Page 135 of Dagger

John leaned forward and took both my hands in his again. “Thing is, I realize now that subconsciously, I always knew I’d come for you.”

“How?” I whispered.

“I can’t explain it,” John’s thumb rubbed comfortingly over mine, “but I can show you.” White teeth flashed through his salt-and-pepper beard, and my heart stopped. “You wanna come for a ride with me, Leesy?” he asked, his deep voice a sexy drawl.

“Yeah,” I breathed without hesitation because, at that moment, I would’ve followed John Stone to the ends of the earth with just a crook of his finger.

He stood, keeping hold of my hand, and tugged me from my seat straight into his body. Strong hands came up to frame my face. “Are you sure?”

A memory pinged and I was transported back thirty-four years to the warm summer night I gave myself to John Stone, heart and soul.

“Need to ask you one last time,” he murmured. “Are you sure?”

My eyes lifted to meet his. “I’ve never been surer of anything, John Stone. I want you. If you stopped now, I think I’d die.”

John’s mouth hitched. “Well, I don’t want that.”

The burn took my breath away, and I couldn’t help thinking about all the time we’d lost. We were meant to have it all: love, marriage, and babies, but it didn’t happen for us.

We threw it away.

I needed to decide if I wanted to throw away the next thirty-four years, too, or did I want to reach out and grab happiness with both hands? I’d lived in pain for so long and was so used to feeling empty that it was an addiction. Was it time to wean myself off the pain and open my eyes to what things could be if I only let it?

Our gazes pulled together like magnets. John’s eyes shone with emotion, and I suspected mine did, too, by the way he stared into them.

My heart expanded with all the joy inside, and my mouth curved. “I’m sure,” I said determinedly. “Let’s go.”

John’s grin split his face, and he grabbed my hand, tugging me out of the back door. “This way,” he murmured, glancing over his shoulder at me while pulling me across the back yard. “It’s quicker.”

I let out an excited laugh. “What’s quicker? Where are we going?”

“To where it all began, baby,” he declared.

We rounded the back of the clubhouse, and John led me toward the massive garage that housed the brothers’ trucks and bikes. “Are we taking your bike?” I asked breathily. “Oh my God. I haven’t been on the back of a bike since San Diego.”

He chuckled, letting go of my hand to delve into his pocket for a set of keys. “No bike tonight. Too dangerous with the Sinners around, but it’ll come. When all this is over, we’ll plan a club run, and I want you on the back of my bike.” The lock clicked,and John grabbed my hand again, tugging me inside the garage. “Come on.”

I stepped inside just as the lights flicked on, and I gasped.

Bikes and trucks were lined up in rows with gaps between them to enable the driver to pull out. I’d never seen so many vehicles in one place. There were more here than a car showroom, and all of them were gleaming.

“This way,” John muttered, guiding me toward a row of vehicles at the back of the room.

They seemed older, classic even, but still in perfect condition. We walked toward a big, black Dodge and I did a double take. “Isn’t that Bandit’s old truck?

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “I restored it after the old fucker died.”

“I’m shocked you managed to save the engine.” We continued down the line of old cars. “He was a good rider but a terrible driver—” I caught a flash of blue down at the end. “Oh my God,” I whispered, coming to a halt. My hands flew to my face.“Bessie?”

“You recognize her?” John asked.

Tears filled my eyes, and I nodded, lost for words.

“Hey!” he murmured, sliding an arm across my shoulders. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I just wanted you to see that I kept her for ya, Leesy. The slip’s still in your name; she’s always been yours, and I never forgot it. We had a lotta good times in Bessie.”

“Oh, John,” I whispered, my eyes still glued to the truck like it was a mirage that was about to disappear any second.

“She represented us,” John explained. “When I found out Dad took her from you, I wanted to give her back, but you were already married, and I saw you driving around town in the fancy Audi Henderson bought you, so I decided to keep her, just in case.” His eyes slid to mine, and he grinned. “Glad I did now.” His hands rested on my shoulders, and he turned me to face him. “Wanna go for a ride in her?”

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