Page 74 of Waiting Game

“Safe? Safe from what? I could’ve handled Pete,” I rolled my eyes.

He scoffed, shaking his head, “I’m not talking about the fucking doctor, who by the way, I’m guessing just tried to assault you. I’m talking about the Redliners.”

“Why?” I frowned, “what’s happened now?”

“The man I killed, it was the leader’s brother. He wants my head, he wants revenge.”

I looked to the ground.

“And I killed one of them too. They’re coming for me too, aren’t they?”

“No. I won’t let them near you. But I can’t protect you here,” he said.

“I can’t just leave, Ren. I have a job, I have friends,” I shook my head.

“Valerie,” he turned, taking my hand, “I can’t be away from you anymore. I tried, okay? I won’t lose you again. I’ve seen it now, a glimpse of what our life can be. I’ve seen you in the early morning in my kitchen, in my bed, in my home and I want to see that every morning for the rest of my life. We’re meant to be together, Valerie.”

“Ren, I can’t go back-”

“No! I’m not losing you again. I won’t.” He turned his back to continue packing my bags for me.

“I don’t want to be part of that life Lorenzo. You’ve known that for decades now. And after everything that happened…”

“Fine, we’ll both leave. We’ll leave the country if we have to.”

“You wouldn’t do that to Antoni. You’d be labelled a traitor instantly.”

“All I know, is that I’m not leaving this apartment without you. I don’t care what it takes.”

“You… you’d do all that for me? Betray your best friend, your father, everyone… for me?”

He took my face in his hands.

“I would do anything. I would fight my brothers, I would move to the middle of nowhere and change my name, I would kill whoever tried to get in our way. I don’t care anymore. Wherever you go, I’m coming with you. Just tell me, Val. Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

I felt my bottom lip quiver.

If only he had said those words ten years ago.

“Tell me, bunny,” he said softly, taking my face in his hands.

“I think you should leave,” was all I could manage, I pushed him to the side and started undoing all the packing he did.

Not only did I have to worry about Pete now, but now I also had to worry about Bikies wanting revenge on me.

“Valerie, don’t do this.”

“I’m not doing anything. I’m going to go about my life as I was, before I got mixed up in all that shit that I had worked so hard to avoid in the first place. If they come for me, so be it.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Ren shook his head.

“Like what? I’ve been told my whole life to just accept who I was, and that’s what I’m doing. I’m accepting it. If they want to kill me, then fine.”

“You’re being ridiculous. I will not fucking let them hurt you. Let me protect you. Please.”

“No,” I snapped.

“Do I have to force you to come with me?” he asked in a menacing tone, stepping close and towering over me.

---