Page 43

Three Months Later

Phoenix

Freedom was a hard-fought thing. It took me awhile to want to leave the house and go do things. A simple thing like going into the grocery store was terrifying, but I did it…eventually…and with like, five people with me.

Aziza told me not to be so hard on myself. I was trying, but it was also frustrating. Through it all, no matter how bad the day was, I had Noel. He was always there, and I’d never felt more loved in my life.

One thing I was working on with Aziza was Amo Cormac. I’d stopped calling him Adonis—that was what he’d wanted, and I was able to let go of that.

When I’d broken his mask, his face wasn’t as bad as I’d thought. Sure there were scars but I didn’t understand first, how it wasn’t fixable, and two, why he’d thought he was ugly with it.

Aziza did some research for me and she explained it all to me in a way I’d never have understood on my own.

“It seems he was trying to get a lip replacement instead of simple Botox. In the process, some nerve and muscle damage occurred and when he went back to get it fixed, the doctor couldn’t due to scarring under the skin.

While to you and me it didn’t appear horrible, to a person like Amo, it was world ending.

It was that moment that pushed him over the edge.

He likely always had urges to kill, but he didn’t until that moment.

He was a broken man, an undiagnosed man who never sought help. ”

I didn’t feel sad for him, not knowing all he’d done. I accepted her answer and then tucked it away. I didn’t want to think of him ever again.

“Bikers,” Angel grumbled as he came into the house, carrying grocery bags.

“Huh?” Shep was making twice-baked potatoes and deviled eggs, and apparently it was a whole production, so we all had to help.

“I was at the store and they came driving in, made a fuss in the place. Mr. Kinney was ready to call the cops to remove them.”

“We have bikers here?” JJ was chopping bacon because apparently only he could do it right.

“We do now. I asked Mr. Kinney. He said they bought the old clubhouse by the bowling alley or something about three weeks ago and have been causing all sorts of trouble.” Angel started removing the items from the bag.

“Maybe we can check them out.” Gabe shrugged.

“Maybe don’t go looking for trouble.” Mason kissed his cheek and went back to his mixing bowl.

“I’m sure if they’re as troublesome as Mr. Kinney said, we’ll bump into them soon enough.” Nick sat beside me and smiled. “How you doing, Phoenix?”

“Good. I heard Jaron and Hank got sentenced today to twenty-five years.”

Noel grinned and gave me a kiss. “They sure did. Quickest trial and sentencing I’ve ever seen.”

“Closure is a precious thing.” Mason winked at me.

He’d helped me a lot. Him and JJ. Both of them had been hurt at the hands of a bad person…

or people. They’d been amazing, teaching me how to get through it.

Matt’s physical therapy, while torturous, helped a lot.

I was moving better and only had a wrap on my ankle, and I sometimes wore a brace on my arm since it still got sore sometimes.

I was not happy I’d been kidnapped, but being part of this family, this house, was everything to me.

“Hazel and Lizzy are coming over for dinner,” Four said as he entered the kitchen.

It had taken him awhile, but he’d come around. Apologized a lot, but it wasn’t his fault, and he seemed to be back to his regular self.

“Great. So, can I help with anything? I finished the veggies.” I showed my perfectly sorted carrots, green beans, and brussels sprouts that Shep nodded to.

“Everything is good, go relax.”

That was how Noel and I ended up outside, in the hammock, staring at the blue sky. It was late summer, but this time of day it was cool enough to be out.

“If you’re in town and you see those bikers, don’t engage.”

I turned carefully and smiled at Noel. “You don’t have to tell me that. I don’t like engaging with regular people, certainly not bikers.”

“Good.”

We kissed, then kissed some more, and I really wished we could slip away, but my sister would be here soon. I broke the kiss, chuckling when Noel whimpered.

“I wanted to tell you that I contacted a dance studio in town today. I’m still healing, but I’m pretty much fine minus my arm, and I’m going to take some classes to refresh my brain.”

Noel beamed, so much pride in his eyes. “Phoenix, that’s incredible.” His hand wandered to my ass. “You gonna dance for me?”

“I’ll dance for you any day.”

“No!” Suddenly the hammock was swinging, and we landed on our backs.

“What the hell?” Noel shouted. “Phoenix’s arm!”

Hazel stood with her hands on her hips and a smirk on her face.

“He’s fine. No sex in the hammock. I heard it was voted on, and majority said no. I’m enforcing.”

Noel helped me up and I glared at her. “Funny thing happened the other day, Haze.”

“Oh, what’s that?”

I wiped the grass from my pants and grinned at her. “I was cleared to run again.”

“Cleared to run…” Her eyes widened. “Shit!”

She spun and sprinted across the lawn. “She was never faster than me, and while I likely won’t be able to catch her, I’m going to enjoy her thinking I can.” I gave Noel a quick kiss and raced after her. And if I caught her, she was going down.

That night as we all sat at the long table outside, eating amazing barbecue cooked by Shep, JJ, and Mason, I took a moment to look at all the faces around me.

I’d gone through hell, and I didn’t deserve that.

I was never any of the things Amo had said I was, and while I wished I’d never been through any of that, from that horror had come something wonderful.

I gained a big, crazy, beautiful family, and I’d spend my whole life embracing what I had and what was to come.

THE END