Page 19 of Rebel
“That’s easy,” she assured. “I’m already happy with you, Bolt.” He pulled her into his body and for the first time in a very long time, Rebel felt like she was right where she was supposed to be—in his arms, by his side, for the long haul.
Bolt
Bolt had been putting it off all morning, waiting for the right moment, though he knew there wasn’t going to be one. Jace sat out on the porch with a mug of coffee cradled in both hands, staring across the tree line like he was trying to memorize it. The bruises on his face had faded, but the shadows under his eyes hadn’t.
Rebel stood beside Bolt just inside the cabin, nervous energy rolling off her in waves. He could feel it in the way her hand twisted in the hem of her shirt, in the way her eyes kept darting to her brother. Bolt wrapped an arm around her waist as though he were trying to steady her. If they were going to do this, they needed to do it together.
He cleared his throat, stepping out onto the porch. “Jace,” he almost whispered.
His friend glanced over his shoulder, lips quirking like he already knew something was coming. “What’s up?” Jace asked.
Bolt took a breath. “We’re heading back to Huntsville.” He felt Rebel tense beside him, but he pushed on. “Savage called this morning to tell us that Kirk’s locked up. Apparently, Rebel isn’t the only woman that asshole had been stalking. He waswanted in four other states, and when the Alabama Police Department found out about that, they put out a warrant for his arrest. He’s behind bars and will stay that for a long time now.”
“That’s part of the reason why we want to go back to Huntsville,” Rebel admitted. “I need to give a statement, and when the time comes, I want to testify against him to make sure that he stays in prison.”
“The Rabbits have taken a hit, and the club needs us back. Hiding out here—it was never forever. We can’t live in the shadows,” Bolt insisted.
Jace set his mug down on the railing, his jaw tightening. “And you think it’s safe?”
“No,” Bolt admitted. “But I think it’s time. I can’t keep Rebel locked up out here, waiting for the world to burn down around us. She deserves better. I want to give her a better life, Jace.”
Rebel touched her brother’s arm gently. “We both want that for each other, Jace,” she said. For a long stretch, Jace didn’t say anything. He just stared at them, then out at the trees again. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and rough. “I’m staying up here.”
Rebel’s eyes widened. “Jace, you can’t just hide away here forever. Take it from someone who thought that was a possibility, it’s not. Come back with us, please.”
“No.” He shook his head, meeting her gaze. “You two go back. Do what you need to do. As for me, my head’s not clear yet. There’s still work to be done, and I can’t drag you back into that mess. I’d just put you both in more danger. The Dead Rabbits might have taken a loss, but they aren’t gone. They’re going to come back swinging, and I’m the person that they’ll want to hurt the most.” Bolt studied him, that stubborn streak he’d seen a hundred times before flashing in Jace’s eyes. There was no moving him once he’d made up his mind.
Then Jace’s expression softened. He looked between them, something unreadable in his eyes. “And about you two,” he started, letting out a long breath, a crooked grin tugging at his lip. “You’re right,” he breathed, “I’m not going to stand in your way to be together. If you’re both happy, then I’m happy for you.”
Rebel swallowed hard, her voice barely a whisper. “Jace—”
He held up a hand. “Don’t. You don’t need to say anything. You’ve both had my back more times than I can count. If Bolt’s the one who makes you feel safe and happy, then I’d be a real asshole to stand in the way of that.” His grin grew, weak but genuine. “So, you’ve got my blessing. Just don’t rub it in too much when I come around, yeah? And try to keep all that mushy crap to a minimum around me, please.”
The knot in Bolt’s chest loosened. He had no idea how badly he needed to hear those words from his best friend. He gave Jace a firm nod, words heavy in his throat. “Thank you, brother.”
Jace smirked, picking his coffee back up. “Don’t thank me. Just don’t fuck it up. Either of you.” Rebel laughed softly, leaning into Bolt’s side.
“I give you my word,” Bolt said. “I won’t fuck this up. But I need a promise from you,” he said.
“Name it,” Jace agreed.
“I’ll need you to come back to Huntsville when I marry your sister, to be my best man,” Bolt said.
He loved his friend’s instant smile. “I think that I can make you that promise,” Jace agreed.
“And I was hoping that you’d give me away,” Rebel added.
“Double duty,” Jace said. “Well, I'd better get a nephew named after me or something big like that,” he teased. Rebel rolled her eyes at her brother and giggled. And for the first time since they’d holed up in that cabin, Bolt felt like maybe, justmaybe, they weren’t stealing moments anymore. Maybe they were building something real.
Bolt’s hands gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary, the hum of the truck engine filling the quiet cab. He kept one eye on the road, the other sneaking glances at Rebel beside him. She stared out the window, jaw tight, fingers tapping restlessly against the glass. He could feel the worry in her. It was the same worry that he felt about going back to Huntsville, back into a world that didn’t forgive mistakes. Hell, mistakes would be what got them killed, and he couldn’t let that happen. He had too much at stake now.
He exhaled slowly. “We’ll be fine,” he muttered, not just to her but also to himself. Even with Kirk behind bars, even with the FBI finally taking action against the Dead Rabbits, Bolt knew better than anyone that danger didn’t just disappear overnight. And once he went back to work, he’d possibly be bringing danger home with him every night. He had to be more careful now than ever.
Rebel pressed her forehead to the glass, silent. He could sense the storm inside her—the conflict between wanting safety and wanting to take back control of their lives. His phone buzzed, and Bolt answered immediately, keeping one hand on the wheel.
“Rebel,” Jace’s voice was tense, sharp, the protective edge that always surfaced when his sister was involved cutting through the static. “I’ve been thinking. Kirk might be behind bars, but that doesn’t mean the threat’s over. I’m not sure that it’s a good idea for you guys to go back to Huntsville. We don’t know if the main guy’s been caught from the Dead Rabbitseither.” Bolt could tell that Jace was spiraling. He was alone and thinking way too much about keeping them all safe when he should be concentrating on himself and his own safety.
Bolt felt her hand brush against his light but steady, and he intertwined his fingers with hers. “We’re not being reckless,” he said, voice low. “We’ll stay smart and keep a low profile. Rebel and I will be careful, and I won’t let anything or anyone touch her, man. We’ve gone over this before.”
