Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 52851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
It had never made it to me, Jill had made sure of that. But Preacher had kept it. Stored it away all these years.
Slowly, I was opening myself up to the idea of moving forward. The more I broke down my feelings, the more I could see past the pain, past the manipulation, past the fucking mess Jill had made of me. I hated her for what she had done. And yet, I didn’t regret who I had become. If I had never been broken, never been forced to rebuild myself, would I even be here now?
There was no point dwelling on the what ifs.
Preacher had asked for my help with the removal of the MC’s rat—the cliché motherfucker calling himself Satan. I remembered his daughter, Olivia, from when I was a kid. She had never fit in with the club because she’d been quiet, distant, and had carried herself with dignity despite being surrounded by a pack of drunken, reckless assholes.
Her own father had set her up to be sold to traffickers. That alone was enough to justify what we were about to do.
We had to get her out, and the plan was already in motion. Preacher would request that the quarterly meeting between the MCs be held at the 412’s club instead of neutral ground. It was a risky move, but we wouldn’t be going in blind. The Ghosts would be behind us, covering every angle. More importantly, it would make Satan feel powerful and lull him into a false sense of security. He’d think he had the upper hand which meant he’d slip up.
And when he did, Preacher would bring Olivia back here, where she’d be safe.
I wasn’t sure if he planned to tell her the truth about what her father had done. I didn’t know if she could handle it. Hell, I wasn’t even sure if I could. Maybe, in this case, ignorance was a mercy.
And then there was Jagger.
The moment I was wheeled off that plane, I knew I had already forgiven him. I had heard his voice when he told Preacher to tell me the truth. I had seen the pain in his face, the weight he had carried every second since. I couldn’t say what I would have done in his place, it had been Preacher’s secret to tell.
And when I really thought about it, he had been dropping hints for a while.
That first night in the hospital, when the nightmare hit, and I curled up against Jagger—when I let myself need him—I had known. We still needed to talk. But there was one thing I was certain of, I wasn’t living my life without him.
I just didn’t know how to tell him that yet.
JAGGER
“You wanna know how to get past this shit, man?” Gauge’s voice cut through the night, low and steady, as he walked up behind me.
I didn’t turn right away. My eyes stayed locked on the fields stretching beyond the clubhouse, the vast expanse now bordered by a wall that wrapped around every inch of Knights territory. It hadn’t always been like this. Before, there had only been a wire fence, a flimsy barrier meant to keep people out but nowhere near enough to stop what had happened. Now, Ghost-designed security systems were embedded across the land. Concealed cameras, motion detectors, and pressure-sensitive triggers. All of them were Data’s creations, ensuring no one got the drop on us again.
It didn’t mean we were untouchable, though. But the next son of a bitch who tried to come at us, we’d see them coming.
I exhaled and turned slightly, meeting Gauge’s gaze. He stood with his hands tucked into the pockets of his cut, his usual calm, unreadable expression in place. He was our Sergeant at Arms, the trusted second to Preacher. The man who always knew when to step in and when to stay the fuck out.
“What shit?” I asked, keeping my voice even.
“Kyle.”
My stomach tightened, but I shrugged, keeping my face blank. “I’m not with you, man. What shit with Kyle?”
Gauge sighed, like he was talking to a goddamn idiot.
“She’s forgiven you, Jag.” Gauge let the words settle, giving them weight. “Anyone with half a brain can see that.” I clenched my jaw but stayed silent. “Don’t dwell on the shit.” His tone was firm, certain, like he was stating the simplest truth in the world. “Just show her the real you, the way she shows you her real.”
With that cryptic-as-fuck statement, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, more confused than I had been in my entire goddamn life.
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
Dragging a hand down my face, I exhaled sharply, frustration curling through me. Why did he have to talk in riddles? Shaking my head, I let my gaze drift back to where I’d been looking before Gauge decided to hit me with unsolicited wisdom.