Sweet Revenge (Sinners MC Book 1), page 22
I nodded. “And Luke?”
He looked between Bull and me again, and his voice lowered. “We were never here. The meet is scheduled for tomorrow. We’ll see it the same time he does. Nothing out here that fire can burn but that damn clubhouse, and I want it burned to nothing.”
“Then let’s get the fuck outta here.” Bull called out.
We both nodded and jumped on our bikes, Bull already straddling his. Bear took one last look at the fire roaring, its flames engulfing the clubhouse and shook his head, but he couldn’t contain the grin. This was a win for us. With no place to congregate, the local Widows chapter would be shut down for a while at least. He motioned in the direction of our side of town and started up his bike. I followed, and Bull pulled out behind me. We were heading back to our clubhouse, and we could finally breathe a little easier.
With the help of my brothers, I’d finally been able to let go of my past and was heading toward my future with the taste of freedom on my lips.
And that future had a name.
Maggie.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
MAGGIE
Pacing, I twisted my hands together and waited with everyone else for what seemed like hours. The guys who were left behind, and there were many, drank and talked, but it was quiet and solemn, not at all like I’d come to expect from this group.
“Maggie, why don’t you sit down?”
My head snapped up when I heard Race’s voice beside me. I met his worried eyes. “What’s taking so long?”
“Things take time, honey. It only feels long because you’ve been pacing for an hour.” He pointed at the floor. “I think you’ve worn down the wood.”
I smiled at the teasing tone, which was sweet and very unexpected. Race usually kept to himself, at least when I was around, so I never expected he would initiate conversation with me. “Okay.”
I followed him to the bar and sat down on the stool beside him, my hands still wringing together, but at least I was sitting.
“They’re gonna be okay.” he said quietly.
“I hope so,” I replied, just as quietly. “Maybe they should’ve just let Luke handle this.”
He grinned. “Don’t let Gunner hear you say that.”
I giggled. “That’s true.” I looked directly at Race. “It’s not that I don’t think he can handle it, I just…” I hesitated before continuing. “I don’t want to lose him.”
“We all know that and so does he.”
I saw the sincerity in his expression and nodded. “Sometimes I feel like I brought a whole lot of trouble to your door.”
Race covered my hand with his own. “You didn’t, honey. There was always gonna be a stand-off between the clubs, and you gave us an edge we didn’t have before. We all appreciate that.”
A loud whistle sounded behind us, and we both turned our heads to see Becs standing in the middle of the room. When all eyes were pointed at her, she started speaking. “It’s been way too long, you guys. I think we should load up and go get ’em. Who’s with me?”
A few cheers went around the room before Race shot out of his seat. “No fucking way. Becs, Jesus, Bear would kill all of us if you showed up or any of us fucked with the plan.”
Murmurs of agreement floated through the room, but Becs wasn’t done. I saw the fire in her eyes, but I knew fear was driving her. She loved her brother, and she was just as scared as the rest of us that they’d been gone way too long.
She looked around the room. “Are you guys serious? What happened to brotherhood?”
Race stomped across the room toward her. “What the fuck are you doing, Becs? We all have a job to do, and we’re doing it.”
She threw her hands on her hips. “Yeah, and what’s your job, Race? Why aren’t you out there with them?”
He stopped walking and stood in front of her, but neither one of them lowered their voices and we all watched curiously. “Babysitting you, Becs, because of shit like this, shit you’re doing right now, the same shit you always do.”
She narrowed her eyes and pretended to be mad, but I’d gotten to know her well enough to know he cut her. And because it was Race, I’d say he cut her pretty deep. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
He threw his arms out to the side. “Apparently, you fucking do. Look at the shit you’re pulling.” He put his hands on his hips. “You think I want to be left back to babysit you? You think a twenty-six-year-old woman should need a babysitter?”
She dropped her hands. “Well, consider yourself officially off duty because I’m leaving.”
He grabbed her arm when she turned to walk away. “Oh yeah, where you gonna go?”
She pulled her arm, but he wouldn’t release her. “Home, Race. I’m going home.”
“That’s a fucking lie. You’re not gonna go home; you’re gonna go make trouble.”
She stopped pulling her arm and leaned in, lowering her voice some. “Get your hands off me.”
He raised his eyebrows. “No.”
I stood from my seat when I saw her jerk her arm again. I knew he wasn’t hurting her, that what he was doing was actually best for her, but I still didn’t like that she was out there on her own. “Becs, just come hang out with me and wait.”
She glanced my way, but I could already tell what her answer would be. “I’m good, Maggie. I have my car, and as soon as Race stops being an ass and holding me against my will, I’ll be on my way.”
Race dropped her arm, which seemed to surprise everyone, including Becs who just stood still for a moment. Turned out, it was a moment too long because he wrapped both arms around her chest and pulled her tight against his body, her back to his front. “You’re not leaving.”
His voice was a little low and scary when he continued, but his words were sweet. “I know you’re afraid, Becs, but you can’t help him right now. And if you got hurt, a lot of people, including your brother, would find it pretty fucking hard to forgive themselves.”
She stopped struggling, but I saw her chest moving up and down quickly. “Nothing will happen to me, Race.”
