Then and now (Edge Of Retaliation, #3)

by Jewel, Bella

I hear the front door burst open, and I look over to see the two men who went to search Jo’s apartment come in. I’ve already reached for my gun and have it pointed at them, before they realize what has happened.

  I pull the trigger without hesitating for even a second, hitting one in the chest. He drops down to the ground, while the other fumbles for the gun he stuffed into his pants. Stupid man, he should have known not to come in here without his weapon ready. Are they that cocky? That they honestly thought they’d never find themselves in trouble?

  I pull the trigger again.

  It’s my life or his.

  I choose my own.

  They won’t hesitate to kill Jo and I, I’m not going to risk that.

  The bullet hits him somewhere between his chest and hips. I don’t know where, all I know is he falls to the ground wailing in pain, a disgusting gurgling sound coming from his throat.

  Jo sobs, and I fumble for a phone, knowing I need to get us help as soon as I possibly can, before it’s too late. Jo needs an ambulance, and I need to get these men out of here before someone calls the police.

  As if reading my mind, as if they knew I needed them in that very moment, Tanner, Tatum and Alarick rush through the front door, guns raised. The moment they see what they’ve walked into their faces drop. Alarick, having the most composure, yells, “Check the rooms, there could be more.”

  “There’s not,” I croak, my voice hoarse. “I shot them all.”

  Tanner and Tatum are both rushing towards us, but to me it almost looks like they’re not moving, like it’s taking so damned long for them to reach me. I need them to reach me.

  Tatum drops to the ground, unbothered by the glass and takes the sobbing Jo into his arms, his eyes scanning her face. He looks horrified, but more because he’s so hurt to see her like that. “What did they do to you, baby? I’m so sorry. So sorry.”

  “She needs a hospital,” I whisper, my hands trembling and covered in Jo’s blood.

  That’s the second time this week I’ve been covered in someone’s blood because of these fuckers.

  Tatum lifts Jo into his arms, and looks to Tanner, who has his arms around me to lift me out of the mess. I didn’t even feel him touch me. “I’m goin’ to take her in. You good?”

  Tanner nods, “Alarick and I have got this, go.”

  Tatum rushes out and Tanner stands with me in his arms. My eyes scan the floor, and move over all the glass and blood. “I-I-I shot them all. Tanner, I killed people.”

  “It’s okay, honey,” he murmurs, “it’s okay. Are you injured?”

  I shake my head. “I shot them.”

  “It’s okay. It’ll be okay.”

  “I’ll go to prison,” I cry, my whole body coming alive at the realization of what I’ve done. “I can’t go back there. I don’t want to go back there.”

  I’m wailing now, the shock taking over my body.

  The image of what I did imprinting forever into my brain.

  “Hey,” Alarick says, suddenly appearing. He leans in close and orders, “Look at me, Callie. You’re not goin’ to prison. I will not let you. My boys will have this cleaned up and dealt with. Nobody will ever know what happened here.”

  “What if one of the neighbors heard something? They could have called the police, they could already be on their way.”

  “Callie,” he demands, his eyes hard. “You’re not hearin’ me. This is not goin’ to come back on you. You have my word. Tanner is goin’ to take you away, and when you come back, it’ll be like nothin’ ever happened.”

  My hands are trembling as I hold his eyes, “Do you promise?”

  He nods. “I fuckin’ promise you. Go.”

  Tanner thanks him, and then walks out of the apartment with me in his arms. I close my eyes, not wanting to see if I’ve killed the other two men, or if they’re just injured. I know if they’re still alive, they won’t be for long. Alarick will make sure of that. I think that will be so much worse for them.

  They’ll have wished I killed them.

  Tanner puts me in his truck. He has murmured things, but I don’t know what he’s saying. My ears are ringing and my head is spinning. I close my eyes and keep them that way until we pull up at the tattoo shop. I look around, confused. “Why are we here?”

  “It’s safe here until Alarick has finished everything. He said there is an apartment out back, we can clean up there.”

