Page 53 of What Lies Within

As if that ain’t the most perfect feeling ever: her tight against me where she belongs.

“Hey.” Hand stroking over her head, I press kisses against the clean parts of her hair. “Got plenty of time for this when we’re somewhere safe. Think you can be strong for me just a little longer?”

“Sure.” She hiccups a breath and then takes a step back, face crumpling with what I hope is relief. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I left, that I walked out, that?—”

"What's done is done." I grab her by the hand again and lead her toward the front door. "Just glad you ain't the one on the floor, baby girl." I lead us outside, both out of urgency and the need to hide the fucking fear plastered across my face.

Too fucking close.Too fucking close in so many ways.

Close to home. Close to her. Close to death. Close to the biggest mistake of my life.

Too fucking close.

Jamie hovers near the three bikes, Harvey leaving a trail of dust as he peels down the driveway in the fucking Ford. “What do we do?” She gestures to the trio. “Which one do I leave behind?”

"Take Harvey's home." It's a little large for her, but the kid wouldn't forgive me if I left it here for Fox to trash. Rigs, on the other hand, well fuck, I can buy him a new spare. "You good to ride?"

She nods, shaking out her arms. “Yeah. I am now.”

Out of sight, out of mind.Nothing like seeing your first dead body to shake the shit out of you, that’s for sure.

“Get on your way, then. We won’t be far behind.” I pass Rae my helmet, shaking off the familiarity of rescuing her this way.

“What about you?” She tries to push the lid back toward me.

“Don’t give a fuck about myself, sweetheart.” I twist the helmet around and plop it on her head before she can protest again. “But I care too much about you to risk it.”

Her hands wrap tenderly around my wrists as I buckle the lid. Fuck Fox. Fuck the urgency to get the hell out of here. The way this woman looks at me, full of trust and respect—shit. Makes me want to do all manner of things to show her I hold her in the same regard.

Makes me want to prove to her there’s a reason she has my name on her back.

There’s a reason why I knew I’d goddamn do it the minute I laid eyes on her.

Why I gave up fighting something so impossible.

Why I admitted to myself that I fell in love with her at first sight.

Even if I haven’t told her yet.

22

RAE

She fucking slit her throat. Maddie cut Sweetie’s throat. She killed her. Her friend. One of the club. A club member is dead because of me. Because of us. She killed one of her own…

The thoughts don't relent as Digger rockets us back to the clubhouse. The way he rides is frantic, urgent, and, honestly, scares me a little. But I get it. So, I cling to him like a fucking koala and pray that we make it back in one piece, all the while keeping my gaze on the road streaking past us in a blur of grays and greens, praying even harder that we don’t see him.

Either of them.

Fox, or this mysterious Ronan.

The tension eases out of my arms as Digger slows us down and turns into the Reapers' compound, the familiar jolt as we cross the tracks of the gate a goddamn relief. The truck is parked haphazardly, but there's no sign of Maddie or Harvey.

Jamie pauses her path across the yard when she sees us pull in.

The girl's growing on me. She's young and less experienced than the men around her, but she's not afraid to get her hands dirty.

To learn.

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