Page 142 of Salvation

“Yeah…”

“I mean it, Jenna. Trust me. Remember when you told me it’s not always like this? You’ve had a shit few days, and it’s shaken you. But you’ve had so many good times as part of this club. Don’t let one bad day ruin a lifetime of happy memories. And that’s coming fromme.I’ve run away more times than I can count. And trust me, the world isn’t any safer away from here, either.”

“I guess,” she murmured. “Thank you, Rachel.”

“Anytime.”

“I don’t mean for today,” she said, making me frown. “I know what happened that day. I know what they planned for you, and what you were willing to let happen to keep him safe.”

I flinched, pulling away slightly. I was reminded of my teenage years, when everyone knew I was being raped and abused, and everyone was talking about it.

You’re not the same girl. You’re okay. No one here would sit back and allow that to happen.

That was true. But I couldn’t help draw the similarities.

“I know you saved his life, Rachel. If it wasn’t for you, they would have killed him there in that alleyway. So, whatever happens here, whatever the outcome… I want you to know I’m thankful, and I’ll never be able to repay the debt.”

“Hey,” I almost snapped at her. “There is no debt. Not with family. We protect each other. Shark took the worst of it because he pushed me behind him. We defended each other, and that is never,ever, a transactional thing.”

Tears welled in her eyes again, and I pulled her into a fierce hug, holding her shaking body tight against me.

“Where’s Trex?” I asked her when I pulled away. “Do you need me to get him?”

“No. Heather has him. That woman is—”

“A godsend,” I finished for her. “I know. Fuck knows where Dante found her, but we’d be lost without her.”

“It’s funny…” she said with a soft smile.

“What is?”

“It’s just… Dante kidnapped you to be a mother to his child. He wanted someone to look after Bee. And all along, there was a woman like Heather out there. He could have just hired someone.”

“Yeah… but since when has Dante ever applied logic to his actions?”

“That’s true. It’s weird to think, though. None of this needed to happen. You might never have been part of our lives had he just engaged his brain… But I’m really glad you are.”

“Me too,” I said, holding her hand in mine.

“Excuse me,” came a soft voice from behind us. We both turned to see the nurse poking her head around the door. “Sorry to disturb you, but the doctor is here. He wants to do some check ups.”

“Can I stay?” Jenna asked.

“You can but—”

“I was just leaving anyway,” I said, getting to my feet. “You stay as long as you need. I’ll get Trex to bed tonight. Come and stay at the club when you come back to the compound.”

“I will, Rachel, thank…” her words trailed off as I scowled at her attempt to say ‘thank you’ and then we grinned at each other before I stepped aside to let the doctor in.

Chapter 63

Rachel

Another quiet evening was spent with the three kids and Mama. It dawned on me that Dante was breaking the contract by not spending the designated one hour a day with me, but I couldn’t find it in me to care. The more I thought about it, the more I realised how stupidly unrealistic that contract really was.

Real life would always get in the way and put a dampener on something that was an ideal scenario. In an ideal world, Dante and I would never argue. We would spend time together, and we would enjoy it. But we didn’t live in an ideal world.

And I found myself not caring. I was no longer trying to find any excuse to leave. I was no longer looking for a way out.

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