  I don’t bother to argue, I let him lead me into the shop and out into the apartment. It’s only small, and by the looks of it, is only here for temporary stays. Maybe when Alarick is working late and doesn’t want to go home? It’s tidy, and neat, and it’ll do if it means we’re safe.

  Tanner places me down on the sofa and kneels down in front of me, taking my chin in his hands. “You’re okay. This is going to be okay. I promise you.”

  “How did they know we were alone?” I whisper, my hands still shaking. I can’t stop them, no matter how hard I try.

  “They must have had more ears on us then we thought. They knew we were comin’ and they put a plan into place, only they didn’t expect you’d be the one to take them out. We dealt with the rest of them, they were ready for us when we arrived, but they were no match for Alarick’s club. Those men...are incredible.”

  I don’t want to know.

  I don’t even want to think about it.

  “When we realized he wasn’t there, we came rushing back.”

  “But it was too late,” I whisper. “I’m not only a killer, I’m now a murderer, too. I’m a murderer, Tanner.”

  “You listen to me, Callie, and you listen fuckin’ good,” he orders, his voice harder than I’ve ever heard it, “those men are the reason Celia is dead. They raped her. They took her innocence and they crushed her life. You are not a fuckin’ murderer, you got her the vengeance she deserved. You just gave her her peace. You set her free.”

  Tears burst forth and stream down my cheeks.

  “You really think so?” I sob.

  “I more than fuckin’ think so. Thank you, Callie. Thank you.”

  I hiccup and my head falls forward. He catches me in a hug, a tight hug, a hug that makes me feel like everything will be okay.

  “I love you,” I whisper.

  “Oh honey,” he murmurs, “I love you, too.”

  Is he right?

  Did I really set Celia free?

  Is it all finally over?

  25

  JOANNE

  “How bad is it?” I croak groggily, looking at Tatum who is sitting on the side of my bed, my hand in his. “Do I look like Frankenstein?”

  He chuckles. “Honey, you’re fuckin’ beautiful. Not a thing in the world could change that.”

  “You’re not answering my question,” I murmur, “which is a little concerning.”

  He glances around the room and then stands, walking over to my purse and opening it, pulling out my makeup mirror. He carries it over and hands it to me. “See for yourself.”

  I take the mirror, terrified of what I’m going to see. Terrified of the damage that has been done to my face. I close my eyes and turn the mirror towards me, and then slowly open them. For a few seconds, I just stare at myself. My face is swollen, and I have one hell of a black eye, but the cuts from the glass aren’t as bad as I pictured in my head.

  When he crushed my face into it, I thought I’d be forever damaged. It felt like a thousand tiny knives piercing my skin. I thought I’d never ever come out of it clean. But I can see now, it’s not so bad. Tatum paid for a plastic surgeon to do the clean-up, insisting he didn’t want any old doctor working on my face.

  The surgeon did a great job.

  There are probably five or six cuts that have stitches, the rest are small enough that they probably don’t need anything done, they’ll heal on their own. The cuts that are there, are mostly on my cheek with a few on the side of my face, but thankfully none near my eyes, nose or mouth. They’re deep, I can see that, but I can also see how incredibly clean he has
stitched them.

  “He assured me after six or so months, you’ll barely have any scarring. He said the face is incredible for healing, and the cuts were clean enough that you won’t have any long term damage. You’ll have purple scars for a while, but they’ll fade.”

  “You paid for this?” I whisper, my voice scratchy.

  “Of course I did. I wasn’t goin’ to let anyone stitch you up. You’re my girl, I look after you.”

  I put the mirror down and look at him, whispering, “Thank you, Tatum.”

  He sits on the side of the bed and takes my hand, “I’d do anything for you, Jo. Fuckin’ anything in this world. Seein’ you on that floor in Callie’s arms, bleeding, fuck...it scared the life out of me. I never want to experience something like that again.”

  “I’m sorry I scared you.”

  He shakes his head and leans forward, kissing my forehead. “Don’t be sorry.”

  “How is Callie? Is she okay?”

  “She’s shaken up. Tanner said she’s still sleeping, he gave her a sleeping tablet to help her. She was having trouble coping with the fact that she shot those men.”

