Page 19

Chapter Nineteen

Summerville Rocky

R ocky's avoided the clubhouse since Hannah left him, and he's been taking every run he can to help out Dax. He knows the man wants to be home with his wife now that they all know she's alive, and he doesn't mind being away from home. There's nothing much at the house for him anymore anyway.

When he's alone in the house, he can pretend that Hannah's still locked up in prison. Or maybe she decided to take a girl’s trip with a few of the other old ladies. Anything to make him believe that one day he won't be waking up alone without her in the bed next to him. Wishful thinking and all that.

Hannah hasn't reached out since he came home to find her with a suitcase saying she was leaving. There wasn't a definitive answer on whether or not she was coming back, but considering she hasn't called or checked in, he believes the possibility of her coming home is becoming less and less with every passing day. No matter the wishful thinking he has while he's lying in bed alone, the long rides on the bike bring him back to reality.

Pulling into the driveway, Rocky notices the kitchen light on. HIs heart flutters in anticipation and hope, but he quickly talks himself out of it. The last time he thought Hannah waited for him inside had him in a drunken stupor for almost two days.

You probably left the light on when you left three days ago. Don't be an idiot. You already let Hannah walk away, so getting your hopes up that she's coming home is just stupid.

Damn, the long drives on the runs. All it does is give him time to think, and the past few days have made him realize that Hannah probably isn't coming back. He let her leave because it's what she wanted, but he regrets it every day. He was faced with the decision of losing her now and maybe getting her back or losing her forever. Both options feel as though they have the same outcomes now, though.

Stepping into the house, Rocky sets his bag down and sighs. He looks up and jumps when he sees someone sitting at the kitchen table.

“Where is she?” a man wearing a Kingsmen kutte asks.

“Who?”

“Dani.”

Narrowing his eyes, he doesn't reach for his gun. Not yet. He listens but doesn't hear anyone else in the house. “Do I look like Dax to you?”

“I've already been to his house. She's not there.”

“You're watching us now?”

“What do you think?”

I think you're a bunch of fucking idiots. Especially if you think you're getting out of this house alive.

“If you've been watching us, you know I just got back from a run. I haven't even talked to Dax in close to a week. Why the fuck would I know anything about where Dani is?”

The man stands. “It was worth a shot. Your girl leave you or something?”

“Don't talk about her.”

“She killed one of my brothers,” he says, getting close to Rocky. “I'll say what I want until she's paid the price for killing him.”

“She served her time. Besides, your brother was trying to kill one of mine. She did what she had to do, so don't give me that shit.”

He laughs. “It's not the same. I'll find her and visit her personally. Repay her for what she did.”

Without hesitation, Rocky grabs his head and twists, breaking his neck and letting him fall to the ground. “You won't be going anywhere near Hannah, motherfucker. She's paid more than enough.”

He sighs and stares at the dead man lying on his kitchen floor. Wait, he said they already went to Dax's house? He pulls out his phone and frantically pushes the speed dial for the President.

“What's up?”

“Are you at home?”

“Just pulled up. Why?”

His heart races. “I have a dead Kingsmen in my kitchen. He was looking for Dani and said he already went to your place, but she wasn't there.”

“What?”

“He then threatened Hannah, and I broke his fucking neck. Dani's not at your house?”

“No, she's... Motherfuckers.”

Rocky contemplates between taking care of this asshole or hurrying to Dax's side. “What?”

“My house is trashed,” he says. “Everything is broken or tossed on its side. Jesus Christ.”

“Why the fuck do they want Dani?” he asks. “What's this fucked up obsession with her?”

“No idea, but I'm glad she wasn't home now. I gotta go. We need to make sure all the girls are good.”

Dax hangs up, and Rocky tries to calm himself. “Hannah, baby, where are you?”

“Right behind you,” Hannah says and gasps. “What the hell?”

Without thinking, he turns and pulls her into his arms, holding her tightly. “He said he was going to come after you. Not that he was leaving here alive anyway, but thank God.”

She shakes her head. “Wait, what?”

“Come inside,” he says, ushering her past the dead man on the floor and locking the door behind her. “What are you doing here?”

“I think this might be a little more pressing,” she says. “What happened?”

Swallowing, he leads her into the living room and away from the man, and they sit on the couch. “I came home, and he was sitting at the fucking table.”

“What?”

“Yeah, and he asked where Dani was. I have no fucking idea where Dani is, but then he asked about you. Said he wanted to repay you for what you did to his brother, and I, well, I broke his neck.”

