Page 131 of Midnight Desire: The Complete Series

At least Benjy was alive, no matter how pale and weak he looked.

And young. God, he was so young.

“Jack,” he croaked, the ghost of a smile on his lips.

“Shhh,” I whispered, and took his hand as I sat next to the bed. “Take it easy.”

The smile faded. “…I’m sorry…”

I stared at him in shock. “For what?”

“…I shouldn’t have… let him do that…”

“Jesus Christ, kid, if anybody should be apologizing, it’s me. I should’ve stopped him.”

“…not your fault…”

“It’s not yours, either.”

“…did you… get him…?”

I knew what he was asking.

Had I avenged him?

It stung that Lou was the one who had granted his request, not me.

In fact, I had done everything I could to make sure Benjy hadn’t been avenged.

Because the Midnight Riders were legit.

Because we weren’t outlaws anymore.

I wondered even more than ever if that was the correct call.

Maybe Lou was right.

No.

Don’t question yourself.

Revenge isn’t worth the club’s future.

“It’s taken care of,” I assured Benjy.

He nodded, visibly relieved, and drifted back into a narcotic haze.

I left him like that, in the grey area between waking and sleep, life and death.

36

Much as I hated to, I called Lou out in the parking lot of the hospital. I needed our stories to be straight before I went to the police.

“Did you find Roach?” was the first thing my VP asked.

“You could say that.”

“I keep calling him but he doesn’t answer.”

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