Run To Me

by Erin Trejo

  “Excited?”

  “Beyond,” I tell him happily. I kiss him once more when he shifts, lays me down and rolls on top of me.

  “That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, you know that, right?” I nod my head as I stare into his eyes.

  “I know and that’s all I wanted for you too. I can’t change what I’ve done, Lynx. I can’t change that I ran, but I can love you now. I can make up for all that time,” I whisper, running my fingers over the goatee he’s now growing.

  “I’m sorry for how I pushed you.”

  “I know. I just want our future to be perfect. I want you and I want us together. I want everything we should have had a long time ago,” I whisper. My hearts pounding in my chest. I know I need to tell him but there’s a knot in my throat that’s afraid of what he might say. I know this isn’t what he wanted but it happened. “Lynx, I need to tell you something.”

  “What is it?” he asks between kisses.

  My hands slip around the back of his neck, pulling his head to rest against mine. I blow out a heavy breath.

  “When everything happened, I wasn’t able to get to the store. Remember how quickly we had to leave?” I ask hoping the words are coming out the way they should be. I sound like a rambling lunatic.

  “What?” he asks confused. Yeah, same here!

  “I… Shit, Lynx. I never got the birth control before.” The words tumble out like the worst word vomit ever. Lynx pulls back staring at me. My heart nearly beats out of my chest, I’m gasping for air and I can’t get enough into my lungs.

  “What are you sayin’?”

  “I’m saying I didn’t get the birth control, Lynx.” Before I can finish bile rises in my throat. I leap off the bed and run to the bathroom, throwing up our last meal. I feel dizzy like I’m in a fog when Lynx kneels down behind me, pulling my hair out of my face.

  “You tellin’ me you’re pregnant? With my kid?” He sounds like a typical man. I nod my head slowly another round of nausea ripping through me. “You’re not fuckin’ with me?”

  “Why would I lie to you, Lynx?” I glance over at him and see the torn look in his eyes. It only takes a second before he stands and grabs a towel, wetting it in the sink. He drops back down and pulls me into his lap, wiping my face.

  “You wouldn’t lie to me. I know that. Are you sure?”

  “Yeah. That’s what took me so long at the last stop. I got a test and took it in the bathroom,” I admit weakly. I should have told him I suspected it, but I didn’t know how. I didn’t want to be on the road when I told him either.

  “You could have told me, I could have waited with you, Harper.”

  “I was scared, Lynx.”

  “Of what?”

  “That it would be too much and you wouldn’t want it, want me,” I sob. Lynx grabs my face in his hands and jerks my head around so I have to look at him.

  “Don’t you ever think that. I fuckin’ love you, Harper. I’ve loved you since we were kids. This was all I ever wanted. You, me, this.” His hand moves to linger over my stomach and fresh tears fall down my cheeks.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. If I didn’t go to jail, shit, we probably would have already had one,” he teases with a smile that melts my heart. “A little red-headed baby girl that looks just like her mom.”

  I lose it and cry harder, laying my head in the crock of his neck. Lynx runs his hand up and down my back.

  “I’m gonna be a dad,” he whispers and I smile.

  “You are.”

  “Think I’ll be good at it?” he asks sounding a little tense. I know why too. He grew up with his dad and that wasn’t an easy life. He had to fight far too much and too often for a child, but I think that’s what will make him a great dad. He wouldn’t want his child to live like he did or be treated the way he was.

  “I think you’ll be perfect,” I whisper holding him tighter.

  “You like Nashville?” he asks randomly. I almost laugh, but I can detect the serious note in his voice.

  “I love it. Josie is like family to me.”

  “Do you want to call it home?”

  I pull back surprised at his question. Lynx is a lot like me. He never called one place home, especially not with his dad. He may have felt it was home because that’s all he was used to, but that wasn’t a real home and we both knew it.

  “Are you serious?” Lynx takes a deep breath and nods his head.

  “I want you to be happy, Harper. I want you…no, I want us to be somewhere that we can raise the baby without worryin’ about other shit. If you want to stay in Nashville, we’ll find a place there.”

