by Evelyn Glass
This was not the end.
I pulled a gun out of my pocket and aimed it at May. I closed one eye and then opened it again and pulled the trigger. It had been aimed at her head. At the last moment I’d aimed it at her hand instead. The gun kicked back in my hand and the shot was loud, ringing in my ears. Selena cried out around the gag. May screamed and the gun fell to the ground with a clatter, pointing at no one in particular. May howled on the ground, her bloody hand clutched against her chest.
She was damn lucky I hadn’t just killed her.
Selena’s eyes shot open and she sagged to the ground after she realized she wasn’t dead.
I ran toward her, holding onto the gun, and caught her. “Hey, it’s okay,” I said, trying to sound as soothing as possible. “Everything’s safe now. You’re safe.” I took the gag out of her mouth and she swallowed twice. A sob racked her chest and she started crying. “It’s okay, I’m here. No one’s going to hurt you.”
I glanced up at the guy who had been watching Selena. He shook his head and surrendered his gun. He put his hands up and stepped away from it. He knew he was outnumbered.
I turned my attention back to Selena and pulled the tape from her wrists. The skin was red after I got it off and she rubbed her wrists. She was crying and I pulled her against my chest, rubbing her shoulder, trying to get her to calm down.
“It’s going to be all right.”
I looked up at the guys and nodded at one of them who walked over to Saul and started untying him, too. He got out of the chair and walked toward us with a limp. I noticed bruises on his arms. They must have roughed him up a little, careful not to hurt his face. If I’d seen that I would have lost it right there. May had known that.
“Thanks, man. I owe you.” Saul clapped me on the back.
I shook my head. “You don’t owe me a thing. This is what brothers do.”
He nodded. Being called my brother was the biggest honor I could bestow on him after Elijah. He looked at Selena, concerned. She whimpered in my arms but the worst was over.
She finally looked up. She took my face between her hands and kissed me. She tasted like salty tears. “I thought I was going to die.”
“I would never let that happen to you.” That was the God-honest truth.
She ran her hands through her hair, tried to wipe the tears and the make-up streaks, and took a deep, shuddering breath. “How did you do it?” she asked.
I shrugged. “I bought them off. I knew May had offered them money, so I went to my banker and I told her to release enough funds so I could pay them more.”
Selena frowned. “You had that much money?”
I shrugged. “I didn’t want to tell you what I have. I didn’t want you to date me for my money.”
She smiled and it was a wonderful expression. Saul chuckled.
“If you don’t have morals, money usually does the trick.”
Selena shook her head. We got up. I held her against me as we turned to face the rest of them.
“They’re on our side now right?”
I nodded. “They work for me now. At least, for today, anyway.”
I thanked them and one by one they dispersed. Saul made a call to the rest of my gang, asking them to meet us at the clubhouse.
“Come on,” I said to her. “I want you to officially meet the guys.”
I got on my bike and Selena got on behind me. One of the others, I wasn’t sure who, offered her a helmet. I drove to the club. Saul would ride with one of the gang who would pick him up on the way. Everything was going to be fine.
The trip back was like going back in time, in a way. It felt like a million years ago that I was last at the club, in a different lifetime. Now I had Selena at my side, all my men were safe, May was taken care of. I knew the others would run her out of town. They were on my side now – if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Right? That was what I did. Sort of. I’d really just offered then a price they couldn’t refuse so they’d ended up joining me but that was beside the point. The only thing that mattered was that everyone was safe. Selena. Saul. My boys. Me. I’d lost a lot of people in my past but those days were over and I wasn’t going to lose any more of them.
I also wasn’t going to sacrifice my life to save them. I had Selena now, and even though my boys were still everything to me, I was going to make sure everyone was safe, and that included me.
I was exhilarated. We’d won. I’d managed to beat May. I’d managed to get rid of my past. It was a lot more than just facing someone in the flesh. This had been all about facing my demons and I’d managed. I knew I was ready for the new chapter in my life now. I could give Selena a clean slate. I could offer her the life, the man, she deserved.
When we pulled into the lot at the club all the other bikes were there, lined up. Selena eyed them when she slid off the bike and took off her helmet.
“They’re family,” I said to her.
She smiled at me and I knew she understood. I wanted her to feel safe around my men, safe in the life that would come with me no matter how hard I tried to change it. I was still me, after all, and there would still be parts of me that would never go away.
We stepped into the club and everyone clapped and cheered. I couldn’t help but grin like an idiot. Selena seemed shy. She stood very close to me, but she was smiling, too.
