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“Cross says you’re leaving,” she says in a tone I can best describe as awed. “Are you sure?”
I shoot him a dark glance over her shoulder, and he shrugs.
“Yes,” I answer her. Or more like them both, since I’m sure he brought her in here so she would talk me out of it and that’s not gonna work. “If I don’t, I might never do it.”
Plus there’s the thing with the chief which we are not getting into.
Roxie walks closer and stops right beside me, looking down at me with her eyes still very wide.
“I left my home alone in the middle of the night too,” she says. “And I had to make it on my own for years afterwards. It’s not what I want for you. It’s not a good life.”
She’s drastically oversimplifying the story, probably because Hunter is listening and he’s too young to hear the real one. Truth is, her home was attacked by a rival MC when she was a couple of years younger than me and she barely escaped captivity. So this is not the same thing at all. She didn’t want to leave. She had to.
“I want to finally go home to the reservation, Roxie,” I say in a soft voice, because I can see this is hurting her and for once, I don’t want to add fuel to that fire. “I’m going to be with my people. I won’t be alone.”
She shakes her head in a dismissive way. “But they just—“
“Roxie,” Cross says, interrupting her before she can say anything more. And what was she going to say? That they chucked me out. That they left me on the doorstep of Sanctuary twelve years ago and didn’t even bother to check in with me much. Sure, that’s sort of true. But it doesn’t mean I don’t belong there.
“If she’s decided, we can’t stop her,” Cross adds. “I know that much.”
The look I give him this time is a much more grateful one.
Roxie nods curtly, takes my hand, pulls me to my feet then gives me the tightest hug she’s ever given me.
Our time together started off rocky, but I never once doubted that this woman always wanted the best for me. Even before I became her step-daughter, and she was the guidance counselor at my junior high school. And that’s always meant more to me than I was able to say.
“I love you, Roxie,” I whisper in her ear. “You’re the best mom I could wish for.”
She breaks away to look me in the eyes, tears welling in hers, then hugs me even tighter.
Once she finally releases me, Hunter looks like he’s holding back tears, and Cross isn’t untouched by all of this either.
“I think that’s enough goodbyes,” I say curtly, my voice cracking.
And then I don’t think about anything much at all, as I follow Cross down the stairs. He’s carrying my duffle bag, the big light is on in the lobby, illuminating the stairs and part of the first floor too, and making the space brighter than it ever is during the day. I hear voices outside. Goodbyes aren’t over yet, it seems. And I’m not sure I’m ready to bid them to the guys who have been more like uncles than just my father’s men these last twelve years.
What the hell am I doing just leaving?
Protecting them, that’s what, for one thing.
Going to look for the life I should’ve lived, for another.
So if I just focus on that, I should be fine.
Tank, Scar, and Ice are standing just outside the main mansion door. They were discussing something, but they all turn quiet as Cross and I emerge. They’re all looking at me intently and hard, as though they’ve all got a lot to say to me.
Tank, the club’s VP and my dad’s best friend from way back is the first to clear his throat.
“You sure this is what you want, Princess?” he asks, glancing at Cross as he runs his hand through his thick dark hair that’s starting to turn grey at the temples.
“I’m sure,” I say firmly, though I’m anything but right now.
Scar nods his head and Ice extends his hand to me. “Good luck, kid.”
He’s Roxie’s brother so sort of my uncle, and I shake his hand and thank him solemnly.
“Don’t get into too much trouble,” Scar says and offers me his hand. I take it and get pulled into a tight embrace by this huge man, who, also because his face is horribly disfigured by an old knife wound, and his reputation for ruthlessness, frightens grown men. But he’s a good man underneath it all, and I could always talk to him about anything growing up. Mostly because he’s a very good listener and understands pain you can do nothing to fix.
