Page 81 of The Devil's Redemption

He looks at me, and his eyebrows raise in question.

“Really?”

“Let’s start small. Perhaps a ride through town so I can get used to it. Harper’s Ferry is a little far for the first trip, but maybe we can work up to it?”

“Absolutely. Let’s do it,” he tells me.

I would be able to make the trip to Harper’s Ferry on my own. I know that I can push through the pain of what Michael did to me and remember the brother he used to be. What I didn’t realize until now is how much I want to share that moment with Blade. And how important it is to him that he’s there to support me.

Call him what you want to call him—a thug, a gangster, a troublemaker, or the like—since the moment he stepped into that hotel room, intent on taking me, he’s had my best interests at heart. Possibly even before then. He may not have realized what was happening initially—Lord knows I didn’t—but we were put in each other’s paths for a reason.

I am his, and he is mine.

The two of us, perfectly imperfect.

But perfect for one another.

Chapter Twenty-Six

The lockdown endedtwo days after Jasper seemingly disappeared. Stone and Royce think that when he realized both clubs were after him, he fled. I want to believe that’s true, more than anything. Blade is still pissed that the Bastards weren’t able to locate him. I feel safe with Blade, but we’d both sleep better at night knowing Jasper is well and truly out of our lives. However, with each day that passes without incident—and the fact that I have a twenty-four-seven security detail— I feel more and more like it may finally be over.

Maybe?

This week is turning out to be a busy one. We went by Egan Funeral Home and Crematory and picked up Michael’s ashes. I opted for a small box rather than an extravagant urn to put them in. Perhaps if I was keeping them I would have gone for something nicer. At the same time, thinking about what Michael did to me, spending extra money for something fancy wasn’t an option that I was willing to go with.

I’m trying to focus on the upcoming excitement to help keep my mind off of both Michael and Jasper. Tomorrow, Blade and I have an appointment with the leasing agent of the house we’re going to move into. It’s the first time in a very long time that I’ve felt so elated about the possibility of a happy future. And the dayaftertomorrow, I finally get to go back to work. I’m ready, but I am also nervous. I know I’m going to be receiving a lot of questions from a lot of people, but once I get that over and done with, things can finally get back to normal.

Semi normal.

I made Blade promise me that he would go back to work when I do. I think he needs to have something to do to keep him from worrying about me. Otherwise, I know he will spend every single day at the diner as my bodyguard. He told me he will be sending one of his brothers in his place when he can’t be there. I agreed to his terms because it was the only way he would agree to mine.

“How about we plan to go to Harper’s Ferry on your first day off?” Blade suggests.

“That sounds good. It will probably be sooner than later, knowing Ellie. I’m sure she’s going to suggest that I ease my way back into it.”

“She’s smart,” he winks at me from the driver’s seat. “I like her.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I smile.

“When we get home, why don’t you put that away, and then maybe we can go for a short cruise on my bike? We can go by Iron’s house and check in on him. Make sure he’s doing alright.”

Iron moved back into his house two weeks ago. He’s been taking it easy—and apparently, considering retirement, which I didn’t know was an option—and wasn’t around for the lockdown. He didn’t like the idea of having to go back to sleeping at the clubhouse after finally getting to sleep in his own bed again. Stone wasn’t happy about it, but there wasn’t any changing his mind.

My stomach instantly twists into knots at Blade’s suggestion to go for a ride on his motorcycle. I’m so nervous, but I know that once I get used to it I’ll feel differently.

Bite the bullet, Sasha.

“Sure,” I nod. “I may need Hawk to administer some of that Zofran before we go, though. I don’t want to puke on your back.”

I’m only half joking.

“I highly doubt you’re going to puke. Actually, I think you’re really going to love it. It’s a thrill, and I think you’ll find it very freeing.”

“Yeah, if you say so,” I joke. “I’m kidding. Iamlooking forward to it.”

“Me, too. And you know what else I’m looking forward to?”

“What’s that?”

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