Page 245 of Smooth Sailing

Hugger had been so quiet, so lost for the last three days, I didn’t have the heart to push him on specifics. He told us where to be and when we had to be there. That morning, when they’d arrived, surprising us both, he’d let Dad, Nicole and Larry give him a hug, showing openly how shocked and touched he was they’d come.

But mostly he was stuck in his grief, and all I could do was stick close and make sure he knew I was there.

After a while, I heard all the bikes coming to life, and ran my gaze down that long, thick phalanx of Harleys.

Tack was at the front.

Rush was on his bike at the very back.

Suddenly, Tack revved his engine and then all of the bikers did it, one, two, three, four, five times.

The bikes went silent, and after a couple of beats, Rush revved his bike once.

“The Last Rev,” Keely’s trembling voice said. It broke when she finished, “It’s done.”

God, how beautiful.

“Now we can go,” Archie whispered and stood.

I stood with her and searched, finding Hugger astride his bike close to the front of the pack.

He wasn’t near.

But I knew his eyes were on me.

I touched my hand to my heart and my lips, then sent it fluttering in his direction.

Again, he wasn’t near.

But I saw him jerk up his chin.

Archie and Georgie escorted me to Dad, Nic and Larry.

And we headed back to Chaos.

A party raged outside the Compound, but inside, where only Chaos, Resurrection, Aces High (and Dad, Nic and Larry, and close friends to Chaos) were allowed, the mood was somber.

I had my eyes on my man sitting at the bar where all the brothers were hanging, drinking tequila and brooding, while the rest of us gave them a wide berth.

Dad, Nic and Larry had their eyes on me.

But it was Nicole who curled her fingers around my wrist.

I looked to her.

“Go to him,” Nicole urged.

I wasn’t sure.

I was the new girl. I didn’t want to do something stupid and mess up.

“None of the other ladies are doing it,” I replied.

“Then break the seal, sweetheart.” Dad was now close. “Those men need their women.”

“And these women need their men,” Nicole added.

Shit.

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