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“Brother, tonight we ride for you,” Guard tells him.
“I appreciate that, Prez. But this is my fight. It was my brother who brought this to your doorstep. I should be there,” Priest says, his eyes haunted, dark circles under them.
“That’s where you’re wrong. You’re one of us. The Pride is one. That includes Camille, Steady, and Kyrian. We’re not giving him another chance to get to one of us. When one of us is under fire, it affects all of us. Vega did something unthinkable, and tonight, he’ll pay,” Guard says.
“I hate this,” Priest grits out through clenched teeth.
“I get that.” Ghost steps forward. “Any one of us would feel exactly the same. That ache burning inside you is pure unfiltered rage. We’ve all felt it. I want you to remember the pact you made when you became a full member of the Pride. Do you remember it?”
He repeats his oath. “I shall be a man of honor and integrity, responsible for my actions and true to my word. I shall respect my club and its colors. I am my brother’s strength, and he is mine.”
“Tonight, we are your strength. Trust us,” Ghost says.
The day goes by quickly, and it isn’t until we’re leaving on our mission that I go to Charlotte. Noah is with her, and I can see he’s itching to speak up. He’s already approached Guard about coming with us. Guard refused outright, and so he should. He’s too young, and it’s taken this long to get him away from the violence. His job is here for now.
I put a hand on his shoulder and pull him in, our heads together. “I need you to stay back and keep an eye on Charlotte and Priest. He’s all up in his head. You keep him busy, keep him talking. We have brothers from other clubs to watch over the compound, but you’re family. We need you. We can go do what we gotta do because we know you’re looking after our families. Do not underestimate the importance of what we’re entrusting to you.”
He gets it. His face softens, and he nods. “I won’t let you down.”
“The thought never entered my mind, bud. Now give me a minute with my girl,” I tell him. Noah leaves, and immediately, Charlotte is in my space, arms wrapped around my neck.
“I’m sorry I have to put you through this,” I say. “I’ll call you as soon as we’re done, but this is the man you’ve got. My brothers, my club, they need me.”
“It’s who you are and only part of the reason I love you so much. Remember your promise to come home safe,” she says quietly. I kiss her soft and sweet, holding her in my arms, feeling her heart thumping against her chest. She’s worried for me, and there’s nothing I can do to ease that pain.
She walks me out where the others are waiting. Outside the compound, the Pride mount their rides. Guard takes the lead, fist in the air, ready to go. He glances over his shoulder to where the queen of the Pride is looking straight at her husband, fist in the air. Then she blows him a kiss.
My eyes go to Charlotte. She has one hand over her heart, the other waving. Her lips are trembling and tears are threatening to fall.
“Time’s up, Vega!” Guard shouts, and we’re gone.
EIGHTEEN
Every Inch of You
CHARLOTTE
Seeing Wildcard ride off turns my stomach. His figure becomes smaller and smaller as the distance between us becomes greater. Noah slings an arm around my shoulders.
“It’s going to be okay, Lollie,” he says, quiet and low. I’m too choked up to speak, but manage to nod.
One by one, the ladies head back inside. That’s when I notice Priest slumped in his wheelchair and Camille by his side.
“Ready to go back in?” she asks him.
“I need another minute,” he replies gruffly. Camille is holding Kyrian, her hands full as it is.
“Mind if I stay with you?” I ask Priest. He gives me a casual shrug. I send a silent glance to Camille, and she leaves me with her brother. “It hurts so much,” I confess to Priest.
“He’ll be okay,” he says.
“I know. That’s not what hurts.” Priest turns his head to stare at me, waiting for me to continue. “My father shows up, and all hell breaks loose. Noah gets rattled all over again, after finally getting his head on straight. Goons show up, and Wildcard almost gets shot. And if that’s not enough, Dad shows up dead in the morgue, after sending Satan’s Pride on the hunt for him. Wildcard pays for the funeral, and all of you show up to support Noah and me. Everything that happened to you is because of me. If my father hadn’t come calling, Vega wouldn’t have known where to find you.” I throw my hands out in a big circular motion, saying, “This disaster is because of me. What hurts is that I caused this disaster to people I love.” I suppress a sob, covering my mouth with my hand.
Priest tugs on my arm, then takes my hand. “Bad shit happens to good people. You got to shake it off, Charli. Wildcard wouldn’t want you to torment yourself with this.” He stares down the road in the direction the Pride men rode. “Vega was hunting, and he found me. My brother, John, was in deep, and Vega wanted revenge. He would have found me sooner or later. I wasn’t hiding in the shadows. Eventually, they’d take me down.” He inhales deeply. “I don’t blame you. The club doesn’t either. Let it go, shake it off, and build a life with Wildcard. Eyes forward.”
“What about you?” I ask. “Are you going to let it go and move forward?”
His eyes clear, and a curious smile comes across his lips. It’s like it finally dawns on him. He’s been blaming himself, yet he’s absolving me.
