Celina“I don’t suppose anyone has sterilized their hands,” Dr. Santos says while shaking his head and offering me a tight smile. He slips on gloves and then moves in beside me to check the chest wound. If I thought Cal was calm, he has nothing on Dr. Santos. The man goes about his exam in slow motion. He checks Alex’s eyes and his fingers. He adjusts the oxygen level and then moves down to the chest wound. He asks Cal questions and seems confident in what Cal has done so far.After checking Alex’s leg, he walks to the black bag he sat down when he entered and removes items. He methodically places them on the counter beside everything else that’s taking up room. He fills a hypodermic needle and administers the medicine to the IV line.The doctor nods in my direction. “I need to remove the bullet. You can stay or go, but if you pass out, you’re on your own.” He’s in full doctor mode and the gentle man who examined Kiley is gone.“I’ll stay,” I tell him. “Am I in your way?”“Stand at hi
AlexI’m in pain. My entire chest and my fucking leg hurt. My eyes are blurry. A warm hand settles on my shoulder and I blink a few times so I can see Moon’s face. He looks concerned as I attempt to place bits and pieces together in my brain.“Celina,” I say in a throaty voice that doesn’t sound like mine.“She’s fine. So is Kiley and Mrs. Thomas. Celina will be back in here shortly and she’ll be relieved that you’re awake.”“How long has it been?” I try to lift my arm, but it hurts my chest too badly.“Two days since you were shot.”“Fuck.” I close my eyes and try to remember what happened. “Danita?”“Dead.”“Is anyone else injured? Gabriella?”“No, just you.”I close my eyes and the slideshow plays in my head. Each scene one I never want to relive. Celina’s huge eyes when she grabs Kiley from me. Going to my knee after Danita shot me in the leg. Trying to cover Celina and her niece. The fury in Gabriella’s eyes. The smoke that filled the hallway.No, never again.“How did she get in
Two months later: Celina The kids are playing in the backyard on the swing set. My mother and I now have a house of our own, but right now, I’m sitting in Theresa’s kitchen enjoying hot tea. It’s September and Oregon is feeling a touch of autumn. Theresa assures me it will warm up a bit before the weather completely changes. It’s different here. Four seasons to the two we get in the desert. I’ll adjust, or at least I will if I ever warm up.I’ve grown to love Theresa and her husband, Salvador. Also their two children, Daniella and Emilio. The children have been wonderful for Kiley. She’s still quiet, but her smiles and laughter come much easier. My mom bought her a tiny black and white kitten. Kitsy Kitsy sleeps with Kiley each night and the two of them are practically inseparable. When Kiley can’t take the cat with her, she brings her doll Mary. I’ve told her about Dax and I make sure she knows that Dax cares about her and that he’s the reason she’s in our lives.Kiley is still shy
Four months later: Alex The meeting with Dax went as well as can be expected. His men don’t trust us. I trust Dax and not them, so I understand. The terms we settled on will benefit us all. I didn’t think Dax could pull his club out of the meth trade, but it looks like he’s done it. We are investing heavily in medical marijuana farms here in Arizona. Dax is joining us. It will be legal for everyone in the next few years and not just those with a prescription. The suppliers involved in the medical end will have a head start when that happens. Madison is a big reason that we’re slowing down our illegal drug operation.She’s changed us all.I’ve never asked Dax what became of Kiley’s mom. I looked around the clubhouse today and didn’t see anyone who resembled a grownup version of Kiley. I never knew the woman’s name. Why the hell should I expect some meth-head woman to actually look like Kiley is beyond me, but I had to look.My sister informed me by telephone that Kiley was adopted qui
CelinaHe loves me. No, he hasn’t said the words but he’s come close enough for now. We’re curled together, his arms tight around me. I had no idea what to expect when I showed up. Had he moved on? Would he still want me if he hadn’t moved on?It took everything I had to be brave enough to come back to him. I’m glad I went away. I had things I had to learn about myself. I’m much stronger than I ever gave myself credit for. I can be stronger still. Strong enough to hold us together and fight for this incredible man. Fight him so I can stay.“You’re leaving in the morning,” he whispers in my ear. “You can’t come back.”This is what I’m talking about. I turn over and move my hair aside so I can see him. “You can’t make me leave this time.” I hope he hears the finality in the words.“Christ,” he says and turns his head so he isn’t looking at me.My fingers curl against the skin on his chest. Slowly, I dig my nails in. I know it hurts him, but he’s hurting both of us. My hand is over the s
One month later: AlexCelina face-plants again. Rack puts his hand out and helps her to her feet. I think she may be the worst fighter I’ve ever seen.“You’re going easy on me. Stop it,” she growls.“I just knocked you to the mat again. How is that going easy on you?” Rack grunts in mock disgust.“It didn’t hurt,” she whines between gasps for breath. Even with her hair pulled back severely, sweaty tendrils curl around her face and turn me on. Hell, everything about this woman makes me hard no matter what she looks like. I’ll take her sweaty, clean, or covered in mud. Right now and every minute of the day, I want her.They’ve been going at it for an hour. I tried to train her weeks ago, but I was worse than Rack. At least he leaves her with some bruises.“I like gun training better,” she complains.“Firearms training,” Rack corrects her. “Come on. You need to block and strike without landing on your ass.”“I bet you say that to all the girls.”Rack rolls his eyes and gives me a look. T
Before: DaxShe is so beautiful. The inner glow she carries can light up a room. Her rounded tummy is swollen with our child—a boy, according to the ultrasound. We chose the name Mason Dax Montgomery. If, on the slim chance the ultrasound is wrong, her name will be Masey Savannah Montgomery.I took half the day off work to drive my wife, Savannah, to the seven-month obstetrician appointment. We are both excited and basking in the bright rays of pending parenthood. I never dreamed about anything as incredible as Savannah having my baby.We eat cereal for breakfast—Savannah has one bowl covered in bananas and I enjoy two, minus the bananas. Her pregnancy brings about cravings for the yellow fruit, and it has become one of my favorite ways to tease her.“I have a really big banana for you,” I tell her with the best leer I can manage. She blushes and we both laugh at the joke I’ve said over and over since three or four bananas a day became her go-to pregnancy food. She loves me even when
Nine years later: Dax My damaged hog rattles between my thighs. Add the hot pavement rising up to sizzle the lower half of my body and the sun cooking my shoulders and I fucking guarantee it’s hotter than hell. If I manage to survive the next few hours, I’ll need to repair my bike, which will be costly. That’s really the least of my worries right now, and I shake off those thoughts. I should feel some form of redemption for saving the little girl who I just placed in safe arms. Kiley never deserved the drugged out mother who gave her life or what Fox, the president of the Desert Crows MC, had planned for her. The uncaring fog that’s been with me for almost ten years cleared when I looked into Kiley’s eyes. I didn’t think my plan to remove Kiley from the house would succeed, and I expected to die. Sadly, Kiley would have died too, but death was better than the alternative. I made it out alive with the help of unlikely friends and now Kiley has a chance. The truth—it will take much mor