28. Camile
CAMILE
The car winds down the roads, driving smoothly behind the bikes that lead the way, and I try to take in everything that has happened.
Now the adrenaline is leaving me, I’m feeling shaky and exhausted.
Zoo is driving, and I’m in the back, with Ghost on one side of me and Megan on the other.
Ghost is a big guy to be in the back seat, but he wanted to be near me, and I totally share the sentiment.
The past hour has been insane.
Surely there will be reports of the plane explosion?
“What if the cops go to the airstrip?” I ask Ghost softly.
“They’ll focus on locating the debris from the plane first, which will take time.
” He shrugs. “By the time they track it back to the airstrip, all trace of us ever having been there will be gone. Once they figure out the plane belonged to a cartel, I doubt they’ll even investigate any further.
If they do, they’ll come to the conclusion it was sabotage. ”
“What did you do?” I ask.
“I cut some fuel lines and some of the electronics. I thought it would mean he just wouldn’t be able to fly the damn thing. I didn’t know it would be quite so spectacular.”
I grit my teeth, and my tone is sharper than I intended. “He deserved it.”
“You’re getting scary, you know?”
Ghost gently nudges me to show he’s joking.
He’s not wrong, though. I am. I’ve gone from being a girl who wouldn’t even truly stand up for herself, the boring one of the college, in some ways.
Miss-Goodie-Two-Shoes, that’s who I was, and look at me now.
I’m a badass. I almost giggle, but then I look at the woman in the car beside me and my stomach twists for her.
Megan is sitting curled up against the door, and I can see from her expression that she’s traumatized.
“What did they do to you?” I ask her gently. “Do you feel up to talking?”
Megan shakes her head. “I want my sister, and I want to speak to my husband.”
“Not long now,” I reassure her. “Once we’re back safely, you can see Shelly and we can call your husband for you.”
God, I’m so glad that I didn’t do anything to hurt Shelley when I first lost it. I just saw red, but now that I’ve calmed down, I realize she’s not to blame.
I wonder if Vani will ever reach that conclusion with me. Or is she always going to be angry at me now? Even though things have improved between us a little, they’re still pretty bad. The girl doesn’t like me being with her dad. It shows in every line of her body, and every micro-expression.
Staring out of the window into the dark night, I think about how all this started, with a date I only went on to try to forget about Jack. And look where we all are now.
The SUV eventually pulls off the road onto a narrower, country lane, and I start to recognize the area. We’re getting close to the turning for the compound.
The tall, chain link fencing comes into view, together with the gates barring the property from the road. The motorcycles in front of us stop while someone checks who we are, then the gates rattle open. They’re still being cautious.
In convoy, we drive to the clubhouse and pull up in front of it.
The engine goes silent, and Ghost climbs out first, then helps me out. I stretch and yawn. Sheer exhaustion has claimed me, and all I want is to sleep for ten hours. It’s a bone deep tiredness that makes my limbs ache and my mind foggy.
Ghost helps Megan out of the car. The poor woman remains curled in on herself, her shoulders rounded and head down, as though she’s been beaten by the world.
A cry comes from farther away, and Shelley comes running down the hill toward us. She’s sobbing, and the minute she reaches us, she pulls Megan into a tight embrace. Megan starts to cry, too, and they both stand there, weeping as they hold one another tightly.
Finally, Shelley pulls away and turns to Big Mike, who is loitering nearby. “Can someone please get a blanket for her? She’s shaking like a leaf.”
Everything seems to be a blur. They wrap a blanket around Megan, then she’s led to the clubhouse with Shelley’s arm still around her shoulders, and Phoenix on her other side for support.
I really just want to go to bed, but this isn’t over yet.
There needs to be a debrief, and there’s one person in particular who hasn’t been told that everything has gone to plan.
Jack. He’s probably losing his mind, and perhaps we should have called him from the airstrip, but making sure we all got back to the compound safely first took priority.
We follow Megan, Shelley, and Phoenix into the clubhouse. The bar is empty, but one of the men gets Megan a glass and fills it with scotch before placing it in front of her. “For the shock,” he says.
Phoenix sits on one side of her, and Shelley the other. Megan lifts the glass, her hand still trembling, and takes a sip.
I drop into a chair at the table beside them, and Ghost and Rook both join me.
Saul has taken charge and is ordering people around.
Bear arrives, pulling Shelley to her feet and hugging her tightly, before showing the same affection to his sister-in-law.