  “She saved my life,” I say, my heart aching for my friend. “If she didn’t do that, I’d be dead.”

  Tatum takes my hand and squeezes it, “She just needs some time, then you can tell her that, and it’ll probably make everything feel better.”

  “And the rest of it?” I dare to ask. “Is it...over?”

  He nods, squeezing my hand again. “It’s over, honey. Alarick took care of everything. Callie will walk away clean, and those men are taken care of. You’re free. We’re free.”

  “Chase?”

  “He’s okay. Missing a few fingers, badly beaten, but he’s okay. He’s in here, too. I’ll go see him in a minute. He’s feelin’ pretty well over it, too.”

  “I can imagine, poor thing. At least you got him out alive.”

  “Yeah,” Tatum says, “yeah we did.”

  “Do you think he’ll be okay, you know, mentally?”

  Tatum shrugs. “Don’t know. I just know he’s been through a lot, and it’s going to take some time. He wants to stay here. He said he doesn’t want to go home. He’s done.”

  “I don’t blame him,” I say, and then bite my lip as I contemplate asking Tatum if he would consider staying, too.

  “What is it?” he asks, narrowing his eyes.

  “I don’t want to go home either, Tatum. I like it here. I want to stay. But...being with you is so important to me.”

  He grins and leans forward, cupping my face in his hands, “You didn’t think I was goin’ to leave you, did you? I’m staying here with you, Jo. Decided that the moment I saw you on that ground. Also after Alarick stepped in and saved my family, when he didn’t have to. It’s a good place, and they’re good people, and I’m done with the past. I need a new start. Why not here?”

  “You’re staying?” I squeak happily.

  “Fuck yeah I’m staying.”

  Oh.

  Thank you, lord.

  I CLUTCH MY BEST FRIENDS hand as we all sit in Ethan’s room a few weeks later. Raven, the beautiful Raven, is by his side, hanging onto his arm and smiling at us all. She’s perfect for him. The kind of woman he deserves. He’s out of ICU and is recovering well. They said maybe another week, and he should be okay to go home.

  Home.

  Away from all of us, which is the worst feeling in the world. Still, he deserves to be happy and back there is where he’s happy. Who are we to stop him? Tatum and I made the choice to stay, and Tanner decided he was going to give it a go, too. They’re handing management of the garage over to Garrett and they’re going to open another one here. Branch out and give it a try.

  It’s super exciting.

  I’m helping Tatum with some of the money Patrick left me, to get his business off the ground. He’s going to work with Alarick to gain customers, and some of the bikers are going to work in the shop. It’s a win win for everyone, really. Chase is going to work for him, also. A new start for everyone. We’ve all decided to leave the past right where it belongs.

  Callie is thrilled knowing she doesn’t have to go home, and Tanner is glad to catch a break from the world he has been smothered in for so long. It feels good, exactly how it should. They’re happy, for now, and they deserve to be. More than any of us, they deserve to be.

  I want the very best for my friend, and she’s finally got it.

  “You must be sick of these four walls?” I say to Ethan, smiling as Raven rolls her eyes dramatically, indicating that she’s probably been hearing about it for a while.

  “You have no idea,” Ethan mutters.

  “Just think,” Callie says, “when you’re gone, you won’t get to look at us every day, and that’s going to suck.”

  Ethan chuckles, “Yeah, that’s definitely going to suck. Seeing you bunch all staring at me for hours a day.”

  Callie laughs. “I’m just glad you’re okay, Ethan.”

  “Me, too.”

  Their friendship has blossomed again. Everything is perfect.

  Perfect.

  We finish up with Ethan and head out, we’re all going for some lunch and then we’ll head out to a bar for a few drinks to enjoy our new life together. A decision that feels so very right.

  “Hey,” Callie says, tugging my arm as we walk down the hall. “Can we talk?”

  I stop and turn to face her. The two men stop, too, but Callie waves them on and says we’ll meet them in the car in a moment. They keep walking and I look to Callie, confused. “What is it?” I ask her, narrowing my eyes.

