Page 45 of Risk
“Maybe,” I say. “But from what little I understand from what hewaswilling to share, this situation has gone to DEFCON level one. The thing about small towns is that once you’re accepted, they’ll rally around you and will keep your secrets.”
“Secrets even they won’t be privy too which will make them more skeptical about you, Kenna,” Demi warns.
“That’s a valid point, Demi, but if it comes down to making a choice between taking a chance with them or losing people in our family, it’s worth parting ways with the Knights. Both of us agree that keeping you all and your babies safe is the best course of action. It’s the noble and honorable thing to do.”
“But we just got you and Phoenix,” Luna says, sniffling. “I’m not ready to lose either of you.”
“Better us than Jett, or any of the others,” I point out.
“I don’t like it,” Demi huffs out. “You’re safer with us than out in the wild.”
“Demi, we’re not moving to the jungle,” I laugh. “I don’t like camping as it is, I had my fill of it when we were on the road and never want to go back to that way of living, I can’t imagine having to make teepees out of vines, tree bark, and other shit I don’t know the names of.”
“What about the others?” Luna whispers out the question.
“What others?” I ask.
“The others like you and Isla,” she tacks on. “What happens to them if you and Risk go on the run?”
My mind goes blank, I hadn’t considered them. That makes me feel like a piece of shit. For the first time in a long time I was being selfish, only caring about myself, Phoenix, and Risk. “I don’t know, Luna. Our only thoughts were on keeping our boy, my mom, and ourselves safe.”
“I wasn’t asking to make you feel bad, Kenna, I was genuinely curious,” Luna amends.
Knowing she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body, I say, “I know, Luna. I didn’t take it any way but what it was meant to be.”
“You ladies know our guys, they may have rough exteriors, but on the inside they’re soft, caring men who won’t stand back and let the others stay in that type of situation. Whether you and Risk stick around or not, they’re going to get involved,” Demi rationalizes. “So if you want my opinion, and if it counts for anything, I think we’re safer sticking together than living miles apart.”
“It counts,” I validate. “I just don’t know what the right thing is to do here.”
“Do you think they’re taking all of that into consideration?” Luna probes. Both Demi and I shrug our shoulders, because without a way to listen into what they’re discussing and considering, we have no way of knowing that.
“I’ll bring it up tonight and see what Risk has to say about it,” I offer.
“I’ll ask Kodiak too,” Luna proposes.
“Conan is always an open book after I give him a blow job, I’ll ask him about it after I rock his world,” Demi volunteers.
“Then we can get together tomorrow and trade notes. Between the three of us, we’ll know if they’ve thought that through,” Luna suggests.
The three of us raise our glasses, or in Luna’s case, since she’s breastfeeding, a bottle of water in the air and clink them together. It’s nice feeling like part of a team.
I just finished telling Risk about my conversation with the girls and he’s gone still and quiet, staring up at the ceiling as he ruminates over everything I told him. “What do you think, Risk? If we go on the lam, will the guys still get involved in this mess and try to save everyone?”
“Without a doubt,” he murmurs. “Fuck.”
Burying my head deeper into the crevice of his neck, I ask, “Then you know what I’m going to say, don’t you?”
“Yeah, because it’s the same thing that’s on my mind,” he admits. “We can’t leave, can we?”
“I don’t see how we can and still have a clear conscience,” I say. “We can’t let them clean up our mess while we’re living off the grid.”
“You’re right, we can’t,” he concurs, wrapping me up tighter as he winds his arms around me. “I can’t leave my brothers in the lurch like that.”
“Then it’s decided? We’re staying?” I continue.
“We’re staying,” he endorses before whispering, “may God have mercy on our souls.”
“How bad is it going to be, Risk?”
