Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Alessandro Banger and Emmett Madden, two local firefighters, are helping load her uncle into the back of an ambulance a few yards away. That prick is, unfortunately, still breathing.
Garrick isn’t, however. I’m still not sure if I shot him or if Dillon did, but whichever of us shot him ended his miserable life. The bullet went right through his throat.
I hope he felt every single goddamn second of his death.
Landry hasn’t let go of Lily once since I carried her to the truck fifteen minutes ago. I doubt she’ll be letting go of her again anytime soon. I know exactly how she feels. It’ll be a long fucking time before I let either of them out of my sight again.
I just keep reminding myself that they’re right here in my arms, safe. Eventually, it has to calm me down, right? So far, it isn’t working. I desperately want to slide her off my lap, slip over to the ambulance, and finish her prick of an uncle off.
It’s what he deserves for the pain he’s caused her. He started all this shit when he sold her to save his own miserable life. Every single minute of pain and fear and torment she’s endured rests at his feet as much as at the feet of the MC.
“I don’t regret it,” she whispers, her voice raspy as we watch them load him into the ambulance.
I glance down at her.
“S-stabbing him,” she says. “I don’t regret it.” Her gaze flickers to my face. “Maybe I should, but I don’t.”
I brush my lips across her temple, breathing her in. “You don’t owe him sympathy, sweetness. You did what you had to do to protect yourself and Lily. Even if he dies, that’s not on you. It’s on him. He started this. If it ends with his life, that’s just karma, baby.”
“Yeah.” She rests her head against my shoulder. “We all have to pay sometime.”
I tip her head back, meeting her gaze. “Not you. You’re too goddamn sweet to pay for a single thing. You haven’t done anything wrong. Don’t ever forget that.”
“Thank you.”
My brows furrow as I glance down at her. “For what?”
“For seeing me the way you do,” she whispers. “For loving me the way you do.”
“Jesus.” I brush my lips against hers, my heart pulsing. “Loving you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done, Landry baby.”
I mean that shit, all the way down to my soul. Loving her is simple, effortless. Like breathing.
Chapter Fifteen
Landry
“Sweet angel,” I whisper, stroking my hand across Lily’s head as she nestles in the bassinet at the clubhouse, sleeping peacefully. Tate checked her over as soon as we arrived and promised us that she’s perfectly fine despite our frantic dash into the woods.
I don’t think I was able to breathe fully until I had his verdict. I trust his word far more than the EMTs who looked her over back at the house. Perhaps because he knows what it’s like to be in my shoes, afraid of losing his baby girl, of not being fast enough or good enough to protect her when needed.
Today, I was both. Somehow.
And so was Keegan. He got to us and protected us just like he promised. I was terrified when I heard those gunshots, scared Garrick had shot him to punish me. That he’d taken him from me. When I stumbled out of the woods and saw him on the porch with Garrick on the ground…that’s not a sight I’ll forget anytime soon. It’s not a feeling I’ll ever forget, either.
“I love you, baby girl. Sweet dreams,” I whisper to Lily, leaning down to brush a kiss across her tiny head. She doesn’t even budge. She’s sleeping like a rock, as usual.
When I straighten, Keegan is standing across the room, watching us the same way he always does. Like we’re the only things he sees. His expression is soft and full of emotion as he holds his arms out to me silently.
I’m across the room, burrowing into him in two steps. And when his arms close around me, I feel safe in a way I never have before now. Because, for once, I am safe.
The Sons of Loki aren’t a threat anymore. The DEA and FBI scooped up the remaining members a couple of hours ago. They were already crawling all over the compound and the club before Dillon called to let them know about Garrick. The girls the MC intended to sell are free. Sonny is in handcuffs. His wife probably will be too before all is said and done. And my uncle is in the hospital, recovering from his stab wound with an around-the-clock armed guard on the door. The only place he’s going when he’s medically cleared is jail and then prison.
Lily and I are finally free. Finally safe.
“I love you,” I whisper to Keegan, the man who made it possible. He gave me a reason to stay, a reason to believe, and a purpose beyond running. He gave me hope when I had none, and a perfect daughter when I had no one. He’s given me the world in a matter of weeks.