He nodded, understanding. Throwing me the shirt that was on my bed. “Pops ended up bein’ more fucked up than I ever thought, huh? Thanks for takin’ care of that. Findin’ out the truth and all that shit.”
“Didn’t do it for you. She’s my girl, baby brother. Been my fuckin’ girl for as long as I can remember. No matter how many times you fuck her, tell her you love her, take her to bed—don’t change the fact that she’s always gonna be mine.” I grabbed my bags off the bed, walking over the threshold to leave. I halted not looking back at him, addressing what I needed him to hear, “Shit happens. It’s life. You take care of her, treat her right like she fuckin’ deserves, yeah?”
“Always.”
I nodded. “You better or you’ll fuckin’ answer to me.” And with that I left, never once looking back.
I made my way to the kitchen, opening the double sliding doors to the back patio. Letting the ocean breeze sweep through the house. I came to love the salty smell in the air as much as the scent of vanilla, both reminding me of who I lost. It didn’t get any easier as time went on, if anything it only got fucking harder.
I grabbed a beer from my fridge, needing it after a long day at the garage. I had opened a motorcycle shop in downtown South Port, in a prime location where most of the local bikers hung out. Business was booming, for only being open for two months. Diesel and a couple other brothers worked for me. It was the only thing that kept my mind occupied. All I’d ever known were guns and bikes. It only made sense to start making money off it. It was easy to rent the space and get my business going. I never spent much of what I had earned throughout my four years in the military. Getting paid extra money for every deployment, risking my fucking life for everyone else’s. It was the only good that came out of being shipped overseas all those times.
Plus, I still had most of the money I received from doing all the illegal shit for the Devil's Rejects. At the end of the day, something bad turned into something good. I donated a chunk of that money to Polarins, an organization dedicated to fighting against human trafficking, in Mia’s name. Figuring it was the least I could do with the corrupt cash.
For the first time in my life, I was making some sweet ass choppers, living and making decisions on my own. I was on the straight and narrow. Finally free of the demons that I thought would haunt me forever, but something, someone, was always missing.
Devil’s Rejects became non-existent, or at least our chapter did, right after Prez fell six feet under and I resigned as VP. No one wanted to be associated with the name that was now tainted with bad blood around our parts. I was in the process of getting another club in order, taking my time setting it up the way I wanted it to run. The brotherhood of the MC was all I’d ever known. We had a bond that I didn’t want to give up. I was just done with the illegal bullshit. Especially the bloodshed. I never wanted to be a 1%er in the first place, but it came with the territory I was born into. My new MC would cater to the true definition of a motorcycle club.
Family.
I finished my beer, throwing it in the trash. Warming myself something up for dinner. Hadn’t eaten all damn day, I was fucking starving. It was easy to get caught up in what I loved doing. Work became my distraction. Something to fill up my time and the void in my heart. The shop was all I had now. I spent more hours there than I did at home. Too many memories of what could have been floated around the big space, taunting me.
Especially at night when I would lay in bed alone, wishing Mia was wrapped around me. I couldn’t bring myself to sell our house, even though it hurt every time I walked in the goddamn door. Knowing I wouldn’t see Mia’s beautiful face greeting me.
Not a day, an hour, or a motherfucking second went by that I didn’t think about her. Hoping she was happy, even if it was my brother’s doing. She deserved all that and more.
Sometimes Diesel would drag my ass up to the bars with him, trying to score some pussy. I never had a problem getting fucking laid, but I honestly had no interest in it. Women in general. I was fine being on my own, knowing that at one point in my life I at least had my girl. I knew what love was, and a huge part of me didn’t want to give that up. Often skipping out early, much to Diesel’s disappointment. Hounding me, saying I had turned into a lovesick fucking pussy.
I threw my dirty dish in the sink, deciding to wash it later. Wanting to take a shower first, needing to wash away all the dirt and grime. I was over being fucking filthy. I just wanted to let the hot water run down my sore muscles for a few minutes. The daily manual labor taking me a minute to get used to. I tried not to think of Mia as I walked down the hallway toward my room, instantly noticing the adjacent door that I kept closed all the time was slightly ajar.
And then it suddenly hit me, running into a brick wall of her smell. Her scent. Wrapped all around me. Suffocating and engulfing me exactly the way it used to.
Damn, she still smelled so fucking good.
The closer I got to the room, the stronger her scent lingered until there were no more steps for me to take. Bringing me face to face with Mia. She didn’t see me, too consumed and lost in her own mind as she sat in the rocking chair in the corner of the room. The magazines I had brought from the safe house placed on her lap, but that wasn’t what had my undivided attention.
It was the photo she held tightly in her grasp. A picture no one had ever seen, not even me after that night.
One that could make or break her.
The next few seconds played out in slow motion as I watched her lift the photo to her pouty lips and whisper, “I’m so sorry, Maddie. I love and miss you so much.”
Her expression filled with pain and emotion as tears streamed down her beautiful face, void of anything but remorse spewing out of her. Her voice laced with nothing but hurt and sorrow.
Hitting me all at once where it hurt me the most.
My heart.
One right after the other. The truth wasn’t over yet. At least not...
Ours.
“Pippin,” I called out, bringing her tear-stained face up to look at me.
My eyes widened and my mouth parted, sucking in air. Peering deep into her big blue eyes that always did it to me. Showing me everything I needed to hear. To know. I knew exactly who was staring back at me.
My lips were moving, questioning in a tone I didn’t recognize, “How long, Mia?” It felt like my question echoed off the walls and straight into our fucking hearts.
She bit her lip, fully aware of what I was asking. Of what I meant. Of what I wanted to know, desperately needing to hear it fall from her mouth since the moment she woke up in that hospital bed.
Broken and lost.
I had waited.
For her.
My girl.
I didn’t hesitate, asking again. Making myself more clear so there wouldn’t be any more bullshit between us.
I spewed, “How long have you had your memory back?”