Page 12 of Blood & Ash

It should be me, but Goose knows me well enough to realize I can’t be the one that snuffs out the light in her eyes and live with myself after.

Despite the tough guy attitude I live by, deep down I loved her. I never admitted it to her or even to myself. But though she’s still currently breathing, I’ve lost her as well.

Part of me always thought maybe she loved me, too.

Really fucking read her all wrong.

The way she played me–I’ll never make that mistake twice.

What made her go this far? Blackmail and murder? What happened to the girl I fell for all those years ago? The one with so many hopes and dreams of leaving this place for better.

Shelby is dead to me.

She’s got to be.

No amount of explanations will change that.

Whatever her reason was, what she did was inexcusable.

Unforgivable.

She could have come to me if someone was threatening her.

Emotions clog my throat. The bitterness of reality settles on my tongue.

The timing with Randy being taken out isn’t adding up. This goes much deeper than greed. Something else is at play.

There’s no way this is all Shelby.

It hits me.

The stupid bitch is a pawn in a much bigger game.

A puppet.

A distraction.

I look at Goose. “Change of plans. We need to get Shelby and find Randy’s boys. Put them in lockdown and get some answers.”

He raises his brow. “And Marty?”

“That bastard too.”

He nods. “It’ll take more than the two of us.”

“I know. Fuck.” I take out my phone and send out a message.

Church.

We ride toward the clubhouse, not another word exchanged between us. The path that lays ahead of us is nothing but a long stretch of pavement, cold and daunting, leading us towards a future that holds no guarantees.

Everything we’ve bled for is at risk.

We do this tonight or we end up with nothing.

Everything is on the line.

The club.

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