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Once we’re outside, I wrinkle my nose as the bright sun shines down on me. We walk toward my car, and Lance opens the door for me, but I don’t slip inside. Turning to him, I place my palm against the center of his chest again as I tilt my head backward to look up at him.
“I’m worried about Thunder,” I whisper.
“Thunder?”
My gaze flicks over his shoulder to the closed door of the clubhouse. “Thunder,” I murmur. “I’m worried about her. She didn’t look well.”
Lance hums, wraps his fingers around my wrist, and gently picks my hand up off his chest. He turns his head and touches his lips to my palm. “Thunder will be okay. Hellcat’s got her.”
I want to ask him if Hellcat really does have her. If he’s going to take care of her or just fuck her. But I don’t, because sometimes, fucking is caring. I sink down into the passenger seat of my car, buckle in, and turn to Lance with a smile.
He shakes his head, chuckling before he closes the door. I watch as he moves around the front of the car, then slips into the driver’s seat before he starts the engine. When he drives away from the clubhouse, I don’t know why, but I expect to feel anxiety.
I don’t.
Instead, I feel almost excited, although it’s probably only because Lance said I would be seeing the girls. Maybe they’ll even have their babies with them. I don’t know why that excites me so much, but it really does.
Lance reaches across the center console and takes my hand, lacing his fingers through mine. I expect him to drive straight toward either Henli or Kiplyn’s place, but he doesn’t. He takes us downtown and straight toward the salon.
My palms begin to sweat at the thought of him dropping me off at the salon. He parks the car right in front, and my heart slams against my chest over and over. He shifts the car intoPark, then turns his head to look at me, his smile wide as his gaze searches mine.
“It’s all good, buttercup. They wanted to see you and help you get everything ready. Kiplyn’s going back to work soon. Piper says she wants to go back, and they miss you.”
“Do they?” I snap. “Or do they just want to use my shop?”
Lance hums, then makes a tsking sound before he turns to me with a growl. “You know that isn’t it,” he barks. “These are your girls, your family.”
He’s right. I know he is, but at the same time, I can’t help the feeling of being used, and not just that, but also being pushed into reopening the shop when I’m not ready. I know there is no way anyone will make me do anything, but the pressure I feel consumes me.
Without another word, Lance opens the door and moves around the front of the car to open mine for me. Stepping out, I lift my hand and slip it into his. He tugs me closer, releasing my hand before he places his palm against the small of my back.
Together, we walk toward the front of the salon. Lance opens the unlocked door for me, and I step inside.
“Surprise!” Henli shouts.
My eyes widen, and I blink a few times at the sight before me. Henli, Piper, and Kiplyn stand in front of me, their smiles huge as they stare at me. Spinning around, I can’t believe what I see. The entire salon has been repainted… black.
“What happened?” I breathe.
Not only is the salon painted black, but the baseboards are also a bright white, and the entire place has been redecorated. Where there had been plain lights, there are now chandeliers. The ceiling is bright pink.
It’s beautiful.
The only thing that appears to be the same is the rinse bowl. Everything else is different. It looks like a brand-new salon. I’m speechless. Completely and totally speechless. I don’t even know what to say.
Tears start to roll down my cheeks. I don’t know how it all happened or why. I open my mouth to ask when Kiplyn takes a step toward me. She takes my hand in hers and gives me a small smile as her own tears roll down her cheeks.
“It was time for a change. This is a whole new era, a whole new part of your life, and we all thought that a fresh start would make it easier,” she explains.
Turning my head, I look over my shoulder at Lance. He’s giving me a smile. He knew this was going down, and he kept it from me.
He was in on the surprise.
Everything I’ve been through—the abuse, stalking, and kidnapping. These women did all of this for me. It’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. I feel special, loved, adored even.
“Welcome home, Reese,” Piper says, her voice soft.
Home.
