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Church is over. The guys will go about their business, and I’m losing daylight. I need to find a place to crash for the night.
I hastily wipe away my tears, exiting the room. Not paying attention to where I’m going, I run smack into a body.
“Sorry, Opal,” Flay apologizes, giving me a kind smile.
“No worries.”
Flay is a little rough around the edges, with no bedside manner to accompany his medic background. But he’s polite toward me. Definitely not his norm. His smile quickly drops when he looks at my face.
Before I can leave, he holds me by the shoulders, bending at the knees to get a better look at me. His soft brown eyes are filled with concern. “Opal, honey, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I lie as my eyes flood with tears.
“Opal…”
It’s no use. I suck at hiding my emotions. Like a baby, I burst into tears.
“The fuck…” Flay quickly pulls me into his bunkroom, setting me on one of the lower bunks. Tentatively, he sits next to me, wrapping a tatted arm around my shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. Tell me what’s going on.”
Maybe it’s because I’m tired of suppressing my feelings, but my filter is gone. Everything comes out. I explain how Gauge broke my heart. How I’m trying to distance myself. Candy’s involvement. Having nowhere to sleep.
The more I confess, the deeper Flay’s scowl gets. He looks downright murderous by the time I finish venting. A low growl rumbles in his chest. “Thatsonofabitch. No brother of mine gets a pass at hurting you.”
His statement is sweet, but sweetness doesn’t cure heartbreak.
Flay sighs. “The solution is simple. You’ll take my bunk. We’ve got cots in the basement in storage. I’ll crash down there. I’m going to talk to my bunkmates, explain you’re rooming with us.”
“Flay, I don’t want everyone to know what happened. This could cause rifts in the club.”
“I’ll leave out the specifics, saying you guys need some distance. The bunk is yours on one condition. Gauge isn’t allowed in here for any reason. This will be your safe zone for as long as you need.”
I’m flabbergasted by his selfless generosity. “Flay, I—I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Oh, don’t thank me yet,” he chuckles darkly. “Brass and Reaper snore ungodly loud—you’ll be lucky if you get any shut-eye. You’ll be begging to switch places with me by tomorrow. I suggest picking up some earplugs. I’d offer you the basement space, but I don’t trust the stupid asshat to not harass you down there. You’re safest in here. Go grab your stuff. You’re moving in.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-NINE
OPAL
It’s nearly midnight. Unable to sleep, I lay awake, staring at the ceiling from Flay’s top bunk. He wasn’t lying about the snoring. It sounds like a sawmill in here. First thing tomorrow, I’ll ask one of the guys to take me to the store to buy those earplugs Flay suggested.
With a sigh, I roll over, looking out the window. There’s a full moon. It brightens the utilitarian room with a muted glow. I look at the lower bunk next to mine. Red lays across Reaper’s bare chest. His brawny arms cage her against him. Reaper snores loudly, waking himself up. He clears his throat, looks down at Red on his chest, and plants a gentle kiss on the crown of her head before falling back to sleep.
Yeah, he loves her. It both warms my heart and fractures it.
“WHERE IS SHE?”
Uh-oh!
I hear doors opening and slamming as heavy feet thunder through the house.
Worried, I pull the covers over my head, knowing Gauge is on a rampage. Is he looking for me?
Get a grip, Opal. He’s moved on.
“WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE?”
“Dude, calm down. She has to be in the house,” Chase says.
