Page 72 of Light

The tape peels away first. She gasps for air, but doesn’t waste a second before kissing me, my cheek, my jaw, my lips, over and over like she’s trying to convince herself I’m real.

“I’m so sorry,” she cries against my skin. “I didn’t know. I didn't know he'd be here. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

I shake my head and press my forehead to hers.

“You have forever to make it up to me.”

She lets out a breathless laugh that cracks into another sob, and I finally get the last tie off her wrists. She collapses into me, clinging tight, her body pressed fully against mine.

I wrap my arms around her, even though my legs are barely holding me up.

“I love you,” she whispers.

I blink, the words cutting straight through me. I let them settle in my chest, where they already belong.

“I love you too.”

The pain spikes again, and this time I can’t fight it. My knees give out. Melissa lets out a startled cry as I lower myself to the floor, bringing her down with me.

“I’m okay,” I murmur, eyes fluttering closed. “I just need a second.”

Her hands are on my face, cupping my cheeks, trying to keep me awake, but I can feel the pull now. Like the weight of everything that just happened is finally settling into my bones.

The last thing I hear is the low rumble of motorcycles rolling up the driveway.

My brothers.

And with Melissa in my arms, their engines shaking the ground, and the worst behind usI know I’m going to be just fine.

Because this is what home feels like.

Epilogue

Semi

Not everyone can geta happy ever after.

Thankfully, Light got his.

By the time we rolled up to Melissa's house, the worst of it was over. Zeke was dead. Barbecued on the ground. Melissa was free. Unfortunately, the cut to Light's leg was bad. Zeke managed to nick his femoral artery.

Out of all of us, it was Vinny who wound up saving him. Turns out he was a medic in the army at one point in his life, and he managed to get his finger in the wound and hold the artery shut until the ambulance made it to us.

He still gets the shit jobs because he's only the prospect, but we all like him just a little bit more for saving Light.

Light was by far the most needy patient I'd ever seen in my life. Once he was stitched up and cleared to leave, it was like he couldn't do anything for himself. Of course, Melissa catered to his every wish, and she did it with a smile on her face.

She's made a great addition to the clubhouse. Even better is her son, Tyler, was let out of the hospital as well. The infection he had in his lungs cleared up a few days after Light was allowed to leave, and now he spends time with us as well.

We all love the kid.

Yeah, I'm happy for Light and Melissa. I'm surprised she even puts up with him and as much as I don't want to admit it he did good choosing her to be his ol' lady.

His judgment is better than mine, that's for sure.

I'm still trying to piece together what really is going on with Claire. After the last package I got in the mail with the photos of her, I haven't heard anything more. The biggest part of me is sure that she's just up to her old tricks. Doing whatever she can to get some money out of me. But there's a small nagging part of me that thinks maybe she's telling the truth. Maybe my ex really was deep into some shit and she needed my help.

With a groan, I rub a hand over my face and look up to the sky. It's too nice of a day to be thinking about this shit.

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