Chapter 25
Everyone around the table is in shock when Jessie finishes explaining why Prez was arrested. No one”s got anything clever to say, not even Squealer, and the vacant look on everyone’s face as the silence becomes too heavy to bear makes it impossible for me to stick around. I get up from the table and storm out the doors, jumping on my bike and riding up to the spot where my dad is buried. There’s a plaque on the tree that he’s resting under that says his name and I sit with my back resting against its trunk and try to clear my mind of all the thoughts racing through it.
I shouldn’t be mad at the world, not when it’s given me so much. Paige, forgiveness, a chance at a fresh start. They are all things I wouldn”t have if it wasn’t for Jimmer. I slide the grass between my fingers and wonder what Tac would say to me if he was here. I never really got a chance to know him. But everyone around here likes to talk about him. Sometimes, it’s as if they expect the door to open and him to walk through it like he’s been on a vacation.
“You wanna talk about it?” I look up and see my girl standing in front of me, her long, pink hair is plaited over one shoulder and the cropped sweater she’s got on exposes her midriff. “I can leave ya to it if you…”
“Stay.” I tap the ground to invite her to join me.
“You know, Marilyn leaves these here?” She traces her fingers over the petals of the pretty, pink flowers that are laid out between us.
“I figured it was her.” I smile through my sadness because just having Paige here is making me feel a little better.
“Jessie explained to us about the Prez situation,” she tells me, sliding her hand over the ground and resting it on top of mine.
“It ain’t fair.” I shake my head. “It should be Cliff.”
“It’s not fair,” she agrees. “But you have to admit, it’s typical of Prez.” She tries her best to sound upbeat but I see no good in losing another person I care about.
“I’m scared.” The words blurt out and I feel so fuckin’ weak for letting ‘em. “All these people keep gettin’ taken away from me. What if you’re next?” I turn my head and look at her. The perfect, strong, incredible girl that’s allowed me into her life, and accepts me for who I am. I can’t even imagine how I’d cope if something were to happen to her.
“You”re never gonna lose me. We’ve been through too much,” she assures me with a sad smile.
“I lost Mom, and Dad, now Jimmer. All of ‘em had to sacrifice for me.” I think of all the years my mom took beats from Tank to protect me. She risked her life coming to the Souls and asking them to help get me outta the Bastards’ club. I think about the night my dad saved me, giving his own life so I could carry on mine. Jimmer, getting himself locked up to ensure my freedom, is just another debt I’ll never be able to pay.
“Don’t think like that. Your parents loved you. And Jimmer isn’t just saving you, he’s saving everyone. You owe it to him to be grateful.”
“I’ll always be grateful.” I look at Paige and think about all the things I want us to do together. I wanna take her to Paris. I wanna give her babies and watch ‘em grow with her. And today has made me realize how close I came to missing out on all that.
“Ella’s in a bad place, I really think Dylan and Sophia could do with their Uncle Haydy, right now.” Paige smiles at me, she knows how much I love hanging with the kids. Nyx may not be my brother by blood, but he was raised by the man who was my father and he does his best to ensure everything he was taught by him is passed on to me.
“You”re right, we should be there for them.” Paige gives me a new sense of purpose, and when I stand up and dust off my jeans I smile down at the ground where my dad rests and make a silent promise to take the opportunity Prez is giving me by the fuckin’ balls.
I climb back on my bike and wait for Paige to get on behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist and squeezing me tight, before I look back over my shoulder at her.
“Promise you’ll never leave me.” Call it weak, and pathetic, but I have to hear her say it.
“Never,” she assures me, kissing my lips before she rests her head on my shoulder. The heavens open and we both get soaked as I ride us back down to the clubhouse and when we both race inside to get out the rain, I bump into Grimm on his way out.
“You seen Rogue?” The guy who hates fuckin’ touching people grips both my shoulders and looks at me like he’s ready to kill.
“No.” I shake my head and look at Paige.
“She stormed into the garage just after Prez got taken, that”s the last I saw of her,” she explains
“Fuck!” Grimm smashes his fist into the wooden banister beside him before marching out the door. “She better not be gettin’ herself into fuckin’ trouble,” I hear him utter under his breath on his way out, and both me and Paige give each other the same look.