CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Heather—
My brain is on autopilot as I watch the landscape fly past in a blur.
I’m so tired, and I rest my head against Snake’s back.
My life is over, but at least I know Tucker is safe, and I know he will be okay.
If I had it to do over again, I’d make the same choice.
I don’t regret what I did, but I do hate I didn’t get to say goodbye to Cody.
Life took my first love away, and now when I found love again, it has cruelly taken it from me.
The monotonous hum of the engine beneath me lulls me into a trance.
I just need to survive. Maybe I can find a way to kill Snake and save myself.
I’d have to make it look like an accident, because if the Death Heads thought I was to blame, they’d kill me without a second thought.
I have no doubt about that. I’m nothing to them, and I’m nothing to Snake except money in his pocket.
He’ll use me until I’m of no worth, and he’ll drop me flat without a dime to my name or maybe even put a bullet in my brain and dump me in the Texas desert.
How did my life come to this?
Bad choices and being too proud to accept help, that’s how. I wanted to make it on my own, and so I chose the one field I knew I could make a ton of money in that was still legal. I regret so many things, but not that I wanted to provide for my son.
And now I may not be there for his birthday or his first day of school.
If God ever gets me out of this, I swear I’m going to go back to school and do what I’d planned to do when Ryan was still alive.
That life feels like a million years ago, but there was a time I wanted to go to school and become a veterinarian.
I envisioned a little white house with a yard and a tree with a tire swing for Tucker, and a yard full of dogs.
I wanted a simple life. I just wanted to be a wife and mother and do all the things…
the PTA and Boy Scouts and teaching my son how to ride a bicycle.
Was that too much to ask?
We ride under a concrete overpass, the roar of the bikes echoing off the stone, and then another, louder roar takes its place, and I straighten, feeling Snake’s body tense.
I look around and see a dozen bikers, and then I spot their rockers. EVIL DEAD emblazoned across the top of their backs.
We fly past them so fast I think they’ll never catch up to us, but then they do; they’re right on our tails.
One flies in front of us and gets in front of a semi up ahead. A moment later, its brake lights come on, and it starts to jackknife.
“Oh, fuck,” I hear Snake say as he lays on the brakes and tries to go around.
Greasy is not so lucky. He lays his bike down on its side and impacts the driver side of the tractor’s wheels.
I sink my nails into Snake’s thigh, pinching hard, and he slows down, trying to shove my hand off. I go for his right thigh, knowing he’ll take his hand off the throttle, and he does, cursing at me.
And then we’re surrounded, and he’s forced over.
I scramble off the back and a moment later, Cody is there and I’m clutched tight to his chest. In his hand is a gun aimed at Snake.
I bury my head in his chest, and he kisses my crown. “Are you okay?”
I nod. “Is Tucker okay?”
“He’s safe, baby. Goddamn, woman, you aged me ten years.” He shoves me behind him, and then his father takes hold of me and pulls me away from the men.
There’s not a lot of traffic, but there is some, and it is not lost on Cole.
He pushes Cody’s gun toward the ground. “Not here.”
Snake is off his bike, and I realize Greasy is far down the road, his bike destroyed by the semi, his body sprawled on the pavement, motionless.
Snake is losing his mind, screaming like the devil has possessed him, and maybe he has.
And then he calmly gets on his bike and laughs, then hits the throttle.
He pulls out, looking over his shoulder at Cody, his focus not on the traffic, and a second later, a horn blares, and he too is hit by a vehicle.
His bike and body go flying, and his body is run over by another car.
Jake covers my face, but I see the bloody mess where his head once was.
“Mount up, boys. Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Cole says, and Cody comes to me, hugging me. I climb on his bike, and the crew rides past the mess, then takes an emergency vehicle turnaround and heads the other way.
Traffic is backing up, and we take the off-ramp, heading west on Hwy 198 toward San Lucas. We ride for a mile before they pull over, and TJ calls Gigi and then passes the phone to me.
“Your son.”
I clutch it. “Tucker?”
“Mommy?”
“Yes, baby. It’s Mommy.”
“Are you coming back soon?”
“Yes, I’ll be there soon.” My throat closes. “Are you okay? Are you having fun?”
“Uh huh, everyone is playing with me, and Aunt Gigi let me have all the ice cream I wanted.”
I laugh, tears in my eyes. “Is that so?”
“Yep.”
“I love you, Tucker.”
“I love you, too, Mommy. Can I go now? We’re playing tag.”
