Page 51 of Pike
It wasn’t the answer or the reassurance I was hoping for, but it was all I would get, so I ended the call and went upstairs, deciding that I would challenge myself by sleeping in my own bed tonight. I kept the phone clutched in my hand because I was hopeful he would reach out as soon as he could, but I told myself that if he didn’t call, I would be fine.
I wouldn’t fall apart.
I would survive.
Because I wasn’t weak, not anymore.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chloe
Two full days. That’s how long it had been since I’d heard from Pike. Or Faith. Or anyone else associated with Steel Demons MC.
I told myself it was nothing. Told myself they were just busy, caught up in the club business that required Pike to leave so suddenly. I tried to talk myself off the ledge, triednotto worry. But the silence, especially overnight, was so loud and so heavy that it drowned every attempt at logical thought.
Something was wrong. I just knew it.
I couldn’t shake the thought that something had happened to him. It was the only explanation for why he or Faith hadn’t called me yet. I tried to get through the day with a smile on my face, kept up the façade that all was right and good with the world. As soon as dinner was over on that second night, I picked up the phone and called Faith, but it went straight to voicemail.
Again.
“Hey, this is Faith. Leave a message.”
I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Faith, it’s me. Call me back. Please.” My voice shook and I ended the call hoping I’d hear from my sister soon.
“Mommy, want to read together?” Gemma appeared at my side with a beautiful smile that was simply irresistible.
“I sure do. What are we reading?”
She produced a book from behind her back, smiling even wider. “This one. I want to read it to you!”
“That sounds wonderful.” I settled on the sofa and pulled her onto my lap, snuggling close because I knew in a few years she’d be far too mature for such things. We read three books before she fell asleep mid-sentence. A smile touched my lips as I held her close, dressing her in pajamas before I tucked her in for the night.
It was all so normal, going through our routine. It helped keep my mind off Pike, at least until I turned off the light and left the door open just enough to let a slash of light get through. And then my thoughts went wild. Absolutely wild.
I imagined him lying half dead on the side of the road, his body riddled with bullets meant for me. My mind raced so wildly that between checking the house and jumping at every sound, I only managed an hour of sleep before I had to get up and get ready for a new day. And I did it all with a smile on my face that I didn’t feel.
I made pancakes for breakfast, and we both ate far too many of them while ignoring the fact that Pike’s seat sat empty. After breakfast we took a swim in the lake, the sound of Gemma’s childish laughter was exactly the balm I needed for tattered nerves and fractured heart.
“Mommy, you left the butter on the table,” Gemma said shortly after lunch.
“I know,” I grinned at her. “I thought we’d make some cookies. How does that sound?”
She bounced up and down, practically bursting with excitement. “Yay! What kind?” She clasped her hands together and waited for the important details.
“Well,” I began, tapping my chin as if I had to think about it. “I have some chocolate we can chop up for chocolate chunk cookies.
“Oh my god, Mommy! Yes, yes, yes!” Gemma clapped her hands and her little body shook. “I love chocolate chunk cookies the best!”
That was my exact reason for searching the cabinets until I found a large chocolate brick. My goal was to make these days feel like the summer vacations, she’d been denied over the past few years while we were hiding out. While we’d hit pause on living our lives.
My phone hadn’t rung or buzzed at all and I knew, without a doubt, that Pike wasn’t okay.
Something had happened, that was the only reason he hadn’t reached out, I knew that. However I couldn’t bring myself to think about it further than that. He was injured, maybe unconscious, but I couldn’t bring myself to think that he was no longer with us.
That I would never get to see his face again. That thought hurt too much, so I shoved it down as deep as I could—with both hands—and focused on Gemma and keeping her safe. Making her happy.
He’s not dead.He couldn’t be, because if he was then that small spark of hope, ofhappinessthat I’d experienced with him, the new beginnings I started fantasizing about, it would all die with him.
