Page 42 of Everlasting

“He did,” I said at the same time my father nodded his head.

“He has memory of everyone, though he’s still missing things,” he told us both as he took us to one of the couches to be seated in order to get Lily off her feet. Dad focused his attention on me though. “The whole way back he kept mumbling about not wanting you to see him like this. He didn’t want us to bring him to the house because that’s where he thought you’d be waiting.”

“He should know better,” I managed to huff past the emotion that was threatening to choke me.

“All he knows right now is the itch he has for the poison that cunt was pumping in his veins.”

My eyes met my father’s then, and I didn’t bother to hide the fury in them. “When that baby comes out of her, I better get my time in,” I demanded.

“Ever, I don’t think,” he started to say.

“It’s not about you or what you think. It’s not even about any of them either,” I spoke, my voice grew louder with each word, and I realized I had everyone’s attention. “What she did… She stole time from us that we can’t get back. She stole moments and memories, and she turned him into something he never was and now never can escape. She took our Deck from us. He might be back, he might get better, but he will never be the same Deck. She stole that. I know everyone here thinks they deserve a piece of her because he’s your brother, your friend, your President. He’s more than all of that to me. He is my best friend, my lover, my champion, my fucking hero, and when I tell you that the line starts here and I don’t care if any of you get your piece of revenge, so long as I do, then I fucking mean it. This club owes me. Now, it owes my family even more because he should have never been out there to begin with.”

The room was dead silent until Trunk spoke. “We’ll take that under consideration.”

“You think so?” I asked. “I’m not giving you a fucking choice here, Trunk. I don’t give a good goddamn about your ‘boys only’ rule or any of your other bullshit you plan to spout at me. That man, the one who was just brought in here so broken he couldn’t even look me – his best friend, wife, life fucking companion – in the face. He is mine! I will handle that vile piece of whore flesh you’re keeping in the pit and you won’t say a fucking word about it. This isn’t a vote. You don’t get to do that. This is my fucking life. His fucking life. Not something to be stripped down to some catch-all you want to call ‘club business’!”

“Did you forget where the hell you are?” Trunk lashed out because, yeah, I’d just disrespected him and his authority in front of everyone. He may only have been acting president while Deck was away, but he was still the VP.

“Enough!” a booming voice called out from over by the door. The older man with eyes the color of the Mediterranean Sea stepped further into the room with a whole entourage following behind him. Part of the group, I could see, included some of the women from the S.H.E. MC.

“Ever, your disrespect will be overlooked today, because we all know what you’ve been through for a year now because of the position club business put your old man in.” He didn’t hesitate and turned to Trunk. “Not sure what’s going on with you, but your first reaction to her impassioned plea should not have been to shut it down and disrespect her claim either, brother. That’s not how this club has ever operated. The women might not hold positions in our ranks, but they’re an important part of our life and what they have to say matters too. Especially your president’s old lady.”

Trunk’s eyes slid to mine and I could see the remorse swimming in them. “Sorry, Evie. So sorry, honey.”

I just shook my head. I understood, but Trunk had been on edge for a long while now and not quite himself. I glanced toward my dad and noticed that he was scrutinizing Trunk as well. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to worry over it too much because Ghost spoke again.

“I promise you that you will have your time with her,” Ghost told me as he closed in and leaned down to give me a hug. “You will need to save something of her for your husband, because he deserves his own revenge, but I will give you the time you need too.” It was a whispered promise in my ear, but one that I knew I could count on. Ghost was retiring from his position as National President to the Aces High MC soon. I just had to hope that I was able to get my time in with her before that happened and his promise no longer held the weight it once did.

Ghost then leaned in and hugged Lily. “Tiger Lily, we’re doing all we can to make sure Merc is stable enough to transport back to you. Jay says he’s doing well so far, but that he’ll probably need a few more days. Until then, and once he’s home, whatever you need. You let me know, and we’ll get it done, you hear?”

“Thank you,” she answered back quietly before she turned to me. “I need some rest.”

I nodded and stood, ready to take her home, but my father put a hand on my arm to stop me. “I’ll take her home. You stay in case Deck needs you.”

“Ever, can I speak with you a moment, in private?” Angel Girl, the President of the S.H.E. MC stood beside her father as she made the request. I nodded my head and then followed her to the kitchen area of the clubhouse. MiMi, one of the other S.H.E. members came along as well as my sister-in-law, Christina.

“What’s going on?”

“The woman you told us about and asked us to keep an eye on?”

“Yeah?”

“We haven’t heard back from her. We were hoping you would go with us to check up on her in person, since she knows you.”

I glanced around, feeling a little bit guilty about leaving to go do that, but also feeling just as guilty if I didn’t go to check on her. “Can you give me a minute to go check in on Deck first?”

“Of course,” Angel Girl told me, and I didn’t waste a moment. I had attempted to contact Ava yesterday and hadn’t thought anything of it when I didn’t hear back right away, but now the other women had me more concerned as I moved through the clubhouse toward the room they used as the club’s infirmary. I stood outside of the door, contemplating whether or not I should go in when the man known as Durbin stepped out.

“Oh! Hi, sorry, I didn’t realize anyone was standing out here,” he mentioned when he nearly hit me with the door.

“No, I just came up and was debating on whether I should knock or walk in,” I told him with a shrug of my shoulders. I felt more like a naughty kid who’d been called to the principal’s office than a wife worried over her husband’s health.

“Ever, do you want me to be frank with you, or do you want me to blow smoke up your ass?”

“Blunt honesty is my specialty and I respect it in others,” I confirmed for him.

“Good, because to be honest, I’m not a ‘blow smoke’ type person. Here’s the deal, and I’m starting from the beginning of my involvement and giving you the Cliff’s Notes version, you ready?”

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