  I’ve never been so happy in my life. I’ve never felt this sense of peace and comfort but with Lynx that’s all I feel.

  “What about being a Nomad?”

  “I’ll still be me. I’ll just be me in Nashville,” he winks at me. My heart races when I throw myself into him. He laughs and tumbles back into the wall as I kiss him.

  “You taste like puke,” he reminds me. My cheeks quickly flush as I try to pull back but he doesn’t let me.

  “I love you, Harper.”

  “I love you more.”

  Chapter 23

  Lynx

  Home. That’s a different feeling for me now. When I was a kid, the clubhouse was home. Or at least I thought it was. Turns out it was all a lie. Home is here, I can feel it. Harper is my home as well as Chip, Josie and Stan. We’ve all bonded through the experience and I’ve never seen Harper smile so much. This is what she’s always needed. Stability and place she feels safe and loved. She has all that and more here.

  “A daddy, huh?”

  “How many times are you gonna ask me that, Chip?” I laugh as I finish painting the walls. It’s only been two weeks since we’ve been back but we’ve found a little house and I went back to work with Chip.

  “Too many. I just can’t believe it. You of all people,” he laughs.

  “What’s wrong with me bein’ a dad?”

  “Not a damn thing. I think you’ll be a great dad. Just didn’t picture you as the family man is all,” he says, smirking over at me.

  “Yeah, I didn’t either, but once she told me, I was all in.”

  “You were all in before that,” he says with a laugh.

  “You’re sick.”

  “You love me,” he teases back.

  I set the brush down and turn toward him, leaning against the unpainted wall with my arms crossed over my chest.

  “You know you mean a lot to me, yeah? I don’t talk about feelin’s and shit but you’re my best friend, Chip. Have been for the last five years, man. You’re more family than my blood.” Chip smiles at me, tears forming in his eyes. He nods his head and sniffs them back.

  “You’re my family too, Lynx. You and her and that baby. We’re all family here. Blood doesn’t mean shit,” he reminds me.

  He couldn’t have said a truer statement. I learned over the years who my family was and it wasn’t my dad. He was a user that got what he wanted by forcing others to handle his business. Not anymore. Now I have a real family.

  “I wanna ask her to marry me,” I tell him.

  “Ask her or demand her?” He laughs.

  “A little of both probably. I’m not lettin’ her go again. I don’t think I’d survive it this time, man.” It’s hard to admit that but I felt a piece of myself die inside when she left me. Every day that I thought about her, yearned for her, killed another piece of my soul.

  “Stan can marry you.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, he has that power of whatever shit here in Tennessee. He can marry you now if you wanted,” he adds with a laugh. My stomach clenches, my heart beating faster. “Oh shit. I know that look.”

  “What look?”

  “The look that says I should have shut the fuck up a long time ago,” Chip adds. I laugh, spin on my heel and head for the door.

  “Where the hell are you going?” he yells, following behind me.

  I ste
p out of the door and walk to the next one, heading inside the bar. No one bats an eye anymore when Chip and I come barreling through the back entrance. They’re all used to seeing us now. I spot Stan and head toward him, whispering what we’re about to do. He looks at me funny, shakes his head slowly then nods. I turn to find Harper dancing on the stage. She spots me and a huge smile tugs across her face. I move quickly, stopping in front of her to pluck her off the stage and carry her through the crowd. I don’t put her down until I’m right in front of Stan.

  “What are you doing?” Harper giggles when she finally gets her balance.

  “We’re gettin’ married. You’re gonna be my wife,” I inform her as I adjust my shirt.

  “We’re what? I’m doing what?” She gazes up at me with wide eyes that suck me in each time.

  “You’re marryin’ me. End of story.”

  Harper closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “You’re insane,” she whispers.

  I spin toward her, grabbing her cheeks in my hands, forcing her to look at me. “I love you, Harper. We’re havin’ a baby. I wanna do this right, darlin’. For once in my life I want everything to be right.” Her eyes fill with tears before I lean in and kiss her softly. “Tell me you’ll marry me, Harper.”

