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“You,” he growls and my eyes jerk up to his face. There’s an intensity there that scares me and only part of it is anger…. “are going… too.”
“No, I—”
“Yes,” he says and the alarm on his monitor begins sounding. A glance at it confirms his heart-rate has spiked. I frown looking back at him, but the words stop when Ryan wakes up.
“Rory! When did you get here? Did Dad tell you the good news? Uncle Crusher said they’re taking him to a hospital in Tennessee to help him to walk and talk again! He’s going home and we are too! We’re all going back home! Isn’t that great?” he cries, excitedly. He slides from the bed and comes running to me. “I can’t wait! And you’ll love it there, Rory. I can’t wait for you to meet Dakota and all of my friends, and you have to meet Aunt Dani!”
“I don’t think I can go, Ryan. I don’t belong there, baby—”
“Yes,” Diesel growls. Both Ryan and I jerk and turn to look at him. His face is a picture of classic stubborn man. He’s not going to accept no for an answer.
He’s in for a surprise.
“Keep you both, safe.”
I hold my head down. He wants to make sure we’re both safe. That’s a good feeling, even if it’s not what I want. Ultimately, it’s not him that holds my tongue. No, he’s not the reason I agree at all.
“Don’t you want to go home with me, Rory? You told me you’d take care of me. You told me you loved me,” Ryan says, pulling at my heart strings like only an innocent, small child could. When I look down at his face, tears are shining in his eyes.
“Your Dad and Uncle Crusher are here to take care of you now, baby,” I try, feeling like I can’t breathe.
“I want you,” he says, proving he can be just as stubborn as his father.
My biggest problem is that I want him too. The thought of letting Ryan go, kills me, but I’ve resigned myself to that. He’s not mine, I don’t get to keep him.
“Ryan, baby—”
“Don’t you love me anymore, Rory?” he asks, and he might not be crying but there are tears and they’re sliding quietly down his face… and mine… I can feel the wetness against my cheeks.
“I love you more than anything in the world,” I tell him, honestly.
“You could come stay with us, at least until Diesel gets out of the rehabilitation facility. Ryan will need you, at least until his Dad can be there.”
I look up at Crusher standing at the door. For a brief second, I wish I could slap him all over again. I think he reads that intent in the narrowing of my eyes because the idiot smiles.
I swallow, trying to remain strong and not give in—even if it’s secretly what I wish I could do.
“Please, Rory?” Ryan asks me. My hand brushes the hair off the side of his face. His hair has gotten way too long and probably needs cut. When it’s like this it reminds me more of Diesel’s. My brother said Ryan was his, but I can’t see it—not really. I use my thumb to wipe away one of Ryan’s tears. My precious little boy has cried too many of these lately. He should be free and happy, even carefree. He shouldn’t have had to witness what he has, shouldn’t have had fear be a constant in his life this young. Children are meant to be protected, loved…sheltered from the harshness of real life.
“Okay,” I whisper, and he cries this joyful noise, his arms going around me. I take the weight of him pulling him up into my arms, letting my eyes close as I hold him. When I open them back up, Ryan’s body still pressed deeply against mine, Diesel is staring directly at me. His gaze is so intense, so heated, that I’m sure it burns me. The intensity in his eyes scares me and I swallow against the fear. “Just until your Dad’s back on his feet again,” I caution, and Diesel’s mouth grows tight.
There’s going to be a fight between us and soon, but then, that’s nothing new.
It seems like I’ve been fighting with this man since the first moment I laid eyes on him. I guess that was a warning right from the beginning.
Too bad I didn’t heed it.29RoryIt’s strange how quick your life can turn. Ryan and I boarded a plane with Gunner and Rebel to head back to Tennessee. Dragon had gone back to Kentucky a few days after Diesel came out of the coma. He said he didn’t want to stay gone from Nicole that long. If I didn’t like her, that would be just another reason to hate her. As it is, I’m glad I don’t have to be around her. Dragon arranged for Diesel’s men to have their bikes and Diesel’s belongings sent back to Tennessee too. When these men get a plan in their head, it moves at the speed of light.