“Where's Dani?” she asks, her eyes wide.

He shrugs. “I don't know. I called Dax because I realized he said they were already at his house, and he said she's not there. I don't know where she went, but it was probably good because they trashed his place looking for her. I don't know what they want with her.”

“Whatever it is they wanted, it wasn’t to kill her. I have no idea why they’d keep her alive just to keep her captive.”

“Okay, now that we've gotten that squared away, what are you doing here, Hannah?”

“Last I checked, I still lived here.”

Her nervous comment does nothing to settle the whirlwind of thoughts swirling in Rocky's head. “Hannah-”

“I went to the clubhouse to look for you, but your bike wasn't out there. Then I came home to find you here.”

“You were looking for me?”

She nods. “Yeah.”

“Not that I'm unhappy to see you, because I'm actually really relieved you’re here since it sounds like they might be looking for you, but why are you here?”

“I've been doing a lot of thinking. About everything,” she says. “Probably too much, if I'm being honest.”

His eyes search hers, hoping it’ll calm him. “Thinking about what?”

“Everything,” she says with a laugh. “My prison sentence. Dani. The thought of you with Dove.”

Fucking Dove was the biggest mistake he's ever made. “Hannah, I've been thinking, too. And with Dove, it was a mistake. I was really hurt when you took me off your visitor list, and then I was mad.”

“Mad enough to find someone else to get your rocks off with?”

“It probably doesn't make sense, but with her, I don't know. Getting naked with her felt more like masturbating in my mind. There were no feelings, and it was just sex. Which, I know, every guy says that, but it really was. It was just a release to make me forget for a moment or two that you weren't here with me. But she meant nothing. I swear it.”

“I know,” she says with a sigh, her eyes looking at her hands. “I just... the thought in my head makes me want to throw up.”

Well, this isn't going great. “I get it.”

“I've been so angry for so long. With you. With the club. Even with Dani.”

“Dani?”

“She fucking up and died on me. Well, we thought she did. It was easier to be angry with you and the club than it was to be angry with her.”

Women are confusing. Confusing as hell. “But she's alive.”

“That's the other thing I've been thinking about,” Hannah says. “There's a lot that's changed. In my perspective, anyway.”

“Like what?”

Leaning forward, she rests her elbows on her knees. “I killed someone to save Mac. And then I was in prison. My best friend died, and then I missed her funeral. On top of that, my man was fucking another woman. You can see how that was kind of a lot to deal with, right?”

“I can, but it doesn't really sound like a change to anything.”

“I decided I need to let everything go.”

Her words stun him, and he begins to panic. Standing up, Rocky paces in front of the coffee table. “Please, don't let me go, Hannah. I gave you space because you wanted it, but it's killing me. I never thought about how difficult the transition back home would be for you, and that's on me. I'll do whatever you need me to. But, please, baby, don't leave me. Just tell me what you need from me, and I'll do it. I'll figure out how to make whatever happen.”

She stands and takes his hands into hers, forcing him to stop his pacing and look down into her eyes. “I killed someone to save Mac, and because of the patch-over you guys wanted in order to save yourselves, we got a new lawyer. A new lawyer who got me released after just over two years. I was angry at the world, essentially, because Dani died, and I missed her funeral. But Dani's alive.”

“I'm a dumb guy, baby. I need you to spell out whatever you're trying to say for me because I don’t follow.”

“I've been talking a lot with Lex and Sutton. I need to let go of everything bad and focus on the good. I'm still working on forgiving you for the Dove thing, but I'll get there.”

“Get there?” he asks, hating that he can't stop the hope from rising in his chest. “Wait, you're not leaving me?”

Shaking her head, she smiles at him. “No, I'm not. I was actually hoping you'd tell me I can come back home.”

His arms wrap around her as he lifts her into the air. “Yes. A thousand times, yes.”

Hannah kisses him, her legs wrapping around his waist, and she tugs his hair to tilt his head back. Her signal to head to the bedroom.

Looking into her eyes, he asks, “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” she says.

“What about the dead guy?”

“He'll still be dead when we're done. Take me to bed, Rocky. It's time we properly celebrate my homecoming.”

“Thank you, God,” he growls and hurries them back into the bedroom.

After so many years, he feels like he finally has his girl back. He couldn't be happier in this moment, and he can't wait to make love to her. To make her climax for real and remind her why she should never leave him again. Screw the thoughts about the Kingsmen and what they want with Dani. He's going to focus on the woman he loves for the time being and worry about the rest of it later.