  “I will,” she whispers back.

  I pull back and smile down at the woman that’s had my heart for a long time now. She’s been my everything, my rock. Even when I thought I hated her more than I loved her, she was the one who snuck into my dreams at night. She was the one who robbed me of sleep. She was the one who kept my mind focused. I will never let her go again.

  We stand with our friends, our family of choice, as Stan says his peace. We both say our own little vows. I told her I was sorry I didn’t have a ring and she laughed. A happy fucking laugh too. She doesn’t care about those things, she never did. After we kiss, the bar explodes. People we don’t even know congratulate us and party with is. It’s the perfect moment in time. Josie drags Harper onto the dance floor with her and Stan while Chip and I sit in the corner at a table drinking a beer.

  “You look off,” Chip says when he looks over at me. I take a long pull from my bottle and set it in front of me.

  “I need to ask you a favor,” I tell him, my tone going serious. I need to do this, get this off my chest.

  “What is it?”

  “I have a bad feelin’, Chip. Shit with my dad isn’t over.”

  “Don’t do this shit now, Lynx.”

  “I need to. Listen, I know it’s not over, but when they come back, I need you to keep her safe. I can’t deal with this shit if I know she’s not protected, Chip.” I watch him run is hand over his face, glancing to Stan and back to me.

  “You’re asking me to protect your girl and your kid, Lynx. Are you listening to yourself? You protect them! We aren’t letting this go down without a fight and I’m right at your side, man!”

  “I know and I appreciate that, but she’s got a little life in her, Chip. I can’t fight the goddamn war just to lose the battle. I need to know that you can handle gettin’ her somewhere safe and keepin’ her that way.” I don’t like the idea of being away from her either but I know there is something more going to happen. My dad didn’t want us for nothing. Everything with him is for a reason.

  “You put me on the goddamn spot, man! What the hell?”

  “I trust you, Chip.” I watch as those words break the man. I knew they would – they’re his kryptonite. He didn’t have a lot of trust outside his family. He didn’t have it inside the pen either but he has it from me. He has my trust and much more.

  “You can trust me, Lynx. You know that, but-”

  “Then just agree to keep my girl safe,” I say with a shrug.

  “Fine, you stubborn fuck. I’ll keep them safe, but whatever this is and wherever it leads, you better bring your ass back to her,” he says with a warning in his tone. I smirk and grab my beer taking another long pull.

  “Always, brother.”

  Chapter 24

  Harper

  “I’m married to you,” I whisper, not really meaning to say it out loud but unable to keep it in. I’m beyond happy. I’m in complete shock at the way he went about it but I couldn’t be any happier.

  “Are you happy about that?”

  I glance up at him from where I rest my head on his chest and nod. “More than you know.”

  “Good. I want you happy, Harper. Whatever you want, I wanna give it to you,” Lynx says honestly.

  “You are all I’ve ever wanted, Lynx. Just you.”

  “So, a baby, yeah? You thinkin’ about that?”

  “I’m excited and nervous all in one. I don’t want to mess anything up,” I admit. I’ve always thought about having a child with Lynx. There was always a thought in the back of my mind even when we were kids, and now that we’re older and it’s happening, I don’t know what to say.

  “You are gonna be perfect. You have nothin’ to worry about.”

  “Do you think they’re coming back?” That question has burned on the tip of my tongue for a while now. I hate to voice it because deep down I know the answer to it.

  “They will but you’ll be safe. I’ll make sure of that,” he says softly.

  I lay my head on his chest and just listen to his heartbeat. Five years ago, the day he was taken from me flashes in my mind. I never wanted to be weak. I never wanted to leave him, and when his dad said he got life, I nearly died inside. It took all the strength I had to walk away from that place but I knew there was nothing left there for me. He was everything and with him being gone, there was only me. And I knew that I couldn’t stay there with the threat of my foster father without Lynx. I sigh heavily and close my eyes. The past is just that and I need to move on. He’s here, we’re together. We’re having a baby. This is what my life, our life should have been like to begin with. I snuggle into him, and let the world just drift away.

