Page 60 of Riot

He snorts, derision lacing the sound as he paces. “I don’t know how you can say that.”Because I have to believe it.Dash threads his fingers behind his neck, staring up at the sky, two seconds from unravelling. “Where the fuck did things go so wrong?”

I know exactly when and where, but I don’t allow myself to say it. The moment the Pioneers threatened stability in our club, Crank fucking crumbled. He couldn’t stand against the violence Desmond Richardson brought with him, and he didn’t want to.He’s a weak man and an even weaker President flanked by just as shitty a VP.

“Things will get better,” I repeat, this time with a little more conviction.

He blows out a breath and leans back against the fence behind him. “You remember when we first started prospecting?”

Despite everything, my lips twitch. “It’s kinda hard to forget.”

We went through hell to gain our patches. Entry into the Sons ain’t a walk in the park. Twelve months of walking through fire to show our mettle, our loyalty to the club.

It fucking guts me to lose Dash like this, but I ain’t gonna convince him to stay either. Things are gonna get messy, and he deserves to get out if he wants to.

“Maybe one day I’ll be able to come back, but I don’t know, Riot. The way things are now, this doesn’t feel like home anymore.”

That I understand, because I feel the same. “I’m sorry you feel like this is the only way.”

“I hate it. I don’t want to walk away from my brothers, from my city, but if I stay here, I’ll end up walking away from the club entirely.”

I drag in a breath through my nose, my jaw aching from the tightness of it as I try not to scream into the sky. It feels like everything is falling apart… Ivy, the club, shit with my brother.

“You gotta do what you gotta do, brother.”

He nods, ducking his head as he scuffs the toe of his boot through the gravel. “I’d appreciate it if you don’t say anything to anyone. Not yet. I want to talk it through with National, see what Rav and Nox say before I drop it on Crank.”

He wants to make sure he has somewhere to go before he burns his bridges here. I get it.

“I won’t talk,” I assure him. “Where you plannin’ on goin’?”

“Maybe Manchester. They still need numbers after the war, and Howler runs a tight ship.”

Howlerisa good President. He’s exactly what leadership should be. He’s also knee-deep in this plot to get Crank out, so Dash would be trading one storm for another.

Dash glances at me. “You know you could come with me. Your brother would understand. Hell, he might even join us. He’s got an old lady and a kid to think about.”

It’s a tempting offer, one I wish I could take, but how the fuck could I walk away and leave Mace and Nicky to deal with this? I know for a fact my brother will never leave his best friend’s side, and I will never walk away from Mace either, even with our current… whatever the fuck this shit is between us.

And Ivy…

Fuck, I’ll never leave her.

“I got too many ties here.”

He nods, dropping his hands to his hips and lowering his head. “I wish things were different.”

I just shoot him a wry smile. “Me too, pal.”

Dash gives me a smile of his own that is laced with sadness.

“Anyway,” he mutters, “I just wanted you to hear it from me first.”

“Appreciate that, and Dash, you know you’ll always have a place here.”

“Right.”

I watch as he walks back into the building, my stomach a ball of knots. I trail my fingers over the patch on my chest, anger burning through me at how things have been so fucked-up.

This patch has to mean something. Everything we’re doing has to be for something. I refuse to believe otherwise.

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