“You can’t promise me that.”
“Of course I can’t. But I’m not going up there with that fucking thought in my head. And you’re not going to wait down here thinking the same. You’re going to spend time with Jenn, your mother. You’re going to wait for me. And I’m going to come back and this club is going to be on the right path again. No bullshit here. No bullshit up north.”
“Who’s going to run the club then?” Eden asked.
Trev smiled. He touched Eden’s cheek. “I don’t know and I don’t care. That’s up to Miller and Gaige to decide. Maybe he’ll move Gaige up north. Maybe he’ll give the patch to someone up in Daurian that’s worthy. Jasper, maybe. That’s not my problem. I promised Miller I would be on the front line for this thing.”
“Send someone else!” Eden cried out. “You’ve done enough.”
“Eden,” Jenn whispered.
“No,” Eden said. She broke away. “Fuck you. You’re not my mother. You abandoned me. You couldn’t even stand up for yourself!”
Eden ran from the kitchen, a fiery anger in her heart. She ran toward the bedroom and tried to slam the door. Trev was there, catching the door.
“Go away,” Eden said.
“That I won’t do,” Trev said.
“That’s exactly what you’re going to do. You’re leaving me.”
Trev stepped up behind Eden. He put his hands to her hips. His body touched hers. She was still angry, but his touch was soothing. Very soothing.
“I’m the only one who can do this,” Trev said. “I’ve been outlaw before. It makes sense. Everyone knows I’m a transplant. Everyone knows I’m a hot head. Anyone else it looks funny. With me, I can sell it. I will sell it. I’m doing this for the MC. For you and me, beautiful. I’m also doing it for your parents. Okay?”
Eden looked back at Trev. “Why?”
“Because if someone told me I couldn’t love you the way I want, I wouldn’t want to live. Yet that’s what happened to Griffin and Jenn. And they created life and had no real choice but to give you up to protect you. I want to avenge that feeling. I don’t believe for a second that Griffin was trying to hurt the club. I want to clear his name and I want Ripper to suffer for all he’s done.”
Trev slid a hand around to Eden’s stomach. She put her hand to his. “Trev, it’s so dangerous.”
“Everything in life is dangerous. Falling in love with you is dangerous. I’m not afraid of danger, beautiful. I’m not afraid of falling in love with you either. Your mother needs you right now.”
“I said some bad stuff to her.”
“So what? It’s just words. Prove your actions. That’s what I’m doing.” Trev kissed Eden. “I have to go to a meeting. Then I’ll be back.”
“Trev, when is this happening?”
Trev didn’t respond right away.
Eden shook her head and slowly turned around. “No. Don’t…”
“It has to be.”
“Tonight?”
“Ripper can’t have time to process anything. The story I tell has to be believable.”
“You’re leaving tonight.”
“Yes, beautiful. Tonight.”
Eden felt her heart twisting, crushing.
Trev walked her from the bedroom back to the kitchen. There waited Jenn with open arms.
“Come here, sweetie. Let Momma take care of you.”
Eden went to her mother and wept.
_
twenty-two.
Trev reached for Eden’s back and Jenn waved him off. Just go… she’ll be fine.
Jenn mouthed the words and then smiled.
Trev turned and left the apartment. He stood at the railing and looked across the entire lot. This was all supposed to be temporary. But it became home. Same thing with Eden. She was supposed to be temporary. But she became home.
As Trev walked the steps to go to the clubhouse, his heart pounded hard in his chest. He touched his chest and thought about the ink Eden had given him. Christ, she had given him so much more than just that.
For the first time ever, Trev was nervous about a mission… because now he had something to lose.
*
The table was solemn. Everyone understood the decision and understood the risk. More than that, Trev knew it was a hard thing for everyone to accept to put the seat back in risk of being empty again. Trev was prepared for death, even if he hated it now because of Eden. At the door to the conference room, that’s where all emotion and romance was stripped away. This was about business. The survival of the MC and the future of the MC.
“Jenn has made it very clear we have a problem,” Gaige said. “Ripper is working behind the MC. She’s heard conversations of guns, talks with the O’Nuall family, and she heard a confrontation between Ripper and Giovanni. It looks like Ripper took out his own guy and is pushing down on the Frelen charter.”
“Aye,” Shay said, raising his hand. “Not to go against anything we’re saying, but is it wise to take the words of a beaten up old lady?”