Page 33 of Bound by Destiny
This twists my gut something fierce. I say nothing, waiting for her to spit it out.
“Nox. Apparently, my brother has been seeing someone named Carson. She’s affiliated with the Rangers, and they’re pissed about it. They’ve threatened Nox, but he’s blown it off. There’s a plan to take him out.”
The Rangers are outside of Sumner and a small club. Word on the street is they got into some drugs that ended them in hot water. Why they would want to go against the Ravage MC is a death wish.
“What plan?” Because over my dead body will I allow anyone to hurt my brother.
“Ambush. You have a scheduled handoff in Shelby in three weeks, and they know about it. They’ll be there to, as they call it,take the fuckin’ little twit out.”
Anger bubbles to the surface. “Nox knows nothing of this.”
Austyn shakes her head. “Not that I can find. He’s blown them off with everything. They’re pissed about it and want him dead.”
“All over pussy.” I scrub my hand over my face.
“Considering I didn’t even know he was seeing anyone and he’s kept it hidden, I’m thinkin’ it is just that.” Austyn looks torn up.
Gripping her shoulders, her head comes up. “You did good, Austyn. Now we can fix whatever this shit is. We can get Micah out of our business. You helped us, Austyn. And you’re damn fucking good at it.”
Her tight smile tells me she’s not convinced.
Truthfully, so am I.
13
Emery
My face is buriedin Pops, my grandfather’s, chest. He holds me tightly as I soak up the warmth. After leaving Jacks, I turned cold and had no idea what to do from there. Jacks kissed me in front of everyone, including Micah, who is now over talking to his father.
Eyes are on me everywhere—judging me, or at least it feels that way, and I hate it. Not thirty minutes earlier I was talking to Micah and things were going damn good. Then Jacks came and everything blew up around me.
“What am I going to do?” I whisper to him. He’s always been great with his grandkids, active and present. We can always count on him for everything. Hell, the entire club counts on him.
He’s the rock that we all hang on to, as I’m doing right now.
He presses a kiss to the top of my head. “Love is a tricky thing, darlin’. Sometimes it’s wonderful and other times it’s painful as hell. You take the good with the bad. The way I see it, two men want to be with you. Two completely different men, Emery. Five years from now, who do you see rollin’ over in bed next to? Who do you see at your kitchen table eating breakfast with you? Who do you see being the father of your children? If you don’t see those things with either or both of those men, cut em’ loose because stringin’ men along is a bitch move.”
A chuckle escapes me. “Say it like it is, Pops.” He releases me, and his eyes grow intent.
“One look at Ma and I knew she was it for me. Put a fork in me, I was done. If you don’t have that reaction to someone—it’s not worth your energy. Time is all we have in this life. We don’t know when it will be over, and I wouldn’t change a damn thing about Ma and me.”
Tears well in my eyes. It’s not often we get the hard man to soften up and talk about Ma like this. I’m soaking it in for all it’s worth. “Thanks.”
“Don’t beat yourself up about this. It’s either a yes or no thing. Who can’t you live without? If they were to leave you this very moment, would either of them destroy you?”
My chest constricts painfully as thoughts and memories swarm me. Each one crashing into one another.
Loud pops fill the air as everyone screams and controlled chaos ensues. Pops falls heavily on top of me as we crash to the ground, the smell of iron way too prevalent.
“Pops!” I yell, feeling something sticky. Red. Blood. “No!” I scream as more gunfire goes off from our side and whoever continues to shoot at us.
“Just a flesh wound, Emery. Breathe, baby,” Pops tells me, but he’s too still. He’s not supporting his weight on me, and that’s not Pops. Fear like no other wraps around my neck threatening to choke me.
“Can you get off of me?”
“Sure, one tick.” He doesn’t move. Tears well in my eyes. Shit.
“Help!” I yell out to whoever can hear me, hoping it’s above all the commotion around us. My mother swoops in beside me as the panic comes through in my tone. “He’s bleeding and can’t get off of me.”