  “A few things. First one, the least important but definitely important...Tanner told his parents about us.”

  “He did?” I squeal, eyes wide. “Holy shit, how did that go for you? After last time?”

  She purses her lips. “I mean, they were a bit shocked but they’ve had a few years to process and have heard the truth from Chase now, so they’re a bit more understanding. It’ll probably take time, and it’s going to be weird for a while, but at least it’s not a hate blow up.”

  I smile at her, squeezing her arms, “I’m so happy for you both. I really am. They’ll come around. It might take some time, but it’ll happen.”

  She beams, “Yeah, I really think it will.”

  “What’s the other part?”

  “Oh,” she grins, “I’m pregnant.”

  “What?” I scream, so loudly a nurse stops in the hall and scowls at me, reminding me that I’m in a hospital and not outside.

  I whisper a sorry to her, and then grab Callie, shaking her a little. “When did this happen? Why wasn’t I there when you peed on a stick? What the hell, Callie? Tell me everything, right now!”

  “I only found out this morning. I was a bit late for my period, but I just didn’t feel right. Tanner and I had unprotected sex a few weeks ago and I thought surely not...but I took a test anyway and well...it was positive.”

  “Have you told him?” I ask her eyes wide.

  She nods, smiling. “He was so happy, you have no idea.”

  “Oh my god. Oh, this is the best news ever. I’m going to be an aunty! An aunty! I can’t breathe, this is fabulous!”

  She laughs and hugs me, and I squeeze her so tightly I feel like we might just explode. This is everything she deserves and more. She has been through so much, this is like the light in a really really broken tunnel.

  I’m so happy for her.

  “It’s still early yet,” she laughs, stepping back, “but I’m keeping everything crossed. I didn’t think I wanted kids, you know with everything, but this feels...right.”

  “You’re going to make the best mom. Congratulations honey, you deserve this and so much more.”

  Her cheeks are pink with happiness and I couldn’t be prouder of her in this moment.

  “I love you, Jo,” she whispers. “Thank you for everything you have ever given me. You’re the best friend a girl could ask for.”

  �
��Dammit,” I say, my eyes burning with unshed tears. “You’ll make me cry.”

  She smiles, and takes my hand, walking with me down the hall.

  “Oh Callie?” I say as we walk.

  “Mmm?”

  “I love you, too.”

  26

  EPILOGUE

  CALLIE

  8-ish months later

  “I’m a whale,” I moan, rubbing my pregnant belly as I waddle through the garage, looking for Tanner.

  “You’re the prettiest darn whale I’ve ever seen, baby.”

  I turn and see him walking towards me, wearing those grease covered clothes that do wild things to my pregnant brain. I bite my bottom lip and stare at him, wanting to rip those clothes right off him and take him on the floor, where we stand. Though that’s not possible because right now, the garage is full of bikers.

  “I swear, if you keep coming at me looking like that, I’m going to eat you alive, Tanner Yates,” I whisper, grabbing his shirt and pulling him towards me, kissing him with a ferocity that leaves us both panting.

  “Get a room you two!” Someone yells.

  I laugh and pull back, Tanner cups my face and growls low and throaty, “Why you gotta tease me baby, when you know I can’t fuck you?”

  “You can fuck me, you’re choosing not to,” I mutter.

  He reaches down, smoothing his hands over my round belly, holding our baby, our surprise. He thinks it’s a girl, in fact, he says he knows it with all his heart but I think it’s a boy. I guess we’ll find out any day now.

  “Can’t risk my beautiful baby, don’t want to hurt her,” he murmurs.

  “You know he’s safe in there, right?”

  “She’s ready to be born, I don’t want to stress her out.”

  I grin. “You’re a fucking devil.”

  He chuckles. “Why are you here, honey? You should be resting. A few days from now, you won’t be.”

  I snort. “I’m looking for Jo, she said she was coming in here to see Tatum. We’re going to lunch. I think she’s already there, though.”

  “Not too far away I hope, she’s not delivering my baby on the side of a road.”