Chapter 19 #2
Scar stepped from the shadows, drawing Ranger’s attention to their club brother and the two bound and gagged people he dragged behind him.
Not sure what Ranger’s mindset was at the moment, Ghost had not ordered either Cameron or Ritchie to be stripped.
In the week plus since Becks’ rescue, the two had been kept in the cellar in the clubhouse that had been soundproofed years ago for the club’s less reputable activities.
There was even a convenient drain in the floor that allowed for easy cleanup.
“What is this?” Ranger asked, his back stiff and his hands in fists.
“I was prepared to kill them myself. They took Becks from me, and for six agonizing days, I had no idea where she was, what was happening to her, or if she was even still alive.” Ghost glared across the clearing, allowing all the hatred he felt towards the stepsiblings to bleed through his words.
“The things I planned to do to them were endless. They were going to die bloody and screaming by my hands and no one else’s. ”
Both of them heard Ghost’s words and started making protesting noises behind their gags. No one paid any attention to them.
“Then why are we here?” Ranger asked, not fully looking at Ghost.
“Because I realized something today at the memorials.” Ghost turned his back on the stepsiblings and faced his best friend.
“We’re all in pain. Becks, me, Pumpkin, Carlos, Grumpy, Bones, you…
All of us. My pain is no more important or challenging or traumatic than anyone else’s.
And you’re my brother, Ranger. Long before I married your sister, it was you and me against the world.
Your pain needs an outlet right now, Ranger, and I’m offering you that.
Kill them quickly, kill them slowly, bury them alive, I don’t give a fuck.
You do what you need to do to find closure.
Scar will stay behind to help you clean up, and so you know that what happens here will never be spoken of or about again. ”
Ranger stared over Ghost’s shoulder for a long time, his eyebrows drawn down. “You would give this to me? After I was such an ass to you?”
Ghost couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his mouth. “Becks told me about your conversation. I gotta say, you had me fooled with claiming you were pissed because I didn’t ask your permission to marry your sister.”
“Which you didn’t,” Ranger pointed out.
“Because I didn’t need it,” Ghost threw back at him. “Becks chose me. She loves me. And she’s pregnant with my baby.”
Ranger’s eyes widened as he turned his attention to Ghost for the first time. “She is?”
Ghost nodded. “We aren’t sharing the news yet.
There’s still some medical things that we need to have checked up on after the trauma she endured, but yeah.
She’s pregnant.” He touched Ranger’s arm.
“You might feel out of sorts right now. Might feel lost, and even alone. I can’t help you with that, but I can offer you my deepest gratitude.
You didn’t just sacrifice yourself to save your sister, Ranger. You also saved your niece or nephew.
“So if putting aside my hatred and my revenge can give you peace of mind, that’s what I’ll do. Because for the rest of our lives, my child will know his Uncle Ranger is his own personal hero.”
A tear spilled down Ranger’s cheek, but both of them ignored its presence. Ranger’s voice was thick with emotion as he finally said, “Thank you.”
Ghost nodded to him once. He started to walk away and then paused. “Make sure you clean up first before you get back. Becks will have a conniption if you drag dirt and blood through her house.”
Ghost crawled into bed, wrapping himself around Becks.
Between the two of them, they probably had about a dozen bandages, and even more stitches, decorating their bodies.
Becks also had a gauze wrap around her head to hold the bandage protecting the staples in her scalp.
As much as Ghost wanted to make love to his wife, to celebrate their reunion and the excitement of their pregnancy, neither of them were in any condition to do so.
And Ghost realized that was okay. It didn’t make him a failure as a husband or make their love any less.
Sex was only a fraction of who they were as a couple.
Watching Becks sleep in the hospital for so many days gave Ghost a new perspective to the trials and hardships Steel had faced when Jenna had been diagnosed with MS. He now understood, and respected, why Steel had said that he didn’t give a damn if he never got to make love to his wife again, because their love transcended the physical.
Knowing Ghost had that with Becks, knowing that they would continue to grow, learn about the other, and help each other become better people gave him a peace he’d long lacked in his life.
Becks hummed, pushing her ass back into his groin. “What time is it?”
“Late.” He kissed her temple. “Go back to sleep. I’m sorry I woke you.”
“‘s okay,” she mumbled, not opening her eyes. “What were you doing?”
Ghost smiled to himself as he settled in for what felt like the start of the rest of his life. “Delegating.”