Page 65 of Joy Ride

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Joy couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.Her guts twisted as she imagined Rivet out there, scared and alone.And in danger.Exactly like Joy had been before she’d crashed the party at Hot Rides and forced her way back into Walker and Dane’s lives.Maybe that had been her mistake.

How could she expect them to welcome her into their world when she’d thrust herself on them without a choice after they’d made it very clear they wanted to start fresh, without any reminders of the past?

Still, if something happened to Rivet, like the brutality Joy had survived—or worse—she would never forgive Walker.Or herself.There was no way in hell she was going to sit by without taking action simply because Walker said so.Fuck that.Fuck him.

What was the use of having freedom if she didn’t make the choices she believed were right?

She hoped Rivet would forgive her for spilling her secret, but it was the only chance she had to persuade Walker to do the decent thing.Surely no matter how twisted his perspective had become lately, he wouldn’t be able to turn his back on someone who had in effect been like extended family to him.Did those bonds, and the ones he had with her, really mean nothing to him simply because of where he’d formed them?

Especially when he himself understood what it was like to try to evade the slimy tentacles of Wildfire’s reach, which kept threatening to draw you back under.

“Rivet’s a what?”Walker practically shouted.

“A woman,” Joy confirmed.

“Like trans?Or like…what exactly?”He tugged on his beard.“My father isn’t exactly tolerant, you know.”

“Yeah, I get that.But no, I think she’s cis.Posing as a man for some reason she didn’t get a chance to tell me after she exposed herself to me—quite literally—while hiding it from Angus and the rest of the club.I don’t know what game she’s playing at.It’s gone on too long now.You know as well as I do, if anyone finds out…” Joy wrung her fingers just imagining the consequences for breaking the rules and making a fool out of the rest of the Wildfire members.They wouldn’t see it as a laughing matter.

“Son of a bitch!Wildfire doesn’t allow women in the clubhouse, never mind as active members in the organization.”Walker punched his palm.“What is he…I mean,she…playing at?”

“I honestly don’t know.”Joy shrugged.“I was too scared to ask her about it anywhere near Angus’s property and never had a chance to speak to her alone after she tipped me off.But it doesn’t matter.I’m going to find her.”

“No, you’re not.”Walker stepped closer and extended his hand as if he’d hold her in place.

Joy slapped it away.“Don’t touch me.You don’t have that right anymore.”

Walker jerked as if she’d smacked his bruised face instead of his fingers.“You value her life over your own?”

“Of course.”Joy looked at him like he was nuts.“No one has ever stood by me and refused to abandon me when I needed them most.I will never turn my back on someone who’s counting on me.Never.I might not be a lot, but I’m all Rivet has.If it was you, even now, I’d be there for you too.”

She shut her eyes and swallowed hard.He didn’t even try to make excuses or explain his point of view.Instead, he went for a low blow.

“Ardenneeds you,” Walker insisted.

“She has Dane.”Joy swiped at her eyes, which watered despite her best attempts to be stoic.“And I thought she had you too.Maybe with me out of the picture, the two of you can go back to being happy.Keep our daughter safe.Please.That’s the one thing I’m asking of you.”

“And I’m asking you to stay.”Walker almost had her, until he added, “Not for my sake, but for your daughter’s.”

Yourdaughter’s.There it was again.

“You know what?I thought you were someone else.Someone who would stand up for an innocent person in danger and someone who would love a child of mine no matter who her father was.”Joy drew the slim package from her back pocket.She strode forward and shoved it into his gut so he had to grab it to keep it from tumbling to the floor.“Here.Have this.It’s a paternity test.I already collected a sample from Arden, and Dane gave me his too.You should take it.Then you’ll know how guilty you need to feel for the rest of your miserable life about turning your back on us.Again.”

“Joy, that’s…” Walker stopped before he could tell her she was being unfair.

“I’ll save you the trouble of running away this time and do it for you.”Joy looked around at the people gathered there, who were staring in rare silence as her life imploded.“I’ll miss you guys.Thank you for everything.Please take care of my daughter until I can come back for her.If I can…”

Joy choked, then took a step backward and then another before spinning on her heel.She was about to disappear from Walker’s life forever.

He seemed too stunned, or maybe petrified, about the test to say or do a damn thing about it.

“Joy, wait…” Jordan tried to reason with her, but she wasn’t having it.“Let’s come up with a plan.We can round up some other people from Van’s security staff to go with us.”

If she stayed she might be too late, or she might let them convince her that she was being foolish when she knew she was—for once in her life—doing the right thing.Taking action instead of standing by, letting the rest of the world decide her fate.

That was the old Joy.This was the new Joy.

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