Page 80 of Huge Dynamite
“If you do this, Seth.” My words come faster. “If you kill him, there will never be a chance for us. We can get past anything—butthis. It’s your decision. Only you can make it. Are you going to control your emotions and give us a chance? Or are you going to let your passion overtake you and lose me for good? You don’t have to live tethered to that nickname forever.”
Still holding the gun on Damian, Seth nods to Nick. “Nick, can you take Colt and get her out of here? Take her wherever she wants to go.”
“Seth. Please.” Has he heard anything I’ve said?
“I’m sorry, Holly. But we always knew this wouldn’t work. This is who I am.” Still pointing the gun at the man, he turns to me. “This is what a ‘man like me’ would do, right?”
“Seth!” I yell. “You’re playing withliveshere. This isn’t you. You’re acting like a petulant child.”
We make eye contact, and he holds my gaze. Then, turning away, he barks an order at Colt. “Take her and go.”
“The ambulance is coming, Seth.” Bullet hovers near us. “We all need to go.”
“You and Bullseye go and take the guys,” Seth instructs. “I’ll handle this and catch up with you.”
As I watch Seth standing there, threatening another man’s life, the tears pour out of my eyes. With Bullet and Bullseye flanking me, Colt takes me by the arm and leads me out of the clubhouse.
Once we’re on the sidewalk, the deafening sound of a single gunshot rips through the cool night air, shattering any last glimmer of hope that I had.
It’s over.
Even though being with Seth Hardy made me feel alive for the first time ever, there’s no way I could ever be with a man who kills.
As the red glow of ambulance lights colors the sky before me, I’m torn between the life I know and the man I left inside. Moving forward, I climb onto the back of Colt’s bike, and it feels every bit as foreign to me as the woman I’ve become.
“You okay?” Colt asks as he revs the bike.
“Sure,” I mumble.
But I’m not okay. I was wrong. I’m not supposed to be the woman with a bird on her hip and a clinic in the middle of Greenville. I’m not supposed to be anything more than a rich girl who grew up living a privileged life. No, I can’t marry Robert or become my father’s partner, but maybe my mother was right about one thing—maybe doing good in the world is for other people.
Leaning back, I hold the grab bars behind the passenger’s seat on Colt’s bike, and after one final glance at the Unchained Dogs’ clubhouse, we’re gone.
Chapter Nineteen
Dynamite
Slipping off my boots and socks, I walk back and forth across the foundation of the new club. We’re on the opposite side of Hoppa, but exactly where we had planned to be. The cement is warm, and I’ve got to say, it feels pretty damned good. Actually, it feels better than good. It feels like success.
The Steel Knights are finally getting our new clubhouse.
Shit, with the way I’ve been feeling lately, it’s nice to finally feel good about something.
Looking over to the group of guys standing around Nick, I can’t help but smile. None of this would have been possible without the direction of Tess when she was VP. She planned all of this and worked her butt off to build connections with the other clubs. I’m just sorry she can’t be here to see it. As Nick points to the far wall where the bar will be, I know that as long as he’s in charge of the build, a part of her will always be here.
“What the hell?” Bullseye nods to me as he walks past, carrying a two-by-four. “Break time already?”
Yeah, sure, the guys will razz me for it, but I’m going to take a break, soak up some sun, and enjoy every second of this success because it almost didn’t happen. Everyone knows that where we’re standing could have ended up becoming Dog turf.
Colt walks up and hands me a beer. We clink bottles and sit on the edge of the platform with our feet dangling in the air.
“It’s good that Nick changed his mind about the bunker.” Colt leans forward, resting his forearms on his thighs.
“Yeah. I think he’s a lot less worried and has a lot more confidence now that the Dogs have been smacked down and put in their place. Still, though.” I tilt my bottle and watch the bubbles rush up the sides. “We can never count them out. They may be down right now, but they’ll be back—larger and even more pissed off.”
“Yeah, I know.” Colt shakes his head. “But it’s a victory anyway. Greenville is Knights’ territory now, so Holly’s clinic will be safe no matter what happens. Jesus, so many damned arrests. It’s good we got out before the cops hauled all those Dogs away.” Looking me in the eye, he adds, “It’s good you got out before you got nabbed. Again.”
“Yeah, it is.” Nodding, my gaze falls on the trees before me. What a backyard this will be. We can bring in grills and tables, maybe string some outdoor lights. It’s a perfect place for a party. The thought makes me smile.
