Page 70 of Flint

“General’s on the way.”

I grunt in affirmation to Bass but keep my face buried in my girl’s neck and just breathe in her sweet scent. It’s calming.

“Bulldog, get on the phone and make a few calls. Let them know what the club’s play was so no one comes knocking, thinking they can make a name for themselves by putting this shit on us. Gator, Flint, start talking.”

The fact that Law doesn’t give a shit that Kitten is still in hearing range speaks to how far he trusts her with club business.

“Duke was using a guy to run his books,” I say. “From what we heard, he was skimming some off the top, but so was the accountant.”

“Larry.” I give my girl the side-eye. “His name was Larry. He was the branch manager,” she mumbles.

“Right,” Gator continues as I just keep eyes with my girl. She’s trying to tell me something, but I ain’t getting it. “So Larry got caught, Duke killed him, then ordered the place be burned down. Don’t think he knew we were there till one of his guys saw us and aimed for us. Flint got off the round before he did. We played a bit of cat and mouse till they had us trapped while the place started blowing up. I got one of them before they exited, but they blocked the door. Two got out.”

“I hit one on the way out. Don’t think he’ll make it,” the prospect I left out front says. Kid’s really proving himself already. Might have another new brother in less than a year.

“Think Duke will make another play on Flint’s old lady?” Chains asks for the group.

Gator and I both shake our heads before I answer, “No. He knows she has amnesia, thinks it’s his saving grace. Also doesn’t think she knows enough. But I’m not worried about that. He knows she’s got club protection, but he’s more worried about us finding out what he’s using the extra money for than going after her, so he won’t. Doesn’t want to draw attention.”

“What’s he after?” Law asks.

I shrug. “I don’t know. Something that costs money to play. He said he had the books with him, so even if he didn’t burn the place down, there’s no way to track that shit.”

“Um, that’s not true.”

I turn my head and see my girl biting her lip and looking a bit sheepish.

“Kitten.” My typical growl in warning is now in curiosity.

“I kind of have a copy of his files on this.” She holds her hand out and reveals a flash drive.

I ain’t the only one in shock, but before the club can say anything, General bursts through the doors. “Okay, who the fuck got hurt this time, and who am I torturing?”

My girl is quick to turn to him and cross her arms in defiance. “I knew you got off on that shit. Tough luck, asshole. For once I’m fine. Nothing I need you to do. I’ll remove the glass on my own. But you can work your evil-villain ways on my man.”

I like that she called me hers, but I hate the grin that sparks on General’s face. Bastard really does get off on causing us pain in the name of healing.

Chapter 29– Julianne

“T

yler,” I whisper. A beat passes between us as we lie in bed together. “I remember.”

After General got his hands on us—yeah, me, too—we endured his treatment for about an hour and a half before we both said fuck it and left. We finished pulling the glass off each other before falling into bed and taking a nap. Total adrenaline crash.

I woke up a few minutes ago, not surprised to see Flint watching me. He likes to do that when he thinks I don’t see. His fingers play with my hair, and I just enjoy the simple moment we have together. Right now, everything is fine. Everything is perfect. It’s just Flint and me. No one is out to get us; nothing can harm us right now as we lie on his bed in the clubhouse.

Till I tell him I got my memory back.

His hand stills, and he doesn’t look at me, just watches my hair as it falls from his fingers. Not sure if I shocked him more by using his real name or the fact that I’m no longer in the dark about my past. Well, sort of. I don’t think I remember absolutely everything, but it’s the big things. I know who Bailey is, who my parents are. That I kicked a guy in the balls in college when he tried to get me to sleep with him. That my obsession with Diet Coke is because I gave it up for the new year, then went through two months of withdrawals for it and now crave it even more than before.

“When did you get it back?” His voice almost sounds hollow, but I ignore it as I answer him.

“At work. I talked to Larry, and something seemed off. I wanted to get out of there after that, but when I saw you were running late, I shook off the feeling and decided to just work through it. I heard him talking on the phone to someone and asking them why I wasn’t dead yet. I hid because I didn’t know what else to do. Then I heard him call someone Duke, and it just came back. I think I blacked out or something. I didn’t really register anything till my phone vibrated and I typed out ‘polo.’”

“I tried calling you a few times. Gator too. Would explain why you didn’t respond to anything but the last one.” He moves away from me and scoots to the foot of the bed, planting his feet on the ground and resting his elbows on his knees as he hangs his head.

I let him have his time. It took me God knows how long to wrestle with my own memories. I have no clue how long I lay there and just let things come and go. Long enough for the Duke guy to drive over from wherever he was.

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