Page 80 of Piston

He nods seriously. “With my life.”

I flinch, and Eli gives me a small smile before kissing my forehead and whispering, "You’re precious, baby. I need you safe.”

I nod, understanding him fully. He’s gone from commitment-phobic to not liking me out of his sight. I know the feeling.

I smile at him, and Cam puts the truck in drive, while Elijah watches as we drive out of the gate. I flinch, flashbacks of last month hit me, Adam’s dead eyes flashing through my mind, causing Cam to grab my hand, squeezing it tight. I whisper, “Can we make two pitstops before school?”

He looks my way, sees my tears, and nods, and I squeeze his hand back in thanks.

“Hi Adam…” I whisper, placing the flowers on his grave. Then I kneel, gently tracing his name. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come before now.” Guilt fills me. The Killers were after me to get what they wanted, and he died because of it. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.” I sob and drop my head.

He didn’t deserve to die. He would still be here if he’d stayed inside the guard house.

Sobs wrack my body as I bend over, the guilt pulling me, before I feel hands wrap around my arms, and gently pull me up.

I turn, and my eyes connecting the dark green ones I love so much.

“Diamond,” Elijah whispers, and I sob, shaking my head. Pain seeps off him, and he pulls me into his embrace.

“It’s a-all m-my fault,” I cry, gripping his tee.

He holds me tighter. “It’s not, baby, I swear it’s not.” I shake my head and grip his tee tighter, and he gets firm. “It’s true, Nat, it’s not your fault. I should have known you’d come here, that you didn’t want to get to the school early to get settled back in. You let your guilt bury you, and it stops now, baby. What happened fucking sucks, and we lost a great guy, an amazing guy, who loved his club, but it wasn’t your fault he died, it’s the Killers’, and we’ll get them, Diamond. Whether it’s today, next week, or next month, we’ll get them, and we’ll take revenge for his death, I swear it. But don’t keep blaming yourself, he wouldn’t want that, and you know it.”

I sniffle. “I-I didn’t even get to go to his funeral….”

Elijah sighs and pulls back, cupping my cheeks and wiping his thumbs over them. “I know, Diamond, and for that, I am sorry, but I’ll bring you here whenever you want, okay?”

I nod and pull him to me, and he smiles a little, and kisses my lips, before I pull back and frown. “How’d you know I was here?”

He smiles. “Cam sent me his location.”

I nod, then lay my head against his chest, my eyes going to Adam’s grave, the words,“A hero in his own right”catching my attention. I sob, causing Elijah to hold me tighter.

“I’m so sorry,” I rasp, and Eli kisses my head, allowing me to cry over a man who gave his life trying to save me.

I sigh as I run my hand down my face, grimacing at the glitter.

“Is that…? Nat, did Piston pour glitter on you again?”

I turn to the voice in the doorway of my classroom and see Perrie in her gym gear, staring at my head with wide eyes.

I snort. “No, this time it was all me. I knocked the shelf, and the tub just kind of fell on top of me.”

She grins at my admittance, then laughs, and I stick my tongue out at her, making her laugh louder.

After Elijah found me at the cemetery this morning, he followed me to school then headed back to the club while Cam stayed behind.

Elijah mentioned something about following me every morning from now on, but I didn’t argue with him. He didn’t want me to return to school, especially with his father and my step-monster still at large, so I stayed compliant.

“Okay, you hyena. What are you doing here? Are you finally coming out of hiding?” I ask as I grab my bag, happy it’s the end of the day.

The first day back at school is always tiring, but after the summer from hell and the fact that I’m pregnant—ten weeks to be exact—my body is adjusting, and so is my mind.

“Can’t I come to see my friend?” she asks, and I grin as she walks over to one of the little desks, and sits.

“Always,” I answer, then ask, nodding to the desk, “Do you want to re-do 5th grade?”

She leans back and snorts. “God, no. How’s Cooper?”

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