Page 30 of Torrent’s Treasure

“Yes, we’ll be here at the clubhouse, and there’s nothing she needs it for, especially if she’s not replying to Linny,” Cecilia agreed.

Torrent didn’t have a good feeling about this. Hopefully, between Gunner’s research and Fury and Mammoth stopping in Nebraska, they’d get some more information.

Chapter Fourteen

Cecilia finished blow-drying her hair after her shower. It still felt a little strange to be going to sleep beside her husband. Calliope had told her all about how long she had screamed when the nightmare came last night. Cecilia didn’t remember any of it, not until she heard humming and saw Torrent beside her, tapping on her knee to the rhythm of one of her favorite songs.

She stared at her neck. Without the makeup, she looked exactly like what she was—someone who’d been strangled. Talking with Calliope and Sally about Calliope’s feelings of guilt had helped Cecilia with her own guilt. She’d been so angry and felt so guilty about letting her guard down and letting him in. After listening to how he’d manipulated Calliope, Cecilia realized he’d been well-versed in lying and convincing people to do what he wanted.

The uniform had distracted her because of her previous dealings with police officers. One of her best friends in St. Louis was a police officer. Through her, Cecilia had met so many caring police officers who did the job because they wanted to make a difference. Her experience with them had her taking what Horse’s Ass had said at face value. She was going to try to give herself a little grace and not be angry at herself.

From her training, Cecilia knew she’d have volatile emotions and would move forward in recovery and then have a setback. But for tonight, she was going to remind herself that it wasn’t her fault and sleep beside her big, gruff biker who had taken her and her sister to get animals—all because he wanted them to feel safe.

She walked out of the bathroom. Torrent was sitting up in bed, reading a book and wearing glasses she hadn’t seen on him before. She picked up one of the books he’d bought her at the store and settled beside him. As soon as she was under the covers, Monster jumped on the bed, settling down by her feet.

“Can I ask a question?” she ventured. Something had been bothering her.

“Yes,” he replied, slipping a bookmark between the pages and closing his book.

“Sally doesn’t look old enough to have Maverick. You said you were in high school with Maverick. I’m guessing you’re in your thirties,” Cecilia said.

“Forty-five. Maverick is too. Sally and Dragon met when Dragon moved here. Maverick was sixteen,” Torrent explained.

“And his mother wasn’t around?” she prompted.

“Nope, Whisper who overdosed,” Torrent stated bluntly.

“She treats you both as her sons, doesn’t she?” Cecilia asked softly.

“Yes,” he confirmed.

“And Willow?” she wondered.

“Sally’s daughter, who Dragon met when she was eight,” Torrent said.

“And as far as Dragon’s concerned, she’s his daughter,” Cecilia surmised.

“Yes.”

Just one word, but it meant so much. Maybe that was why Torrent was so good with Calliope when she asked if he was going to be her dad. He hadn’t minimized their dad but had promised to be a big brother.

“And you met at school?” Cecilia clarified.

“Lunch lady wouldn’t let me eat. No cash. Mav shared his. Took me home for supper,” Torrent recounted.

Her heart hurt for Torrent as a teenager who’d been hungry.

“Sally with Dragon took me home after supper. No electricity. No food in house. Parents passed out from sampling their product. Sally told me to get anything I didn’t want to leave. I packed my two pairs of jeans, underwear, and two shirts. Came out and my mom was signing something. Sally handed her cash,” Torrent revealed, staring off into space.

“She paid your mom to sign you away?” Cecilia whispered, her chest tightening.

Torrent nodded. “Best thing that ever happened to me.”

He’d gone through so much, but he still cared about helping her and Calliope.

“Thank you,” she said, touching his hand.

He nodded again. “Tomorrow, shop.”