Page 71 of Beautifully Shattered
“Thanks,” Abbey whispers, and Jols reaches up, taking her other hand.
“I’m sorry we… you know, went at it with you guys in the room. I’ve had a few drinks, and well… it felt like a good idea at the time.”
Abbey’s head lifts, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I’m sorry for watching.”
Jols shrugs, a cheeky smile lighting her face. “I don’t mind a bit of exhibitionism. Just not in front of my stepdad. That’s just creepy.”
They both laugh, and for a second, the room feels lighter.
My eyes shift to JD’s, finding him watching on with a flicker of sympathy in his expression.
Today has been a-fucking-lot for everyone. Heavy as shit.
“How are you feeling after earlier?” Jols asks, her voice soft before Abbey sighs.
“You mean after I beat Wendy to a pulp and then shot her in front of everyone?”
Jols nods slowly, her gaze laser-focused on my Angel like she’s assessing everything she does, and Abbey shrugs, taking a moment to clear her throat.
“I’m not sure I know who I am right now, to be honest.”
Reaching out, Jols rubs Abbey’s arm in support. “That’s totally understandable. You’ve got a lot going on, and now you’re trying to find your footing in a world that doesn’t look the same anymore. You’re not going to be the same person you were before. And that’s okay. It’s gonna take time…” Jols trails off, because she doesn’t need to spell that out to Abbey.
She knows my Angel is suffering through every brutal second of it.
“Thank you,” Abbey whispers, her voice tight like she’s barely holding it together. “I just hope I’m someone still worthy of your friendship when I come out the other end.”
Jols smiles. “I’ve got no doubt we’re gonna be the best of friends. How could wenotafter you just watched me have sex?”
“Oh my God,” Abbey groans, burying her face in her hands as JD and I start laughing. “I blame Ringo. He told me to watch.” She waves a frantic hand in my direction, which only makes me laugh more.
She’s so fucking adorable when she’s flustered.
“Angel, I’ll happily take the blame.”
Her head snaps in my direction, a grin tugging at the corner of her lips as she tries to glare at me.
“On that note,” JD chuckles. “We are gonna clear out before you two start having angry sex.”
“We will not …” Abbey trails off, clearly realising arguing is pointless as JD leads Jols out of the cabin.
“What were you saying?” I smirk, and she stands with a huff.
“Shut up.”
I follow my exasperated wife into the bathroom and join her in the shower again, both of us washing away the blood and cum. This time, we manage to keep it G-rated, drying off and getting dressed before leaving the sanctuary we found inside my room.
It hits midnight as we rejoin the party, most of my club brothers fucking hammered, slurring and swaying, and laughing like they haven’t seen death up close tonight.
The Doxies are nearly as bad, hardly able to hold each other up, half-sprawled on the makeshift seating around the dwindling bonfire.
A sharp whistle slices through the noise, drawing attention to Smitty, standing tall on a massive cooler with a beer in hand, the fire casting shadows across his face.
Then he clears his throat.
“To our brothers who rode harder than hell, who took no shit and gave no mercy. You weren’t saints. You were sinners with steel in your blood. You fucked up, fought hard, and always had our six.”
Slowly, Smitty raises his beer to the sky, eyes locked on the stars, and mine follow, watching the embers from the fire drift up like the souls of my brothers are leaving the Earth.
