THIRTY-TWO
Lisa
It was déjà vu when Lisa opened the door and saw Tomb on her doorstep.
“Not again!” she huffed. “I already know you guys lied your asses off. Ryan is fine.”
“Sorry about that, darling.” he looked contrite with a half-smile. Then that smile dropped. “Can you come to the clubhouse with me? Splice needs you.”
She blinked, concern changing her demeanor. “What’s wrong?”
“There’s been a situation, and he’s in a bad way emotionally. He needs you.”
That was all she had to hear. She raced inside to grab her house keys, not even bothering to change out of her PJ pants and comfy house cardigan she wore while working on putting subtitles on her current work project. She slipped on a pair of tennis shoes and locked up.
So far, she didn’t have any good memories attached to the brick building Tomb was parking in front of, and Lisa’s belly clenched with dread, but she was too wired, worried for Ryan, that she slipped down from the tall truck before it was fully stopped and waited for Tomb to open the coded door.
“Over there, Lisa.” he pointed to the far end of the room. She saw Ryan, dressed in his club colors, leather jacket included, slumped on the couch, his head back, staring at the ceiling. Unmoving.
Mouse and Reno were with him, and they looked around when they saw her speed-walking through the room.
“Thank fuck, Lisa is here.” Mouse declared. “He hasn’t spoken for hours,” he explained.
“Give Lisa some space with Splice,” Tomb said to the others, who jumped to their feet. “We’ll be over there, darling, if you need anything.”
Lisa didn’t even nod to acknowledge Tomb’s words; she crouched by Ryan and rubbed his knee. “Hey, sweet boy. What’s happening?”
He had never appeared so lifeless or so ashen to her before.
Tomb had kind of explained the situation on the drive, and she was sick to her stomach that Ryan had been hit with so many confessions at once. He must be devastated to know about Vince’s true self.
It was as if hearing her voice unlocked Ryan, and his head reared up from the back of the couch. He blinked, focusing on her face.
“Lisa...”
The devastated tone cracked her heart open, and she had one thought: to wrap her man up in so much love. She didn’t give a thought to how many men were around; she climbed to her feet, slipped onto his lap, and bundled Ryan into her arms.
“I’m here, baby. Right here with you.”
Ryan’s arms immediately wrapped around her waist, and he held her in a tight embrace.
“I have you. Breathe, okay?” She stroked Ryan’s hair, just holding him for as long as he needed.
Love wasn’t always about joy and desire.
It was the dark times and the sad moments that split you open.
It was about the person who was standing with you in that pain.
Love meant being present in another’s darkest moments, offering comfort and reassurance that they wouldn’t face their struggles alone, and sharing their pain for as long as necessary.
“I have you,” she whispered into his hair, “I love you, sweet boy.”
“Don’t let go yet.” She heard him mumble, and Lisa smiled.
“As if. You’re mine now.”
Over the hours, they remained glued to each other on that too-small couch, talking quietly. Lisa soothed her biker man as best as she could, using the only things she knew to use: her love and her arms around him.
