Page 106 of Bullet

No, this wasn’t her fault. It was mine.

Willow breezed past me and approached Romeo. “Put him in Kodiak’s room. My bag is set up. But listen, if this is an open brain injury, he’s going to the hospital by ambulance.” She wrapped her arm around Kiss. “I missed you, sweetheart. Come with me.”

“Help him,” she pleaded. She stumbled in her steps and stared at Levi, then at her baby bump as they hurried to the back rooms.

“What happened?” Levi asked me.

“It’s my fault. My ex hurt Blue and Kiss in order to get to me. And now he has Bullet.” Tears soaked my face. “I did this. I brought all this shit back to the MC.”

Trust my instincts.When Mars found me at the Landing Strip, those instincts had told me to run. I should’ve listened.

“Bullet never would’ve found me. Blade wouldn’t be telling Dozer to get weapons. Levi, what if Romeo rides with them?” On instinct, my hand went to her belly.

Levi grabbed my arm and hauled me to her room. Once the door closed, she spun toward me. “You need to listen to me, Stormy. You didn’t bring anything back to the MC.” She hitched her thumb over her shoulder. “That right there, that’s life with the Heller Raiders. My mom has been stitching up bikers longer than I’ve been alive. Everyone out there carries a fucking gun. Ride or die for family. You’re one of us now.”

She growled and grabbed her belly.

“I have to pee.” She rushed into the bathroom but left the door open as she continued to chew my ass. “Do you care about Bullet?” Her voice echoed in the bathroom.

“I do.” I sat on the edge of her bed, and my gaze tracked the perimeter of the room.

I cared about all of them. Since coming to the MC, I’d changed. Even with a gun on the nightstand next to a tin of weed, I wasn’t scared. Levi was right. This was life in the MC.

And this girl was everything I wished I could be. Fiercely protective, yet so open and accepting. She had a few baby things on the dresser.

A small shelf held perfume, lotions, and pictures of her and Romeo. One picture was of them askids. Another picture was a group of kids sitting on what looked to be their dad’s bikes. Romeo’s joker smile was easy to place. I’d guess it was a young Rogue and Bullet standing next to the bike.

Levi continued chatting from the bathroom. “Then you have to accept these guys the way they are.”

I did accept Bullet for who he was. The guns, the girls, the bikes and brotherhood. But I couldn’t accept what Emerson would do to him to get to me.

The toilet flushed, and the water ran. “Our guys can’t fight if they’re worried about us.” Levi came back into the room. “I know you’re scared.” She forced a smile, but I could see the tremble in her lips. “Because of what they did to Blue, and because Kiss is somehow involved, I know Romeo will want to ride with them.” She rested a hand on her belly. “I’m scared, too.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered and pulled her into my arms.

“It’s not your fault. Romeo said this is all unfinished club business. Let them finish it.”

After a moment’s hesitation, I nodded.

“Stormy, he’s called Bullet for a reason.”

“I know.” Because he was good at killing, but so were the men with Emerson. Bullet wouldn’t be able to get out of this one, and the Hellers would be too late.

“Come on.” Levi started for the door. “We need to be the last thing the Hellers see when they ride out.”

“Can you give me a minute? I need to use the restroom.”

“Don’t take too long. They’re ready to go.” She slipped out the door. I waited ten seconds, then I grabbed Levi’s gun off the dresser, her keys off a hook by the door, and my phone.

Slipping out of the room, I hurried down the hall, out the side entrance, and scurried across the parking lot. My heart pounded as I unlocked the car door, sat behind the wheel, and turned the ignition.

Ignoring the Hellers outside at the oil drum, I entered the code at the gate and drove out of the MC.

Four months ago, I’d run from the industrial park. My life could’ve ended there, but an intimidating man wearing a cut and reeking of mayhem saved me. Now, it was my turn to save him.

My hands trembled as I held the steering wheel. I was officially a criminal just like my boyfriend. Tonight, I’d committed grand larceny, a stolen handgun, and I prayed Emerson gave me the opportunity to kill him before he killed me.

But the only way I’d get the chance was if I could get to Bullet first. Holding the steering wheel with one hand, I dialed a number I tried for four months to forget with my other.

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