Page 103 of Matrix

“Don’t let him take that away from you. Despite everything, I haven’t lost faith in our ability to make things right. We will get him. It’s only a matter of time before it happens.”

“I shouldn’t have left you. I love you.”

“Me too, babe.” I kiss her softly on the lips.“Sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

I stay by her side until she dozes off. I glance over and realize Angela’s still watching me. She overheard everything I said to her sister.

“She’s kinda dumb sometimes,” she whispers.

“That’s not a very nice thing to say.”

“Well, it’s true. I told her we’d be safer here, but no. She didn’t come back to the clubhouse like we should have.”

“I’m sure she had her reasons for making the choices she made.”

“I guess.”

“You need to rest too. Did you get any sleep last night?” I ask.

“Not really.”

“Go ahead. I’ll be outside with the other guys. If you want anything or if Daisy wakes up, come get me. Okay?”

“Thanks.”

I reluctantly leave the room and join Nina at the kitchen table. Reaper, Scar, and Talon are there too. Nitro must still be at home with his wife. They’ve been having a heck of a time with their colicky baby, so I don’t fault him for not making it. Family always comes first.

“Did Daisy tell you what happened with Blackstone?” Nina asks.

“Not yet. Just that he’s still free.”

Reaper’s shoulders slump, and he shakes his head.

“Don’t worry. We’ll get that bastard. I know we will,” I say confidently.

“How? He keeps slipping through our fingers,” Talon says.

“Who the hell knows? But it’s going to happen.”

Everyone’s silent, lost in their thoughts. Since the girls are using my bed, I head into Daisy’s old room. So much has gone down since she became one of our club girls. She might still want to leave me, but that’s not going to happen. I love her stubborn ass. Even if it takes me an eternity to do it, I’m going to show her how much she means to me.

In a way, she brought me back to life. I don’t have any desire to cut myself anymore. Disappearing into that other, floaty world doesn’t hold the same allure. I want to be right here, in the now, with her. I’ve got to find a way to make her see that no matter what happens with Blackstone, it won’t affect our love for each other. He’s irrelevant now. I’m still going to help the guys bring him to justice, but Daisy’s more important than revenge. She’s everything to me. She’s what I’ve been waiting for my whole life, and I want to make her my old lady … if she’ll have me.

Chapter 25: Daisy

It’s been three days since the accident. I can finally walk without feeling like I’ve got an icepick stabbing me through the eye. Doc has been back to check on me daily. He’s happy with my recovery and assures me everything I’m experiencing is normal. On the other hand, Matrix has been so worried that he’s constantly catering to me. He’s being so sweet, but it’s starting to drive me crazy. I haven’t eaten a meal out of bed since returning to the clubhouse. I’ve been stuck in this room so long that I’m getting cabin fever.

Risking Matrix’s wrath, I slide out of bed and get dressed in a flowy pair of cotton pajamas. Angie hasn’t been confined to the room because she never had a concussion. She’s in the kitchen, eating lunch with the others. I want to be with everyone else too. If Matrix has a problem with it, then too bad. I’m not staying in bed like an invalid for one more minute.

As I pad out of the hallway into the kitchen, everyone stops talking and watches me take my usual seat at the table. I reach toward a huge tray of loaded open-faced sandwiches and choose one with cream cheese, cucumber, and dill. My second selection includes egg salad with sliced radishes. I drop them onto my plate. Matrix, Angie, Nina, Reaper, Talon, Nitro, and Scar watch every move I make.

“Babe,” Matrix says slowly.“Why are you out of bed?”

“Because it’s driving me nuts. I feel much better, and I’m sick of being stuck in there.”

“I could join you.”

“You’d just fawn all over me.”