Page 65 of Rox

“He’s gone. You never have to worry about him again.” Max tells me. Before I can reply, I hear the door close. I look past him and see we’re now without an audience. I’m surprised Ashlynn and Manda left quietly, but I digress.

“They told me it was Duncan. That’s not who I was expecting at all.” I explained the events that led to me waking up here. Max watched me and listened while holding my face in his hands. It didn’t escape me how he kept brushing the few tears that refused to stop falling but didn’t bring attention to them either.

“If I could kill him again, I would,” Max tells me. I lean my forehead to his, closing my eyes and relishing in his tenderness. “I love you, Rox. Seeing you like that tonight—” His voice cracks as he cuts himself off.

“I’m here. I’m safe. You saved me, Max. You found me, and you brought me home.” My fingers grip the back of his head, pressing him closer to me. While I hate that this happened, it’s giving me a chance to see the truest form of love I’ll ever have. Max doesn’t hide his emotions. He’s not afraid to show me how scared he was or how thankful he is now that I’m here with him.

“Every time I close my eyes, I see you lying there, not moving. I never want to live through that again.”

It’s my turn to wipe the tears from his face.

“You won’t.”

“You can’t know that. Look at what happened to you. We had a plan. We were there, and it still happened,” his words are covered in tears. He never wanted to go through with this plan, and now I think that maybe,just maybe, I should have listened.

“I’ll make you a promise,” I start as I wipe his face, “should a problem arise like this again.” He starts to growl and is ready to interrupt me, but I push through. “Should a threat like this happen again, I’ll listen to you next time. I’m fully aware that my stubbornness is also the reason for the way today played out. But I felt I had something to prove. I realize now that that’s not the case, and letting you fight for me isn’t the worst thing to happen.”

“Sure, now you see reason,” he grumbles with a soft smile.

“Better late than never?” I phrase it as a question but smile back at him.

I pull him back with me, ignoring the twinged and sharp pulls of pain in my body. He follows me and crawls into the small twin bed with me. Wrapping me up in his arms, he drapes his leg over me while holding me close to his chest. He presses a kiss to the top of my head, and we stay there holding each other. I’m safe, and I’m whole. No matter what, nothing can touch me from this point on.

I feel the momentary spike of adrenaline start to fade, and I fall asleep in his comforting arms.

“Rest, love. I have you now.” Max murmurs against my forehead before pressing a kiss there. I sigh and let sleep take me under.

* * *

“Oh, Duck-Farts, I am going to miss you,” Ashlynn says as she tosses her napkin at him.

My head hurts from laughing so much during this meal. We’ve dubbed dinner as the last supper because God knows when they’re all going to be back. I wonder if Max would be willing to come with me back to Colorado? I could show him the small town of Wyman and all the spots around the farm that mean the most to me.

Everyone is laughing and joking as the heaviness of why they joined us is long forgotten. Right now, it’s about family and friendship. Jokes and friendly banter are tossed from both chapters.

“Does this mean I win the bet?” Duck asks, holding his hand out.

“I don’t recall it being a bet, my main sassy man. Believe it was a promise you made that we were going to be the best of friends before I left. And while it did take until the night before we left, I can say that you and I are the best of friends.” Ashlynn concedes, slapping his outstretched hand.

“Um, excuse me, bitch. I’m right here,” Auntie Bri says in mock outrage.

“Don’t worry. No one knows I’m lying to him.” Ashlynn stage whispers, and I catch her to look at Duck and give him a wink. Knowing her, she’s going to be messaging him every day for the rest of her life now.

I take in everyone. Whitley has his arm around the back of Knuckles’ chair. Auntie Bri is leaning into Uncle JJ. They’re both laughing at the banter between Ashlynn and Duck while Willie shakes his head at his wife’s antics. It’s obvious he’s accepted her new best friend.

On any other visit, dinner would have been closed to only family, but this is a celebration for the club. All the brothers and significant others are welcome. Not that there were any other than Mama Judy who would have tagged along.

“Speaking of significant others,” I say out loud, earning myself a few strange looks.Dumbass, no one was talking about that.“When are we going to meet this mystery person you’ve been seeing, Duck? You’ve been getting it steady. I think it’s time you bring them around.”

“Aha, like I would be crazy enough to bring anyone around this motley crew. Knowing my luck, you all would scare him away.” Duck snorts.

“I would never do such a thing,” Dad feigns offense as he looks over at Duck.

“Prez, you beat the shit out of Mimic more than once for dating your daughter. While that last time might have been warranted, I don’t want to subject him to this. He is still new and shiny. I’m not going to put him through whatever this initiation is around here,” Duck explains.

There is a look of confusion on a few people’s faces. Does he think they beat the significant others who join this family? Even for Duck, that’s a bit odd.

“Uhm, we don’t beat up the potential Ol’ Ladies and Ol’ Men in this MC,” Dad tells him slowly, trying to test if that’s what he meant.

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