Page 121

The Agreement

W e pack up fast. All of our people are used to moving at a moment’s notice, and the bikes are already lined up and ready to ride out.

I don’t say goodbye to my father, I have nothing else to say to him.

Instead, I heave my pack onto my bike, stick my leather jacket on, and wrap my bandana around my neck.

I spot Piper lingering, watching from the camp, and head her way.

For all her bravado and strength, she is still so young, and despite all the pain and suffering she has been through, she has come out stronger and manages to keep her sense of humour.

I hope that will still be the same next time we meet, because I like her.

“Hey.” I nod, turning to stand by her side as I watch my people load up and swing onto their bikes.

“I gotta say, you don’t seem weirded out by the three men thing,” she observes casually.

I snort. “Three? That’s nothing, come back when you have five.”

She turns to me and grins. “Five? Fuck, that’s a lot of cock. Like, I guess I have three holes, you know, but do you take turns, is there a schedule? Do they play pick a hole?”

I laugh, I can’t help it. “If we make it through this, I’ll tell you.”

“I mean like, three, I get it, I have three holes, you know…” She trails off.

“Evan never stopped looking for you, and even when he thought he was going to die, all he thought about was you—that he never said sorry, that he never told you how he felt. Just thought you should know.”

I can feel her looking at me then. “I loved him for such a long time, but I don’t know if I’m that same person anymore,” she admits.

“So? Be the new you and see if the love is still there. He’s different too, I’m betting. Maybe this time you can both love each other and get it right. Sometimes the person is right, but the timing is off.”

“Fuck, you’re smart. Brains and beauty, no wonder the six cocks,” she teases.

“Stay safe, Piper.” I nod, starting to walk away, but I freeze and grab the goggles off my head. Turning back, I offer them to her. “You’re going to need these out there.”

“But they’re yours,” she replies, not reaching for them, so I throw them at her and she automatically catches them.

“Then I’ll get them back next time we see each other. Keep them safe for me.” I wink and then leave her there as I head to my bike.

Dray is waiting with his bike next to mine as I swing onto it.

Bern, Erik, and Henry are behind us. “Ride hard,” I call out, then I pull up my bandanna and kick my bike to life.

I don’t look back as I pull away. Life’s too short for that.

Instead, I focus on the road ahead, knowing it leads to my men.

I’m coming for you.

The ride to The Ring is long, and every passing minute and hour only makes me grip the handles tighter and try to go faster.

Now that I know I am getting closer to getting them back, it’s all I can think about, but I need to relax.

I still have preparations to put in place to ensure that once they are free of the Cities, they are free of them forever.

I won’t ever let them go back and they will pay for taking my men.

We ride through the night and into the next day.

It’s almost dark again before I see the telltale signs of The Ring.

It feels like so much has changed since I have last been here.

I don’t even know what to expect when I arrive with Major being gone.

Will his men have let it fall into ruins? Will there be anyone left there?

Did they bury him?

The thought hits me and my heart clenches. Fuck, I didn’t even get to say goodbye to him. I never thanked him for everything he did for me, I never told him how I felt, and now he’s just gone and I know the place will be filled with his ghost .

When they die, some people go peacefully, and one or two people remember them, usually loved ones, but Major…

Major was loved. His memory will live on in the Wastes for years to come, and I will make sure of that.

He was powerful, loving, and someone everyone looked up to.

In a world filled with pain, hate, and chaos, he turned The Ring into a place of safety, something the world desperately needed.

He took in the strays and slaves no one wanted, and gave them a home and a purpose.

When we pull up outside the gate, cars upon cars are parked here and so are bikes.

Slipping from mine, I unsheathe my weapon just in case someone has tried to take over The Ring, and stride up to the gate without waiting for everyone else.

I know he’s gone, I saw it happen, but it won’t feel real until I am inside.

I have this clawing need to see it for myself.

To see the space where he should be.

There are guards at the gates, some familiar, some not, and when they see me coming a call goes up, with a man hurrying inside and the others watching me with wide eyes. I stop before them, and a man with a purple mohawk on his head and rings covering his bottom lip steps forward.