  I’m not sure how long I’m asleep when I hear noises. I sit up quickly with Lynx right next to me. He holds his finger to his lips to silence me. I nod my head and watch him slip out of bed before someone comes into the room. It’s dark but Lynx lunges for them. I don’t scream, too afraid that there might be more of them and that’s when I see it. There are more. Shadows burst through the doors, a few moving to help the one fighting Lynx and the others coming toward me. I do scream now as does Lynx.

  “Don’t you fuckin’ touch her!” he roars right before the sound of air rushes from his lungs. Each fist that swings seems to hit its mark.

  I try to scramble away but hands grab me, jerking me to the edge of the bed. Feeling a small prick in the side of my neck, I scream louder until there’s no fight left in me. The world slowly fades into darkness and fuzz.

  “Harper! I love you, Harper!” I can hear Lynx screaming for me but I can’t get my eyes to focus. He sounds so far away now. My head drops against the mattress as a shadowy figure coming to stand over me.

  “Lynx?” I ask but I get no response. The shadow looms, chest heaving before it leans down toward me. I want to scream, I want to run, but it’s useless; I can’t fight whatever is happening to me. I can hear muffled voices in the background but the one I’m looking for is right next to my ear.

  “I love you, Harper. Run to me, baby.” I can feel the peck on my cheek but when I open my mouth no words will form. The shadowed forms slowly leave and I’m left to nothingness. No screams. No fighting. No sounds.

  No Lynx.

  Chapter 25

  Lynx

  Anger? No, it’s far beyond that. It’s cold calculated rage that I’m feeling. When I saw Vic standing there with a gun aimed at her head, I lost it. My dad was lucky he had brought so many men with him or I would have killed them all. Now, I’m tied to a fucking chair in the Dragons Strike MC clubhouse basement. A basement that I know all too well. I used to play down here as a kid. I killed down here as a teenager. Now I’m on the chopping block and wondering what the hell this is all about. My dad let his pr
ospects get a few good hits in but I promised those little fucks that as soon as I was free, I would make them all pay. They laughed. Do you know what that tells me? That they don’t plan on letting me walk out of here. That doesn’t sit well with me. I have a wife and child who need me. I need them.

  “You’re awake,” I hear Vic’s voice and the thought of him covered in his own blood makes my run hot. I want to bury this fucker with my bare hands. I want to rip him apart for ever pointing that gun at my woman.

  “You piece of shit,” I hiss. Vic looks around before stepping closer. Yeah, come closer you bastard.

  “It’s not what you think,” he says, keeping his voice low. I don’t give a damn what he has to say. He held a gun aimed at her head.

  “Oh no? Tell me, Vic. You gonna go back and kill her now that you have me? Is that what this is about?”

  “Not exactly.”

  God, my dad’s voice. He’s at the top of my list.

  “You. What the fuck are you tryin’ to do here?”

  He walks around Vic looking as smug as the bastard always has. It pisses me off. The need to hurt him, the need for is blood is stronger than it’s ever been and I want it. God, do I want it. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this strongly about anything but Harper.

  “I have a deal for you.”

  “Fuck you!” He moves quickly, punching me in the face. I smirk and look back up at him. “Come on, old man. I know you can do better than that.” Egging him on probably isn’t the best decision I’ve ever made, but I do it anyway. There’s too much hatred running through my veins right now to stop myself. Another blow and my head snaps to the side. Another hook from the left. The hits keep coming until I’m barely conscious.

  “That better?” the asshole asks me.

  “That’s enough, don’t you think, Strike?” Vic asks him. Fucking traitor. I thought he was my friend, my brother.

  “No, I don’t.”

  Another swing and my eyes roll back. Son of a bitch! If I wasn’t in these restraints, I would fuck them up.

  “Have you even told him why he’s here?” Vic chimes in again.