Page 36 of T-Bone (Steel Demons MC #11)

T-Bone

“T he cabin held a shit ton of surprises,” I told her quietly, enjoying the way her weight sank against me even though she didn’t need me.

Faith looked up, her eyebrows raised in confusion. “What else did you find?”

I inhaled deeply, completely unsure how to tell her the truth.

I’d been worried when she first came round that finding out her sister was still alive might have sent her into shock.

“That’s difficult to explain.” Not only was it damn near impossible but I figured surprising her with the news of Chloe would be better than telling her. “Just prepare to be shocked.”

She grinned. “Very few things shock me anymore.”

“Maybe so, but you’ve been warned.” I resisted the urge to pull her to my chest and kiss her senseless. Right now wasn’t about us. The important part was that she felt what I felt. We’d said the words even though we hadn’t made a plan, but there was an us . Besides, this part had to happen. Now.

She stopped, looking uncertain for the first time since I told her Gemma was here. “What if she doesn’t remember me? What if she’s too traumatized to know herself or me? What then?”

“Let’s see if she remembers you before we go borrowing trouble, okay?”

“Yes,” she nodded enthusiastically. “Okay. Let’s do that.

” Her smile was bright but there was a brittle edge to it that I knew was because of her fear.

She had no idea what Gemma’s life had been for the past three years, so her hesitation was understandable.

“Okay, I’m ready.” She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before she took one step forward, then another and another until Gemma came into view. “Gemma?”

The little girl perked up as she turned with the widest smile on her face. “Auntie Faith!” she slid down her chair and rushed across the clubhouse before smacking right into Faith’s legs.

She accepted the affection with a soft grunt and a wince she hid from the little girl. “Gemma, my sweet, beautiful girl. You’re such a big girl now, what are you fifteen or sixteen years old?”

“I’m six,” she giggled.

“I’m so glad you remember me.” She squatted down so they were face to face and wrapped the little girl in a tight hug. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I missed you too, Auntie Faith. Mommy said it wasn’t safe to see you.”

Faith tried to blink away her tears, but she wasn’t fast enough.

She fought them for a full minute before she smiled through the tears.

I don’t know if she heard what Gemma was saying, because she just kept crying.

“I just can’t believe how big you’ve gotten.

” She didn’t have to say it but I could tell she was thinking about how much of Gemma’s life she’d missed.

“I’m sorry Faith.”

I kept my eyes focused on the woman who owned my heart.

She was so damn strong, determined to take on every burden herself, the same as me.

She froze at the familiar voice and closed her eyes, probably thought she was hallucinating.

I watched her as she shook off the ghosts and stood taller, turning slowly towards the voice.

“No,” she whispered. “It can’t be. Chloe? ”

Chloe nodded, her smile shaky and her eyes brimming with tears. “It’s me, Faith.”

“No.” She took a step back, eyes wide with shock. “But how?” She stepped forward and stopped. “Chloe. How?”

I almost felt like an intruder witnessing the reunion, but I was too riveted to turn away. Faith’s emotions were raw, and more tears slid down her cheek as she listened to her sister speak.

“I’m sorry that I ruined everything for you,” she began. “But I couldn’t take it anymore. I should’ve listened to you.” Her voice broke and she shook her head.

“Tell me what happened.” She finally rushed to her sister and wrapped her in fierce hug.

Chloe nodded, her voice low as she told Faith the story I already knew.

“That night was different than the others. Marcus was different that night. He was drunk, which wasn’t so different, but he was angrier and more violent.

He wrapped his hands around my throat, and he just started squeezing and squeezing, and for the first time I really thought I was going to die. ”

“Chloe,” Faith said gently, stroking her sister’s hair.

“I was washing the dishes, and he snuck up on me, leaving me completely defenseless. I was sure I would die that night but then I saw the kitchen knife and I- I did what I had to do.” She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.

“He wasn’t dead, not at first but then Victor showed up, all smiles saying he was ready to help discipline me.

He saw Marcus and lunged at me. I held my knife tight and then I, w- well, and then I finished them off. I had to Faith. I had to.”

Faith shushed Chloe and stroked her hair. “You did what you had to survive, Chloe. I know it’s not what you wanted but you’re here. You lived.”

“You don’t hate me?” she looked up. “T-Bone said you weren’t a cop any longer.”

I nodded. “That was my choice. I couldn’t leave Gemma out there thinking no one cared about her.

” They hugged again, smiling and crying the way women did sometimes.

“I just can’t believe you’re here.” She let out a watery laugh.

“This is unbelievable!” She turned to look at me, smiling wide with love shining in her eyes.

“Your man came through, despite me acting like a crazy person wielding a bat.” Just like that the tears turned to laughter, and it was almost as if three years hadn’t passed. “He’s a keeper.”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “He really is.”

I chose to join them at that moment, handing Gemma off to Peyton so she could go play with the other kids while we had a few adult conversations. I sat and wrapped an arm around Faith, kissing the top of her head in a move that felt like I’d been doing it for decades.

“You were really bad last night,” Chloe whispered. “Are you okay? Are you safe?”

Faith’s head fell forward. “I’m fine. A little banged up but nothing some rest and antibiotics won’t cure.

” She looked at Chloe and then me, and then Diesel, Rocky, Maverick, Sniper, Gio and the rest of the guys who joined us.

“As for safe, that’s unknown. The president of the Ghost Riders is dead. ”

“Are you sure,” she asked frantically. “He thought of Marcus and Victor as brothers and they have a code—”

“I know,” Faith said, cutting her off. “He’s dead Chloe, I killed him myself.” She looked around at my brothers once more. “I really didn’t want to, but they left me no choice.”

“You chose well,” Diesel confirmed.

Faith nodded. “Maybe so, but once they realize what’s happened, they’ll come after me and your MC.” The regret in her eyes nearly unraveled me.

“It had to be done,” Diesel promised her. “We’ve got your back.”

She shook her head. “I can’t ask you to do that. You have wives and children.”

“You’re family now,” Gio said with a smile. “You’re kind of stuck with us now.”

“I can’t,” she began again.

I gave her a squeeze, drawing her attention from my brothers to me. “Faith, you can. You will. You had my back when it counted and that shit means something to us. We fight for each other around here.” I leaned closer.

“But their families.”

“This is our family, Faith. Your family now too.”

She blinked as tears filled her eyes. “Thank you for giving me my family back and a whole lot more.” She brushed a soft kiss to my lips. “I love you.”

“I know and I love you.”

She swallowed tight and watched me carefully. “For how long?”

“For as long as you’ll fuckin’ have me, Faith.”

Her smile came in big and bright. “I think forever is a pretty good start. Think you can handle it?”

“Hell, yeah. I’ll see you one lifetime and raise you another.” The smile she hit me with was brilliant and bright, and filled with so much love I felt my entire body heat up. I knew I’d do whatever it took to protect her, to keep her safe, to love her until I took my last fucking breath.