Page 92 of Switch

Rev flicks his lighter open, the flame dancing in the dark. Without hesitation, he tosses it into the nearest puddle of gas.

The fire catches instantly, a whoosh of heat surging up as flames race across the ground, licking at the walls, consuming everything in their path. Within seconds, the whole place is an inferno, black smoke curling into the sky.

We don’t stick around to watch it burn. We came, we handled business, and now we ride.

I swing onto my bike, the heat from the fire warming my back as I rev the engine. The others do the same, and as one, we pull out, leaving nothing but destruction in our wake. The war is over. Butch is gone. And now, finally, I can go home to Bella.

TWENTY-NINE

BELLA

It’sthe middle of the night when pounding on my front door yanks me out of sleep. My heart is racing before I’m even fully awake, my brain scrambling to catch up.

Another knock—louder, more urgent.

I throw off the covers and hurry to the door, barely stopping to check the peephole.

Jax.

The second I see him, I know something’s wrong. He looks wired, like he’s running on pure adrenaline, his chest rising and falling hard. I yank the door open, but before I can even get a word out, he steps inside and pulls me into his arms.

We just stand there—door wide open, middle of the night, and he’s holding me like he never wants to let go.

His voice is rough when he finally speaks.“It’s over, baby. We finished it.”

I lean back just enough to look up at him. He’s watching me, waiting for it to sink in. And when it does, I see it—the relief in his eyes, the weight that’s been crushing him finally lifting.

I reach behind him and push the door shut, locking it before getting a good look at him. He’s a mess. His clothes are covered in dirt and blood. His hands, his arms—streaked with it.

“Are you hurt?”I ask, already running my fingers over his skin, searching for anything he’s not telling me.

He shakes his head.“Not mine.”

I swallow, nodding once.“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

I take his hand and pull him toward the bathroom, flipping the shower on as hot as it’ll go. Steam starts rising instantly, fogging up the mirror.

He shrugs out of his cut, I take it and fold it, setting it on the counter. I turn back to him and reach for his shirt, peeling it off slowly. He doesn’t say anything, just watches me undress him, piece by piece. This isn’t about anything other than taking care of him, so I don’t rush it.

He steps under the water, and I don’t even think twice before stripping down and climbing in behind him. Grabbing the soap, I lather up my hands and start washing him, my touch slow and careful. I rinse away the dirt, the blood, the night.

He hasn’t said much, but I can feel it—whatever went down tonight, it was big. Heavy.

I don’t ask. If he wants to tell me, he will. But this feels like something between him and his brothers, something he needs to hold onto for now. So I don’t push.

When I’m done, I step out first, wrapping a towel around myself before grabbing another for him. He lets me dry him off, watching me with this quiet intensity, like he’s still trying to come down from whatever storm he just walked through.

I take his hand and lead him to bed. He lies down without a word, and I slide in next to him, wrapping myself around him and holding him close. He’s warm against me, solid, but he’s so damn quiet, it’s almost scary. I press a soft kiss to his shoulder, my fingers running over his chest.“I’ve got you, Jax.”

He exhales, his breath a little unsteady, and finally, his arm tightens around me.“Yeah, baby. You do.”

Any reservations I had about moving back in with Jax are completely gone. Being with him, taking care of him, letting him take care of me—I don’t want to fight it anymore.

I love him. I want everything with him. A life, a future, a home that’s ours. And I’m done holding back. I snuggle in closer, holding him tight, feeling the steady beat of his heart under my cheek. It’s strong, solid—just like him. With his arms wrapped around me, I finally let go of everything else. I close my eyes and let his heartbeat lull me to sleep.

The next morning, I wake up feeling lighter than I have in a long time. I slip out of bed quietly, leaving Jax still passed out, and head to the kitchen. I decide to make breakfast, moving around the kitchen, flipping pancakes and frying bacon, letting the warmth of the morning settle over me.

One thought keeps circling in my chest, sinking deeper with every moment. Jax isn’t just my present—he’s my past and my future. He’severything.And I’m done holding back.

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