Page 98 of My Secret to Protect

‘I’ll be just outside.’ I dip out of the room, unable to handle my murderous thoughts while surrounded by Bree’s family, but Doug follows me out of the room.

‘What’s eatin’ you?’

I drop into a chair, and he sits opposite. I take him in. He’s tall, not quite as tall as me but he’s a big guy, broad-shouldered, strong, and tattooed. He and Leo would fit in at the club. Doug even rides a motorcycle. In another life, one where Miles never left, where he raised his kids alongside me, Doug would have been my brother. Would I have considered Bree and Zoe as my sisters and protected them by Doug’s side, or would she and I have found each other anyway?

‘The vice president of my dad’s club was part of taking her.’ I surprise myself by sharing this with him, and he sits forward, the same rage I feel flaring in his eyes. ‘Dad didn’t know. His VP and some of the others betrayed the club and lied to my dad. He says he didn’t know it was Bree, that it was just a paycheck, but I don’t even fuckin’ care if that’s true.’

‘So what, he just goes back to the club, tail between his legs while she’s in a hospital bed?’ His voice is low and quiet in the public setting but filled with so much palpable anger that it soothes me somehow, sharing that rage with him.

‘Nah, he’s, my dad, he’s keeping him, for me.’

Realization dawns on Doug’s features, understanding of what I’m saying, and he leans back in his chair. The Campbells surprise me. Miles left the club so they wouldn’t be a part of the darker side of club life. They live their calm, quiet lives in their small, crimeless town where they have games nights and dinner parties and nice houses and cute kids, and I would expect them to be horrified at the blood and the leather cuts, the reality of what I’m laying out to Doug right now. Instead, I watched Bree empty an almost full magazine into Nolan with a bullet in her belly. I watched Lynnie hug my dad like she’d missed him. I felt Zoe take my hands without flinching at the blood all over them, and now I see the satisfaction in Doug’s expression that I have the opportunity to exact revenge on Horse.

‘He’s the last one. Nolan, the fucker who was stalking her, Bree put him down herself, and my dad and his men took out most of the guys who betrayed the club and helped take her, the guys who trashed my place. Horse is the last one breathing.’

‘Not for long,’ Doug’s words are firm, and I nod once.

‘Nah, not for long.’

‘Doug, Arlo,’ Zoe calls out, and we stand, rushing into Bree’s room in time to see her grimacing as the sedation wears off. ‘She’s starting to wake up.’

With one last glance at the man who will be my brother from here on out, I make my move to stand behind Lynnie and wait. My girl is waking up, and I can’t wait to have her back.

Wipe The Slate Clean, Baby

Bree

Ouch,myheadhurts.

Why does it hurt so much?

And my throat is so dry.

God, I need water.

It’s bright. I have to force my eyes to open, as they don’t want to let in the light.

‘Bree, sweetheart.’

Mama? My brows furrow in confusion as I try to blink my eyes open. Why won’t they open?

‘Honey, I’m here.’

‘It’s too bright.’

Grandma?

‘Dim the lights.’

Oh, that is better.

‘Ma…’ My lips are dry. They feel stuck, but I feel my mom’s hand holding mine. I know it’s her by the way she’s holding it, one underneath, one on top, like she always has when I’ve been sick, or sad, or just needed her for comfort. ‘Mama…’

‘Yes, honey, my god.’ She squeezes my hand, and finally, I manage to open my eyes, flinching as the light in the room floods in. ‘Oh, sweetheart.’

Mama stands, and I see the tears in her eyes as she looks down at me. I’m in the hospital. The realization hits me a moment before the memories.

Nolan.

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