Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Keno—
The first streaks of early morning light filter through the hotel room window.
I’m on my back in bed with Six curled to my side.
Stroking my fingers lightly over her arm, I stare at the ceiling.
The decision I have to make has been eating at me every minute since Rock laid it on me. Do I accept the VP position at the new chapter that’s forming in Texas? Or do I give it up and stay in Durango to be with Maggie.
The idea of a relationship with her fills me with warmth and happiness, but is it fair to drag her into my world? I know the threats that come with it, and the last thing I want to do is put her in danger.
Making her mine puts a target on her back for any enemy who wants to get to me by destroying the most important person in my life.
It used to be that family was off limits to retaliation like that, but I’ve learned over the years that not everybody plays by those rules anymore.
Retribution can take any form and often takes down innocents in the process.
Being a nomad has given me more freedom than I could ask for, but it’s also given me enemies in a lot of places. One of the advantages was always that I was hard to find, not sticking in any one place.
If I put down roots, I lose that advantage.
And if I stay in Durango, I'll bring all that straight to Maggie’s doorstep.
On the other hand, I’d have a chapter full of good brothers I trust at my back.
If I take the offer in Texas, the only way Maggie and I will work out is for her to sell her bar and go with me. She’d be giving up everything she’s worked so hard for, and I can’t help wondering if I’d even be worth that to her.
But in my heart, I think I already know that if I asked her, she’d do it. She’d sell the bar she loves and follow me. She’d do it because she loves me.
I feel it every time she looks into my eyes.
When she was just seventeen, I tried to explain it away as puppy love, but that same look is still there, those feelings still strong. She’d give up everything she’s built just to follow me.
Is that what I want for her?
Would resentment follow?
And do either of us even want to live in Texas?
But letting the chance at being VP go by… That’s a hard pill to swallow.
Hell, Keno, do you really want it? All that responsibility?
What if you hated it?
Maggie stretches, then lifts her head off my shoulder and meets my eyes. “How long have you been awake?”
“A while.”
She frowns. “What’s wrong? You look worried.”
She deserves to know. It’s not fair that I crawl all over her for not telling me about her brothers, then keep something like this from her.
Sure, it's technically club business, and I’ll never be able to tell her most of that, but this affects both of us.
“Rock had some news for me the other day.”
“Something you can tell me?”
“Yeah, I guess so, since it affects you too.”
She looks confused. “Is it about the bar?”
“No. It’s about whether I stay in Durango.”
Her mouth goes slack, and she sits up, her body tensing. “You’re leaving?”
I shake my head. “I haven’t decided yet.”
“So, it’s up to you?”
“It isn’t official yet. It may not even happen, but there’s been talk of a new chapter in Texas and they want me for VP.”
“Texas?” The word falls out of her mouth as if it tastes bad.
“Yeah. I know.”
“And you have a choice? You can say yes or no?”
“Yeah.”
She wraps the sheet around her and moves to the window, her back ramrod-stiff.
She’s pissed.
Can I blame her?
I follow, moving behind her. “It’s not decided yet.” I rest my hand on her shoulder, and she bats it off, whirling on me.
“But you’re thinking about it.”
“Yeah, I guess so. It’s a big deal.”
She flings her hand out to the bed. “And what’s this? Not a big deal? I thought we were trying to build something.”
“We are. That’s why I’m telling you.”
Her brows lift. “So, you’d want me to go with you?”
“Maybe. I mean, yeah, of course. If that’s what you want. But I know that’s asking a lot. Hell, just being connected with the MC is asking a lot. The last thing I want is to put you in danger. My life is dangerous, Six.”
“You don’t think I know that? You don’t think I hate that?”
I sigh. “So, where does that leave us?”
“I don’t know,” she says and brushes past me. “I have to take a shower and get to the track. I can’t think about this now.”
The bathroom door slams, and I drag a hand through my hair, then drop onto the bed.
“Well, I guess I fucked that up,” I mutter, leaning my elbows on my knees.
Our bond was deepening, and now I may have ruined all that, but I have to weigh the consequences of pursuing her.
Could I live with myself if I put her at risk?
If anything happened to her because of me, I’d put my gun to my temple and end it all.
But can I live without her? Could I really walk away from her a second time?
It would destroy her.
Hell, it would destroy me, too.
So, where does that leave us?
Texas is a tough decision—one that might put my relationship with Maggie at risk, but prioritizing the club over personal matters comes with the territory with a one-percenter club.
Finding Maggie in Durango was completely out of the blue. It’s kind of like a piece of my past, coming around again and giving me a second shot.
I fucked up the first time.
I don’t intend to do that again.
But I’m already becoming protective of her, fearing any enemies the Royal Bastards have might target her to get to me. Trying to protect her from the dangers of this world may cost me the one thing I know I can’t live without.
I’ve had my loyalty tested before. With the Royal Bastards and with Maggie.
I’m not about to fail either one. There’s got to be a way through this.
And I can’t ignore the elephant in the room—her brothers.
She kept our relationship a secret from them, and I get why, but that’s fucking over.
When we get back to Durango, she’s taking me to their shop, and she’s walking in with her hand in mine, and fuck what they think.
They got a problem with it, they can deal with me, and I won’t be the fucking pushover they thought I was back in New Orleans.
Because I know all their fucking secrets.
Every last one.