CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
– ZORA –
For the second day in a row, we’re getting ready to go to the clinic. Yesterday felt like the final step back to normal. Even if I’m surrounded by bikers, some from our club and the others from G’s former chapter.
It’s amazing how all these members have different jobs within the brotherhood. Medical licenses, computer techs, sharp shooters, profilers, each with special training and years of experience.
Grayer has surrounded me with layers of security and it gives me a safety net of knowledge that if something happens I won’t be alone. With what happened at the clubhouse still fresh in my mind, with the loss of Neo...they all fought to protect their own...including me.
“Ready?” Grayer asks and twirls the keys of the SUV around his finger.
A few of his club brothers are in the main room. Lass and Jaw are coming with us today. Dion and his old lady, Taite, will meet us at the clinic. Taite messaged me a few minutes ago to let me know that they’re running a bit late, but they’ll bring the coffee.
I point my finger at Grayer and tease him the same way I did yesterday. “One day I expect the president of an MC to put me on the back of his bike instead of cruising me along in a bullet proof SUV.”
Malic snickers and Stellan, who is keeping his leg elevated on the couch, barks out a laugh. I shoot him a grin while Grayer mutters a curse and smacks my ass, making me jump in the direction of the door.
When I glance over my shoulder, I notice Grayer is now the one wearing a grin and it makes my heart leap inside my chest. The sweet balance between joy and with it remembering the pain and loss we all went through these past few weeks.
So many things have happened, and still I’m thankful to be right here with all of them.
Grayer gently touches the back of my neck as he opens the door of the SUV for me. The sound of motorcycles being fired up surrounds us as I get in the front seat. I pull my phone from my pocket and check the online schedule of the clinic.
The drive to the clinic is uneventful and I patiently wait in my seat until Grayer walks around the front of the vehicle to open my door.
It’s the same routine as he did yesterday.
First, he checks his phone to get an update from Roux, who checks all the cameras with facial recognition software.
Then he checks our surroundings by scanning for danger before he gets out to open my door.
Lass and Jaw have already parked their bikes and have their backs to us, forming another layer of protection. It might seem unnecessary, but knowing Grayer takes no risks with my safety and respects my wish to work means the world to me.
Grayer holds his hand out for me to take as he opens the door, but his eyes are on our surroundings.
I’m about to thank him when I notice a bald pedestrian near the clinic.
He has a weird beard and looks like he’s drunk the way he’s trying to stay upright.
His arm is hanging stiff and in his other hand is a bottle in a paper bag.
I don’t recognize this person as a patient from the clinic and I’m about to say something when the man’s arm comes up. My mind is barely able to process the fact there’s a muzzle where his hand should be when the sound of gunshots makes my ears ring. My world tilts and then my side hits concrete.
Grayer’s body is covering mine and the ringing in my ears dulls the shouting of voices. I’m not able to see anything with Grayer still on top of me. I take a deep breath to calm my nerves when Grayer slowly lifts his upper body.
He doesn’t seem hurt and I take a quick assessment of my own body. Besides the impact from being pulled down under Grayer’s body I don’t feel any pain. Lass and Jaw are running toward the pedestrian who is sprawled over the sidewalk.
Dion runs toward them and Taite heads in our direction as she drops the tray of coffee she’s holding. Grayer pushes himself up and tugs on my hand to get me to my feet.
“Are you alright?” Taite asks, worry written all over her face.
I roll my shoulders and nod. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
She pulls me into a hug while Grayer stomps toward Dion and the others.
“Fucking hell, we saw it happen when we stepped out of the coffee shop,” Taite grumbles. “We couldn’t do shit from that distance but thank fuck the others caught it in time.”
“Motherfucking cunt,” Spence snarls, drawing my attention to the sidewalk.
He reaches for the pedestrian’s face and...pulls away patches of hair. I frown and move forward, ignoring Taite who is trying to keep me at a safe distance.
“What’s going on?” I whisper, but when I get closer, I get my answer.
