Chapter Twenty-Nine
Bullet has been acting odd this evening. He invited me to his room, but he seems nervous. I don’t know why he would be, though.
What if Dad told him to leave me?
I don’t think he would. Not after the chat we had, but he could have changed his mind.
“Are you okay? Do you need anything?” I ask him.
He shakes his head. “No. I just need you.”
I smile, moving to sit beside him on the bed. “I’m glad you called. I know it’s been hard with my dad hovering, but I’ve missed you.”
“You know I would never take you away from your father, right?”
“I know.” I swallow hard. “That’s why you took the knife for him, right? He told me what happened.”
He reaches out, cupping my cheek. “I couldn’t stand the thought of you losing another parent, so when he went out on his own, I had to follow. I couldn’t let you feel that pain again.”
“You didn’t consider something, though,” I tell him.
“What’s that?”
“I had been living for two years without my dad. If he had died, I would have been upset, but I feel like I had already been grieving him. Losing you would have ripped me to pieces. I wouldn’t have been able to survive without you.”
“Harlee…” He leans forward, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.
I hate that he is hurt right now. I want to fall into him the way I always do, but we still have a few weeks before he will be healed enough for that. For now, I settle for the love he pours into his kiss.
When he pulls back, resting his forehead on mine, I leave my eyes closed.
“I don’t know when it happened, but you have become the single most important person in my life.
I never want to think about my mom’s death as anything positive, but I think that somehow that brought us together.
I don’t know if you would have ever seen me if it hadn’t happened.
I hate that she’s not here right now, but I know her spirit is. ” I whisper the last part.
His hand cups my cheek, making my eyes open.
“Your mother always knew it was going to be me and you. I didn’t know it then, but I know it now.
She used to always ask me to do things for her that would put me in your path.
I won’t lie and say I loved you since the moment I met you.
If I did, you shouldn’t want me because you were only a child then, but I will say that Eleanor was smart to help us build the friendship we had.
It is the reason I was so prepared to step in and be the anchor for you.
She already planted the seeds. I only wish she were here to see how they grew. ”
“She told me that if we were meant to be, that it would happen,” I admit.
“I would cry in my bedroom about how unfair it was that you were so much older than me. That you wouldn’t even look my way.
She would remind me that she and Dad were several years apart too, but that they had to wait until they were both old enough to understand what they wanted. I thought having you was a pipe dream.”
“Now it’s your reality. If you want it to be, that is,” he growls against my ear, making me giggle.
“I do.”
“Forever?” he whispers.
“Yes.”
“Good. There’s a present for you in my closet. Will you grab it?”
My heart feels giddy at the thought. I jump up, grabbing the wrapped box, bringing it back to the bed. I crawl back into my spot, holding it over our laps.
“I love surprises.”
He laughs. “I know.”
“Of course you do. You know me so well.”
“Well stop stalling and open it.”
I smile wider as I carefully undo the bow and remove the wrapping paper. When I open the box, I’m shocked.
“It’s my mom’s jacket,” I tell him.
I recognize the patches on the front along with the worn leather. It is well loved. Mom never went anywhere without it. “How did you get it?”
“Turn it over,” he rasps.
I do as he asks, seeing his name where my father’s once resided.
Property of Bullet.
This was my mother’s old lady jacket, but somehow now it is mine.
It feels right. It feels as if she has given us her blessing.
“How?” I manage to breathe out between the tears.
“Your father gave it to me. Said Eleanor always planned to pass it along to you one day.”
I turn to him, kissing his lips. “It’s perfect. You’re perfect.”
“So is that a yes?”
I snort. “I didn’t realize I was asked a question.”
“Always busting my balls, huh, Angel?”
“You wouldn’t have it any other way, Jacob,” I tease.
“No. I wouldn’t. Would you be my old lady? Make it official since you have already been the old lady that has owned my heart?”
My heart is full as I smile at him. “As if I would let you go now. Of course I will be your old lady. I can’t wait to proclaim to everyone who will listen that you are mine.”
I lean in and kiss him. He kisses me back, sliding his tongue into my mouth. I let him lead the kiss, savoring every moment with him.
I always wanted a love like my mom and dad had, but when I lost her, I started to doubt that. Now I know that a love like that isn’t something to be afraid of. It’s the kind of love you hold on to with all your might because you know that once it’s gone, you will never be the same again.
I hope I never lose Jacob. I don’t think I could handle it, but I know he feels the same.
As I cuddle into his arms, all I can think is that I hope neither of us has to lose each other. I hope we go at the same time when we are old and have lived a long and full life.
A knock at the door has me opening my eyes. I smile down at the sleepy girl sleeping at my side.
“Who is it? Can I kill them? I know you keep a knife in your nightstand,” she grumbles.
Harlee has never been a morning person. I think it’s adorable how cranky she can get.