He leaned his head down and put his mouth close to her ear. Most of the others had gone back to drinking and talking because the show was obviously over, but I was still watching. If I hadn’t been watching, if I hadn’t been sitting as close as I was to where they were, I probably wouldn’t have heard or seen what I did, but even my breath caught when Race answered her quietly.
“I won’t ever let anything happen to you, baby.”
Becs closed her eyes, and I watched the fight drain from her body. She loved him, anyone with eyes could see that, but no one else had been watching them over the years, except maybe Bear. He would know because he seemed to always be watching everyone. When her eyes opened, and she looked over at me, there were tears in them.
I took a step forward, not sure if I should move toward her or let her be with Race, but wanting to comfort her in some way. Although, at the same moment as everyone else, I heard the loud roar of bikes approaching.
I ran toward the door, but stopped when someone put a hand on my shoulder. When I looked behind me, my eyes landed on Crow, another older member of the club. “Stay here, sweetheart.”
His wife, Dolly, was there with him and grabbed my hand, pulling me back away from the doors. Race leaned down and whispered something to Becs before letting her go and moving to the door with Crow. As the roar of the bikes got louder, a few other members moved forward and waited behind Race when he yanked the door open and stepped out.
Becs moved to stand beside me, and I grabbed her hand, holding it in mine. “Are you okay?”
She shrugged. “I will be.”
I looked up and stared into her dark eyes. “He cares about you.”
“He cares about the club, Maggie. And my brother.” She glanced back at him before she lowered her eyes. “I’m a job to him.”
I squeezed her hand but didn’t have time to say anything when I heard Crow shout, “It’s them.”
“All of them?” Becs called out.
Crow shook his head sadly at Becs. “No SUV.”
I gasped and covered my mouth before my legs gave out beneath me. I sank to the floor, landed on my knees, and wrapped my arms around myself. Gunner and Bear were in the SUV. They had to be for the plan to work. Becs dropped down beside me and put her arms around me, and we stayed like that while others rushed by us to see what was going on, but we never heard them call out that everyone had returned.
“What am I going to do without him?” I didn’t even bother to wipe away the tears on my cheeks. I didn’t care about them. I’d lost another person I’d loved. There had only been two, and now they were both gone.
“I don’t know, honey.” Becs answered quietly, her voice shaking when she spoke.
“Where the fuck is she?”
My head snapped up when I heard his voice, and I looked at Becs who was wearing the same look of surprise. We both jumped to our feet just as Gunner and Bear cleared the open doorway. I squealed and ran at him, so happy when he opened his arms to catch me. He stumbled back a few steps from the force of my momentum but caught himself when I wrapped my legs around his waist and crushed my lips against his.
He kissed me back hungrily, not stopping even when we heard the catcalls all around us. I pulled my lips from his and stared into his eyes. “Are you okay?”
He grinned. “I am now. And I think I’m gonna do this shit every week if I get this kind of welcome home.”
I sniffed and lifted my hand to wipe the moisture from my cheeks when I heard Bear’s low chuckle behind me. “No shit, brother.”
I dropped my head and buried my face in his neck, a little embarrassed now that the moment was over, but I’d still do it again. He dropped a kiss on my neck and lifted me from his body, placing me on the floor beside him where he could wrap his arm around my shoulder. Before I could say anything, Bear’s phone rang, and he held it up to show Gunner the screen, which said Dimarco. Gunner grinned down at his shoes when Bear waved his hand in the air to silence everyone.
He lifted the phone to his ear and said hello while we all waited. The call lasted less than a minute before he ended it and shoved his phone into his front pocket.
“Well?” Gunner asked.
“Said there was a fire at the Widows clubhouse, they were just called out, and he was on his way. Asked me what I knew. Told him I don’t know shit, that I wasn’t there.” Gunner chuckled when Bear continued. “Told him to let me know if we were still meeting tomorrow.”
Bear peered down at Becs when she pushed under his arm and smiled up at him. “Surprised you listened, and I didn’t see you there.”
She rolled her eyes because we all knew he was teasing her and would’ve lost his shit if she’d shown up. “I was detained.”
Bear’s gaze shot to Race who nodded his head. “Only doing my job, brother.”
Bear sighed and looked down at Becs who shrugged. “I was worried about you.”
“Where are the rest?” Race asked.
Bear sighed and faced the room. “Pop was shot.”
“What?” Becs exclaimed, her voice filled with shock.
He smiled sadly at her. “He’s fine. It was a graze. Ritz and Skinner took him to Kat. Bull was swinging by there too. I sent Tank and the others to drive a bit, maybe head over to Hanks for a beer.”
“Smart,” Crow agreed. “All in different places, can’t have done much in one.”
“Exactly.” Bear said.
I knew better than to ask for specifics; that was club business. I hoped Gunner would tell me the rest when we were alone, but I asked what I needed to know at the moment. “Is it over?”
Bear smiled softly. “You’re safe, Maggie. He’s never gonna touch you again.”
