by K E Osborn
“But my job? My parents?” Her eyes water and I pull her to me in an embrace.
“I’m sorry. But to keep you alive we have to leave this all behind.”
“Fuck kid. You wanna leave the club? For her?” Dad asks and I look at him to see his eyes glistening. It makes my chest hurt.
“I’ll go nomad, or go to another chapter. But the guys can’t know where we’ve gone. Chops can never find us.”
“Can’t you just find her a place, and you come back to the club?” Dad asks. Willow tenses looking at me, a tear rolling down her beautiful pink cheek. Looking at her eyes, I half smile wiping her tears away. My heart pounds and I shake my head slightly.
“I love her, Dad.”
Dad huffs as Willow gasps. “You do?” she asks with a slight smile.
I nod. “Yeah… I do.”
She smiles and the sight is like a ray of heaven. “I love you, too,” she says with a sniff. I smile brightly as Dad groans and exhales loudly.
“Fuck!” He leans forward and I think he’s going to hit me, but instead he pulls me to him in a tight embrace and a back slap. “I hope you fucking know what you’re doing, kid?”
I pull back from him slapping his back and nod. “I have to keep her away from Chops, Dad. You know that as well as I do.”
He exhales and nods as his eyes mist up with unshed tears. “I know. I’ve known Chops all my life. Once he has someone’s demise on his mind, he’ll stop at nothing to see it through. I’ll tell him she’s off limits, but leaving is the right thing. I’ll fucking miss you, kid.”
I swallow a lump in my throat. “I’ll miss you too, Dad.”
He pushes my shoulder and tilts his head. “Go, before I change my fucking mind.”
I smile and nod. “Tell Techie, I’ll miss him.”
“I will.”
“Patch in FIM and Doug. They proved their worth. FIM’s road name should be Stealth.”
“Okay! Now go!”
Turning, I grab Willow and walk with her as fast as I can looking around the clubhouse for the last time. My chest is aching as my heart thrashes so hard I feel like I want to die. Leaving this place is not something I ever thought would happen, especially leaving without everything and not saying goodbye. I think that’s the hardest part. As I walk past the door and into the compound, I look over at my bike and swallow hard trying to fight back the emotion that’s threatening to overtake me.
I’m losing so much, but I’m gaining even more by leaving with the woman I love.
“Are you sure you want to do this? Leave everything behind?” Willow asks as we get to her car. I turn looking back at the clubhouse and take a deep breath.
“I’m sure, babe.” Getting into her car, we drive back to her place in record time.
“Can I, at least, tell my parents where we’re going?”
I shake my head. “No babe. I don’t even know where we’re goin’. For now, no one can know. If no one knows, they can’t be tortured for information.”
She opens her eyes wide as she unlocks her front door. “He would torture my parents?”
“I don’t think so. Dad will make sure he lets it go. We’re just leavin’ as a precaution, but we won’t be coming back for the foreseeable future. So grab everythin’ you need, babe.”
Her bottom lip trembles and she nods walking into the house and into her bedroom pulling out a suitcase. I exhale running my hand through my hair wondering what the fuck I’m going to do for us now. Making my way to the kitchen, I gather food and stuff to take on the road with us. I have no idea where we’re going. So I pack things in plastic bags—all non-cold items.
Willow’s really quiet and I’ve gathered everything I can for her. I make my way into the bedroom to see if she’s done—she should be by now—because we can only take the essentials with us. Walking into the bedroom, it’s like a bomb has gone off. There’s clothes all over the bed and shoes and handbags scattered all over the floor. Willow is pacing the room holding up two dresses looking from one to the other frantically, and my breath catches at seeing her unravelling.
“Babe?” I question hesitantly.
Her head flicks around to me and she exhales and opens her eyes wide and slumps her body like she’s relieved I’m here. “Oh, thank God, I had no idea what one to choose. Dylan, help me. I don’t know what one to bring. I’m trying to be good and only bring what I need, but I can’t decide between these two.” She tightens her jaw and her shoulders tense as she chews on her bottom lip.
Taking a deep breath at the obvious panic in her face, I step into the room dodging heels and handbags as I make my way over to her. Reaching out for her hand, I touch her softly and she smiles at me, but it’s a fake smile. I can tell.
“Flame, babe, we need to go. I don’t know where we’re goin’ yet. But I can promise you, you won’t be needin’ either of those dresses there… or half the stuff you’ve packed. Babe, we need essentials, not night time and formal wear.”
“No, I’m packing for every occasion, because you never know what I might need. I mean we’re not coming back are we. So I need to make sure I have as much of my stuff as possible… I’m preparing for anything.”