“Don’t worry, Angel. I’ll get it,” I tell her as I move to get up.
“I should get it. You are injured,” she says into her pillow.
“I can handle it. I’ll let you give me a sponge bath later if you want, though.”
“Sounds promising.” She yawns.
I laugh, walking to the door slowly. When I open it, I find a grim-faced Trigger.
“Church. Now. I’m sorry, brother.”
I nod once. “Let me take some meds and put on some pants at least. I will only be a few minutes.”
Shutting the door, I turn to my dresser, pulling on sweats and a T-shirt. It takes so much effort and wears me out that I don’t bother to try to put my cut on. I grab it instead, kissing Harlee before I leave.
“I’ll be down the hall if you need me, Angel.”
She doesn’t say a word as I kiss whatever part of her head I can reach.
I take the slow walk down to church. Hades is standing at the door waiting for me.
“Couldn’t get it on?” he asks, the cut sitting in my hand.
“It hurt like a bitch to get the shirt on, man. I don’t know if I would have made it if I tried,” I admit.
He nods once, moving away from the door to my side. He grabs the cut, putting it on me as if I were a child he was dressing. I hate how weak it makes me feel, but I appreciate the assist, nonetheless.
“Thanks, man.”
“Anytime, brother.”
He walks back to the door, waiting for me to walk inside. Usually I stand, but this time there is a chair waiting for me.
“Take a seat, Bullet. No need for you to die on us,” Reaper orders me.
“Can we not joke about that? I’d rather my daughter not face utter devastation,” Honk mutters.
“How about we get to why we are all here?” Hades grumbles as he leans against the wall next to the door.
“We will need to have a club meeting with the entire club. Things are changing and not for the good. We need to be more careful with what we do,” Reaper says.
“Show them,” Colt demands Trigger.
After a moment, a news feed is projected on the wall.
Earlier today, mayoral candidate William Dansworth was set to give a speech at a rally organized on his behalf when chaos ensued. Three are hurt, but no fatalities are reported as of yet. The shooter hasn’t been caught, but William believes he knows who did it.”
The screen cuts to William outside the local hospital.
“Mr. Dansworth, can you tell us what you think happened?”
He nods, looking solemn. “When I was a teen, I was foolish. I attempted to join an MC because I thought they could give me the family I had been searching for. I didn’t make it, which I now see as a blessing.
After one of my close friends was murdered, they kicked me from the club, telling me it was my fault.
I have lived with that guilt for many years.
I won’t stand for it anymore. While there is no proof, I am certain the MC is who did this.
They were in the crowd today watching me speak.
I believe they wanted to silence me for the knowledge I have of their club.
They will stop at nothing to take me down, so even in my death, know that it was them. The Lotus MC.”
The reporter gives him a sad look as she turns back toward the cameras.
“We stand here outside of the hospital waiting on news from the victims. Back to you in the studio.”
The clip stops.
“This was from yesterday, right after the rally. This morning’s is a bit different,” Trigger says, loading up another clip.
“We are back with breaking news from the shooting at the mayoral candidate rally yesterday. Julie, what have you got for us?”
The image switches back to Julie, the same woman who reported on the story in the first clip.
“I stood here last night and watched as the suspects were released from jail.”
Her voiceover continues as it shows all of us leaving the jail.
“I asked William Dansworth what he had to say about them being released. His statement is, and I quote, ‘The police in this town have been corrupt for too long. That is another wrong I plan to right when in office. No one is above the law.’ There have also been reports that Dansworth’s daughter has disappeared, but Dansworth only said, ‘Young women will make foolish mistakes. I cannot blame her. I hope she comes back to me before she gets in trouble, but I need to let her make her own mistakes.’ I have not been able to contact Adalyn for a comment on the situation. Back to you in the studio.”
So he is basing his whole campaign on this. On us.
This isn’t going to end well.
“What are we going to do?” I ask in the silence that follows the clip.
“We be diligent. Give the police no reason to stop us. If they do, have nothing on you that will get you arrested. The scrutiny is on us now, and we can’t simply eliminate William anymore. We need to bring him down in the public eye before he finds his end,” Reaper growls out.
“We need someone on the inside. Someone who can infiltrate and be his weapon,” Wrath says.
“No way. He would see that coming. We need to play the political game with him. We need our own candidate running for mayor,” Colt says.
“Who?” Wrath asks.
Colt gives Reaper a look.
Reaper groans. “Fine. I’ll call him.”
“Call who? Why do I feel like I missed something?” Wrath asks.
“Because you did. Get the club together to give them the new marching orders. I’m even suspending the rule to always wear your cut. You be safe out there. Go on.”
Everyone leaves except me and Reaper. I stand to move, but I look back at him.
“Who are you going to call?” I ask, curiosity getting the best of me.
He rubs his hand on my face. “The devil himself.”