“Champion, they are all waiting inside for you. We have kept the gates closed and eradicated any of Ivar’s men left behind. We have not touched the office.” He nods and I frown.

“Okay…” I respond, unsure, and he fidgets then.

“Was there something else we were supposed to do? That’s all the order said.” He looks panicked.

“Order from who?” I ask, narrowing my eyes as I hear my people catching up with me.

“Major.”

One word, a name, and I am staggered. “He ordered you to keep…this place safe…for me?”

He nods, looking confused. “He left it in his final orders, a passing to you. You control The Ring now. Oh, he also said to check the top drawer in his desk. We all had to learn these orders when we took the job…you didn’t know?”

“No, I didn’t,” I reply coolly, my mind whirling…

how long had Major planned this for? He had put me in charge in case of his death and didn’t fucking tell me?

That rat bastard. A smile curls my lips then as I realise he probably knew I would run the other way if he did.

Now look at me. How the fuck can I be a queen and a leader?

“Thank you, keep the gate closed. Are Priest, Reeves, and Nan here?” I question and he nods.

I start to walk through the gate and he calls out, “And more! People heard about what happened first with Ivar then the Cities, and they are pissed as hell and coming here. They want to fight, they want to help.”

I stop, his words making me blink…they are coming here, waiting for me?

“Major was a good man, a good leader, but he shied away from the hard decisions. They know you won’t,” the man adds, and when I look back he is staring back out into the Wastelands.

Dray comes to my side, smiling at me as if to say I told you so, and my people gather behind me. “Get everyone inside, figure out sleeping arrangements if you can. We rest here while I talk to the other leaders, and then I will tell you the entire plan,” I instruct.

Erik steps forward. “Take a minute and read the letter. They can wait,” he advises, then he turns to my people and starts shouting orders.

I wish I could, but I have a feeling the letter will destroy me, so instead I head for the room we had The Summit in…

the room Major died in. It’s time to brief the other leaders.

This time, there is no peace treaty or Summit.

They will either join us or leave, the time for peace and discussions is over.

The doors to the building that holds the meeting room are thrown open.

On my way here I spotted the increase of people—there are more than ever.

The place is filled to the brim and they all stop what they are doing as I pass.

Murmurs start up, and before I know it, they are chanting my name.

I hold my head high and stride into the building, heading for the doors at the back.

I hear them before I see them and a smile of longing curls my lips at Nan’s voice.

“Shut ye fuckin' trap ya old bastard!” she yells.

Sniggering, I open the doors and slide in. “Any way to greet me, you old bitch?” I call.

“Who ya callin’ bitch, girly?” she shouts, turning to see me at the door, but a smile twists her old lips before they flatten and she points at me. “‘Bout fuckin’ time ya got here, where tha fuck ya been?”

“Sit down before you fall down,” I tease, walking around the table, purposely not looking over the other side of the room so I don’t have to remember how he died here.

“I’ll fuckin’ teach ya some manners,” she grumbles, but sits down anyway. “Bloody kids, thinkin’ they are all that!”

I hesitate at the seat before sliding into it, not looking at the one to my right where Major sat. Dray takes the chair to my left again, and everyone else is in the same exact seats. It makes it obvious he is missing, and my heart pangs again, but I clear my throat and sit back.

“Fill me in, what’s happened?” I order.

“Heard you are a queen now?” Priest asks, his eyes gleaming.

“You hear a lot,” I counter.

Nan snorts. “Fuckin’ whoop-de-doo, a fuckin’ queen.”

“I will shoot you, I don’t care that you are old.” I grin at her and she laughs, making Reeves laugh.

“Just checkin ya still got that fire, ya gonna need it,” she says sadly.

“Ivar is dead,” I confirm.

Reeves whoops, Nan grins, and Priest just nods like he expected this. “Now, tell me what has been happening.”

“They started arriving soon after the Cities left. We tracked your men and the Cities’ men all the way past The Rim, back to where they fucking came from. We have spies outside, waiting to inform us in case they send out any more raiding parties,” Reeves tells me, and I nod.

“Then you know why I’m here.” I look at the table then sigh. “Dray, get the booze, we are going to need it.”