Page 130 of Wolf

“Okay. Everybody out,” Duke says.

A collective groan fills the hospital room before Mercy stands from where she was sitting on Miriam’s bed. Her vibrant blue eyes meet mine and I commit her joy to memory. This…this is what I will continue to fight for.

It’s been a day since the incident. I’m guessing Daddy was true to his word because beyond the police informing us of our mother’s death, there haven’t been any follow up questions.

I’m hoping it stays that way and that when I insist Mercy remain with me, he doesn’t protest.

Miriam’s sweet baby girl rests in her arms, her scrunched-up little face adorably cute as she snoozes away.

I feel a pang of loss from where I stand on the other side of the room. There will be plenty of time to hold Riley Anne but not today. Today, I let the grief through knowing that tomorrow I’ll have to let it go and focus on a new day.

When Wolf wraps his arms around me from behind, I lean into his warmth. Does he sense my sorrow?

His lips caress my neck before he rasps, “Let’s go home.”

It’s all the encouragement I need and after a soft smile for my sister, I grab Mercy’s hand as we walk to the elevator.

Maddox precedes us and I hide my smile when he winks at Mercy and color suffuses her cheeks.

Giant steps into the elevator, taking up half the space and rests his arm around her shoulders.

It took less than a day for her to accept the big burly men surrounding her and I’m both amazed by her capacity to overcome the obstacles thrown in her path and grateful that so far, she seems unharmed.

Wolf takes my hand as we exit the elevator, and I glance at him from beneath my lashes. He’s so bold and strong and amazing.

He hasn’t left my side since he took me from my parent's home. The tender caress of his warm hands as he once again washed me clean, opened a new door in my heart.

With hope a warm bloom in my chest, I welcome whatever comes next because with Wolf by my side, I know that I can do anything.

Wolf

Although it’s the last thing I wanted to do, I slipped out while Lilli slept, curled around my pillow. She looks ethereal by the light of the moon, and I resist the urge to touch her one more time before stepping from the room.

With Hand dead, that’s one fucking problem down but it’s only a matter of time before the sheriff pounces. He knows why Hand was in the Abernathy house and he must now wonder if Lilli told us the whole story.

I wish she had come to me after he threatened her and her sisters, but I know that people have to make split decisions when they’re backed into a corner and what happened in the alley after didn’t inspire her to tell me the truth.

I wish I could go back and change the outcome because Miriam should not have had to shoot a man. Mercy should not have had to slip from that closet knowing something horrible had happened while she sat in the darkness.

My baby girl should not have had to point a gun at her father’s head and threaten him.

I can’t take any of that back, but I can prevent it in the future. It’s time the sheriff and I came to an understanding.

The ride clears my head. Despite knowing that my brothers would have my back, I kept my silence in case this somehow comes back to bite me in the ass.

I have no intention of leaving anything behind but that doesn’t mean shit don’t happen.

While I want to spend the rest of my life with Lilli, if prison is the trade off to ensure her safety, I’ll gladly do it.

Since I’m trying not to lead the pigs back to the clubhouse, I park my truck two blocks away on a dark street under a broken light.

The nearest house is a block down with a spread of grass between my vehicle and their front door.

The sheriff lives in a quiet neighborhood of upscale homes that don’t match his measly salary in this small town. His wife died of cancer three years ago and unless he has a honey on the side, he should be alone.

It doesn’t take much to pop the lock on the sliding glass door and I shake my head. The fucker is so arrogant he hasn’t bothered to mess with security.

Whatever. Works for me.

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