I closed my eyes and let the sweet relief of freedom wash over me. I hadn’t felt it in a long time, maybe not ever, and I knew better than to ever take it for granted.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
MAGGIE
Sitting at the bar, I listened to Gunner and Bear laughing together, and I smiled to myself. It was nice to hear, especially when I had the feeling they hadn’t laughed that freely in a long time.
“How you doin’, girl?”
My head snapped from where I was watching Gunner behind the bar to the stool beside me, and I smiled when I saw Bull sitting next to me. “I’m good, great actually.”
He smiled, another contradiction when a dimple popped out in his cheek. He flicked his fingers at the prospect Dutch who was behind the bar tonight and tipped his chin when he passed a bottle of beer down. He took a long swallow before focusing back on me. “You look good.”
I felt heat tinge my cheeks. I still wasn’t used to compliments, especially the ones these guys gave. “Thank you.”
“Heard Gunn got one hell of a welcome home tonight.” My eyes widened, and I knew my cheeks were red, thinking of these guys talking about what I did. I ducked my head, but he bent his head until he could see my eyes again. “Loved that, honey. Said without words how much he means to you.”
I lifted my head. “I didn’t think about it. I was just so relieved he was home safe.”
He grinned. “First time I heard that from you.”
My brow furrowed. “Heard what?”
“Heard you call here home.”
I jerked back, sure I had before, but maybe I hadn’t, at least not around the guys. “I guess maybe it finally feels that way to me.”
He winked. “Glad to hear it.” He turned on his stool so he could face me fully. “I like having you here.”
I giggled. “You do? Why?”
He shrugged one of his big shoulders. “You class up the joint a little.”
My smile dropped, and I thought about where I came from, where Snake had found me, and what I’d done. “I’m not classy.”
He frowned. “Yes, you are.”
I looked down at my shirt and picked up the hem, rubbing my fingers along the stitching. “You don’t know me all that well.”
“Maggie,” Bull called out, and I looked up. “Classy isn’t where you come from; it isn’t how much money you have or where you went to school or who you know.”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s who you are and how you treat people.”
I considered that for a moment and thought of my mom. That was exactly something she would’ve said. I tapped his arm with my hand. “So you like classy girls, huh?”
“I like all girls, sweetheart, but classy girls keep me on my toes.” He smirked.
I rolled my lips together. “Then you must really like Kat.”
His eyes widened, but I saw the teasing glint in them. “You tryin’ to ask me something?”
I shrugged and made a face that had him chuckling. “It would be nice to see you with someone like Kat.”
He grinned over my shoulder, returning a greeting that was called out by one of the members. “You gonna go work for her now?”
I nodded enthusiastically. “If she still wants me.”
He leaned in close and lowered his voice. “Then maybe you can put in a good word for me.”
I laughed and swiveled my stool to face the door when a round of applause filled the air. Pop stood next to Ritz and had a large white bandage on his arm, but other than that, he looked okay.
Becs flew past us and hugged him tight, making him laugh while he patted her on the back. “I’m okay, sweetheart.”
I stood from my seat, along with Bull and moved toward the door, stopping at the end of the bar to wait for Gunner. He dropped a kiss to my lips when he rounded the end of the bar top and tucked my hand into his before we made our way over to greet Pop.
We stayed downstairs until the party turned rowdy, and then Gunner tugged me behind him up the stairs. He headed straight for his room, where he kicked off his boots and grabbed his shirt from behind his head, pulling it quickly from his body.
He smirked and leaned down, grabbing the hem of my shirt and pulling it over my head. “What are you doing?”
“Showering.”
He continued undressing while I stood still, just enjoying the show. When he noticed I still hadn’t removed my clothing, he pulled my leggings down my legs and tossed them on the bed. He quickly removed my bra and panties before grabbing my hand and pulling me into the bathroom.
Turning on the shower, he adjusted the temperature, faced me, and wiggled his eyebrows. “You comin’?”
I giggled and stepped into the large shower, immediately sighing when the warm water hit my tight muscles. Gunner stepped in behind me and wrapped his strong arms around me.
I leaned back and laid my head against his chest, sighing. “Do you want to talk about it?”
He ran his nose along the side of my neck. “I’m not really supposed to talk about it.”
I ran my fingers along his forearm. “I know.”
He kissed the spot between my neck and shoulder, making me shudder. “That’s not the kind of relationship I want.”
“What do you mean?”
He exhaled loudly. “I want to share everything with you.”
I smiled softly. “I want that too.”
He skimmed his lips along my shoulder. “Snake turned on my father tonight.”
My body went solid. “Really?”
“Sounded like he knew everything, even about you giving us information.”
My breath caught in my throat. “Why didn’t he kill me?”
He kissed my shoulder softly. “No clue, baby, but I’m so fucking happy we got you out of there when we did. He lost his fucking mind tonight. Shot my dad in the knee, was ready to kill me, and said Luke was next on his list.”
“Did you kill them?” I asked, almost hesitantly.
His arms tightened around me. “We beat the shit out of them and tied them to chairs, leaving them behind for Luke. I decided nothing was going to keep me from you or from starting a family with you, especially not those two bastards. So I walked away, Maggie, for both of us.”
I turned in his arms and smiled sweetly, putting my hands on either side of his neck. “I’m proud of you, Gunner.”
