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Priest lent me his duffle bag so I could pack some clothes and toiletries. Since we don’t know how long we’re going to be, I’d rather pack more than I need than not enough. Lord knows I’ve learned to live without life’s luxuries, but I’d rather not have to if I can avoid it.
I nod. “I’m ready.”
We’ve been so loved up these past few days it’s been sickening. We haven’t been able to keep our hands off one another. When I glanced in the mirror after my shower, I couldn’t believe how different I looked. For the first time in my life, I’m happy.
The dark circles under my eyes had gone. I’ve put on a little weight. I don’t look so startled like I did before.
Maybe it is early days and I’m naive. I know that I’ve not had much — or any — experience when it comes to men, but I also know how I feel. And I’ve never felt this way about anyone. Priest and me had a connection from the very start. My eyes begin to water when I think about him and how sweet he was when we first met. How he took me in, was patient and gentle with me and I’ll never forget that. No matter what happens.
Priest gathers up his cats into the carriers, since we’re going to be gone for days, they obviously can’t stay here alone. I’m taking his room at the clubhouse. I seriously don’t want to think about what he used to do in that room, or how I’ll fit in with some of the other people staying there, but I remind myself I have Stella and Manny to fall back on. I know they won’t leave me high and dry.
We load the cats and the bags into Priest’s truck and I climb into the passenger seat.
When he starts the engine, I close my eyes, wishing all of this to be over. We’ve postponed going to Texas for obvious reasons, but when all of this is done and I know it’s safe, I’m going to that locked box to find out what’s inside. It’s been gnawing at me ever since my grandmother told me.
I fiddle with the ring on my finger, another nervous habit, and when we’re pulling out onto the street, Priest reaches over and puts his hand on my knee, giving it a squeeze.
“Don’t be worried.”
I chew my lip. “I’m not worried.”
I feel him looking at me. “Bella. I’ve done a lot of dangerous things before.”
I turn to meet his gaze as he shifts his eyes back to the road. “Yes, but this is the mob, Priest. These are bad men, they won’t take any prisoners.”
“And you think my club are good men?”
“Mostly,” I say, earning another glance. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be involved with them.”
He squeezes my knee again. “Wise ass.”
I smile softly. “I just… I saw what happened that night.”
“And you would’ve also seen that my club and the Irish took most of those men out. So you’ve nothing to be concerned about where manpower is concerned.”
I wish it was that easy to believe him, but I’ve spent my life thus far worrying about every detail of my life. Living in the shadows and never speaking up, it was a way of life. Now I have a voice, I want to use it. I want to tell Priest not to go, that I’m scared he won’t come back. That selfishly I’ll be all alone once more. That I love him so much and if anything happened to him, I’d want to die too.
I nod, crossing my arms over my chest. “I know.”
He motions for my hand, and I reach down to link my fingers through his. He brings my knuckles to his lips and kisses them. “Part of bein’ with me means that I’m sometimes gonna do dangerous things,” he says. “But that’s the life I chose. A life that was far better than goin’ back to prison or livin’ on the streets doin’ bad shit. This is what I signed up for, baby girl. And you’ll be safe at the clubhouse, that means I won’t have to worry about you.”
“We’ve only just found one another,” I whisper. “I need more time with you.”
He kisses my knuckles again. “And we will. When this is over, we’ll have all the ti?—”
The bang sounds like it’s from far away, but then the truck starts spinning and Priest loses control of the wheel. His arm darts out to press against my chest as we spin out of control and the front windscreen cracks. It takes me a second to realize that we’ve been hit from the side, and now… now there’s gunfire…
“Fuck!” The car rolls and I scream as I’m jerked and tossed around, my seatbelt holding me down as I cry out in pain as I hear my shoulder snap.
Then we stop. I blink. Am I dead?
I turn my head and see Priest is faced to once side… away from me… Is he… Is he dead?
The cats — by some miracle — meow out of control as I try to twist my neck to check on them, but I wince as the window smashes next to me and then I’m being hauled out of the truck.
“Priest!” I yell, but he doesn’t move.
Oh, my God.
