Page 124 of I Am Salvation

“You can’t,” I tell her. “And before you spout off a bunch of women’s lib nonsense?—”

“Women’s lib nonsense?” She lets out a sharp cackle. “I bet I’m a better shot than you are.”

“I’m sure you probably are, but are you armed?”

“I never travel without it,” she says. “I’ve had a concealed carry license since I was twenty-two years old.”

Damn.

I’m not even armed.

Maybe I do need her to come with me.

“Be sure, Diana. Because I’ll do everything I can to protect you, but I don’t know what we’re going into.”

“I am sure.” She looks into my eyes. “Where you go, I go.”

And if I wasn’t sure I could ever love her more—my heart expands.

“You’re amazing,” I say. “I don’t deserve?—”

She places her fingers over my mouth. “You’re done saying that. Understand?”

I nod. She doesn’t want to hear it. But in my heart of hearts, I know I don’t deserve this woman. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to be worthy of her.

God, I’m actually thinking about the future.

I never thought I had a future worth giving a shit about, but then, after Jesse invited me into the band and became an incredible friend to me, I thought hey, this isn’t so bad. I was able to stay sober enough as well, until that night in London.

That was because of that Griffin tattoo on one of the women.

But now…

I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I will never drink or do any kind of drug again.

Because now I truly have something worth living for.

I have the love of an amazing woman. And if all goes right today, I’ll have my baby sister back.

And I have a niece. A niece who needs me. Especially if I can’t rescue her mother.

I don’t know what kind of father I’d be, but I’d do my damnedest.

“You ready, baby?”

“I was born ready, Dragon. Let’s bring your little sister home.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Diana

Leaving Eddie and Teddy at the kennel broke my heart a little. I left our phone numbers with the kennel, and I left my parents’ information as well.

God forbid if Dragon and I don’t make it back.

That would kill my parents. So I just won’t think about it. This is nothing compared to what my father and brothers have been through in their lives.

Dragon and I don’t talk much on the drive. What is there to say? We both know we may be getting into something we won’t get out of.

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