Edge used his boot to nudge one of the broken men again, just enough to make him groan. “And these boys? They’ll look pretty compared to what we’ll do to the rest of you.” His smile sharpened, knife glinting in his hand. “Assuming there’s enough left to identify.”
Nobody inside the clubhouse spoke. Nobody on the porch moved.
Bomber looked at the men at his feet, then back at Kane, and I saw rage flicker under the fear. Good. Men like him remembered humiliation better than lectures, and he was getting a mouthful of both.
“We agree,” he agreed finally, his voice tight.
I stepped forward then, unable to stay quiet any longer. “And if I hear anyone associated with your club even breathed near Saylor again, I won’t wait for Kane. I’ll come alone first. Then my brothers will come after to clean up what’s left.”
Bomber’s gaze moved to me, and he swallowed hard before nodding. “Understood.”
“Good,” I growled. “Try real hard to remember.”
Kane turned without another word, dismissing Bomber, his club, and any illusion they’d had that they could push into our territory and survive untouched. We followed, leaving the Diesel Serpents standing on their porch with four broken men, a public humiliation they’d never fully be able to explain, and enough fear to make staying away sound real fucking smart.
The sun was fully up as we mounted our bikes and headed home. The Diesel Serpents had been handled. Sutton was no longer a bargaining chip. Saylor was protected by the club and claimed by me so completely I could feel it under my skin. Now I just had to get home to the woman I loved and make damn sure she understood I’d been hers from the second she looked up at me and made my whole fucking world shift.
17
SAYLOR
Knowing Levi and his club brothers were out there somewhere still cleaning up the mess Sutton helped make, I hadn’t been able to get much sleep last night. Earlier this morning, I finally decided to catch up on all the grading I’d fallen behind on during the chaos of the past couple of weeks. The stack of essays seemed never-ending, but I kept at it for hours, needing something normal to focus on while I waited.
My progress wasn’t quick since my eyes drifted to the door every few minutes. Levi had said he’d be back sometime today, and I hoped it would be soon.
After I managed to get through three more papers, the sound of heavy boots in the hallway made my heart leap. A moment later, the door opened, and I shot out of the chair to run to him.
Levi caught me in his arms, lifting me off the ground. I buried my face in his neck, breathing him in as relief flooded through me.
“You’re back,” I whispered.
“Fucking finally.” He pulled back just enough to look at me, searching my face. “Everything’s handled. The Diesel Serpents won’t be a problem anymore. Sutton’s safe too.”
“For now,” I mumbled before letting out a shaky breath.
“She’s never gonna pull you into her shit again.” His dark eyes gleamed with determination. “She’s on her own if she fucks up like this again.”
He said that now, but if I forgave Sutton and asked him to help her, we both knew he’d do it. Because he loved me. We might not have shared the words yet, but I knew that with every ounce of my being.
Levi pulled back just enough to look at me, his hands still framing my face. His brown eyes were full of emotion as he gave voice to his feelings. “I love you, Saylor. Didn’t want all the shit with Sutton still between us when I said it. But I love you so damn much.”
“I love you too, Levi.” Tears welled in my eyes. “More than I can possibly say.”
He flashed me a soft smile that was just for me, then gave me a quick kiss. “Gotta grab something.”
My brows drew together as he walked into the closet and reached up to the top shelf. He pulled down a leather vest, came back out, and handed it to me.
It had the Redline Kings patch on the back, and just beneath it was another that read “Property of Century.”
I sniffled. “Really?”
“Yes, really.” He shook his head with a deep chuckle. “Will you be my old lady, Saylor? Wear my patch and stand beside me as my woman?”
I stared at the vest through watery eyes, a laugh bubbling up that was half sob as I slipped the vest on with trembling hands. “Yes. Of course, yes.”
Levi’s grin was wider than I’d ever seen it as he ran his hands down my sides, admiring how it looked on me. “You look good in my patch, sweetheart. Real good.”
“Thank you for giving it to me.”
