He arched an eyebrow, smiling. Nodding to me. “Not to anyone who matters. I’m just a fucking Saint.”
Martinez took off shortly after that, going back to whatever hole he crawled out of, with closure. Diesel showed up with all the brothers in tow. He spent the entire day at his house, showing them all the proof of what their Prez had been involved in. How much he compromised the club, our brotherhood, our fucking pack. Proving to them that he didn’t give a shit about anyone but himself. They didn’t ask questions after they learned what he was trying to do with Mia. Already fully aware that what I did was necessary.
Knowing they would have done the same fucking thing had it been one of their ol’ ladies.
And we always protected our own.
As much as I wanted to bury my old man in that grave, we couldn’t. We made the scene look exactly the way Damien said it was, which didn’t take very long. The club had always been good at staging shit, it was one of the things we did best. Diesel made sure to take Luke’s remains with him so I could give him a proper burial, finally laying my brother’s soul to rest peacefully.
McGraw was one of the first people to walk into the clubhouse, followed by an endless amount of other pigs marching to his beat. Following him in line. I sat in the corner in the back of the game room and watched as he and Damien exchanged words after the ambulance had patched up his bullet wound. He took off moments later, going straight to wherever he needed to go to get everything in order for Prez’s case.
McGraw immediately made his way toward me when he was done with Damien. Before he could even say a word to me, I handed him the file of everything that had to do with Mia. I knew Damien gave him most of the rundown prior to leaving, but I just wanted to slam the nail in the fucking coffin. And have no more bullshit and animosity between us.
“Make sure you let her daddy know, yeah?”
He peered up at me through the slits of his eyes, nodding when he was done looking over the folder. “This doesn’t change the fact you’re an outlaw,” he emphasized, staring at the 1% patch on my cut.
I didn’t hesitate, ripping it off, throwing it to the floor between us. I stood. “Not anymore. Not ever again.”
He narrowed his eyes at me as I turned around, gazing at all the brothers who had just watched me resign my colors.
“I’m done wit’ this fuckin’ club. You wanna ride by a man who follows the law... then follow me out. Ya feel me?”
My father wasn’t the only one that I put to ground that day.
VP of the Devil's Rejects, Creed Jameson...
Was, too.
“How do you feel about that, Mia?” Dr. Garcia asked.
“I don’t know.”
She gave me a look that I was more than familiar with. Making me roll my eyes and take a deep breath. “I guess I just never expected my mind to flip a switch like that. I mean... Uncle Dylan said he was a free man now. I’m torn about all the stuff I learned involving their dad and me. I’d only met the man in passing a couple of times, but I was targeted by him even before that. It upsets me that I don’t even get to ask him why...”
It had been three months since their dad had been killed and I had learned the truth. My family contemplated whether to tell me or not, but it was national news. There was no hiding the truth when it was plastered all over the T.V. and newspapers. Learning the truth was harder than I’d ever imagined.
“It makes me sick to my stomach, knowing what could have happened if his plans had succeeded. Knowing I would have been sold to some sick person, most likey tortured and forced into slavery is a sombering thought. The intent behind his actions is a tough pill to swallow. Before now, I never knew such a disgusting world existed. And I almost fell victim to it,” I paused, reining in my plaguing thoughts. My poor parents are beside themselves. My mom said that my dad tried to meet up with Creed to apologize and thank him, but hasn’t found where he’s staying. If that’s not irony, I don’t know what is. I can only imagine what Creed must be feeling. Finding all this horrible secrets and taking his own father's life must be weighing heavy on his shoulders. I know Noah is having a hard time with it. Not that his father is dead, but that he wanted to kidnap me.”
She nodded. “It’s a lot to take in. Do you feel better now that you know the truth?”
“I do.”
“You don’t sound very convincing, Mia.”
“I’m just torn.”
“With the news? Or with Creed and Noah?”
“Wow, Doc, you’re not making it easy for me today, huh?” I nervously chuckled.
“Well?”
“I know Creed was the one who technically kidnapped me, but he was just trying to protect me. I know that now. Everyone does. But the shootout, me getting shot, Maddie... that wasn’t his fault. It was his father’s. For almost a year Creed was on the run, in hiding, trying to get to the bottom of the truth. For me. That changes things, Dr. Garcia. I know I still don’t remember him, but it doesn’t change the fact that he truly was my hero this entire time. Not the villain everyone portrayed him as. He was the good guy. I never thought of him as a bad person, he just made bad things happen and bad decisions.”
“How does that make you feel? Does it tap into the memories at all?”
“Here’s the thing, it’s been over a year since I lost my memory. Every day since I woke up in that hospital, I feel like I remember something, but it doesn’t present itself to me like a memory. It’s just a feeling in my gut, deep within me. I have no idea how that even makes sense, but the feelings are getting more and more intense as time goes on. I may not remember Creed, but you were right, Doctor, he’s been right here since the beginning... in my heart. Has been since day one.”
“What about Noah?”
“I love Noah. I honestly do. That’s why I’m torn, Doc. The Mia I was in the past is madly in love with Creed, and the Mia I am now is in love with Noah. Except, learning all these things that Creed has done for me... Makes me think, this Mia, the woman I am now. Loves him too, and maybe she never stopped.”
“There could be worse things than loving two men, sweetie.”
“Not if one of them gets hurt.”
“Have you seen Creed?”
“You know I haven’t. Not since that night at his mom’s. The very same night he saw us. The same night he was brutal and nasty to me. Which in a way I guess I deserved. I know he was hurting and drunk, and I don’t blame him for that. The crazy thing is, even though he was deliberately being cruel to me, he never once stopped saying that I was his. That he loved me. That I belonged to him. His love always spoke through the pain. The pain I caused the man who’s done nothing but protect me.”
“Have you and Noah discussed this?”
“No. What am I supposed to say to him? He didn’t do anything wrong. He’s been nothing short of amazing to me. He’s been there as a friend, a boyfriend, and a lover. I can’t imagine my life without him in it.”