Page 127 of Bronco

“What the heck? He escaped?” Erica gapes.

“He won’t be comin’ here,” Bronco assures us. “For one, he’s not that smart, and two, if he does know where you are, he’ll have to get past me and the rest of the club before anythin’ happens.”

I turn to Bronco. “Did you have something to do with the raid?”

He stares back at me. “Club business, babe.”

Translation:Oh, we’re gonna talk about this later. You bet your ass we are.

My head spins. Underworld figures. Erica being chased. Cults. Exes who want revenge. My brother being arrested and charged with a string of offenses. Could anything else possibly happen?

Bronco sits next to me on the couch, his hand reaching for mine. Titan drops down on the floor beside us.

“Thank you,” I say. “For finding her. To all of you.”

“Wasn’t that hard, but if she stayed in one place for longer, it would’ve been easier.”

Erica’s eyes cloud over when she says, “I learned how to run from the best.”

I clutch her hand with my free one, smiling even though we’re both crying. “Don’t ever leave me again. Whatever happens, we’re sisters. And yes, I’m still mad at you.”

“I’ll make it up to you,” she whispers.

“You don’t have to do that. You just have to be honest with me. Olive will be so excited, I didn’t even say anything because I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Could I come with you? To the school pick up?”

I squeeze her hand. “She’s your daughter, of course you can.”

For the first time in a long time, my heart feels lighter. Even though the madness hasn’t quite ended yet, I know that no matter what, we will always fight for what is right. I will never just sit down and take anything. I vowed that to myself when I fled that awful place. I can only hope the cops catch up with Vincent before the MC do. Judging by the look on Brew’s still scowling face, I’m betting he hopes the MC definitely gets involved in capturing him.

“Welcome home,” I whisper.

Erica smiles. “I’m glad to be home, finally.”

25

BRONCO

The lightthat lit up in Amber’s eyes when she saw us makes me never want to up and leave her again. It’s a miracle we got to Erica when we did. I mean, how long was she planning on running for? The Olgettis may have given her an extension on paying back the money, but I don’t believe it. When these lowlifes want something, they take it. They don’t ask. They don’t bargain. They sure as shit don’t give you extra time.

Now that Vincent is on the run, it can’t be long until the law catches up with him. Until that happens, Amber won’t be let out of my sight. Yeah, it was me who tipped off the feds, but little did I know that they were already building a case. I didn’t tell them shit about Amber, and if she wants to tell her story, or testify against her brother — and Vincent when he’s caught — then that’s up to her. But they had to be stopped.

Amber looked destroyed when she found out the depths of their network. She had no idea they were involved in any kind of trafficking, and then luring women into the sect to do with whatever they wanted. Well, they won’t be doing that from a jail cell.

“Mom! Mom!” Olive calls when she sees her mother and Amber waiting at the gate.

Erica sweeps Olive up into her arms and pulls her close to her chest, kissing her as she cries into her hair. “I’m back, baby. I’m back for good.”

“I missed you.” Olive clutches her, unwilling to let go. “I’m so glad you’re back, Mom.”

I get a lump in my throat watching them. I’ll never understand why the fuck she did what she did, but that’s water under the bridge now.

Jett made the transfer to the Olgettis with interest, and Erica is now under the protection of the MC. As far as the Olgettis in Chicago know, she’s indebted to us.

Crystal and Deanna said they’d help Erica with a job in New Orleans, and there are plenty of teacher’s aide jobs in the city. Jasmyne said she could do with a new assistant if that didn’t pan out because Luna’s too busy now with juggling the books at Rock’s and Hustler’s. Either way, Erica has options.

Amber hugs Olive too, wiping her eyes as Olive talks excitedly about what they’ve been up to this past month. It’s all taken its toll on Amber. I want to take her away for a weekend, get her away from all of this once Erica is settled in. We’ve also still got that tattoo to take care of.

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