Luisa is the pedestrian. She shaved her freaking head and glued her curly dark hair to her face to make it seem like she’s a man. The extra clothes she put on changed her figure and hid the gun. She tried to change her outer appearance in an effort to stay hidden until she could kill us.
Unsuccessful.
“It’s over,” I sigh in relief.
Grayer turns to me and takes me in his arms. “Yeah, the cunt thought she could take us out. The way she ran over my father in the damn street.”
I rear my head back to stare into his eyes. “What?”
Grayer grimaces. “She confessed right before she set Balta on fire. I didn’t share that little fact because it doesn’t make a damn difference. She was on our hitlist anyway, and it doesn’t bring my father back.”
“I’m so sorry,” I muse and hug him tight.
I can feel his lips brush a kiss on the top of my head. “Why don’t you go inside the clinic with Taite? I need to call Remmer to clear this shit up.”
Dion steps closer. “I’m going to grab all of us some new coffee and join you guys.”
“Thanks, brother,” Grayer rumbles and glances down at me. “Sound good?”
I try to give him a radiant smile, though it feels off with a corpse bleeding out a few feet away.
“The coffee definitely. Knowing the danger is over sounds fantastic. Yet, it’s going to take a while to process everything.
People are seriously fucked up. What happened to your father, what he stood for, how you picked it up, the events that followed, and with their son kidnapping me...
yeah. I definitely need coffee and then to open the clinic. Come find me when you’re done?”
“Always,” Grayer murmurs and places a swift kiss on my lips.
Taite walks right next to me when I grab my keys to open the door of the clinic when she says, “Danger will always be lurking around the corner with these guys working crime cases. Though, with their training and devotion the brotherhood can handle almost anything. I experienced hell firsthand, when I grew up in another MC. One that fell apart and lost all meaning of brotherhood. I’m still thankful Dion came into my life and showed me found family can be worth its weight in gold.
The way you bounced back just now from experiencing what happened?
Damn girl, you’re fucking strong and exactly what Xane needs as his old lady. ”
Her words make me think as I flip on the lights as I walk to the back of the clinic.
“Going through stuff gives you a whole different view on things,” I finally tell her.
She bobs her head. “Hell yeah.”
“It also makes me grateful for what I have and it’s why moving forward is easier than breaking down into a sobbing mess.
That woman who lost her life just now has only herself to blame with the shit she did.
There’s not an inch of pity or so much as a single thought I want to waste on the woman.
Especially not when her vile son hurt me the way he did.
I’m simply done with assholes ruining the world. They aren’t worth my time.”
Taite jabs her hands into the air. “High five.”
My mouth twitches with a smile and I smack her hand. Hard. We both wince and rub our hand.
“Maybe a little less enthusiasm will be better,” Taite chuckles.
I snicker and hear Dion say, “You girls having fun already, eh?”
“Without coffee, imagine that.” Taite smirks.
Dion hands her a cup of coffee and leans in to kiss her.
He turns to me and I take the coffee from his hand when he says, “Your old man will be done in a few minutes.”
“Her old man is already here,” Grayer rumbles from behind him. “Did you bring me a coffee?”
“Go get your own, asshole,” Dion mutters.
Grayer flips him off and I offer him my cup of coffee.
He takes a few sips and hands it back. “I’ll grab some more when you see your first patient of the day, okay? Need anything else?”
Smiling, I tell him something that’s now within reach. “A ride on your bike.”
Grayer grins and murmurs, “You got it,” before he leans down to kiss me.
He tastes like my coffee and a promise of something enticing and sweet. Finally, life took a turn toward a future that’s wide open and ours for the taking. The way it should have been when we were younger.
Now we’re older and know for a fact that uncertainties, opportunities, and dilemmas can hold you back, but they should never be the reason to step aside and give up on the things you really want.
A life together. It’s as simple and solid as that. Something we both suffered and gone to war for and will finally able to enjoy it for the rest of our lives.