Page 54 of Bound by Wreckage
Bones speaks, but all I can think about is all the times we went riding as a pack, as a family. All the runs and vacationswe spent together. All of which swarms my head and clouds it up with memories, laughter, and pain.
Loud sobs pull me back to the present. Tanner is up by the casket with her mother, husband, and daughters. She’s speaking words, but I’m unable to hear them, which means she doesn’t want any of us to hear them. I’m good with that. Her last moments with her father need to be recognized andcherished.
She had a rough go, not meeting Dagger until she was in her twenties. Once they connected, they never parted. So much time wasted. Those twenty some years he could’ve had his daughter and woman, but didn’t.
Time. It’s really all we have in this world. The good, bad, and ugly. All depending on how you look at it.
A line forms and I clasp my hands in front of me,waiting for my turn. When it comes, it’s too soon and I’d love to turn back time. Placing my hand on the cherry wood, I say, “Have peace, brother. We’ll take care of your family. My word,” I whisper in respect one last time, “Brother.”
Leaving, knowing that in a few moments, Dagger will be under the dirt, my heart cracks and shatters as I make it to my bike. Slowly, I bend over and restmy hands on my knees, trying to pull my shit together. Fuck me.
A hand comes to my back, and I look over my shoulder to see Rylynn with red eyes and a small smile. I rise and engulf her in my arms, holding her. “Sorry, babe.”
“Same to you.”
She inhales and exhales deeply and since I don’t feel wet, she must be pulling herself together because when she pulls away, there areno tears. “Guess now we give a hell of a party for Grandpa.” I nod as she walks off and to her bike.
Yeah. We will have that.
**
Shit day. That’s what it’s been.
Dagger is laid to rest, and I hope he can find peace knowing he saved his woman’s life. Mearna didn’t stay long at the party, but no one expected her to. She tried to tough it out, but the fatigue pulled herunder and the nurse took her home.
The clubhouse is packed with brothers, friends, other chapters, other clubs… women and men. The kids were taken out a while ago to one of the rooms to sleep. We all wanted Mearna to do the same, but she said it was too hard to stay here.
Liquor is flowing, music is playing, and women are dancing and giving us a show. Nothing will ever fill the voidthat Dagger has left in our lives, but this—we give to honor him.
The bar is covered in shot glasses filled with Jack, and I reach out taking one.
“Listen up!” Rhys yells over the music that is cut immediately. “Everyone get a shot so we can do this.”
Rylynn grabs one as do Austyn, Emery, Bristyl and Riley along with their men.
Rhys looks as though he’s going to saysomething, then backs down. This is killing him. Tanner wraps her arms around his body, and Rhys closes his eyes briefly. “Dagger was a good man. One of a kind. Let’s drink to the fucker.” Rhys holds up his glass as the crowd cheers. We slam the shot glasses down to the bar, the crashes echoing through the space.
Everywhere you turn there are memories in this place. Dagger filled most ofthem. Yeah, the fucker is going to be missed. His loss is tearing a hole inside of Ravage, laying one of our originals into the ground. He’s a part of all of us.
Everyone disburses, and the music begins to thump. We left a table off to the side with one chair and a draft beer sitting on it. In memory of Dagger. He’ll always be with us in spirit.
“Hey, man.” Crow comes up, slappingme on the shoulder and slides into the seat next to me.
“Holy shit. How the hell are ya?”
Crow is from the Rebellion chapter of the Ravage MC that’s just outside of Rebellion, Alabama. Their chapter is decent size and growing. Crow’s is in his thirties and has been the President for the past three years after his ol’ man stepped down.
“Been hangin’ in there. This is a hardblow, though.”
“Tell me about it.” I grab the neck of my beer and take a swallow. “Shit’s fucked up.”
“No clue who did it, huh?”
I shake my head, pissed that we don’t have answers.
“Anything we can do to help?” I lean in a little closer to talk to him because of all the noise around us, the music thumping loudly.
“Not right now, but we’ll let ya know.” Withoutany leads, there’s nothing to follow through on.