“Do you mind if I go make a call?” she asked.
I nodded.
“I don’t have a phone on me.”
I led her to the office. May had draped herself over this very desk just over a week ago. Maybe it was a good idea to christen it with Selena, just to get rid of all the bad memories. I looked at her, at her body, her face, and I wanted her. I always wanted her.
She smiled at me and in her eyes I could see she knew what I was thinking.
“I need to take care of this,” she said firmly. It wasn’t a no; it was a ‘not right now.’ I pointed at the phone on the desk. She could use that to make her calls. I checked the window, made sure everything was safe and secure. I knew we were out of danger now but I was still in protective mode and I’d been way too close to losing her to just be able to relax now that it was all over.
I stepped out of the office and closed the door behind me.
One of the boys stood in the hallway, looking at me. “I’ll make sure she’s okay,” he said.
I clapped him on the back. They were all loyal to the death and they seemed to understand. They really were my family, there for me through thick and thin.
Saul walked to me when I joined the others in the bar area. His face was somber, his limp a little more pronounced. “We sent two boys over to Selena’s apartment to check on Mitchell.”
His voice was grim and I knew what they’d found before he shook his head with a sad expression. I balled my hand into a fist and punched the wooden wall next to me, making a hole. I’d lost one. I couldn’t save them all. The pain was sharp and intense. Familiar.
“He died fighting. There were signs of distress. He died looking after her for you.”
I nodded. It was the most noble death I could imagine. We would give him a farewell worthy of his honor and his loyalty. I had to take care of the living now first.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Saul nodded and leaned against the wall, his head right next to the hole I’d just punched. “Just a little beat up, but I’ll survive. I’ve had worse.”
I nodded. “I’m glad you’re alive.”
“Me too.”
We both chuckled and then we fell silent again. We watched the rest of the gang laughing and talking, some of the others, the ones I’d bought over, in the room, too.
“I don’t know how you did it.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know, either, to be honest. When I found out she had you I was about to lose my shit all over the show. She’s lucky she’s still alive.”
Saul smiled. “I was thinking that. You looked murderous when you arrived.”
We stood side by side for a wh
ile. It was good to be home, with my people. It was good to be next to Saul, my brother. All this was good.
“I asked her to marry me.”
Saul gave me a sideways glance. “That’s big.”
I nodded. “She’s different than anyone I’ve ever known. I want to be with her. I want to give her the kind of life she deserves. I want to settle down and have the life I deserve.”
Saul put his hand on my shoulder and I knew he agreed. He approved. “I always knew you were too good for this life.”
We gave each other a half hug before I stepped into the room and called for the attention of my men.
“I have some news,” I said.
Chapter 28
Selena
The office was normal. The club – aside from all the bikes and the rowdy men – was normal. Everything was so normal it felt watered down after the last two days. Everything had been crazy. From the moment they’d arrived to tell Logan May had Saul, everything had spun out of control. Hell, even the proposal and sex in the lake had been out there.
I had the feeling my life with Logan would always be like that – unpredictable, exciting, different.
The office was full of papers and I knew this was the Fallen Thorns’ home ground. When Logan left the room I heard him talking to someone and I knew there was someone else at the door, looking after me. Logan made sure I was safe, no matter what.
I ached inside that Mitchell had died. It was something special when someone died for you, and I knew he’d done it for Logan. For me. I had the greatest respect for him. As for Logan, I felt for him in a way I’d never felt for anyone else. It did something to a girl when a man saved her life. Right there, when May had pointed the gun at me and I’d closed my eyes, ready to die, I’d realized exactly how much I loved Logan. I knew now that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him for sure. It wasn’t just a hasty decision because his proposal had been so out of the blue.
And it wasn’t because of the sex, even though he was a wildcat in bed. This went so much deeper than that. This was something special that I didn’t let go.
He hadn’t blown himself up. He hadn’t died. He hadn’t done anything to make me feel like he would never be back and I would have to carry on without him. And I felt like if I married him he would keep trying, for me. He would keep fighting to keep me alive and he would keep fighting to stay alive to be with me. It was a wonderful feeling. Warm. Secure.
I dialed Joanne’s number. The last time we’d spoken was just before Mitchell was shot. She answered in her business voice because she didn’t recognize the number.
“It’s me,” I said.
“Selena? I’m glad you called. You left sounding so rushed and when I tried to phone later you just didn’t answer. Are you okay?”
I thought about it. So much had happened. But I was okay. “I’m more than okay, now. I’ll tell you later what happened. It’s a long story. I’m with Logan now.”
