“Don’t miss me too much,” I whispered, as my thumb stroked hers. “Keep on with your therapy, take your medicine, and finish school.”
Her hand closed over mine, squeezing it as she held on for dear life.
“Another stolen moment,” she murmured. “Is that all we will ever have?”
“Can’t promise you the world, no matter how much I want to, not while I’m in here.”
“And when you’re out? What happens then?”
“Hey, Petra, no touching!” The guard shouted from across the room. “You got two minutes to wrap it up.”
I gave her hand a squeeze before pulling mine back.
“Then, I claim my queen,” I said, pushing back my chair and drawing in a deep breath before I stood. “I love you, don’t forget that okay?”
“Never,” she promised as the tears fell from her eyes again. “I hate this,” she admitted.
“Me too,” I said as I took three steps backward, not ready to turn around and walk away from her.
“Blackie, wait,” she said, standing on her feet. “I didn’t get to thank you.”
“Thank me for what?”
“That night, for what you did. You saved me again.”
“Just returning the favor, Lace.”
“What?”
“You saved me first,” I said, turning my back before I couldn’t. Every second I stared at her face made it harder and harder to walk away. I took another two steps but stopped because I didn’t know when I would get to see her again. I turned around and looked at her one more time.
Let them throw me in the hole.
Take away my phone call privileges.
Ban my visitors.
It would be worth it.
I never played by the rules and today wouldn’t be the day that changed.
I closed the distance between us with every officer’s pair of eyes burning a hole into my back I walked straight up to my girl.
“C’mere, girl,” I whispered, reaching for face and cupped her cheeks with my palms before I pressed my lips to her forehead.
“Petra!”
“No more maker,” I told her. “Just you and me… Leather and Lace,” I said against her skin.
My hands fell from her face as the C.O. grabbed me from behind and pulled me back.
So fucking worth it.
Chapter Thirty-six
Another month passed, thirty days without word from Jack or any of my brothers other than a deposit into my commissary account. After Lacey’s visits they suspended my phone privileges and banned any visitors other than my lawyer for sixty days. They could’ve sent word through the suit but all I’ve been granted is radio silence. It’s one thing to leave me here because Jack’s thinks I stabbed him in the back, but that doesn’t change my place within the club. I didn’t dishonor my brothers or my patch and as the fucking vice president of the Satan’s Knights I deserve the respect of knowing where my club stands.
I went away with two wars beating the fence, one with the Chinese and the other with the Corrupt Bastards. I can’t sit here and think that shit is just staying idle while I’m locked up. Boots made a move, pinning that kid on Lacey, he’s decided what it is he wants and he’ll make his demands if he hasn’t already. Then there’s Sun Wu, that motherfucker’s vendetta didn’t die and after we fucked with his shipment he’s probably out for blood. No holds barred.
Tomorrow I’m scheduled to meet with my lawyer so he can tell me all about the deal he’s been trying to iron out with the district attorney. According to him, there is no way around doing time, and I should take the deal since the kid still hasn’t woken up and the doctors are trying to convince his parents to pull the plug.
I got nothing.
No remorse whatsoever.
Which makes me wonder about the type of person I am. When I found out those two kids’ died I felt something. I felt a shit ton of grief and regret. I sat in the back of the funeral home and wished I could give each one of those mother’s back their sons.
This was different, there was foul play, and it was on Lacey.
Kid deserved what he got.
If it makes me a heartless motherfucker so be it.
And the father’s just as much of a dick because he threw his son into the line of fire trying to save his own ass.
Don’t have kids if you aren’t willing to lay it all on the line. Don’t bring another life into the world if you’re not willing to trade yours for theirs. I’m no one’s father, so what do I know? But give me a kid, give me a precious life, one I helped create, and tell me to protect that kid—you better believe I’m giving that kid everything I am and everything I ever wanted to be.
I think that’s the biggest rewrite a person gets in life.
Making a new life and making good on all the wrongs you did in life by giving your kid all the chances you never got.
Kids.
Never thought much about them, been too wrapped up in wanting nothing to dream about having everything.
But having a little girl call me daddy, who looked like Lacey and maybe a little bit like me, was one of the things that made me hope Brandon woke up from the coma I put him in.