“Sure, sweetie.” A second later, Gigi is on the phone. “Are you okay? You’re safe?”
“Yes. I’m okay.”
“He didn’t hurt you?”
“No.”
“You scared the crap out of me.”
“Sorry. Thanks for taking care of Tucker for me.”
“Of course. That’s what families are for, right?”
“Right. I’ll see you soon. Here’s TJ.” I pass the phone back, and Cody drags me against his chest, rubbing my arm.
“You okay?”
“Yes. Thanks to you and everyone.”
“We take care of our own, and I’d ride through hell to get you back safe. I hope you know that.”
I nod, that lump in my throat again.
And then he drops to one knee and takes my hand. “I’m not waiting another second, baby. I love you, Heather, and as soon as we get to town, I’m putting a ring on this finger. We’re spending our lives together, and I promise I’ll spend every minute making you happy if you’ll have me.”
“Cody.” I press my hands to my cheeks.
“Just say yes, baby.”
“Yes. Yes, to all of it.”
His brothers clap and cheer, surrounding us and giving me hugs and him backslaps.
“I knew she was ol’ lady material. Right from the start,” Green says, elbowing Jake. “Didn’t I say so?”
Jake rolls his eyes and gives me a hug. “Welcome to the family, honey. I couldn’t be happier, and Layla is going to be over the moon.”
Cole whistles sharply. “Okay, boys and girls, let’s get to the clubhouse and celebrate.”
“If we’re celebrating, I’ve got something to tell you all,” Billy says, shoving his hands in his pockets, and all his brothers turn to look at him. “Melissa is having a baby.”
His eyes go to Cole, like he’s afraid the man is going to punch him. Instead, our president moves toward him and hugs him tight, then cups his face. “I’m happy for you, Billy, and Angel is going to be thrilled.”
“Melissa has been keeping it a secret. The girls don’t even know,” Billy admits.
“I wouldn’t bet money on that,” Cole says with a grin.
Then he steps back, and Red Dog clutches his son. “I’m gonna be a grandpa? For real?”
Billy’s eyes get glassy. “Yeah, ol’ man. Think you can handle it?”
“I can handle it. Mary is going to be so goddamn happy, son. She’s waited for this day.”
“Is that why you’ve been such a bear lately?” TJ asks, giving Billy a hug.
Billy drags a hand through his hair. “Sorry. I’ve been worried sick she’d lose it.” His eyes connect with his father’s, and there must be some history there I don’t know about.
TJ nods. “I get that. Between what your mom went through and how sick Melissa was as a kid, I get you’d be worried, but there’s no reason she can’t have a healthy baby.”
Billy nods, and TJ gives him another hug.
“Welcome to the fatherhood club, brother.”
I smile at the love between them, then meet Cody’s eyes. “I love you, baby.”
He kisses me and whispers in my ear. “Maybe we can get started on giving Tucker a baby brother soon.”
I roll my eyes. “Or sister.”
*****
Cody collapses next to me in my big bed at my own apartment. Both our bodies are covered in sweat, and I’m coming down from a phenomenal orgasm, floating on a magical high. And it’s like a dream, but it’s real. I’m in the arms of the man I love, and all is right with the world.
Tucker is with Cody’s parents, and we have the place to ourselves.
My love kisses my hand and stares at my fingers. “Tomorrow, I’m serious, I’m takin’ you to pick out a ring for that finger, babe, and we’re starting our life together. And I’m not letting you out of my sight ever again.”
I laugh at his ridiculous statement. “Ever?”
“Never.”
I rest my head on his shoulder. “Cody?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“I’m giving up dancing.”
“Thank God.”
I grin and smack his chest.
“Except for me, right?” he adds, and I giggle. He kisses my hand again. “I want you to do whatever you want. You know that, right?”
“I’m thinking about going back to school, but it would take years to finish.”
“Then it takes years. What field?”
I lift my head and meet his gaze. “Veterinary Medicine. I want to be a vet.”
“You do? That’s great. Does that also mean our house is going to be filled with dogs and cats and whatever strays you bring home?”
“Absolutely.”
“Guess we’re gonna need some land, then.”
I snuggle against him, yawning. “Land sounds nice. And a tree with a tire swing.” I barely get the whispered words out before I’m drifting off, safe in the arms of the man I love.
Right before sleep sucks me under, I hear him whisper. “I’ll make her happy, Ryan. I swear it to you, brother.”