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“I can live with that.”
“Good.” She moved in front of me, standing with her back to my front and wrapping my arms around her shoulders. “Thank you.”
“No.” I kissed the top of her head. “Thank you.”
I would probably end up thanking her for the rest of our lives, but she was right. I did have a family now. One that wouldn’t hurt me. One that would help me, especially when it came to Busy. Her dad accepted me. I didn’t know her mom, but I would. I wouldn’t let any of them down and show them just how much I loved their daughter. They wouldn’t regret letting me into their family. I would make damn sure of it.
While everyone talked amongst each other, Busy and I stayed back. With her in my arms, the anxiety that I had been so used to having over the years, diminished. It was still there at times, tingling beneath my skin and reminding me that I would never fully be in control. But with Busy’s help and her love for me, I would at least learn to accept it.
Bee
“DID YOU LOCK UP?”
“Of course, Daddy.” I unlocked the door and clicked the lock back into place just to be sure.
“Good girl. How long were you gone for?”
“Three hours. That includes a half an hour each way it takes to drive back into town.”
“Anyone follow you?”
“No.” Although my father and I had the same conversation ever since Tanner and I moved to the middle of nowhere, literally, it still made me uneasy. I was waiting for one of these days for my answer to be yes instead of no like it usually was.
“Good. Remember what I told you if you do catch someone following you?”
“Yes. Don’t go home and keep driving. Call you or Uncle Greyson and head to the safehouse.” It was Cyrus and Sammy’s parents’ cottage and was a few hours away. The twins hadn’t been there in years but someone in Hell’s Harlem was always there. I never knew about it though until Tanner and I had moved in together. Both of us had a key. If we were ever separated for any reason, we agreed to meet there.
It was to keep us safe, my dad had said, when really, it was a decoy. If someone was following us, I would head there and whoever was there, would take over and stop the person tailing me. Which meant, they would kill them.
It was hard at times being with a man like Tanner, knowing who he was and what he had come from. His club had given him a retirement party. Sky Paiva took over as president. They removed the patches from Tanner’s leather cut and hung it up in their office. He wasn’t allowed to join another club and if he did want to get patched back into the Devil’s Rejects, he would have to start over and be a prospect just like everyone else. I wasn’t sure if that was how it was done in most clubs, but Tanner agreed to the terms, so I never questioned it.
Tanner continued to look over his shoulder whenever we were out in public. Most would probably tell him not to worry but I didn’t. I worried with him instead. He feared that more people were after him but my love for him went deeper than that. I had dug myself into his heart and I refused to let him handle this on his own. Much to his dismay of course. He felt the need to take it all on his shoulders instead of having me worry with him.
“Your mom misses you,” Dad said, interrupting my thoughts.
“I miss you guys too.” I would see them in two weeks when Tanner and I went for a visit but until then, we would stay home. I only ever left to grab groceries.
“I also ran into Heather and Lori the other day.”
“Oh? That’s nice. I spoke to them yesterday.” Even though I hadn’t seen them as much as I used to, I talked to my best friends almost every day. I explained to them in not so much detail, everything that had happened. When Tanner and I had gotten married, they were both my maids of honor. The wedding was small but perfect. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
“What time is it?” Daddy asked.
I checked my watch. “Almost three in the afternoon.” I kicked off my shoes and pulled off my sweater before hanging it on the hook by the door.
“Three hours for you to do everything,” Dad grumbled. “I hate that you go into town by yourself.”
I rolled my eyes. “We have this conversation every day, Daddy. I can’t speed or else I’ll get pulled over and then that would draw more attention to us. I already get weird looks when I go to the grocery store.” Not that anyone knew who I was, and Tanner wasn’t seen often in town.
“I know.” Dad sighed. “Alright, sweetheart. Call me on Wednesday.”
“I will.” We said our goodbyes and I stopped in front of the fireplace. Brushing my fingers over a small golden urn sitting on top of the mantel, I smiled. “Don’t worry, Trigger, your dad will never forget you.” Rowan had gifted Tanner the urn on our wedding day. Memories of holding him while he cried into my shoulder still haunted me but I was thankful at the same time that he trusted me enough to let himself go like that.
Heading to the door that led to the basement, I pushed it open and stepped down the stairs until I reached the large room, we were planning on using as a playroom for our kids.
Tanner was pacing. He had a deep scowl on his face and if I didn’t know better, it looked like he was trying to wear a hole in the carpet with all of his walking back and forth.
“Tanner,” I said gently, shutting the door behind me.
