everything and wrapped up all the loose ends. As far as anyone was concerned, Shane brought Leo back to December and then quit his job and took off on his own for a years-long adventure on his boat.
Nobody would be looking for him for quite some time, if ever.
They were finally free.
Colorful, blinking lights lit up the tall swaying trees surrounding the clubhouse, a soft dusting of snow perched on their branches. The Gods had welcomed December and Leo with wide-open arms and for the last few days, they’d relished in the peace and love that blanketed them during their stay.
Soon, Leo would have to go back to school and they’d both have to move on with their life, as best as they could, but this time, with the support of a loving man, and their newly acquired family of Gods.
But for now, it was still December and the magic of Christmas was in the air.
“I love it here, Mom, can’t we stay longer?” Leo asked.
“We already talked about that, Leo,” December replied. “You have to go to school and therapy. It’s best if we stay where we are, at least until the school year is over.”
“And then can we live here?” he asked, his eyes brightly shining with hope. He’d taken to Wolfe right away, and didn’t mind at all that his Mom liked him so much. He thought it was great that she was so happy now.
December laughed, looking over at Wolfe.
“We’ll work it out,” Wolfe said, his low gruff voice a profound source of comfort. His confidence and courage was contagious and December lifted her chin, knowing that whatever happened from here on out, that they would indeed work it out — toget
her.
Olivia and Oliver flew away, landing on the branch of a nearby Douglas fir, the lights illuminating their feathers with bright shades of red and green.
Wolfe reached over and pulled December closer, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. She looked up at him and he brushed a soft kiss across her lips. She sighed and leaned into his warmth.
“I never imagined I’d be hoping for the dark days of December to never end,” she softly laughed.
“As far as I’m concerned,” Wolfe replied, “I’d be just fine with December lasting forever.”
“Unfortunately, it can’t be December forever. To be honest, I’m ready for a fresh start. A new life,” she paused, her eyes peering deeply into his. “I’m excited to start a new life with you, Wolfe.”
He reached down, cupping her cheek with his warm palm, staring down into the eyes of the only love he’d ever known.
“Forever?” he asked, a slow smile stretching across his face.
“Forever,” she whispered, kissing him gently, the life she’d never thought possible stretching out before her like a long-lost promise finally delivered.
THE END
About the Author
Honey Palomino lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two hilarious dogs.
She’s best known for her Gods of Chaos Motorcycle Club Series, which follows a group of golden-hearted bikers on their journey to help people get out of troubling situations when they can’t turn to traditional resources for help.
Most days, she can be found sitting under the towering pines in her backyard and dreaming of twisty new plots to entice her readers with.
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FOREVER DECEMBER: GODS OF CHAOS MC (BOOK 15) Page 12