AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Maggie and I need to leave town for a while.” The words come out easily, but there’s a heaviness to his shoulders, to his very being, telling me there’s more to the story. “I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of, Sophie. If not for you, I wouldn’t have Maggie right now. You’ve been at my side from the beginning, and I want you to know how much that means to me. I won’t leave you high and dry.”
His unexpectedly sweet words bring tears to my eyes, and I swipe at them before looking away. “Thanks for saying that. It means a lot.” Nova and I have been friends all these years, which matters to me. “What about your father and his cancer?”
“I’ll keep an eye on him and Mom from afar, but I have to go. I need to do what’s best for Maggie and my kid, not to mention the MC. Maggie is pregnant, and her safety is my top priority.”
“Wow. Of course.” But the Reckless Souls don’t know peace. There’s barely been a moment of quiet since I learned about them, which makes his quick departure alarming. I think of the person who tried to run me off the road, and I frown. “Is there anything I need to worry about?”
“No.” His answer is strong and firm. “But it wouldn’t be hurt to be more careful for a while.”
I nod absently. All the years I’ve worked for Nova, and his MC life has never spilled into my personal life. Then again, before Tank, I’d never crossed the line between his biker life and my private life. “Yeah, sure. Of course.”
“This might not be forever, Sophie, but I can’t risk putting our patients in danger with our enemies out for blood.”
“So this is MC stuff. I get it,” I say, even though I don’t get it. At all. It’s what’s made me a good and loyal employee over the years, never asking too many questions about Reckless Souls business. My lips pull into what I hope is a smile, but Nova’s frown says I don’t quite make it.
“You’ll be all right, Sophie.” He flashes a sympathetic smile, and that, for some reason, only makes me feel worse. “I have Tank’s information if you still want it. He’s in solitary right now, and we’re trying to get him out, but maybe a friendly face when he gets out will help?”
I want to scoff bitterly and tell him this isn’t the consolation prize I wanted, but I nod. He quickly scribbles on a prescription pad, tears it off, and hands it to me.
“Thanks,” I whisper as I slide the paper into my purse. “Good luck, Dr. Bishop. And congratulations to you and Maggie both. Please, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”
He smiles, and this time, it’s genuine, reaching all the way to his worried eyes. “Thanks, Sophie. If anyone can land on her feet, it’s you.”
I’m not sure that’s true, but I give him the smile he’s expecting. I’m not rich, and neither are my parents. We all get by with a little extra each month, but I can’t afford to be without work for weeks or months without reprieve. “Yep. Thanks.”
“Hey, don’t worry. Seriously, the MC will make sure you’re well taken care of until this is settled and you land on your feet. You’ve always been there for us, and we will return the favor.”
“I appreciate that,” I tell him easily. It’s a nice gesture but does nothing to stop the anxiety filling my belly, or maybe that’s just the persistent nausea.
Either way, I offer a smile I don’t feel, hug Nova goodbye, and then slink back to my house to figure out what comes next.
CHAPTERTWELVE
Tank
“Dude, you look like you’ve had better days,” Officer Davis says, sliding the breakfast tray through the narrow slot in the solitary cell door. Been a week in solitary. A goddamn week in a box that smells like piss, sweat and regret.
I lock eyes with him. “How much longer am I stuck in this hellhole?”
Davis chuckles, no hint of sympathy. “Don’t know, man. That guy you beat up? Still in the infirmary. You’re here ‘til the powers that be decide what’s next for you.”
“Decide what? They’re treating me like I’m already guilty.”
Davis shrugs. “Welcome to the system. Might as well get comfortable.”
“It was self-defense,” I insist.
“If the cameras back you up, you’re golden,” he says, leaving me with my tray of rubbery eggs and stale toast.
I shove the tray aside. Fuck eating. The law might say I’m guilty, but I know I defended myself. Still, I can’t help but smirk, thinking about that guy’s busted up face. Small victories, right?
I look at the tray. The meal hardly qualifies as food. But in here, it’s not just the abysmal meals that fuck with me. It’s the isolation. I can’t size up anyone, can’t read their eyes, can’t anticipate their next move. Instead, all I’ve got is four walls, a ceiling too close for comfort, and my spiraling thoughts.
Feeling the need to move, to exhaust my energy, I start with push-ups. My palms press firmly against the cold concrete. One. Each push is a reminder of my discipline, my rigorous training. Two. Three. But as I push my body up, my thoughts drift to Sophie. Four. Five. The soft curve of her smile, the genuine laughter, the intimate conversations we shared–all of it fills the void of my solitude. Six. Seven. Does she think about me? Eight. Nine. Or has she written me off as just another stupid mistake?
I flip over to do some sit-ups, the floor’s chill barely registers on my back. With each crunch, memories of Sophie come back to me. The little things, like her sipping coffee, lost in thought, or the vibrant energy when she showed up for work. As I lean back, the reality of my surroundings pushes back, reminding me of the fucking concrete walls between us.
I crunch again. Is she out there, moving on with her life? She deserves happiness, even if it sucks to think of her finding it with someone else.
