Page 129 of Stella
“Need to get him up,” Tag says. “Not gonna happen with the ladder, the openin’ is too far.”
Calli nudges me again. “Good girl,” I say. “Such a good girl, Calli. Dad is so proud of you.” She whimpers, following the boys as they carry me out of this stinkhole, back the way we came.
“That bastard told me you were dead,” I mutter to Cash.
He looks down at me, shaking his head. “They tried, but your friend Beckett came to the rescue.”
“Beckett?” I wince. “I always hated that guy.”
“Well, he’s one of the good ones. Now stop fuckin’ talkin’, need to get you out of here. And before you ask, your dog’s right next to me, like she’d let you out of her sight.”
I chuckle, but it hurts. I’ve never been shot before. I came close a few times, but I’ve managed to stay relatively unscathed. It hurts like a bitch.
If my life is hanging by a thread, then at least I got to meet my real dad, and fall in love for the first time. And my dog didn’t get shot, that’s gotta count for something. Calli did amazing. That asshole Vanders is dead, and I’m gonna make sure he goes down for all of this. There are so many more things I need to do, and yet, I’m being carted out of here with a gunshot wound. It’s hard to tell how bad it is, maybe I don’t want to know. But I know I need to see her again. I need to feel her in my arms one last time. There is no life without my baby girl. My princess. I need her.
I made a difference, that’s what counts. Stella is gonna be fine. I’ll see her again, even if it’s not in this life, but the next. Of that, I’m one hundred percent certain.
28
STELLA
I’m pacing.Panicked. My heart racing, but my wits about me. Waiting with Dad and the boys for Cale to come out of the tunnel. The only thing that got me through that ordeal was knowing that Cale would come for me. My club would come for me.
When Tag and Cash pulled me from the unmarked grave, I stepped over the body of the man who was about to bury me alive. I’m not gonna lie, I kicked his dead body in the balls five times. I hope he takes that to the grave…
Tag pulls me into a hug. “Proud of you.”
“Woah, is that praise, big guy?” I laugh, tears streaming down my face. I mean, I was almost buried alive.
“Yeah, yeah, I kinda missed havin’ you around.”
“I’ll make you regret saying that.”
“I don’t doubt it for a second.” He pulls me into a one armed hug before Cash does the same.
“I thought you were dead,” I breathe, never happier to see him. “Please don’t ever scare me like that again.”
He smiles. “And leave all this behind? I don’t think so.” He nips my chin. “I didn’t mean what I said back at the clubhouse.I want you to stay in the club. Got me? You’re not goin’ anywhere.”
I nod. “Okay.” I take a breath.“Also, I shot Bryce. Long story, he’s a guy I dated and the asshole who jumped and kidnapped me, then I did this epic roundhouse kick to his buddy, knocking him out cold with a couple of punches.”
He chuckles. “That’s my girl.”
“Where are they? Dad and Cale?”
“We’re gonna go find out. You’re gonna go with Brew and Haze to safety until we get Cale out.”
“He’s in the tomb?” I stammer.
“We can’t waste time talkin’. Just do as you’re told and don’t give the boys any lip.” Cash gives me a wink. “It’s gonna be okay. He’s my blood, he can fight.”
I turn to Brew and Haze. “You’re not gonna let me go in there, are you?”
Brew shakes his head. “Not on your life.”
I swallow hard, still pacing, and nowhere near the tomb because the Nomad Brothers made me leave entirely. I wanted to go in there guns blazing, but since there was potential gunfire going on, I thought better of it.
That asshole Vanders wasn’t kidding about having the place surrounded, but ultimately, the Rebels won out. If half the force are crooks, that doesn’t leave a very good taste in one’s mouth, and for Cale? The guys he trusted betrayed him. They were quite happy to arrest Cash for murder, meanwhile, Vanders was going to make it look like some kind of vigilante last hoorah. The man is crooked. I hope Cale kicks his ass. I miss him.
