Page 66 of What They Say

Four days later, Chase went looking for Vic after a show, finding him in the green room, carefully breaking down part of his kit. The adrenaline from the set was still humming through both of them, but Chase’s mind had been elsewhere most of the night.

“Hey,” he said, leaning against the wall. “Can I ask you something kind of personal?”

Vic straightened, wiping his hands on a towel. “Sure. What’s up?”

“How did you know Bonnie was the one? Like...really knew?”

Vic was quiet for a moment, then gave a small, thoughtful smile. “It wasn’t one lightning-bolt moment. It was the way she made everything feel better just by being there. Even when she pushed me away, I couldn’t walk away from her. She challenged me. She made the music better. She made me better. After a while, the idea of a future without her felt wrong. Empty.” He met Chase’s eyes. “When you find someone who makes you want to fight for a life worth living—not just for them, but for the version of yourself you become with them—that’s when you know.”

Chase nodded slowly, letting the words settle.

***

Later that night, back at the clubhouse, Chase found his dad sitting alone in the war room with a cup of coffee. The place was quieter now, the immediate threat handled, but the weight of everything still lingered.

Chase sat across from him.

“Got a minute?” he asked.

Mason nodded. “Always.”

Chase took a breath. “It’s about Kath. I love her, Dad. The real kind. The kind that makes me want to build something that lasts. After what happened to her—because of me, because of this life—I keep wondering if I’m being selfish by keeping her close.”

Mason studied him for a long moment.

“You’re not your mother’s mistakes,” he said finally, voice low. “And you’re not mine. If Kath is who you want, then fight for her. But be honest with her about what this life can bring. She deserves that.”

Chase nodded. Then he added, quieter, “And about the club...I don’t think patching in is for me right now. Especially after what happened to Kath. I don’t want to bring that kind of danger into her life on purpose.”

Mason’s expression didn’t change much, but his eyes softened just a fraction. “I told you before—it has to come from the heart. Not obligation. I’m proud of the man you’re becoming, Chase. Club or no club.”

The words landed like a weight finally lifting.

***

Chase found Kath waiting for him near the bikes. The second she saw him, her whole face lit up. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, slow and deep, like he’d been waiting all night to do exactly that.

“I love you,” he whispered against her lips.

She smiled, bright and sure. “I love you too.”

They rode back to Bear’s house in Chase’s truck, Kath sitting right in the middle of the bench seat, her hand in his the whole way. The house was blessedly empty—Bear and the kids were gone for the evening. Chase knew it wouldn’t last forever, but right now they had time.

The second the door closed behind them, Kath turned to him, eyes dark with want.

“I’m done waiting,” she said quietly. “I want you. Your bed or mine, doesn’t matter. I just want you.”

Chase didn’t need to be told twice.

He captured Kath’s mouth in a deep, hungry kiss, backing her steadily down the hallway. Her fingers twisted in his shirt as she moved with him, breath catching each time their lips parted just enough to drag in air. The guest room door clicked shut behind them, and piece by piece their clothes fell away—his shirt dropped near the threshold, her blouse a few steps farther, until nothing but skin and need remained.

He laid her on the bed with deliberate care, then stretched out beside her. His hands explored slowly, reverently—tracing the curve of her waist, the soft swell of her breast, the dip at the small of her back. Every sigh and whimper she offered guided him, and he answered with lingering kisses along her throat, her collarbone, the sensitive spot just beneath her ear that made her arch into him.

When he finally settled between her thighs and they came together, the sensation stole his breath. Not just the slick heat and perfect fit, but the way her eyes locked on his, wide and shining. The way her hands cradled his face as if he were something precious. Each slow roll of his hips drew a shared moan, building something deeper than pleasure—trust, belonging, a love so profound it felt like it could heal every cracked and lonely place inside him.

Afterwards, he slipped away only long enough to deal with the condom, then returned to pull her close. Kath tucked her head against his chest, her breath warm on his skin. He drew lazy circles along the smooth line of her spine, feeling the steady beat of her heart against his own, the quiet rise and fall of their breathing the only sound left in the room.

Chase pulled her closer, heart full in a way he’d never known was possible.