Chapter 34 Bonnie
BONNIE
Ghost’s pulse is weak beneath my fingertips when I hear the bike.
I’m on my feet before I even register what I’m hearing. My hands are still covered in Ghost’s blood. I’ve been holding pressure on his wound for what feels like hours. Keeping him awake. Keeping him talking even when all he wanted to do was close his eyes.
But that engine—I know that engine.
Ash.
I run to the window. See his bike pulling up to the safe house, kicking up dust.
Relief hits me so hard my knees nearly buckle.
He’s here. Finally.
Ash is off his bike and through the door in seconds. His eyes find mine first, then drop to Ghost on the couch. “How is he?” he asks, already moving toward us.
“The bleeding slowed down, but he’s lost so much blood. He keeps drifting in and out.” My voice shakes.
Ash kneels beside the couch. Checks Ghost’s pulse. Looks at the wound I’ve been holding together with blood-soaked towels.
“You did good, Bonnie.” He looks up at me. “You kept him alive.”
“Is it over?” I ask. “The attack?”
“It’s over. We held the compound. Minimal casualties.” He stands. “And Jackal’s back.”
My heart stutters. “What?”
“Your brother showed up right after the attack with fifteen men from his chapter. Perfect timing.” Ash touches my face. “He’s at the compound. Waiting to see you.”
Jackal. My brother is home.
I want to cry, but I can’t. Too exhausted. Too wrung out.
“We need to move Ghost,” Ash says. “Get him back to the compound where we can treat him properly. Can you help me get him to the truck?”
“Yeah.”
Ghost’s eyes flutter open when we start moving him. He groans but doesn’t fight us. Just lets us half carry, half drag him to his truck.
We load him into the back seat, and I climb in with him, keeping his head elevated, keeping pressure on the wound.
Ash loads his bike into the truck bed. Then he’s in the driver’s seat and we’re moving. Away from the safe house. Back toward home.
Ghost drifts in and out during the drive. Sometimes he opens his eyes and looks at me. Sometimes he mutters something I can’t understand. Mostly, he just breathes. Shallow and ragged.
“Stay awake,” I tell him for the hundredth time. “We’re almost there.”
He doesn’t respond.
The compound appears in the distance. Even from here, I can see the damage. Smoke rising from burned buildings. The destroyed gate. Brothers moving around like ants rebuilding.
We pull through what’s left of the entrance. Brothers immediately surround the truck.
“Ghost is hurt!” Ash shouts. “Someone get Jamie! Now!”
Jamie appears within seconds. She takes one look at Ghost and starts barking orders.
They get him out of the truck. Carry him into the clubhouse. Jamie follows, already examining the wound.
I stumble out of the truck. My legs shake. Everything shakes.
Ash catches me before I fall. “You’re okay. You’re safe now.” He holds me steady. “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
“I want to see Jackal.”
“He’s waiting in my office.”
We walk through the compound. I see the damage up close now. Bullet holes. Bloodstains. Ash leads me into the clubhouse, up the stairs, to his office.
The door is open. Inside, I see Titan first. Covered in soot and what might be blood. Then a figure by the window.
He turns.
Jackal.
He’s different. Older. Harder. His hair is longer, tied back. A beard covers his jaw. Scars I don’t remember mark his hands.
But his eyes are the same.
“Bonnie,” he says.
I cross the room and throw my arms around him. He catches me, holds me tight.
“You’re okay,” he murmurs into my hair. “Thank God you’re okay.”
“You came back.”
“Of course I came back. You’re my sister.”
I pull away and look at him. “You look different.”
“So do you.” He touches my face. “You look tired.”
“It’s been a long few months.”
“I know. Ash filled me in. Most of it, anyway.” He glances at Ash. “Ghost going to make it?”
“Jamie’s stitching him up now,” Ash says. “He lost a lot of blood, but he’ll be alright.”
“Good.” Jackal releases me and moves to lean against the desk. “We need to talk.”
“About what?”
“About Dad. About the truth.”
I sit on the couch. Ash sits beside me. Titan stays by the door, arms crossed.
Jackal looks at each of us in turn. Then he says, “I’m the one who turned Dad in to the feds.”
Silence.
Then Titan says, “What?”
“I gathered the evidence. Made the anonymous tip. Got him arrested.” Jackal’s voice is steady. No regret. “I did it to save Bonnie.”
I can’t breathe.
“You betrayed our father?” My voice comes out small. Broken.
“I saved my sister.” Jackal meets my eyes. “Dad was going to marry you off to Marcus Stone. I couldn’t let that happen.”
“But you left.” The words come out angry now. “You left months ago. You weren’t even here.”
“I know. And I’m sorry for that.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Dad sent me out of state to start a new chapter. Said it was time for me to build something of my own. I believed him. Went willingly.”
“So what changed?” Ash asks.
“I started getting suspicious. Dad was acting strange before I left. Secretive. Making calls he didn’t want anyone to hear.” Jackal paces. “So I started digging. Made some calls. Asked questions. Found out Dad had debts. Massive debts.”
“What kind of debts?” Titan asks.
“Gambling mostly. Some bad business deals. He owed money to people you don’t want to owe money to.” Jackal stops pacing. Looks at me. “And he made a deal to clear those debts. He traded you to Marcus Stone.”
The room spins. “What?”
“There was no alliance, Bonnie. No plan for peace between the clubs. That was a lie Dad told everyone to make the marriage seem noble.” Jackal’s voice hardens. “Marcus agreed to clear Dad’s debts in exchange for you. That’s it. That’s the deal.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Dad said it was to end the war. To bring peace—”
“He lied. The war was never going to end. Marcus wasn’t interested in peace. He was interested in you.” Jackal moves closer. “Dad sold you to save himself. And he was going to let everyone believe it was for the good of the club.”
Titan curses under his breath. Ghost, who’s been silent this whole time, mutters, “Shit.”
I can’t speak.
My father sold me. Not for the club. Not for peace. For debt.
“How do you know all this?” Ash asks.
“I spent months digging.” Jackal crosses his arms. “Once I had proof, I knew I had to act fast. You were days away from marrying Marcus. So I went to the feds. Gave them everything they needed to arrest Dad.”
“You could’ve just told me,” I say quietly. “You could’ve come to me with this information instead of—”
“There wasn’t time. The wedding was in a week. Dad had you locked down tight. I couldn’t get to you without him knowing.” Jackal kneels in front of me. “So I did the only thing I could. I got him arrested. Stopped the wedding. Saved you.”
“But you let me think—” My voice breaks. “You let me think Dad was trying to protect the club. That he was making a sacrifice for peace.”
“I know. And I’m sorry. But I couldn’t tell you the truth until now. Until the war was over and you were safe.”
Ash’s hand finds mine. Squeezes.
“So there was never going to be peace,” I say slowly. “Even if I’d married Marcus. Even if I’d gone through with it, the war would’ve continued.”
“Yes.” Jackal’s voice is gentle. “Dad lied to you. To everyone. The marriage wasn’t about ending anything. It was about paying his debts.”
The weight of it crashes over me. Everything I thought I knew. Everything I believed about why this happened.
All of it was a lie.