Page 43 of Summer's Edge

“All right, I gotta go,” Ice says. “But we’ll need all three of you up at Sanctuary later so don’t go far.”

We all nod, and Ice starts making his way towards the exit. It’s probably not the best time to be making my request, but I’m feeling a little high from the trust placed on me, so I follow him.

“Ice, can I run something by you?” I ask as I catch up to him in the glaring sunlight outside the clubhouse.

Somehow what I’m about to say doesn’t seem like such a great idea anymore, but he’s looking at me expectantly so there’s no going back.

“With all the shit going on, I’d feel better if I could be in charge of looking after Summer,” I say. I have no idea how my voice isn’t shaking.

The look he gives me is about a thousand percent too knowing. And to top it off, I can’t stop seeing her naked body, water dripping across her hard, candy apple red nipples from her wet hair.

“They already came after her once and I just… I just want to be sure she’s all right,” I add. “And doesn’t do anything stupid like run off to Mexico again.”

Ice just keeps looking at me with that knowing look. But the rest of his face is completely unreadable and he’s definitely not smiling or anything of the sort that would tell me I haven’t overstepped completely.

“The thing in Mexico wasn’t related to the war,” he says. “The guy that tried to take her just chose her randomly because she was alone on the street. He was the VP of Satan’s Dogs MC out of Texas. Their specialty is abducting women tourists in Mexico and selling them in the US. Nothing to do with us or the war.”

“But she’s still in danger… they’ve been going after the children…” I say. “I just wanna make sure they don’t come after her.”

“I appreciate the offer, Edge, I really do,” he says. “But there’s so few that we know can be trusted now. We need you for something else.”

“What?”

“Cross will tell you later. But don’t worry, we got the town locked down tight. And Summer knows the dangers of acting out.” He claps me on the shoulder. “I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah, you will.” That’s all I can choke out.

He walks to his bike and leaves me standing in the midday heat and blinding sunlight. There goes my perfect plan of seeing as much of Summer as I need to.

I should be worrying about the rat, I should be basking in all the trust being placed in me and in the exhilaration of rising in the MC’s ranks. But all I’m thinking about is how it’s all gonna keep me from Summer and how annoying that is.

Clearly, I don’t deserve the trust. A few weeks ago, I’d kill for it. It’s all I lived for then. Now, a part of me doesn’t give a flying fuck about any of that. And I don’t see it changing anytime soon.

TWENTY-ONE

Summer

We’re at The Grove, a restaurant/bar located in a forest clearing, surrounded by redwood trees the smell of which is mixing nicely with that given off by the crackling bonfire. It’s not just Edge and I, but all us MC kids, including Harper who is singing one of her beautiful songs. Trixie is here too, leaning on Hunter while he talks to Jax and Chance. She looks calmer and happier than I’ve ever seen her and I’m glad for it. She’s had a hard life and deserves to finally have peace.

Edge has been skillfully avoiding being alone with me for more than a stolen kiss or two in the darkness, which drove me mad at first, but the way he’s been looking at me the whole time more than makes up for it.

His gaze is always on me, and it feels like I’m being warmed by the fire even when I’m nowhere near it. He seems to feel where I am or where I’ll be at any given time and there he is too, watching over me, desiring me, the passion that we’re denying ourselves like a thick rope connecting us.

I could get used to this sneaking around. Especially since I know there’ll be fireworks in bed as soon as he lets me take him home. But maybe I just can’t wait that long.

He’s leaning against the side of the log cabin that houses the bar and looks a lot like the cabin we shared in the woods near LA. Ruin is with him, but I think he knows about us, if his smirk as he sees me watching them is anything to go by.

I’ve been sitting with Eden, Veronica and her sister Ariel by the fire, but I get up, tell them I’ll be right back—which is a lie, if I have anything to say about it—and walk slowly in the general direction of where Edge and Ruin are standing.

Edge’s eyes on me are like a burning rope pulling me closer and closer. Ruin grins and leaves Edge’s side before I’m even halfway there.

The heat in Edge’s gaze only intensifies as I draw near. Once we’re side by side it’s almost impossible to fight the pull, but I manage it. I walk past him, smiling at him over my shoulder as I make a beeline for the darkness under the trees.

He doesn’t follow right away. Pretty soon I can’t see a damn thing in front of me and the roots are snagging at my feet. But I keep going. I know he’s right behind me, I can feel the heat of his gaze all along my back. I can hear his footsteps too as he lumbers after me.

Once I judge that we’re far enough from the others I stop and lean against one of the wide tree trunks and wait for him. As soon as I see him, I slip off my panties and twirl them on my finger for him to see.

He comes to me with a whoosh of heat, wrapping his arms around me and giving me the deepest, most passionate kiss yet.

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