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Furrowing my brows, I nod to Axel's realization: "We'll need to discuss this in church when the clubhouse is empty as a precaution."
They both nod before looking at my girl again. I follow suit, worried about the danger she could be in if we have a rat but even more worried about the dangers in her mind.
The next morning, I give Sophie a small kiss on the forehead before leaving the room in the same clothes I wore yesterday. It's early, roughly 4 a.m., but it's the only time we came up with for church without needing someone for my girl until we discuss it in church. Normally, we'd get the prospects to stand by. Still, two are doing the delivery run with a patched brother for the clubhouse at one of our warehouses, a van full of the usual supplies, including bullets, and one prospect is at the gate. At the same time, the other three are asleep until 7 a.m., and they switch off.
Sighing, I rush down the road to the clubhouse, meeting Dagger at the door as he approaches me, patting my back before heading to church. We both take a seat in our spots while the rest of the brothers file in, bitching and moaning about the time. Dad sits down and looks at me, tilting his head, but I just shake mine. She hasn't woken all night. He sighs, and I give him a small smile, grateful he's making an effort since his wife turned out to be a crazy bitch and ignored all the signs out of some misplaced loyalty.
Axel sits before banging the gavel on the table and looking around the room. "I understand you're all pissed to be here this early, but it was the only time we could do it; all the prospects are busy or sleeping because we aren't fucking monsters," the brothers chuckle as Axel then looks at me, and I nod before standing.
The chuckles stop, and they instantly sit up straight, knowing I never take a stand. "We have two things to discuss; one is having a possible traitor in our ranks. Hairy's disappeared, so Slicer is coming home; he should arrive in two days, and the second, the second, I need a few volunteers from council brothers to be put on guard with my old lady." And yes, she is my old lady; she had the cut, which she's still wearing as we speak after passing out yesterday, and I'm booked in with Hawk in two weeks to have the only patch of ink free on my neck tattooed.
She just doesn't know it yet.
The brothers are tense at the thought of a traitor, while Dagger smirks at me, knowing she has no idea I claimed her, making me roll my eyes at him before he puts his hand up to volunteer, and I dip my chin to him before Butch, Doc, and my dad all stand. Gunner stands next before the rest of the brothers follow, and I drop my chin to my chest.
"Thank you, brothers. It'll only be until I'm back from the shop. I've rescheduled most of my appointments, but some I couldn't."
They all nod when Hawk says, "You going to speak to Dr. Shall?"
I nod. "Yeah, she needs help, and a therapist would be a good start. Her momma as much as she loved her daughter, I don't think she realized that she may have given her daughter some ideas when she decided to take her own life. Her parents were everything to her, and now her momma's gone…"
I shake my head while Tank finishes my sentence, "She could follow suit." I nod, and all the brothers are tense in realization, and I clear my throat. "This isn't to ensure she's not crying herself into panic attacks, brothers like she's known to do; we need you to ensure she doesn't do something stupid until I can get a hold of Dr. Shall for her earliest appointment."
The brothers nod, and just as Axel stands to discuss Hairy, the door to the church slams open, causing the rest of the brothers to stand, ready for anything considering how early it is, but I instantly freeze seeing a panicked-looking Shane and Cal. Both of them look at me, and I immediately know.
My woman is not in my bed.
"Where is she?"
I ask lowly, panic starting to rise.
Shane swallows hard and says the two words that tilt my world before we all run out of the room:
"Hudson Bridge."
Chapter 23
Sophie
I don't open my eyes as I feel Jackson softly kiss my head; I don't move a muscle; I don't react.
I've been awake for a while but haven't wanted to move. I know what I need to do and what I must do because a life in this world without my Momma is like no life. Still, I just wanted some more time with the feeling of Jackson behind me, holding me tightly before he suddenly got up.
I hear him shut the bedroom door, and my tears fall.
Can I do this?
Be this selfish?
Yet the thought of not having my Momma to go talk to every day, not to hug or tell my thoughts to
My tears fall faster before I slowly get up, still in the funeral clothes. I didn't take note of the room. I haven't been to his house before, but all I can think about is seeing Momma. I need to talk to her. I have to speak to her. I walk down the curved staircase through the dark blue walls with a light gray border towards his kitchen. It's massive and light, but it's all I notice because my focus is on the arched glass doorway. I go through it, heading for the backyard black iron gate to my left before heading towards the fenced-in tree line. I don't take notice of my surroundings; I just climb the fence.
I need my Momma; she'll know how to help me stop feeling this way. She always knows how to help.
I climb over the barbed wire fence, not noticing them digging into my hands and legs before jumping. As soon as my feet hit the ground, I ran.
I run fast.