“Good.” She sounded like she really approved. “He sounds like he’s good for you.”
Oh, she had no idea.
“I wanted to talk to you about something important, though. I got a call from Anjelica, you remember her, don’t you?”
I tried to rack my brain. Joanne had so many contacts it was enough to make anyone’s head spin.
“My publisher friend. She came to the book club once.”
Right. Bombastic. Frizzy. I remembered her.
“I remember.”
“She wants to publish your book. You didn’t tell me you sent it to her, you sly thing!”
I frowned. “My book?” I hadn’t sent it in at all. I never thought it was good enough. It wasn’t even finished.
“She says you have amazing potential. She wants to pair you up with one of the editors, moving forward.”
I opened my mouth, not sure what to say, and closed it again without getting anything out. It must have been Logan. I was pretty sure he was the one who had sent it in. He’d held onto it for so long I’d gotten nervous about it. Maybe that was why he encouraged me to write so much while we were at the lake.
“I’m so surprised,” I finally said, finding the words.
“I told you your writing is phenomenal. Maybe now you’ll start believing us when we say you have what it takes to make it as a published author.”
The words sounded good. Published author.
“I have to go,” I said. “I want to see you, though. Tomorrow? There’s so much to tell you.”
“I wouldn’t miss a good gossip session for the world.”
We ended the conversation. I put the phone back in its cradle and opened the door. One of Logan’s men smiled at me. He was big and muscled and rough, just like the rest of them, and I felt totally safe.
“He’s about to make an announcement,” he said and walked to the bar area. I followed him. Logan was in between his men and he looked at home. It was clear to see they adored him, respected him. They were all quiet even though he wasn’t saying anything. They were waiting for him to be their leader.
His eyes fell on me and he smiled, stretching out his arm, asking me to join him. I didn’t hesitate. It felt strange stepping into the center of all these strangers but they looked at me with the same regard as they did Logan and I had the feeling they saw me as the leading lady now.
“Selena and I are getting married.”
A ripple of murmur traveled through the crowd. The men were obviously shocked, surprised. It made me feel like I was truly the only one for him, that he hadn’t had many girls that he was serious with before.
“I’m also stepping down from my position as leader of the Fallen Thorns.”
Another outbreak of chatter but it seemed like this time they’d expected it.
I frowned and looked up at Logan. “You don’t have to do this.”
They all looked at me as if I were speaking in tongues.
“I want to. You deserve this. We deserve this.”
Something inside me broke up and warmth flooded my body. Love. Trust. Awe. I was the luckiest girl in the world.
After the announcement we walked arm in arm to the bar. Saul was there. He just smiled at me. I felt unsure around him. He was a bit of a dark horse, but I could see how close he and Logan were.
“Who did you phone?” Logan asked after he poured himself and Saul a beer.
I declined a drink. I still felt wobbly on my legs and I was nervous alcohol would make me fall over.
“Joanne. I was on the phone with her when they broke into the apartment.” I swallowed. I didn’t have to mention Mitchell.
Logan pulled me against him and rubbed my back. I could tell by their faces that they felt the death a lot more acutely, but I’d seen it happen. It would haunt me for months to come.
“What did she say?”
I smiled at Logan. “You’ll never guess.”
He shrugged but he had a naughty look on his face.
“They’re going to publish my manuscript.”
“That’s a big deal, isn’t it?” Saul asked.
I nodded. “Especially considering I never sent it in.”
Saul raised his eyebrows.
I looked pointedly at Logan who just shrugged and took another sip of his beer. Saul laughed. When Logan put the beer glass down he kissed me on the forehead with cold lips. “I told you, you are a great writer. You shouldn’t hide that kind of talent from the world.”
“Well, I don’t have much of a choice now, do I?” I was smiling while I said it. I was happy.
We stood together and talked. The conversation moved toward Saul and how May had gotten a hold of him in the first place.
“I was heading back from the Restaurant. I’d stopped there to talk to the boys about what we’d discussed at the Lake.” Saul had been at the cabin the night we’d gotten engaged. “Everyone was safe and I was headed home. I didn’t think I needed to be careful going home – everything had been so quiet for a while. I guess that should have been a sign. They’d p
ut spikes on the tarmac and popped both my tires. When I stopped there were ten of them surrounding me.”
It sounded horrific. He talked about it so calmly, like it was normal. I didn’t know how he managed to keep his cool, but I knew that these guys went through things like this more often. Maybe they were used to it. Maybe there was some biker class that taught you how to stay calm when you were in a life threatening situation. How to Keep Your Cool 101.