Page 37

Three Months Later

Blade

We meant what we promised to each other absolutely and haven’t been apart for more than half a day since the night we escaped Moretti.

She came with me back to North Cali when it was time for me to return and help the Devils some more.

We made sure we slept together every night, even if our bed was just a cot under the starry desert sky.

In a lot of ways, it was the perfect roof over our heads.

Ride or die, she promised me, before either one of us even truly knew what that meant.

But we learned since. We learned it all over again in the last few weeks of the war we helped the Devils win.

She used to complain about my biker lifestyle, but she became one of us while we chased the Devils’ enemies across the forests and deserts.

Something more than a club girl, something less than a warrior.

But definitely a sister to us all. And a queen to me.

Word of her talent with the needle spread while we were up there, mainly thanks to her friend, Karma. And she’s been inking our brothers and sister non-stop since we’ve been back.

While I’ve been in Council meetings non-stop. What are we gonna do about Hydra? What are we gonna do about Moretti? What are we gonna do about the police?

All of them have been coming at us, each from their own annoying but dangerous angle since we got back. Hydra want to end us, but piece by piece. Moretti’s lost men trying to storm the clubhouse, and the cops are building a case against us despite all we’ve done to help them over the years.

Problem, upon problem, upon problem. Walls of problems everywhere we turn.

I even had to send my mom out of town to stay with her sister in New England. She’s complaining about it almost every day. But safe is safe and that’s not here.

The whole MC has been cooped up in the clubhouse since we got back from North Cali, and that’s got its own set of challenges. But so far it’s all holding and we’re all alive.

I sleep like a baby in Bella’s arms every night despite it all. And I’m ready to do some more of that right now.

She’s in her studio, an empty room on the top floor with the best light, finally inking Rogue. He’s asked for a commemorative tattoo of his former lover Angel, but one that would honor his new love, Melody too.

I swear he got a little choked up when Bella showed him the sketch for it. Hell, I did too. It’s definitely some of her best work.

She’s so engrossed in putting the finishing touches of it on his chest, she doesn’t notice me walk in.

So I just stand by the door, watching her create her art.

The piece looks even better on skin than it was in the sketchbook and features all the hallmarks of his life with Angel and the life he’s yet to lead with Melody.

Hopefully a long one. Despite all the shit we’re facing.

“There, done,” Bella says and switches off the needle, speaking at precisely the right time to stop me from spiraling into dark thoughts. She always could switch the darkness off for me. And I’ll never stop striving to do the same for her.

Rogue takes the mirror she’s offering him and I swear he’s getting choked up all over again as he gazes at the image. Neither of them has noticed me yet because I’m still standing in the dark shadows cast by the strong light she’s working under.

“This was definitely worth the wait,” Rogue says.

He was the last of the members to get his tattoo, maybe letting everyone go first, maybe dreading the trip down memory lane it doubtlessly brought.

He mourned Angel for over ten years, no one thought he’d ever stop.

Until Melody came into his life. Somehow—by the magic of her talent, I guess—Bella managed to depict all that in his tattoo as well.

He looks up at her.

“I’m sorry for the way I treated you, Bella,” he says hoarsely. “It was too much and too harsh. The fault for what happened to Angel wasn’t yours.”

“I guess you just needed someone to blame,” she says.

“Someone other than myself, yeah,” he says. “But I was wrong, and I apologize. Whatever you need, whenever you need it, it’s yours.”

I let them bask in the moment for a couple of minutes before stepping into the light.

“What she needs now is some time with me,” I say. “Before you both start hugging and crying or whatever.”

Rogue laughs at that, a little too loudly, like maybe I wasn’t that far off with the mention of tears. Not that he’d ever admit it.

Bella comes to me and gives me a kiss, holding me gently.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m going,” Rogue says, getting off the chair.

“Wait, I still have to wrap that,” Bella says, but he waves her off.

“Melody can do it,” he says. “She’ll want to see it first anyway.”

He leaves the room with his usual purposeful speed and then it’s just us, half in the bright light and half in darkness. I kiss her again, because I need to and because I can and because that’s all I ever really want to do anyway.

She leans against me as she returns the kiss, until I’m not sure whose strength is keeping me upright, hers or mine. Our strength combined, I think is the answer to that. Not that I need an answer. I just need to let this moment take me. Because it holds everything I will ever need and more.

“I wish we could take one of our rides through the stars,” she whispers later, when we’re just holding each other, which is also all I ever want to be doing.

“We can go up on the roof,” I suggest. “Some stars are bound to be visible up there.”

She agrees, leaves everything and follows me up there.

It’s a clear night, plenty of stars to see, twinkling above us as we kiss and hold each other some more.

“As soon as this is over, we’ll go find all the stars we can,” I promise her.

She leans her head on my shoulder, looking up at the sky. “I’m not missing anything right here.”

“Yeah, me neither,” I say and hold her tight.

And it’s the absolute truth. Bella in my arms, happy, mine… that’s always been and always will be enough for me. Everything else is just the backdrop for our love.

* * *

THE END

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