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The only person I spoke to was Sheriff Buckman who dropped by so I could answer a few more questions. It was a slam dunk, he said. A clear case of self-defense. I wouldn’t serve any jail time if I testified in the trial of Gimmel Martel. He said he would live out the rest of his days in a jail cell, and his son wouldn’t see the outside of a cell for several decades.
To my surprise, Sheriff Buckman knew what I’d done for Alex. About the paid hits. But he assured me there was no paper trail, no digital footprint or any witnesses to prove any of it. In protecting himself against being associated with any of the killings, Alex had also protected me, to my utter surprise.
“But you know I did them,” I said to him, feeling sick to my stomach. “Why aren’t you arresting me?”
“I can’t prove any of it. This case will be closed within the next few weeks, and you won’t face any prosecution. As far as I’m concerned, you did the world a favor.” He stood up and tucked his notebook into his pocket. “It’s just a pity Bull didn’t take out Martel as well. He doesn’t deserve the oxygen he’s using, and it would’ve saved me a ton of paperwork.”
I knew why Bull didn’t kill Martel.
He did it for Noah.
He knew how damaging it would’ve been for my brother to see it, and my body ached with gratitude. Things could’ve ended up so much worse, but as it was, Noah was fine and would never have to go through life with the vision of seeing Bull end Gimmel Martel’s life.
And I knew what strength it must’ve taken for Bull to let Martel go.
I just wished he’d let me talk to him, to at least thank him.
But he wasn’t taking any of my calls.
We were done.
I realized that now.
And I couldn’t blame him.
I didn’t know what I was walking into when I turned up at the clubhouse the following Monday. I’d finally spoken to Chastity the night before when she called to make sure I was okay. Ruger had told her everything. When I asked her if anyone else knew, she chuckled softly.
“Oh, honey, MC gossip is faster than lightning. They all knew the very next day.”
Which was exactly what I didn’t want.
“From what Ruger said, there seems to be a weird understanding among the boys about what you did. Once he explained the situation to them, they understood you were caught between a rock and a hard place. They get it. They’d die for each other. And they’re not even bonded by blood.” She sighed. “This world of ours is strange.”
“Have you heard from Bull?” I asked softly.
She paused. “No. Ruger said he disappeared into his office and told anyone who came close to fuck off. That’s my uncle. He retreats like a wounded animal when he’s hurt. But that’s only because he cares so much and he doesn’t know what to do with it. You have to remember, he hasn’t loved anyone in almost two decades. Now he’s in love with you and…. Well, it didn’t turn out how he imagined.”
I couldn’t swallow because guilt knotted in my throat. There was also a hardness in my gut.
“Chastity?”
“Yeah, honey?”
“Are the girls going to hate me?” I didn’t need people to like me. But I wanted them to. Because I’d never had friends like I had with the queens.
The line was silent as Chastity thought for a moment.
“Show up tomorrow. Own it.” She paused. “Just don’t run, okay?”
I had no intention of running. Those days were over.
I was going to face the shit.
Show some backbone and explain myself.
I barely got a wink of sleep because the events of the day kept replaying in my head, and Chastity’s words kept coming back to haunt me.
He retreats like a wounded animal when he’s hurt.
The words swam in and out my nightmares, bringing a sharp, searing pain with them every single time.
By the time I turned up at the clubhouse the next day, I was in knots.
I walked in cautiously, and Randy greeted me with a sharp whistle. “Girl, you’ve got some lady balls on you, that’s for sure,” he said, throwing the hand towel over his shoulder.
I shoved my hands in my shorts and let out a rough exhale. “Should I leave?”
He leaned on the bar. “You kidding me? This place is going to be crawling with sweaty, thirsty biker brothers in an hour, who else is going to help me keep them in line?” He gave me a wink. Apart from Chastity, apparently, I had one other friend in the club.
Relieved, I smiled, and he threw the towel at me. “But there’s a few people I think you need to talk to before you start.”
He nodded toward the booth on the other side of the bar. The queens were here.
