Page 36 of Nomad
“And so is she.”
Angie kissed my cheek, and I grunted in response. What else was there to say? I’d killed a man in front of the woman I loved. How lucky was she to have my love? A killer. Someone who’d shed blood at the drop of a dime and loved to do so.
“If she can’t see that, then she’s a fool.” She squeezed my hand. “Take care of yourself, William.”
“You too, Ang.”
She dipped her head, then walked back over to her man. I faced the bar again and finished the last of my beer, stood, then pulled a couple of twenties from my wallet and tossed them on the bar to cover my tab.
“Leaving me so soon?” Sadie pouted her thin lips, grabbed the money from the bar, then stuffed one twenty into her bra and put the other in the cash register, closing out my tab.
“Yeah. I’ve got to take care of something.”
I tapped the bar and rushed out the door. Jade was my everything. I wasn’t going to sit here and not go after what I wanted. I’d done that for years and refused to do it anymore. No matter what needed to be done, I wanted her and Junior with me. They were my family.
I tossed my leg over my bike, revved the engine, and took off into the night. If she wouldn’t come to me, I’d go to her. I was fucking tired of waiting around. When I’d told her she was it for me, I’d meant it. I’d go to her and make her see we should be together despite who I was.
On the short drive from the bar to my home, I enjoyed the cool desert air against my skin. Riding gave me peace and allowed me to clear my head. The darkness of night and no vehicles to disturb me, I had time to think what my next move would be once I made it back to Jade. If it took me getting on my damn knees, that was what I’d do. They were mine, and I needed to make her see I was still the same man she’d fallen in love with.
As I made the trek up my paved driveway, my hackles rose when my eyes landed on the blacked-out sedan parked in front of my house. No one other than Angie had ever stepped foot on my property, not even for deliveries. I always had that shit shipped to another address. I could never get too comfortable. I was a one-percenter, a member of Demons United, and proudly wore my cut. We had enemies everywhere.
I stopped the bike, killed the engine, and jumped off. The tag wasn’t visible from where I stood, and I didn’t recognize the car from town. I pulled my gun and stood in front of my bike, eyeing the Mercedes.
“Slowly, step the fuck out of the vehicle!” Raising my pistol, I aimed at the driver’s side. “With your hands up! Or I’ll blow your fucking brains out!”
The door creaked opened. “William, it’s me! Jade!”
She leaned out of the car. Her eyes were wide, and I released a breath, lowering the gun. I rushed to her, my boots pounding on the cemented drive. She gingerly stepped the rest of the way out of the car, and her shoulders sagged in relief when I reached her.
“Jesus fucking Christ, Jade.” I pulled her into my embrace, not caring I hadn’t seen her in months. Not caring whether she wanted to be in my arms. “What the fuck where you thinking, Angel? I could have shot you.”
“I… I wanted to surprise you.”
Her voice trembled.
I stepped back, stared at her for a moment, then embraced her again. My fucking heart raced against my chest. She was here. My angel was here.
“Christ, I wasn’t expecting you to pull a gun on me.”
“I don’t get visitors.”
“I see that,” she said, humor lacing her voice.
“I didn’t think…” My voice caught in my throat as my emotions swirled. I couldn’t believe she was here. “I thought you hated me,” I finally said after taking a breath to get under control.
Without looking away she backed out of my grasp, then gently cupped my face. Her actions reminded me of the day I’d said goodbye all those years ago. My eyes fluttered from her simple touch. I’d missed it so much.
When I opened my eyes, I looked at her. Really looked at her. Her love for me wasn’t something I took for granted.
“I could never hate you, William. I love you, sweetheart.”
“It’s been three months, Jade.” I blew out a breath, trying to keep my anger and frustration in check, but it was hard. She’d stayed away from me for three fucking months and then waltzed back into my life like nothing had happened. “I’ve been waiting three months.”
“There were some things I had to come to terms with about myself before I came to you.”
My brows bunched in confusion. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m not going to lie. What happened scared the shit out of me.”
