Page 128 of What Lies Within

"I don't think the decision has anything to do with me." She sets her hands on either side of my face and tilts my head toward her. "Are you making this choice with your head or heart, though?"

"Both." Tossed that thought around on the ride back here, too.

Wanted to be sure I wasn’t acting out of impulse. That I didn’t make a rash decision based on one bad day. I let the wind whip around me while I rode that goddamn highway andfocused on the growl of the engine to quiet my mind. Got real focused up in there and just let the thought of stepping down as the Red River Reaper’s president sit in my body to see where I felt it.Howit felt.

My mind knew it was time, but I also feared how the news would be taken.

My heart beat faster at the thrill of change.

And my gut settled, weightless and confident I’d be okay.

I won't let anyone down. I don't leave them unprotected or at risk. I ain't going anywhere; I just don't want to be the guy tasked with making decisions that affect the lives of everyone around me anymore.

I've done my tenure. Nine years, I've led from the front. Twenty-one, I've dedicated my life to the club.

I’m ready to ride behind someone else again.

“Well.” Digger drops his arms with a slap as his hands hit his thighs. “Guess we better go tell ‘em then.”

“Wait.” Rae reaches out, capturing him by the wrist. “We should take another few minutes to talk about something else.”

The two of them exchange a look—one I don’t like feeling excluded from.

Digger frowns. “Are you sure? I don’t want to rush it.”

"Now seems like the right time, don't you think? While we're talking about our plans for the future."

“You two gonna clue me in?” I drop my hand away from Rae.

She stiffens, well fucking aware I’m growing more annoyed by the second.

"Fine." Digger huffs like a bratty little girl. "I told Rae, while we were waitin' on the news about you, that when you got back, I wanted to set some shit straight."

My stomach churns.Thisis what it feels like for things to be wrong. Off. Fucking about to implode.

“I figure, if you two want to make this work—serious—we need to figure some shit out.”

“Like what?” I damn near choke on my words.

If they fucking tell me they want to do this alone. If I’m about to get cut out of this goddamn arrangement… fuck.

"We can't keep doing this," he says, fucking slicing me in two. "Here." Digger hastily adds, reading the motherfucking panic on my face. "I want us to have a place of our own. A home for Rae. Just because you and me gotta be busy with the club day in and day out doesn't mean she needs to be, too."

“Couldn’t agree more.” I rub the heel of one hand down the center of my chest.Fuck me.Way to give a man issues.

"We need to set ground rules around who gets time with Rae and when so that neither of us feels left out."

"This ain't a goddamn hire-by-the-hour agreement," I snap. "We all live under the same roof. We all talk to each other like adults. If any one of us feel we're bein' left out, then we fucking say so.”

"I think perhaps we should just play it by ear," Rae says softly. "That won't be our biggest concern, anyway."

"What is?" The fuck these two been gossiping about while I've been gone.

"Kids." Digger shrugs. "I want my own, and Rae hasn't yet reached that part of her life." He narrows his eyes on me. "We gonna have issues over who's the father? I mean, we can't keep track if we're… you know."

“All throwin’ our porridge in the same pot?” I smirk.

Digger fights a grin.

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