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“Congrats, man. I mean it.”
I stay smiling as I find my seat, ignoring everyone’s shocked expressions. Ryder and Gage, one of the Nomads, exchange a look. August, another Nomad, sinks on to the chair beside me.
“Did you just get laid or something?” he asks, leaning toward me. “I’d be smiling if I got to sleep with that girl, too.” My smile falls and I snap my head toward him.
“Maybe don’t say that about his girl,” Axel says from the other end of the table. August blinks a few times and looks around, confused. Finally, he meets my eye again, and whatever he sees makes him blanch.
“Shit. My bad,” he says, holding his hands up. “Didn’t mean it like that. I just meant, if I had a girl—”
“Stop talking, Auggie,” Ryder says, his voice a deep rumble. August clamps his mouth shut and turns his attention toward Bash, but keeps one eye on me.
A part of me is proud I didn’t just bash his face into the table, but another part of me thinks I’m going soft. But that’s what happens when you have a family, right? You’re not as bloodthirsty as before.
My smile returns as I focus on Bash. Everyone looks uncomfortable, which I don’t totally understand. I’m not a grumpy asshole like the rest of them. I always smile.
“Taz said he needs our help,” Bash says, drawing my attention. “We’re going to head to LA in a few days.” I glance around, my smile gone again.
“I can’t leave Kens and the boys,” I say. Everyone exchanges a look, and it pisses me off this time. “Bash, we all have families. We can’t just leave.”
“Yeah,” he says, resting his arms on the table as he leans forward. “We can. And we are. This is what we signed up for when we got patched in. The club and our Brother’s come first. Taz needs us, and we’ll be there.”
“But—”
“The girls will still be here,” he says, cutting his eyes to me. “Addie and Heather will keep them safe.”
“Judging by how that kid beat his friend’s old man, I think he can hold his own,” Ryder says.
“You’re fine leaving Madi and Izzy?” I ask, and he takes a deep breath.
“It’s not ideal,” he admits, glancing at Bash. “But we follow our Prez. That’s how it is.”
“But—”
“Kiwi,” Bash snaps. “Drop it. We’re going to L.A. in a few days. End of discussion.”
I cross my arms over my chest and slouch back in my chair. I don’t want to leave them. Every time I’m not around, something happens and I can’t keep letting them down. Twice is two too many times, but three times? That’s unforgivable. That’s punishable by death.
“We can leave our families here at the clubhouse,” Bash sighs. “If that’ll make everyone feel better, we can leave them here. We know it’s secure and I’ll leave a few of the Brother’s behind to guard them.” He looks around the table at everyone.
“Yeah, let’s do that,” Axel says, glancing at me. “It’s better than them being home without us.”
It’s a compromise. Not one I love, but it’ll have to do.
Now, trying to convince Kennedy and the boys to stay here. That’ll be a different challenge.
Bash gives us another moment to argue, but when no one does, he nods and bangs his fist on the table, finalizing the decision.
“Cyrus left this morning,” Reid says, and Bash nods. “He’s taking Ava home.” Ava was one of the girls we saved when we got Madi back. And I feel fucking awful she’ll be stuck with grumpy-ass Cyrus. He’s a Nomad, and while the others like their solitude, that fucker takes it to another level.
“What’s going on with Taz?” I ask. Bash scrubs his hand over his face and leans back in his chair.
“He’s really fucking close to finishing this bullshit. He said he thinks he found the place where the girls are being held. He just needs help getting them out.”
We all look at each other, a strange mix of relief and dread coiling in my stomach. We’ve been working at ending this for months—we’ve lived and breathed this, and now we’re so close to finishing, I can taste it.
What happens when it’s all done? Where do I go from there?
Bash’s words grate on me, too similar to Kennedy’s for it to be a coincidence. I can’t ignore it when a sign like that is blaring at me.
