Page 86 of Huge Dynamite
“Not sure. But he’s asking for you.”
Nodding, I pull the door closed behind me and lock my door. “How many injuries do you men get?” I murmur, chuckling to myself. “All right.” Turning to them, I smile. “The clubhouse?”
“No, actually,” Avery tells me. “Can you just follow us?”
“Okay.” Why the hell not? It won’t be the first time I’ve followed a biker blindly. Shaking my head, I suppress another chuckle.
Look how well that worked for me.
***
“What the heck?” As I follow the bikes ahead of me, we pull up in front of my building—only it’s not my building. It’s a completely redone version of my building. “What happened here? There’s no way Clea did all this,” I mumble.
Parking the car in front, I hop out and stare at the front of the building, which has been power-washed and repaired. There’s a lawn and beautiful landscaping out front, and looking up, I catch sight of brand-new windows, and above the red front door is a gorgeous stained-glass window. “Is that…?” Putting a hand to my eyes to shield them from the sun, I stare at the stained-glass, making out an image of a bird in flight.
“Holly?” Avery holds his arm out for me to walk up the steps before him.
Grabbing my guardrail, I climb the steps. My heart is racing, and as I put my hand on the doorknob, I feel like a girl in a horror movie about to pull back the curtain to see what’s behind it.
“Oh. My. Gosh.” Stepping inside, I turn in a circle. This is no horror movie—it’s anything but. “This is…” Glancing about, I take in the new floors, scrubbed walls, gorgeous reception desk, and signs for bathrooms. “I cannot believe this.” My mouth is open as I gawk at everything.
“Hello, doc.”
Whipping around, I see Nick. Tilting my head, I grin. “Well, Nick. You’re looking pretty well for a man who needs medical attention.” I cross my arms.
“We’re sorry about that, Holly.” Harry steps up. “We needed to get you here.”
“But I don’t understand.” Shaking my head, I look around again. Every time I do, I see something new—like the hospital lights hanging from the ceiling. “How did you do all this? And why?”
“We had the contractors on retainer for the build of the new clubhouse,” Nick explains. “That’s the how, and the why is because you deserve this—and,” he says, motioning to the group of Steel Knights behind him, “because we think you’re awesome.”
His words wash over me, warming me from the inside. This may be the first time in my life anyone has ever called me “awesome”, and it feels pretty damned great. But as wonderful as all of this is, it’s missing one thing—or one person: Seth.
“Thank you, Nick.” I smile at him. “I think you’re all pretty awesome, too.”
“Come on, then.” Nick grins. “Let’s see the rest of this place.”
With its gorgeous flooring, new windows, and scrubbed brick walls, the second floor is as beautifully done as the first. It’s just waiting to morph into something—like storage or an extension of the upstairs. Climbing the stairs to the third floor, however, my palms grow sweaty.
Nick nods for me to walk up ahead of him, and I do. I have no idea what to expect when I open this door, and once again, my heart is beating so fast I’m not sure I can slow it.
Taking a deep breath, I push the door open and step inside. Standing there, in the middle of the sparkling-clean, renovated living space and holding the biggest bunch of wildflowers I’ve ever seen, is Seth.
“Seth?”
Dropping his chin, he makes eye contact. “Before you say anything, I’d like to say a few words if I can.”
He takes a step closer, and my body warms. Looking at him in that black T-shirt that pulls across his chest and strains at his biceps, I have to will myself to look up into his eyes.
Clutching the beautiful flowers in his hands, he takes a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking a lot over these past few weeks, and I realized that the reason you thought we couldn’t be together was me.”
“Seth—”
“Please.” He puts up his hand. “Let me get through this.”
“Of course.”
“The reason you couldn’t be with me was because I wasn’t available. Not really. I was caught between the man I was and the man I wanted to be. The man I want to be. The man Iwaswould have shot that Dog who held you at knifepoint. I would have walked up to him and plugged a bullet between his eyes—and maybe would have enjoyed doing it. But that was also the man who has lived with regret for all these years. Regret for lashing out at that cop when I was a kid and getting sent to juvie. Regret for not being there for Colt. But as I’ve watched you grow and change—getting a tattoo, opening your own clinic—into an even more kickass woman than you already were, I realize that it’s okay for me to change, too. What you said is right. I don’t have to be Dynamite anymore. Instead, I can be a man who’s worthy of you.”
