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But he was just as addicted to me as I was to him, and instead of telling me to fuck off, he had asked to see me again. He called me every day, texted me all the time, and we saw each other as much as possible without my father finding out. Because if Derrick Michaels ever figured out that his only child was dating one of the MC members, he would lose his mind—and then arrest Matt.
“Tell me what else you’ve been up to,” Mom urged as she shifted uncomfortably, repositioning herself until she could find a small semblance of relief.
I reached for the IV stand and picked up the little button that would automatically dispense the powerful narcotics that would ease her pain.
“No, darling. Don’t do that just yet. I lose track of time when I use those damned meds. They confuse me, and I want to focus on you right now.”
Hating that she was in pain, but wanting to give her what she asked for, I replaced the button and sat back, filling her in on everything that had happened since I had seen her the evening before. There wasn’t much to tell her, so I told her more about my date with Matt.
“He keeps talking about the future, as if he wants me to be a part of his life forever.”
Mom’s green eyes, which had once been the same shade as mine, were now dimmed with
the yellowing of the whites from jaundice and the pain she was in constantly. But they brightened just a little when I told her about Matt. “He really does sound like a good boy, Aurora.”
“I love him, Mom,” I confessed. It was the first time I had said it out loud to anyone other than Matt, but it felt good to tell her.
“It makes me feel better that you will have someone who will be here for you when I’m gone,” she murmured weakly, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.
Tears instantly pricked my eyes, but I held them back like a levee holding back the sea. “Don’t talk like that, Mom. We still have plenty of time together.”
We both knew I was only lying to myself, and when she opened her pain-filled eyes, the look in them told me that. “It won’t be long now, my baby. I can feel myself fading a little more every hour.”
“Mom, no,” I whispered brokenly.
“Yes, sweetheart. But I want you to know that I love you. You were the best thing to ever happen to me. You are my greatest joy and my greatest sorrow.” Two fat tears fell from her eyes, but she didn’t seem to have the strength to lift her hands and wipe them away.
Reaching for a tissue, I mopped away the tears and tightened the hold on my own. “I love you too, Mom. You are my best friend. You’re my favorite person in the world, and I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t,” she whispered. “I will always be here for you. I will always take care of you and watch over you.” Her icy fingers wrapped around my wrist and tightened so hard I knew she was using the last of her energy to do it. “When you turn twenty-one, you won’t ever have to worry about anything. I’ve made sure of that. Just try to put up with your father until then, Aurora. After your twenty-first birthday, you can walk away from him and never look back, I promise.”
“I don’t want anything but you!” I whispered as the first tear broke the barrier and spilled free. “I would give up everything if I could keep you, Mommy.”
Weak hands pulled my head down onto her chest, and my tears flooded over my lashes, soaking into her silky nightgown. “Shh, my baby. It will be okay. I promise. You’ll be just fine.”
MATT
I pulled through the gates at the clubhouse and parked my motorcycle in its usual spot. I probably should have just gone home, but I was exhausted, and the clubhouse was closer. I only wanted a shower and a few hours’ sleep before I picked Rory up later.
Inside, the place looked like a ghost town compared to how it was at night. Usually, the sheep came out to play when the sun went down, and most of my MC brothers were all too willing to be part of the game. Three months ago, I would have been among them, but since I’d met Rory, I’d gotten bored with the sheep.
I passed Raider coming out of his room. He lifted his chin in greeting and kept walking, his phone pressed to his ear. I unlocked my door and slammed it shut behind me. My first thought was to just face-plant into the mattress, I was that fucking tired, but I needed a shower.
Ten minutes later, I was crawling under my covers. I plugged in my nearly dead phone and made sure to set an alarm so I could wake up in time for my date with my girl. The picture of her on the background of my phone smiled up at me. I stroked my thumb down one red-gold curl and then put the phone on the bedside table.
Sleep. I needed sleep.
After dropping Rory off at her house the night before, I’d gone on an overnight run. Jet had needed me to pick up a shipment of liquor his distributor had left in Oakland by mistake, so I’d had to take my truck down to pick it up. After dropping it and my truck off at the bar, I’d been running on fumes.
My eyes closed as soon as my head hit the pillow.
“M-Matt!” Rory’s voice pulled me from a deep sleep.
My eyes shot open when I felt her hand shake my arm, and I flipped onto my back, pulling her down onto my chest in the process. “Hey, girl,” I said with a groan as I used my free hand to wipe sleep from my eyes.
“Matt,” she whispered, but I still heard the tremble in her voice.
I looked up at her, saw the tears flooding from her pretty green eyes, and knew something had happened to her mom. “Ah, babe.” I rolled so she was on her back and I could lean over her. I pushed back the strands of tear-soaked hair that were glued to her face and cupped her cheek. “What happened?”