It’s good to see the family reunited. People move in and out, conversations are had, and I realize it’s all happening around me as if I’m watching through a thick wall of glass.
I stifle another yawn.
Shelley can’t seem to let go of Megan’s hand and keeps squeezing it as if to reassure herself that she’s there and not an apparition or a figment of her imagination.
“What did they do to you?” she asks softly.
“They hurt me, Shells.” Megan wipes more tears from her cheeks.
“They won’t be hurting anyone else,” Ace states. “They’re all dead. Those motherfuckers.”
“I want you to stay with us for a while,” Shelley says to Megan.
Megan frowns. “I need to call home. I want my husband and my boy. They must be so worried.”
“I know.” Shelley takes her hand. “Just for a couple of nights, until we know the threat is well and truly dealt with. I’d hate for any of this trouble to follow you home and affect that darling little boy.”
Megan sniffs, and nods. “I guess that does make sense, but I need to talk to them.”
“Of course.” Shelley leans over and passes Megan the bar phone, then looks around at Saul and the other men. “Can she stay? On the compound for a few nights?”
Ace glances at Saul who nods.
“Don’t see why not.” Saul’s brows shoot up. “Hey, did anyone think to call Jack and tell him the update?”
He’s saved me from having to bring it up, which I was just about to do.
“Fuck, no.” Ace takes out his phone and hands it to Saul. “You do it.”
Saul just chuckles. “No, son, I don’t think so. I’ll let you have that privilege.”
Ace calls through to Jack, who answers immediately. “About fucking time. I’ve been losing my goddamned mind over here waiting for information.”
Ace shoots me a look and pulls a face like he’s a naughty kid who’s just been told off by a teacher.
“Um, boss, we have Shelley’s sister back safe and sound.
The cartel are neutralized. Camile is safe, and we’re all home safe and sound, soon to be tucked up in bed.
” He frowns. “Shit, I need to feed the cats and check on the snails. Oh, and the porcupine. Can’t forget him. ”
“The what?” Jack snarls.
“Got to go, sorry, Prez. Sudden need to take a piss. I’ll hand you over to Camile.”
“Ace? Ace, goddamnit, stop rescuing things. Do you hear me?”
Ace is gesturing to me and mouthing words I can’t decipher. I take the phone and, laughing softly, speak with Jack.
“How are you feeling? How is your pain?”
“It’s better, thanks, Baby-girl.” His voice softens immediately. “I can’t wait until I see you again. You’re not hurt? Not at all?”
“No. Just exhausted. I think we all are.”
“Well, you go to bed. That’s an order.” Then he adds in a dark tone, “To fucking sleep, Camile. You need to rest.”
I grin at that. “Yes, President, sir.”
“Christ, I like you calling me that.”
“President?” I ask not to innocently. “Or sir?”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Ace takes the phone back. “Jack, we’re putting her to bed and no funsies. Promise.”
“Thought you were taking a piss,” Jack growls.
“I am, I am.”
“And get rid of the porcupine.”
“Okay.” Ace looks like he wants to cry.
“Is Saul there?” Jack asks.
Saul jerks his chin up. “Sure am.”
“Call me in the morning, so we can go over the other club business.”
“Will do, Prez.”
We end the call, and Ace looks around as if the bar can answer his next question. “Where can I hide a porcupine, so Jack won’t find it?”
God, I love Ace. He always makes life feel less heavy somehow.
Another yawn breaks through, and I turn to the men. “I need my sleep. Ghost is only half awake and definitely needs a good rest, a shower, and some pain killers.”
We say our goodbyes to Shelley and her sister, leaving them with Bear, Saul, and Phoenix, and me and three of my men leave the clubhouse.
“Where are we heading?” Ace asks.
Ghost turns to me, his expression almost shy. “Would you spend the night at my place, Camile? No funny business. I just want to hold you while I sleep.”
Ace frowns, but Rook digs him in the ribs and makes big eyes at Ghost’s injuries.
So Ace shrugs. “I guess I can let you have her for one night.”
“I’m not a thing to be passed around, Ace. I get a say, and yes, Ghost, I’d be honored.”
“I can go take care of the animals and get some sleep. But can we come around early for a group breakfast?” Ace flutters his eyelashes at Ghost, who sighs but nods.
Then we say our goodnights, and I head with Ghost to his house, wanting nothing more than to sleep for a month.