Page 21 of Gage

Dawn turned the high windows gray before the compound settled. A chain secured what remained of the rear gate. The clubhouse smelled of smoke, extinguisher powder and bitter coffee.

Deacon came out of church with his phone in one hand. Preacher and Smoke followed him.

“My Deming contact says Javier’s uncle ordered every Mora truck home,” Deacon said. “He was promised a quiet route deal. Instead Javier came back shot, one of his men is dead thanks to Gage and another seems to have broken bones... again, thanks to Gage.”

“You’re welcome.” I shrugged.

“Yeah, well.” Deacon continued. “Javier’s uncle isn’t paying for a war before the first load even moves. Tomas assured him it was a sure thing to take Salvation. But it seems he’s not feeling so certain anymore.”

Smoke glanced toward the ruined rear gate. “Javier?”

“Alive, unfortunately. Getting his leg handled before they move him. His uncle’s cutting the loss and blaming Javier for making it loud.” Deacon looked at Elena. “The Mora deal is dead. No alliance. No marriage. Their trucks should be over the county line by noon.”

Elena let out a slow breath. “They won’t try again?”

“Mora won’t,” Preacher said. “But your father is a whole different thing. My guess is that his plans for this town haven’t changed, and I doubt he’ll be pleased that you disobeyed him and his marriage alliance plan.”

Preacher looked at me. “Get her ribs checked when the road’s clear. Then get some sleep before you start pretending you don’t need it.”

“Wasn’t planning to pretend.”

“Bullshit.” Smoke followed him toward the yard before I could answer.

Elena stayed beside the bar while men measured the ruined gate opening and stripped burned material from the garage wall. When the others were out of earshot, she looked at me. “So what happens now?”

“Doctor checks your ribs. We fix the gate. Tomas stays somebody we watch.” I set my coffee down and caught her hand. “And I stop pretending wanting you is a temporary problem.”

Her tired smile came slowly. “That sounds serious.”

“Yeah. I want the ordinary shit too. Your shoes in my way. Your coffee going cold while you fight with billing codes. You showing up at my place and bitching because I’ve got no food in the fridge.”

“That last one sounds very likely from what I hear.”

“I love you, Elena. I got there fucking fast and I don’t care.”

She studied me for a long second, and I let her. I’d said what I wanted. I wasn’t taking it back just because the timing was insane.

“I have to go back to Las Cruces,” she said. “I need to talk to my boss, deal with my apartment and work out what I’m doing next.”

“Then we go when you’re ready.”

Her eyebrows lifted. “We?”

“Your father knows where you live. You really think I’m letting you walk back in there alone?”

“There he is.”

“Yeah.” I pulled her between my knees. “You can call me an asshole after the doctor clears your ribs.”

She put her hands on my shoulders. “I love you too, asshole. And I’m staying in Salvation for now.”

I kissed her before she could turn that into a conversation about anything else. Outside, a grinder bit into the ruined gate while the club started putting our ground back together.

EPILOGUE

GAGE

Three and a half weeks later, Elena's car rolled into my drive just before dark. I was on the porch before she turned off the engine.