“Fuck,” he grits out, looking to Faye, who simply shrugs.
“It sucks but it makes sense, Talon,” she says, tapping her fingers on the chair arm. “When are you going to tell Arrow? Make it final?”
“As soon as I see him,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’ll hand in my cut tonight.”
Talon shakes his head and storms off angrily. We both watch him, then turn to each other. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
“He’ll come around,” she says, smiling sadly. “Especially when he sees that you’ll still be in his life. He’s probably just hurt. We’ll miss you around here. But maybe one day you’ll be back.”
I look around, my gaze stopping on the playground. Will my kids ever get to play here?
“You never know,” I tell her.
She comes over to me and kisses my cheek. “I’m always here for you if you need me, Ranger.”
“Right back at you, Faye.”
She heads inside and I’m left with the image of Talon’s pain in my head. I know he will come around, and accept my decision, but it’s still hard. He was once my president, but he was always my friend. I’m all he has left of the Wild Men, of the legacy his stepfather left for him, and I wonder if that has something to do with it. He’s happy here though, I can see that so clearly, and he needs to let me go so I can be happy too.
I’ve made my decision.
Now I just have to tell Arrow to make it official.
? ? ?
“Are you sure?” Arrow asks, stroking his beard. “We can try something to make it work, Ranger.”
“I’m sure,” I say, looking him in the eye.
He’s silent for a few moments but then nods. “You do what you have to do, but I’ll be sad to see you leave. You’re a good man.”
“It hasn’t been an easy decision,” I admit to him. “Kind of terrifying really, but I’ll still be around, you know. Just not a part of the MC.” I place my cut on the table. “I’ll have my stuff moved out by tonight.”
This is hard. Seeing everyone sad to see me go is very difficult for me. I had no idea they all cared so much, but I should have. It’s in the way the women look after me, in the way the men treat me. Sure, I haven’t known them as long as some, but they still saw me as a brother. I don’t think it was them, it was me. Something was missing here; I just felt like I couldn’t find my place. But what if it was me? What if I didn’t try hard enough? I don’t like change much, and following Talon to the Wind Dragons was definitely a big change. I don’t regret it though. The Wind Dragons are better than the Wild Men could ever be. A family unit. A force to be reckoned with. No one can touch the Wind Dragons without getting burned, without making enemies for life. And yet, they’re some of the kindest people I’ve ever known. Fuck, now I’m starting to feel emotional, but I mask it. No one needs to see that, especially not my president.
I stand up and walk to the door when he calls my name. “Yes?”
He studies me, then says, “You ever want back in, you’re in, you got it?”
My eyes widen at the offer, one I never expected on receiving. I nod and leave the room, closing the door behind me.
FORTY
“YOU did what?” Jo yells, her face going pale. “Are you crazy? Those people are your family, that is your life. I’d never ask you to give that up!”
“You didn’t have to,” I say calmly, watching her pace and rant in a similar way that Talon did. Jeez, there’s just no pleasing anyone these days, is there?
“What if you regret this, Ranger?” she asks, looking on the verge of tears. “What if you start hating me because it’s my fault you lost all of it? How am I supposed to live with that? You love everyone in the MC. Talon and Faye are going to hate me!”
“I made this choice alone,” I tell her, crooking my finger for her to approach. “It’s not on you; it’s on me. You didn’t ask this of me, and I know that you wouldn’t. I’d never regret choosing you, Jo, and I’d never blame you for my decisions. I don’t want you to have to give up your job and life because of things I’ve done in my past. The Wind Dragons aren’t going anywhere. I’ll still see them, they’re still my family, I just won’t be an official member, nor will I know whatever shit is going on with the club. I still get to see them, I still get to ride my bike, and you get to keep your job. Where’s the downside in this?”
“Well, when you put it like that,” she mutters, dropping down onto my lap. “Are you sure though, Ranger? If you’re doing this just for me, please don’t. I wouldn’t want you to. It’s too much to give up.”
“I’m sure,” I assure her, burying my face in the crook of her neck. “I’ve decided: it’s done with, all right? Maybe now I can use one of my degrees and get a real job.”
“That’s your plan?” she asks, cupping my cheek with her palm. “You’re not going to be a man of leisure? I know you have enough money to do that if you want to.”
“I don’t like not working,” I say. “I was kept busy with the accounts at the club, but now I’ll find something new. I don’t usually like change, but I feel like this will be a good change. If my mom was alive, she’d be so happy right now.”
She lifts my head and kisses me. “I can’t believe you just gave up everything for me.”
I look her in the eye and say, “I can’t believe that you’re surprised.”
? ? ?
We decide to go for one last ride together, but before we do, Talon pulls me to the side.
“I’m sorry I was a dick before,” he says, shifting on his feet. “I’d do the same for Tia and Rhett.” He pauses and slaps me on the back. “Just don’t be a stranger, okay?”
“You know I won’t,” I say, eyeing his cut. “You’re the only friend I have left who’s known me for years. You’re family, and nothing can change that.”
He nods, flashes me a sad smile, and then walks to his bike.
The end of a fuckin’ era.
? ? ?
We keep busy for the next week looking at houses, happy when we finally find one that we both like just down the road from Faye and Sin’s. It’s a two-story, recently built beautiful house with a modern design, a pool, and a large garden. It has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an amazing security system, which is important to me. Jo takes Faye to see it, who instantly loves it, and we make an offer the next day. While we wait to hear back from them, we start to pack up Jo’s stuff, adding it to the boxes of my possessions from my clubhouse room. My other house is being rented, and I’m going to leave it as an investment. I want a fresh start with her. And I wanted her to help choose our new house. I don’t really have much, to be honest. Clothes, boots, and my bike. I’m not a materialistic person, and I don’t need much. Jo is packing up her clothes while I’m doing the kitchen for her, just leaving out the basics to get us through until the move.
“Ranger?” I hear her call out.
I go to her bedroom. “Yeah?”