Page 55 of The Devil's Redemption

I can’t speak any more. Blade pulls me closer to him, and I try to force my body to relax. To let go of the pain and allow Blade to replace it with his warming touch. I don’t know how long we lay there, tangled in one another’s arms. But eventually, Blade is able to lull me into a deep sleep.

There once was a time when I laid in this bed, waiting for the moment that I’d be able to escape it.

Now I pray I never have to leave.

Chapter Twenty

Leaving Sasha,snuggled in my t-shirt and in my bed, was extremely hard this morning. If it weren’t for the fact that we’re resuming our search for Jasper today, I never would have unwrapped my arms from around her body.

When she pounced on me yesterday, I almost lost it as soon as I realized what was happening. To feel her hands on my body again was delicious agony. No matter how much she touched me, or where, it wasn’t enough. Nothing will ever compare to the feeling of being rooted deep inside of her. And after what felt like eons, it was even better than the first time we were together.

But then she started sobbing, and I swear to God, I thought my heart was going to fall out of my chest. When she told me some of what he did to her… I thought I wanted to know everything, but to know even a mere fraction of it, I don’t know if I could handle hearing any more.

I know what she told me was just the tip of the iceberg, and the fact that she survived makes my chest swell with pride at the same time as lava pours into my veins. I reaffirm my promise to destroy Jasper as my bike roars down the dirt road that leads to the Bastards’ clubhouse. We’re meeting Royce and some of his members there, then we’ll all make the ride to Chambersburg together.

Parking our bikes out front, I’m irritated they aren’t out here, ready to go. This isn’t a fucking social visit. I want to get on the road and get some fucking answers. I take a deep breath, giving myself a second to chill out. I get it. I know that Stone doesn’t want to step on the Bastards’ toes or get on their bad side. We’re not best friends, but we’ve always been able to play nice with them. I can’t lie, it’s nice having the backing of such a large club. And, if it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t have the information that we do now.

That’s enough to allow me to chill out a little while we wait for them. Walking away from my bike, I rest against the fence along the driveway. Cap follows my lead.

“Yo, man. You heard from Lizzy yet?”

“What? No, why?” I inquire with attitude that Cap doesn’t deserve.

After how she treated Sasha the other day, Ishouldhave a talk with her. She knows that kind of behavior isn’t acceptable toward an ol’ lady. In the social hierarchy of the club, ol’ ladies are far above the Doxies. Especially the ol’ lady of an officer.

“Yesterday, after you left, I reemed her out for acting like a skank in front of Sasha. Told her she needed to make it right.”

“Yeah, Sasha wasn’t too happy by the time we got home. It sort of worked to my benefit, though. She attacked me once we got to my room. I think she was trying to mark me.”

We both laugh.

“It’s the first time we’ve… Been able to be intimate since…”

“Oh, damn,” Cap replies.

“Yeah, it didn’t end too well. Brought up all sorts of fucked up memories of what happened. I feel so fucking bad for her. Makes me that much more eager to find this fucker.”

“I feel you, man. We’re going to get him,” he promises.

“Anyway… You really think Lizzy is going to say she’s sorry?”

“Actually, yeah. Mariah even told her off.”

Our conversation is cut off when someone opens the front door of the clubhouse. I watch as Royce steps out onto the front porch followed by several of his men and the younger girl we met the other day. He dips down and pulls her in for a kiss that is a little too long to be had in front of company.

When they finally break free of one another, he casually descends the steps, meeting up with us at the bottom.

“Stone,” Royce nods, acknowledging the rest of us silently.

“Royce, how have you been?” Stone asks.

“Well, to be honest, I’ll be better once my daughter is returned to me. I take it she’s nearly recovered by now?”

Does he not understand what happened? I know he didn’t see the condition the girls were in when we got them out of there, but surely he must have heard from Hawk how bad it was.

“Has Hawk not been keeping you apprised of her progress?” Stone asks.

“Oh, he has. But I have a hard time believing she’s still too fragile to be transported, as he told me just last night.”

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