Page 18 of Keegan's Promise

“I’m scared, Keegan. So fucking scared,” I whisper.

He makes a sound in the back of his throat that kills me a little. It’s like my pain is his, like he’s dying because I’m hurting.

“I know, sweetness. I know,” he whispers, clinging to my fingers. “But I can fix this. The sheriff and the MC will help keep you safe.”

My eyes fly open wide. “S-Sheriff?”

“Yeah. Dillon Armstrong.”

My heart stalls. It feels like my throat is going to close up on me. “I…I…”

“Breathe, Landry baby. Just breathe.”

How he expects me to do that when I’ve spent the last three months committing one long crime spree, I don’t know. If the sheriff finds out, the only place I’ll be going is jail.

“I m-may be in trouble,” I whisper reluctantly. “Legal trouble. Um, for the car. And…other stuff.”

“Shit.” He shoots me a look. “You stole the car?”

I jerk my chin in a nod, refusing to meet his gaze. “And the tags. And…other stuff.”

He doesn’t say anything. He probably regrets promising to keep me safe now. Why wouldn’t he? The mother of his child is a thief and a liar. Probably not the kind of woman he wants to tell anyone he was involved with. And now, we have a kid together.

“We’ll handle it, Landry baby.”

I whip my head in his direction, my eyes wide. “What?”

“We’ll handle it,” he says firmly. “You did what you had to do to survive and keep Lily safe. No one will hold that against you.”

“Except the sheriff,” I whisper.

He chuckles quietly. “Dillon isn’t that kind of sheriff.”

Not that kind of sheriff? I don’t even know what that means. Aren’t all cops the same kind of cop?

“Has Lily seen a doctor lately?”

“No,” I whisper, feeling two inches tall again. “I…” I exhale a breath. “I went into labor in a little town in New Mexico. A doctor delivered her at his house. I was afraid that any sort of paper trail would lead them to us.”

He sighs quietly.

“You probably think I’m a terrible mom.”

He glances over at me, surprise in his eyes. “Is that what you think?”

“Why wouldn’t you?” I ask bitterly. “I’ve been driving around with her in a stolen vehicle since she was born. We lived in it. I can’t take her to the doctor. I’ve stolen most of what we have.” Tears burn at my eyes. “She deserves so much better.”

“You both do,” he says softly, and I know he means it.

But with the weight of my decisions choking me, it’s hard to see it that way. I did what I had to do to protect her and keep her away from Garrick and the MC…but it doesn’t make the guilt of my crimes any easier to swallow.

I’m not sure anything will ever do that.

Chapter Six

Keegan

WhenIpullintothe driveway at the Silver Spoon MC, I spot Dillon’s unmarked unit parked off to the side. He’s leaning against a porch railing, watching Tate Grimes and Jason “Cash” Montoya argue over a Ducati pulled up right outside the clubhouse.

---