Page 111 of Banshee
“The girls were trying to get behind the bar with me and Aspen, but Jade and Crystal didn’t make it. Tiffany had just joined us; Brandy was right behind her, but Tank must have seen something she didn’t because he shoved her down, and that was when he got shot.”
“Him and his fucking hero complex,” King hissed. “I’m gonna kick his ass once he’s better.” He pulled Grace into his arms as she cried, and I wondered if this attack had finally gotten them both to pull their heads out of their asses.
“Alright, everyone. They’re both going to be okay. Go home, help with whatever is left to do, and get some rest. This is only the fucking beginning.”
I waited for Aspen and her mother to return, and I filled them and the prospects in on what we’d learned. Johnny and Archie both offered to take the first shift watching over Keys, while the rest of us went home.
Ignoring everyone else, I grabbed Aspen’s hand when we returned to the compound and dragged her upstairs to our room. I needed to hold her. Feel her in my arms. And talk to her about her dead husband and what that now meant for us.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Aspen
I followed Banshee up to our room and sat on the end of the bed while he closed the door. I didn’t know how to process everything that had happened today. One minute, I was sitting outside with my family, telling them everything and the next, Banshee was gone, the clubhouse was under attack, and people had died.
Erebus was gone.
Hash was gone.
Jade and Crystal were gone.
So many were hurt, with gunshot wounds, stab wounds. Grace and I had scratches all over us from the glass that rained down on us as we hid behind the bar. Brandy broke her wrist when Tank shoved her. And for what?
Why did Skinner attack?
What was he after?
“Baby girl, you okay?” Banshee asked as he sat down beside me.
“No. This wasn’t about me. What does he want? What is Skinner after?”
“The attack was about Indie. He knew King would never trade a woman for me, just as Morpheus would never trade Firestride. Skinner knew exactly what would happen at that bar and he sent those men to their deaths.”
“Why does he want Indie?”
Banshee took a deep breath. “Aspen, I want you to be my old lady. Pepper is dead. He’s never coming after you again. I love you, and I want you protected. I want to make sure your father can never force you to go home, and I want to be able to share things with you.”
“There has to be a vote, Banshee.”
“The vote is semantics. No one will vote against us. But I need to know what you want.”
“I’ve always wanted you. I was devastated when you told my father no, but it was also the moment I fell in love with you. No one has ever thought about what I might want. But you did. I would be honored to be your old lady.”
He leaned over and pressed his lips to mine. His hand on my thigh tugged me closer. When he leaned his injured arm on the bed behind me, he winced, and I was reminded of how much pain he must be in.
“We can’t do this right now. You’re hurt.”
“Fuck that.” Banshee stood up and shrugged out of his cut. I caught it just before it hit the floor and laid it on the bed beside me. His good arm reached behind his head and grabbed the neck of his shirt, pulling it forward and off.
My eyes followed the path of his shirt as he tossed it across the room and it hit the floor. It gave me the few seconds I needed to prepare myself to see him. He wouldn’t let me in the bathroom when he took a shower earlier.
When my eyes landed on his torso, I gasped, and tears filled my eyes. My beautiful, handsome hero was black and blue. And he was my hero. Not only had he stood up to my father all those years ago, but he brought me back after my rape; he made me feel safe again. Not only did he make me feel safe, but in killing my husband, he made sure I was safe.
I traced my fingers over his wounds as a tear slipped down my cheek. “This is my fault.”
“It isn’t. They did this because of Kyllian. Because I threatened to kill them if they touched her. So, they made sure I couldn’t. I’d do it again without question. Just like I knew I’d get shot when I killed that bastard who beat the shit out of you. I mouthed off to him, told him and his buddies what you told me, about him skimming and hiding the money. While they were distracted, I put a bullet in his head. If I was gonna die, I was gonna make sure I took him with me so you never had to live in fear of him again.”
I stood up, my hands went to his belt, and I pulled him forward. When my lips were a hair’s breadth from his, I said, “I love you...Daddy.”
