Hardy
Page 17
She and Hardy held one of their daughters in their arms. It had been a long six months. They hadn’t heard from Gash in all that time, not even before she gave birth. There were times she knew Hardy was troubled by the absent biker, but there was nothing either of them could do.
“Well, wife of mine, how are you?” Hardy asked.
“I’m happy.”
“Come on, I want to go somewhere,” Hardy said.
She followed him out of the clubhouse in her modest wedding dress. Hardy had insisted that she wear white. They made their way toward the church graveyard.
“Hardy, what’s going on?” Rose asked.
“We’re starting again. A new beginning and that means we have to put the past to rest.” Hardy opened the gate, and they entered the graveyard. She wasn’t a fool, and knew exactly where he was leading her. “It’s time for us to say goodbye.”
They went toward the woman’s graveyard, and Rose stared at the name, along with the unborn child that had also been lost. Hardy had demanded at the time that there be two plots.
Rose stared at the two graves expecting to have some kind of anger, or fear, or sadness. She felt nothing. This was all part of her past. She and Hardy were closer than ever before.
“Do you want to say anything?” he asked.
“No.” She rested her head against his shoulder. “It seems so long ago now. A distant memory.”
“It was the hardest part of my life. I hated myself, and if I’m honest, I still hate myself at times.”
“Don’t, Hardy. We’re happy, and we’re a family.” She took a deep breath. “Thank you for giving Hardy and me a chance. You don’t know how you’ve helped us, and I don’t know why I’m thanking you, but thank you.”
“If she hadn’t been pregnant, Rose, you wouldn’t have given me a second chance.”
“You’re right. I wouldn’t have.”
Hardy took her hand. “We’re a family, and I promise you, Rose, the next ten years of our life are going to be the best they can be.”
She stared into his eyes, and smiled. “I actually believe every single word you’re saying.”
“Good.”
Hand in hand, they made their way back to the clubhouse. Rose stared around at the family. She spotted Sally, Whizz, and Lacey close together by the barbeque. The family was close together, and after the last six months Sally had relaxed. She finally accepted that she wasn’t going to be sent back to foster care.
Angel was heavily pregnant with her second child, and was due to give birth any day now. Lash stood beside his wife protectively.
Sunshine and Alex were also expecting their first child.
Sophia, Nash’s wife, had given birth to a boy, a little brother to Rachel.
Eva and Tiny had another boy.
Kelsey and Killer were also expecting again.
Everywhere she looked there was family, there was love, and Rose knew she wouldn’t change any of it.
She and Hardy had their problems as did many couples. When she looked at Hardy, she knew her love was never going to change. They were strong, stronger than ever. Taking him back after everything that happened didn’t make her weak. She made her man work for her, and work for her he did. Hardy proved that he wanted her more than anything else. Rose loved him, and she loved their children.
Her life was perfect.
Epilogue
Charlotte Bilson was tired. She was always tired. Not a moment went by when she wasn’t tired, or working, or tired. This was what her life had turned into after getting out of the psych ward all of those years ago.
All of those years?
She’d been out for two years, and she was checked on regularly for fear of her taking her own life. The temptation was always there. Life would be damn easier if she could just let all the feelings, all the emotions, fade into nothing. She couldn’t. This was the harsh reality of where she lived, and how she lived.
There was no going back.
Only moving forward.
Forcing herself to forget everything, and everyone, until only the now existed.
Climbing the stairs to her apartment, she paused outside of her door, and flicked through the letters one after the other. Taking a deep breath, she saw there was nothing that made her excited for life.
Just keep on moving.
Got to keep on living.
Nothing is going to change.
Resting her head against the door, Charlotte felt the tears that were always so close. She’d lost that one connection to him. He’d not remembered what had happened between them. Only she remembered everything that happened. It was not fair, but she had to live with it.
Over and over, day in, day out.
Entering her apartment, she closed her door, leaned back against it, and blew out a breath.
“In and out. In and out. Nothing is going to hurt you.”
She opened her eyes, and flicked the light on to her apartment. It was dark outside, but her bulb must have died because her apartment was completely pitch black.
“Just my luck.” She dropped her bag and made her way toward the kitchen.
Charlotte was grabbed from behind and slammed up against the wall. She squealed, and someone gripped her neck. The pain was instant, and Charlotte tried to stop whoever was attacking her.
“It has been a long time no see, Charlotte.”
She recognized that voice. That same voice filled her nightmares, and terrified her. This was the voice she’d been trying to forget for so long. This was same voice that had sent her crazy.
“Get off me,” she said, fighting for her life.
He wrapped his fingers around the front of her neck, and squeezed, cutting off her air. She clawed at his hands trying her hardest to fight him, to breathe.
Gash spun her around, and pressed her against the wall. He was close enough for her to see him in the dark. In the last few years he’d aged, and his features had hardened. This wasn’t the same man she remembered.
“Where the fuck is she?” he asked, snarling each word at her.
“Who?”
He held her around the neck tightly but gave her enough air to breathe. “That fucking bitch, Rebecca. Where the fuck is she?”
“I don’t know.”
Gash pulled her from the wall and slammed her against it.
Charlotte screamed, and he cut her air off.
“I will kill you. Now tell me where she is.”
“I don’t know. I’ve not seen her in years. I don’t know where she is, or what the fuck has happened.” She kept hold of his hands.
It was strange to her to remember in that moment the way he’d touched and stroked her.
“Why didn’t you come and tell the truth?” he asked.
“I couldn’t.”
“They locked me the fuck up, nearly threw away the bastard key, and the one woman who could have helped me, was you.”
“I didn’t know what happened until it was too late.” Then her testimony wouldn’t have been worth shit. Who was going to trust a crazy person?
Gash squeezed once again, and for the first time in over five years, Charlotte didn’t want to die. A spark had ignited from his touch.
Suddenly, he dropped her to the floor, crouching down beside her. “You’re going to help me,” he said.
“I don’t know where she is.”
“You’re going to help me find Rebecca, and when I do, I’m going to kill her.”
“If I don’t?”
“Then I’m going to kill you, and everything you love.”
Charlotte laughed. Everything she ever loved had been taken from her. “I’ll help you find her, and when we find her, you’ve got to do me a favor,” she said.
“You think I’m going to help you?”
A quick plan formed in her mind, and she smiled. “I’ll hurt Rebecca, but I want you to take out the guy who made sure you were sent down.” The only thing Charlotte had been fighting for was the chance to end the bastard who ruined her
life. Gash didn’t know what happened, but they had both been screwed over.
They could get their revenge together.
“Jeff Wright. You want me to take him out?”
“Do we have a deal?”
Charlotte had lost her life, her soul, and she was already in hell. It was time to take the bastards who’d taken from her, with her. She only hoped by the end of it, Gash wouldn’t hate her.
She loved him, always had. They shared one night together, but he couldn’t remember her, or the child they’d made together.
One day she’d tell him the truth, just not today.
The End
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