“I need a shower before I do anything,” I said, removing my helmet.
“Showers going to have to wait,” Pipe said, tipping his chin across the lot to where Lauren was parked in her mother’s car.
“She been here long?” I asked, hanging my helmet on one of the handlebars.
“About ten minutes or so,” he replied. “Asked her if she wanted to come in but she said she’d wait out here for you,” he added.
“She alone?”
“Afraid mommy dearest is with her?” Pipe smiled before he howled with a hearty laugh. “Relax, Riggs, she’s all by her lonesome,” he assured.
I was relieved to know that Lauren was on her own. I watched as she opened the driver’s door and stepped out. At the same time the rusty gates opened and the prospect guarding the gate hollered over his shoulder.
“Incoming!”
I slapped Pipe’s back and grinned. “Looks like your shipment is here. You guys can handle this can’t you?” I laughed.
“Fuck you,” Pipe said, turning to Wolf. “And where do you think you’re going?”
“To take a fucking piss. Your goddamn parts can wait, my dick can’t,” Wolf snickered.
I laughed to myself as the two of them exchanged insults. In that moment, I lifted my head and locked eyes with Lauren. I raised my hand to my chest rubbing that ache that instantly came every time I looked into those eyes, the familiar sense of longing washed over me as it always did when she was around.
Around.
But just out of my reach.
She was my goddamn unicorn.
A mystical creature I could never capture.
But that was only because I didn’t allow myself to.
Because in my head I thought loving her from afar was better for the both of us.
Loving her.
I loved Lauren.
That was the ache in my chest knowing I was in love with her and not being with her, not telling her how I felt, how she took a reckless biker and made him a man.
She gave me purpose and my purpose was to love her.
She brought me back to a place where I believed in dreams.
Because fuck me, she was a dream come true.
She was my Kitten.
My Kitten that was giving me a little Pea.
Dreams.
They were real and they were wrapped in the blue-eyed girl who came charging into my life. I thought she was a detour, that we were a detour, but we weren’t, we were one another’s path. The only path that existed.
We were Kitten and Tiger.
I smiled at her, watching as she pushed her glasses further up her nose and stared back at me.
Smile at me.
Give me something.
Tell me it’s not too late.
She took another step away from the car, tucking her hair behind her ears and then smiled back at me.
I love you, Kitten.
Gonna show you just how much.
It’s me and you against all this shit.
You just need to give me one last chance.
“Park the truck over here,” Pipe hollered to the driver. “Over here!” He demanded. “What the fuck, are you assholes deaf? Park the fucking truck over here,” he shouted Life was too short to live it running scared. It was too fucking precious to live in the shadows of a threat. I gave Wu too much power over me. It was time to own my love, my heart and take back what was mine. I’d hang on tight and never let anyone take my family from me.
My family.
Wow.
“Shit! Get down,” Pipe shouted.
Lauren’s eyes widened and I followed them to where Pipe was shouting, waving his hands and shaking his head.
Everything went silent.
I didn’t hear the shouting.
I didn’t hear the gunfire.
I watched as the back of the truck lifted open and the Red Dragons appeared firing machine guns. The guns they took from us. They shot at us with our own fucking guns. I reached for my gun as the rest of the Knights appeared from the clubhouse and we started shooting back.
“Lauren, get down!” I screamed over my shoulder.
“Riggs!” She shrieked.
“Get down,” I yelled, as I ran backward, shooting my way toward her.
“Get your girl,” ordered Jack, coming up beside me and firing his AK-47 at the targets I was aiming for.
I turned around to where Lauren was but I didn’t see her. I frantically searched the lot and saw her running toward the clubhouse.
“No!” I screamed, the shrill sound of my cries vibrating through my ears as I watched the bullet fly through the air, headed straight for her.
I started running, my eyes widening, my heart dropping as the bullet struck her.
“NO! NO! NO!” I screamed. “Lauren!”
She turned, her eyes widening as she lifted her hand to her chest, and stared at the crimson that painted her fingertips. I shook my head, tears falling down my face as Bones jumped in front of her, as two more bullets flew in her direction.
I skidded to a stop on the asphalt just as the two bullets pierced my best friend. I watched as his gun dropped out of his hand and his body lurched back from the impact of the bullets. His eyes met mine before he dropped to the ground beside Kitten.
My gun fell to the ground as my whole world crumbled before my very eyes.
Chapter Thirty-Five