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“You sure you don’t need me to drop you off?”

“No, Kane.” I kissed his cheek and rubbed it. “Just give the chief my uniforms.”

“You sure about this? Dang, I thought I would never see you up and quit. You’re good at this, Merci. Hell, better than any of us. That, and who will I talk out of doing something crazy like running inside of burning buildings we know are about to collapse?”

“Green or Beacon maybe.”

He smirked, and we both laughed. Beacon loved to drive the truck and even man the hose, but he looked like he was close to passing out if asked to go and rescue someone.

“Fine, Green is a possible.”

“Green’s cool, but I’ll miss you.”

“We can still hang out. I just need to take care of a few things in my personal life. The email has been sent, so Chief won’t be surprised when he sees my uniform and identification card.”

I needed to get back. I knew Truth was going to want to ring my neck, but since he wanted to pretend what happened didn’t happen, I figured I might as well do the same.

“Hey, I think the Uber is outside. Let me walk you out.” I reached down and stroked Shadow’s head. “How long do I need to cat sit?”

“Shut up, and I don’t know. I just know Germ hates him. Poor baby almost leaped and knocked me over when I went inside our place. I know you’ll take good care of him. Just set a timer for food and water for the days you are at work. Or maybe Keisha can handle that.” He blushed, lowering his head. “She’s good for you. I’m glad you finally made your move.”

“I mean, I couldn’t consider you, so…”

“Hush.” I playfully punched him. He wasn’t the least bit interested in me but loved to tease me about it.

I made decisions for me, but Germ was next. I also went home to gather the money I had saved. I made a call and was told he could apply for scholarships. It wouldn’t be me doing it for him with all my own money, but every little bit helped.

“Oh, there’s my ride.” I paused when I noticed the tinted windows were dark. I leaned forward, and a sigh of relief followed. It was a woman. I opened the door, and I almost pissed on myself. There was Truth, and he wasn’t happy at all.

“No thanks.” I slammed the door and proceeded to walk.

He’d been trying to control my mood… my entire fucking life since our paths crossed. I was so angry that tears welled up in my eyes. What was worse was I didn’t want to be angry.

I wanted him and only him. If he didn’t chase me, then what Teenie said was true—he was playing me. What was the point if he didn’t mean well anyway? I was a distraction, a nuisance, and in his way. What if he did get shot that day, and he was more worried about me? That was a recipe for disaster for the Saints.

“Stupid fuck,” I muttered, looking left then right before I crossed the street.

I could make the number twelve. It ran every thirty minutes. I looked at my watch and noticed it was after 8:00 PM. Fuck! That meant every hour.

“I hate him. I swear I do. If he?—”

I screamed when strong arms scooped me up. I swung and swung then went to ram the jerk in his chin when he screamed out my name.

“Mercilyn! What the fuck is wrong with you?”

I blinked then looked around with hopes to escape.

“I’m tired of doing this with your mean ass. You’re coming home, and that’s it.”

He lifted me over his shoulder, and I pounded and pounded on his huge ass back. Damn, I think it hurt my hands more than him as I winced from the pain it caused, forgetting my injuries. The poor Uber girl sat with her mouth ajar as he opened the door, bent down, and tossed me in the back.

“Don’t you fucking move either.”

“Ma’am, can you call the police? This man is a serial kidnapper! We both can be in danger.”

She gulped then looked at Truth who had managed to squeeze in and close the door.

“Jackie, pull off.”

“Jackie?” I whipped my head in his direction.

Clearly he and Jackie were quite familiar with each other. Great. Just fucking great.

“Well, Jackie. How about you go home with him, let him fuck you, tell you that he’s yours, then fuck you again only then ignore you for weeks?” I spat angrily as tears flooded my eyes.

“This shit,” he mumbled as Jackie’s eyes bucked.

“Oh, and it gets better. Make sure he’s the only man to make you cry and cum at the same time back to back.”

I looked at him as he sat with furrowed brows and his mouth hung open.

“Then he does nice shit for you like buy you clothes, shoes, and even dives in front of bullets. Need I go on?”

“S-sir?”

“Jackie, this is Mercilyn, the only fucking woman to drive me crazy. I would bend her over and fuck her in this back seat, but I’m too fucking big, and I might traumatize your ass. Drive home, and I’ll send someone to pick you up in the morning.” He looked at me with a smirk. “Jackie works for our rideshare business, Merci. It just rolled out last week.”

“Rideshare?” I squeaked then covered my face. My entire existence with Truth consisted of run ins, drive-by shootings, hot passionate sex, and misunderstandings. I would run from my ass too if I was him.

“Yeah… Rideshare.”

“I’m so sorry, Jackie. I really am.”

I looked his way and poked him. “How did you know where I was, sir? I’m starting to think our run ins were planned.”

“Fuck all that. When Kane’s a dead man, thank yourself. Now, move over some. You smell like him and a fucking cat. Damn cat man—a straight pussy.”

Once we made it back to his place, he told me everything from the race to his visit with his father and even Alix’s paternity. We sat for hours until we both fell off to sleep. For the first time in years, when I woke up, it was not from a terrible nightmare.

He also told me how Beast handled the Saints’ problem with the Hells Devils, and he was retiring. Those motherfuckers could have killed us that day. I’d be forever grateful to his father and couldn’t wait to meet him. Crazily, I wasn’t sure how I felt about him stepping down since I wanted to be marked as a Saint Riderz girl. Yeah, I was a hypocrite. So the fuck what?