Page 17 of Banshee
Greg.
“Aspen, look at me.” My hand dug into Diesel’s fur, and he scooted closer, trying to climb in my lap. He knew I was distressed, and he tried to calm me down. It wasn’t working.
“Aspen,” Haizley said.
Diesel barked at her firm tone, and she laid her hand on his head.
“Aspen, honey, I need your attention.”
“It was Greg, wasn’t it?” My voice was shaky, and Haizley rubbed my hand between hers.
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes and let the tears fall. This was my fault. If I’d just let him do what he wanted, he never would have gone after Haizley.
“Aspen, I am okay. Greg is dead.”
My head snapped up, and I looked at her. “What?”
“Greg is dead. He broke into my home and attacked me.”
“Did he—”
“No,” she said, cutting off my question as she shook her head. “I killed him before he could. Aspen, I am telling you this because I want you to have closure. I want you to know you don’t have to be afraid of Greg anymore. He can’t hurt you again.”
“So, I can go home?”
Please say no. Please say no.
I didn’t want to go home. I didn’t think I could live there again. The memory of waking up with him sitting on top of me would never go away. The clubhouse was safe. It was comforting. It felt like home.
“Do you want to go home? King said you can stay here longer. You don’t have to go home if you aren’t ready.”
I fell forward, holding my head in my hands as my elbows rested on my knees. The relief I felt, knowing I could stay, made me want to weep with joy.
“Aspen, there’s more.”
I took a few deep breaths before sitting up and looking at Haizley.
“Okay, I’m ready,” I said.
“Aspen, I have to ask you something. Not as your therapist, but as your friend.”
“Anything, Haizley.”
“I didn’t call the sheriff last night. I called the club. They came and cleaned everything up. They got rid of the body. I need to be sure you won’t tell anyone.”
“Oh. Absolutely. Your secret is safe with me.”
I knew the rules.
“I know this isn’t fair of me to ask this of you—”
“No, stop. He didn’t deserve to live. The things he did, the number of women he... It’s the way things are done in an MC.”
She looked at me then. I’d said too much. I’d made her question me.
“Are you okay, Aspen?”
