Page 113 of Dagger

“Mom,” Sophie called out. “We’re traveling with you.”

“Us too,” Kennedy added, walking with Kai and Kady toward me.

I glanced at the three SUVs lined up waiting for us. An uneasy feeling slid through me. I ignored it and followed John to the car, watching him place my case with the others in the back of thevehicle. He slammed the trunk down, gave our driver, Shotgun, a friendly clap on the back, and turned to pull me close.

My arms slid around his back, and he rested his chin on my forehead. “You got everythin’ you need?” he asked.

I looked up into his eyes and nodded, fearful that the emotion filling my chest would turn to tears. I didn't want to cry. I had to be strong, not just for the girls, but also so John wouldn't worry about me.

He needed all his wits about him to deal with what was to come. Worrying about me would take his head out of the game.

“I’ll send for you as soon as the danger’s passed,” he said, the low tone of his voice almost a vow.

“Be careful, John,” I murmured. “Call me if you need me.”

He planted a kiss on my forehead, opened one of the SUV's back doors, and helped me inside. “Take care of yourself, Leesy. Don’t do anythin’ I wouldn’t.” He motioned for me to put my seat belt on and closed the door after me.

I whirred the window down and smiled at him. “Well, that opens up a multitude of possibilities.”

He gave Sophie and Ned a nod, then he kissed his fingers and leaned in the car to touch them to Kady and Belle’s cheeks. “Gonna miss my girls,” he murmured, his voice cracking slightly.

Shotgun slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine.

John shot me a wink before tapping the top of the SUV twice and calling out, “Let’s go.”

As we pulled away and drove through the open gates of the compound, I couldn’t help wondering how long it would be before I saw John again, because if the ache pulsating through my heart and the empty feeling in my chest told me anything, it was that it wouldn’t be soon enough.

Chapter Nineteen

Dagger

Keeping my shit together while watching Elise being driven out of the clubhouse gates was the hardest thing I’d ever had to do.

Our conversation in her room almost knocked me on my ass. Elise had finally given me a sign that I wasn’t wasting my time pursuing her, and I couldn’t have been more relieved.

Holding back from my woman had been a strain.

I’d always gone after what I wanted, at least when it came to her, so having to tamp down my base instincts around my Leesy was akin to asking me not to breathe. Having my soulmate so close but not taking her in my arms where she belonged didn’t come naturally to a man like me. I was an MC prez, used to making snap decisions and acting on them at the speed of lightning. Slowing my roll wasn’t something I was used to doing.

The brake lights came on briefly as Shotgun slowed the car, waiting for the other vehicles full of women and kids to catch up.

I watched Fender lean into the passenger seat of Maze’s vehicle and kiss his wife Ashley goodbye one last time before standing back and watching them drive away.

Fuck, this was hard. Leesy leaving, and watching my boys have to say goodbye to their women and kids was soul-destroying. Fender and Ashey had been together since high school. He’d be lost without her.

Finally, all three cars turned onto the main road.

It was typical. Elise and I had finally discussed a way forward, and then I had to put her in a car and watch her drive away from me.

Our timing was terrible, but wasn’t that usually the case with us?

I jumped slightly as a hand landed on my shoulder and squeezed. “Well, that’s us getting DoorDash for the foreseeable.”

I turned to Abe, and my lips quirked. “We must be fuckin’ touched sending ‘em away.”

Abe nodded thoughtfully, his stare going to where the cars had disappeared. “I’m startin’ to think the same thing.” He sighed, his eyes sliding to mine. “You and Elise looked cozy. You have a breakthrough?”

“Yeah,” I murmured. “We gotta couple of things sorted out. Still gotta long way to go, though.”

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