Page 99 of Emmy's Ride

Her shoulders sagged in relief. “Okay.”

I pulled her into my arms, holding her close. She wasn’t healed, not yet. But for the first time since we got back, she wasn’t running from me.

That was enough for now.

I sat at my desk, rubbing the tension from the back of my neck before picking up my phone and dialing Jax.

He answered on the first ring. "Yeah, Prez?"

"I need you to start digging into my old man’s business," I said. "Try to find any connection between The Ghost and the Kings of Chaos. There has to be something buried in the past that ties this bastard to us."

Jax was silent for a moment, then let out a breath. "You really think this goes that deep?"

"I know it does," I said. "The way he comes at me—this isn’t just business. It’s personal. He’s got a vendetta, and I need to know why. None of us will be safe until he’s either locked up for life or dead. I don’t plan on living the rest of my life looking over my shoulder."

"Alright, I’ll start digging. If there’s something there, I’ll find it."

"Good." I ended the call, leaning back in my chair. My gut told me that whatever the connection was, it had started long before I ever took over the club.

That night, I walked into the chapel for church, the room already filled with the men who had stood beside me through every battle. The air sparked with tension. They knew something big was coming. Riot, Luke, and Tank were on the phone, patched in, and everyone was waiting for me to speak.

I stood at the head of the table, hands braced on the wood as I looked around at my brothers. "It’s time for a new direction," I started. "We’ve made a lot of changes already, but now it’s time to make it official. No more gun runs. No more illegal shit. We’re moving this club forward.”

A murmur rippled through the room, but no one objected. They were waiting.

I continued. "We’re going to work with law enforcement—not as their errand boys, but as a group they turn to when the legal system has too many hoops to jump through. Our methods might stay in the gray, but we’ll be sanctioned to do what needs to be done. No one is going to force us out of our home, and we’re going to protect this town the way we should have been all along."

More nods, a few murmured agreements.

"We’re also going to get involved in the schools—mentoring, programs for kids who need guidance. If we want to make real change, we start there."

That provoked more discussion, some men shifting in their seats, but seeming open to what I proposed.

I let them talk, listening to the questions, answering every concern. When I was satisfied, I straightened. "It’s time to vote. All in favor?"

One by one, hands went up. A unanimous decision.

A weight I hadn’t realized I was carrying lifted from my shoulders. We were moving forward.

Then, as the tension broke, the mood in the room relaxed. Someone cracked a joke about me going soft, another that they’d all have to learn how to be role models. Laughter filled the room, a much-needed break after everything we’d been through.

I let myself smile. We weren’t done fighting. The Ghost was still out there. But tonight we had won something. Tonight, we had made history.

I knew the vote would go my way, but this was just the beginning. My brothers trusted me to lead them into a new era for the Kings of Chaos. The club was changing, and it felt like we were truly heading toward something better.

After church wrapped up, I stayed behind in the meeting room, letting the events of the night settle in. The Ghost was still lurking in the shadows, and while our decision to go legit was a big step forward, it wouldn’t keep the bastard from coming after us. If anything, it might push him to escalate his attacks. That’s why Jax’s search into my father’s past was more important than ever. If we could figure out why The Ghost was so hellbent on destroying us, we’d finally have the upper hand.

Pushing myself out of my chair, I made my way back to my office to go over the notes I’d scribbled down during the meeting.I still had calls to make and plans to set in motion, but there was one thing more important than all of that—Emmy.

She needed to hear this from me. She needed to know she wasn’t just stuck here, trapped in a world she didn’t ask to be a part of. The club was evolving, and she deserved to know she wasn’t the only one struggling with how to move forward.

As I made my way through the clubhouse, I caught sight of her sitting on the back deck again. The same spot where I’d told her about Luke earlier. She was staring out into the darkness, and I wondered how much of that darkness she still felt inside her. How much of it she thought she’d never be free of.

I stepped outside, the cool night air a stark contrast to the warmth still lingering inside from the body heat generated during the church meeting. “You planning on staying out here all night?” I asked, leaning against the railing beside her.

She didn’t startle, didn’t even glance my way. “Maybe.”

I watched her for a moment, taking in the way her arms were wrapped around her body like she was trying to hold something in—or maybe hold herself together. I’d lost count of how often I’d seen her like this after her rescue. “I need to talk to you.”

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