Chapter 8 - Olivia #2
Heat rushes to my face, but I don't back down. "Yes. Love. I think I've loved you since we were teenagers, but I was too blind to see it. Or too afraid to admit it. And then you left to the military and I just… Had to move on, but the feeling never left."
Tyler's expression softens, years of tension seeming to melt away as he looks at me.
"I've always loved you too, Liv. Always.
Since we were kids and you stood up to those bullies for me in sixth grade.
Since you helped me study for tests when no one else thought I was worth the effort.
Since you were the only one who visited me in the hospital after that last deployment. "
He takes my face in his hands, his touch impossibly gentle for someone who just took down three men without breaking a sweat.
"I tried to stop loving you," he admits. "When I left. When I joined the club. I thought distance would make it easier, but it only made everything worse. You were always there, in the back of my mind. The one good thing I had to hold onto."
I cover his hands with mine, tears gathering in my eyes. "Then stay," I whisper. "Stay here. With me."
A knock at the door interrupts us. Tyler rises, checking the peephole before opening it to admit Knight.
The man ducks slightly to enter the room. "Reaper wants to talk to you," he says, handing Tyler a phone.
Tyler takes it, giving me an apologetic look before stepping into the bathroom for privacy. I'm left alone with Knight, who offers me an awkward smile.
"So," he says, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "You teach elementary school?"
I can't help but laugh at the incongruity of small talk with this intimidating man after everything that's happened. "Third grade," I confirm. "Do you have kids?"
"Not really, but I hope one day I’ll. First, I must find a woman for that. Finding love in this life is complicated, you know?”
This glimpse of normalcy from someone who just brutally disabled two men minutes ago is strangely comforting. There's more to these men than their cuts and capacity for violence.
Tyler emerges from the bathroom, his expression unreadable as he hands the phone back to Knight.
"Everything okay?" I ask hesitantly.
Tyler nods slowly. "Yeah. Actually, better than okay." He looks at Knight. "Can you give us a minute?"
Knight claps a massive hand on Tyler's shoulder. "Take all the time you need. I'll be outside keeping watch." He nods respectfully to me before ducking back out the door.
Once we're alone, Tyler takes both my hands in his. "I just had a difficult conversation with Reaper."
My heart sinks. "They need you to come back?"
"Actually, no." A smile breaks across his face. "He gave me his blessing to stay. Said they're expanding territory anyway and could use a trusted man in Hope Peak."
I blink, not quite processing his words. "You mean...?"
"I mean I'm staying, Liv. If you'll have me.
" His thumbs trace circles on the backs of my hands.
"I can set up here, maybe open a security business.
The club would back it, use it as a legitimate front for some of their operations.
Nothing illegal happening in Hope Peak," he clarifies quickly. "Just a home base. A foothold."
"You'd do that? Give up the life you've built with them?"
"I'm not giving up anything," he says. "I'm gaining everything I've ever wanted.
The club, a purpose, and you. All at once.
" His expression grows serious. "But you have to be sure, Liv.
Being with me means being connected to the club.
They're my family now, just like you are. It won't always be easy."
I consider his words. The Tyler who left Hope Peak was lost, broken by war and unrequited love. The man before me now is different—stronger, more confident, with a sense of belonging he never had before. The club has given him that, along with the backup that probably saved his life tonight.
"I'm sure," I tell him. "I want you, Tyler. All of you. The soldier, the biker, all of it." I squeeze his hands. "I just want you to promise me one thing."
"Anything."
"No more running. No more secrets. Whatever happens, we face it together."
He nods solemnly. "I promise." Then he smiles, that rare, genuine smile that transforms his whole face. "Besides, I'm done running. This is where I belong. With you."
He seals the promise with a kiss, and I melt into him, knowing that whatever challenges come our way, we'll face them together.
Six Months Later
The bell above the door of Jackson Security jingles as I step into the air-conditioned office, a welcome relief from the summer heat. Tyler looks up from his desk, his face breaking into a smile when he sees me.
"Hey, beautiful," he says, rising to greet me with a kiss. "How were the monsters today?"
"Energetic," I laugh, setting down my teacher's bag. "End of year excitement. Two more days until summer break."
The office is small but professionally appointed—a reception desk (currently unmanned as Tyler's still interviewing for that position), his private office, and a conference room.
The sign on the door reads "Jackson Security: Protection, Surveillance, Peace of Mind.
" It's become one of the most successful new businesses in Hope Peak, with contracts from most of the local shops and even the elementary school.
What most clients don't know is that in the back room, behind a secured door, is where Tyler occasionally meets with his brothers from the Outlaw Order.
True to his word, they've kept any questionable business far from Hope Peak, using the town merely as a comfortable outpost where one of their most trusted prospects—soon to be a full member—makes his home.
"Knight called," Tyler says, pulling me from my thoughts. "He's coming this weekend and finally bringing his new girlfriend. Thought maybe we could all go fishing at the lake."
"Sounds perfect. I'll make my mom's famous fried chicken."
Life has settled into a strange new normal these past months.
By day, Tyler runs his legitimate security business.
Some evenings and weekends, he rides with his brothers, handling club business that he never fully explains and I never fully ask about.
It's an unusual arrangement, but it works for us.
Devin left town a month after the motel incident, his auto shop now under new management. I heard through the grapevine that his knee never properly healed, leaving him with a permanent limp, a fitting reminder of the consequences of his actions.
As for me, I've found my voice again. The woman who was afraid to leave her abusive boyfriend now stands tall, respected not just as Tyler's partner but as a valued friend to many of his club brothers and their families.
I've even earned a nickname of my own—"Teacher," simple but spoken with genuine affection.
Tyler wraps his arms around me, pulling me close.
"I was thinking," he says, his voice rumbling against my ear. "That spare bedroom in your house—our house. Maybe it's time we thought about putting it to use."
I pull back to look at him, my heart skipping. "What exactly are you suggesting, Mr. Jackson?"
He grins, but I can see nervousness behind his eyes. "I'm suggesting that maybe it's time we think about filling it. If you want to, that is."
"A baby?" I whisper, joy bubbling up inside me.
"Or two. Or three." He shrugs, trying to appear casual though I can see how important this is to him. "I always wanted a big family. Brothers and sisters looking out for each other, like the club but... you know, actual blood relations."
I laugh, tears of happiness springing to my eyes. "I think that sounds perfect."
His smile could light up the entire town. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." I kiss him softly. "I love you, Tyler Jackson."
"I love you too, Olivia Wright." He holds me close, and I feel the steady beat of his heart against mine. "Always have. Always will."
In his arms, I know I've finally found the kind of love my parents had—the epic love story I always dreamed about. It may not look exactly like I imagined, with its complicated edges and occasional darkness, but it's real and it's ours.
And I wouldn't change a single thing about it.