Blaze POV
I follow Dylan for hours as he rides. He seems more comfortable on the bike now, handling the bigger one better than I expected. I get it, he’s trying to run, thinking I’ll eventually give up chasing him.
But I won’t.
What I said back at the house was fucked up. It’s also fucking true though. He can’t run his father’s world. He is physically weak. I hate thinking it, but he is.
I want to keep arguing that I was wrong for saying it, but I’m not. Some people just aren’t built for that kind of physical strength. That’s not a bad thing. It’s not a full weakness.
When he finally stops, it’s on a dark, deserted stretch of road. I pull up beside him and kill the engine. He climbs off and sits on a fallen tree.
I pull my helmet off and sit next to him. “Everyone has weaknesses, Dylan. Everyone fucking has one.”
He scoffs but says nothing.
“You’re not physically strong. I can’t keep saying I didn’t mean you’re weak. Because physically… you fucking are.”
His body tenses beside me.
“My weakness is that I don’t fucking think things through. Ever. Echo’s is that he’s unhinged and does the most stupid shit. Knox trusts too easily. Ghost thinks death solves everything. Everyone has a fucking weakness.”
“None of them makes people look at them and see them as weak.”
“That’s bullshit. I’m sorry if I make you feel weak when I say you can’t do it, but it’s not to be cruel. It’s a fact. Just like I would be weak if I tried to take over because I have no idea how that world works.”
“I grew up feeling weak,” he says quietly. “He might not have said it to my face in those words, but he looked at me like I was. He would say I should join the teams like my brother. Used to say I should train with him. I always knew he saw me as weak.”
“Where you lack in physical strength, Dylan, you outshine in other ways. You’re not fucking scared of shit.
” I stare at him. “You went into biker clubs, plural, for your father and gathered information. You flirted with Grim. You went home knowing what could happen. You were ready to face a life with a woman just to keep me safe.”
I grasp the back of his neck and make him look at me. “You walked back into that house knowing what could happen. That takes fucking strength. You killed your own family. That isn’t weak. Look around you, Dylan. You’re far from fucking weak.”
His head falls forward, forehead pressing against mine. “I’m sorry. For all of this. I just fucking hate people thinking I can’t handle shit.”
“Yeah, well… you proved me wrong,” I say with a small laugh. He did. He walked back into that house, played the part, and did something I know I couldn’t do. I could never hurt my family, no matter how much they hurt me.
That takes real strength.
“Now can we get back?”
He nods and stands.
“Hey. It’s good to see you on the bike and actually handling it.”
He laughs softly. “Yeah. Apparently my sheer stubbornness helped.”
We get on the bikes and ride back. I hope he realises how fucking strong he is. He might not be physically, but mentally… he’s lethal.
Getting back to the club, I climb off my bike and go straight to Dylan. “You’re still getting punished,” I whisper against his ear.
He smirks. “Double, right? Because I also left when you told me not to.”
“Fucking triple.”
I watch the tension leave his shoulders. The moment we step inside, the main room is loud and chaotic.
“Church!” Echo calls out.
I groan. “Apparently this punishment has to wait.” I grab Dylan, kiss him hard, and start walking toward the door, but Echo shakes his head. “Don’t forget loverboy.”
“Dylan?” I ask, completely confused.
“Yeah, Dylan. Bring him in.” Echo walks through with the rest of the guys. Dylan doesn’t normally sit in on church unless it’s about his father.
I walk back and grab his wrist, pulling him with me. “Apparently you’re needed.”
“W-what?”
“Don’t worry. No doubt just to clear shit up.” I kiss him again and walk through. This time I pull him onto my lap. He huffs but doesn’t fight me.
“The club had decided how to handle things, Dylan,” Echo says.
“I’m not part of the club, as some of you pointed out.” Dylan looks straight at Echo, no stutter at all, completely comfortable.
“Anyone else would be fucking punished for their actions.”
Dylan just shrugs. “Good job I’m not part of the fucking club.”
I bite back a laugh.
“Your boy really doesn't have a sense of fucking danger,” Echo chuckles.
“What can I say? I pick them well.”
Dylan rolls his eyes. “If t-this is you giving me a lecture, I don’t care.”
“Actually,” Knox says, standing up. He drops a prospect jacket on the table in front of Dylan. “This is making it official. You were part of the club as Blaze’s partner, but we all know how much that wouldn’t feel right. So… prospect. For now. What do you say?”
I stare at the jacket. Dylan stares too.
“You’re fucking serious?”
“Yeah. You rode the bike. You took initiative. You put yourself out there to protect the club. That shit only fully patched members do, not prospects. So you deserve it.” Echo nods at the jacket.
Damn. I wasn’t expecting this.
“Doesn’t mean you get to sit in on church and shit though. Not until you get through being a prospect and earn it.”
“Totally. I’m good with that.” Dylan grabs the jacket. “I need to tell Siren and celebrate!” He moves for the door.
“Erm, Dylan,” I say, but he’s already opening it.
“Yeah, yeah, later,” he beams at me and leaves.
“Fuck, he just left you hanging,” Ghost laughs.
“Didn’t even let you congratulate him,” Echo chuckles, slamming his hand on the table.
“We meant it, Blaze. He’s weak as fuck physically, sure, but he’s not scared of shit. So we’re giving him a shot.”
I nod. I’m fine with that. I’m fucking glad. Now he’s actually part of it, as more than just my partner.