AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As we hauled ass home, I checked Soleil’s pulse obsessively.
“She’s going to be okay.” Squirrel’s serious comment startled me. He was usually a jokester and often smiling or laughing.
As he stared at me from between the seats, I took a shuddering inhale. “This time.”
“Don’t say that. There won’t be a next time.”
“How do you know? If there’s anything I’ve figured out over the years, it’s that nothing is guaranteed. The cacodaemon is after me for some reason, and that makes her a target—for as long as she’s around me.” I swallowed hard. “I’d rather her be away from me and safe than with me and dead.”
“We’re going to do everything we can. Facet is going to find something. Don’t throw in the towel yet,” Ghost said from the driver’s seat. My gaze briefly found his in the rearview mirror before he returned his attention to the road.
Gently, I brushed the tangled strands of Soleil’s dark auburn hair off her face. With a featherlight touch, I traced her brows, down the slope of her nose, and over her full lips.
My heart rejoiced that we’d found each other, but my soul howled in despair at the thought of having to let her go. Because regardless of Ghost’s positive affirmations, if we didn’t find a way to beat the cacodaemon, I feared she would never be safe with me as long as he was alive.
When we got home with Soleil, Jasmine went into labor.
“I don’t think it’s safe to go to the hospital right now,” Chains argued.
“You listen to me, and you listen good,” Jasmine ground out as she grabbed the front of his shirt. “I am not having our baby in a clubhouse full of bikers!”
A gasp interrupted her demands, and she doubled over, holding her large belly. She groaned, then shouted, “Arrrrrrggghh!”
Despite the gravity of my own situation and theirs, I wanted to laugh at the brief flash of fear on Chains’s face.
“I’ll go with you,” Angel told them.
“I’ll go too,” Squirrel offered. “Then I’ll ride back with Billy.”
Chains and Angel both nodded their consent.
Billy was one of our two senior prospects and a helluva loyal guy. He was at the hospital where he worked as a phlebotomist. He’d be getting off in a couple of hours, so that would save having anyone ride by themselves.
“Here’s her bag.” Cookie smirked as she held out the bag that had been sitting by the door for days. Chains took it with a grateful chin lift.
“Okay, sweetheart, we’ll go. Just please don’t have the baby in my new truck,” he pleaded, bag in hand.
Jasmine’s eyes went wide, and her nostrils flared. Before smoke came out of her ears, I hightailed it up the stairs with Soleil cradled to my chest. In my room, I settled her gently on the bed. Heart in my throat, I knelt at her side and brushed her tangled hair off her face. Using my thumb, I stroked her soft cheek over the pale line from where Angel had healed it. Soon, no one would know it had ever happened.
But I would never forget.
While Soleil was recuperating in my room, I returned to the common area. I wanted to be with her, but I had obligations. Thankfully, the ol’ ladies passed me on the stairs to check on her. She would be in good hands.
Venom wanted to touch base to discuss the events that unfolded today, so I joined them in the chapel as I had been instructed to do.
“Okay, let’s get started,” Venom began. The sound of chairs scraping the concrete floor echoed through the room as everyone scooted up to the table.
“I know it hasn’t even been a day since Sabre asked you to look into it, but I know you’re good, so any news, Facet?” Hawk absently tapped the tabletop. After Raptor announced he was leaving for Texas, Hawk had become the interim VP. Recently, we officially voted him back in, but I wasn’t sure how he felt about it. He hadn’t said much. When he’d stepped down before, he had said he wanted the younger men to have their day. The thing was, we all knew he had the most experience of all of us except for Kicker and the old-timers.
I was glad he’d asked, because I was getting antsy.
“Good? I’m fucking phenomenal.” He stood up and tossed a bunch of printouts onto the center of the table. When everyone noticed they were the same, they each grabbed one.
As I read over the information, I frowned. “How the fuck are we supposed to do this?”
“You didn’t ask me to make a plan. You asked for information.”
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair in frustration.