Taking the dresses from her hands, I throw them onto the pile on the bed and take her hands in mine. “Babe, listen. We need essentials. Don’t pack everythin’. We don’t have room—”
“But it’s my stuff.”
I exhale and look in her eyes. They’re darting around the room looking at everything and her chest is heaving. I’m losing her, and I need to bring her panic down a notch. “I know babe. But we really need to go. The longer we’re here, the worse it is. Please just let me help you pack what we need and then we can go. All right?”
She scrunches her brows up and pulls her hands from mine and starts to pace the bedroom floor. Shit!
“Steel, this is all a bit much don’t you think? I mean you’re taking me to God knows where and for who knows how long, and I don’t even get to pick what I can take with me now?”
“That’s not what I said, babe—”
“Oh really? ‘Cause what if I wanted to take this?” She walks over and picks up a candle from her bedside table and shoves it in front of her so I can see it.
Slumping my body, I grit my teeth. “Willow we don’t need a candle—”
“See, that’s what I mean. You don’t know what this candle means to me! It was a gift from my grandma… she died… she’s dead… and now I have to leave it behind and the memory of her with it… forever probably. All because you say so.”
Fuck!
“Babe, I’m sorry about your grandma—”
“Are you?”
Furrowing my brows, I take a step toward her, but she puts the candle down and walks over to her tall boy and picks up a jewelry box. “And this… this was a gift from my friend in high school who died of cancer. I’m guessing I can’t take this with me either. Can I biker boy?”
Slumping my shoulders, I walk up to her feeling like absolute fucking shit. I’m the cause of this meltdown. If I just told her to never go down to the basement, to stay away from the Chop Shop this would never have happened.
“Willow, I know you’re hurting right now—”
“And what about this?” she continues ignoring me and opens her tall boy and pulls out some small dresses, they look like dolls clothes. I raise my eyebrows wondering what they are. “These are clothes for Petunia. I guess we can’t pack clothes for her can we? She doesn’t get to take the things she wants either, hey?”
Scratching my head, I almost want to laugh that she has clothes for her pig. But right now’s not a time for laughing. Willow is falling apart and I have to try and calm her down.
“Willow, will you just stop for a second and—”
“Seriously? You want me to stop? You’re taking me away from my house. The one I bought with my money and you want me to stop. You fucking stop. Let me take what I want!”
I huff and step over to her, but she pushe
s past me and rushes over to her en-suite and walks out with her straightener and puts that in her suitcase. I’ll let her have that, I know what women are like about their hair. She storms back into the en-suite and walks out with a giant makeup box.
“Willow, be serious. You don’t need that much make-up. Just the basics, babe.”
She glares at me and opens the box picking up a small rectangle of something and she throws it at me with force. I flinch as it hits me in the arm. It doesn’t hurt, but I’m more shocked than anything as it falls to the floor and breaks open spilling blue powder all over her cream carpet.
“What the hell, Flame?”
“Don’t tell me what to do right now, Steel.”
I huff and shake my head. “Babe, I have to. I need to keep you alive. And right now we need to get you fuckin’ packed, and we need to get you the fuck out of here. We’re wastin’ time.”
“Then go without me if you’re in such a rush. I don’t want to leave anyway. I mean this stuff Dylan it’s all mine… mine. I paid for it. I paid for this.” She holds up a photo frame with her and I’m guessing her parents. “I paid for this.” She holds up the pillow from her bed. “Hell, I paid for this. Why can’t I bring this with me? It has meaning to me Steel.”
I furrow my brows and purse my lips watching her holding up her bedside lamp thinking she’s truly starting to lose the plot. “Willow that’s a lamp.”
She looks at it and huffs shoving it back down in the bedside table and pushing the suitcase across the bed in annoyance. She strides past me and out of the bedroom her feet thumping the ground in a fit of rage like a thunderous storm. Taking a steadying breath, I follow her out into the front room watching her pace the floor.
“Willow, talk to me.”
She throws her hands in the air and laughs maniacally. The sound sends a shiver down my spine as her eyes fill with tears in sheer contrast to her laughter. “What about these? Can I take these?” She picks up her magazines from the coffee table and throws them at me. As they fly through the air they open up and flitter, cascading to the ground before they reach me as she bounces from one foot to the other.
I huff. “I guess. If you want. You can read them in the car.”
“Oh, so I can take those? Well, thank you kind sir. What about this? Can I take this?” She picks up the DVD cover of the Notebook and I flash back to the night we watched it on the very lounge I’m standing next to.
“Willow we’ll be on the road, we’ll have nothing to watch it on.”
She nods as the tears start to trickle down her face. My chest tightens as she paces the floor in search of more things to take with her.
“What about this?” She picks up the television remote and I furrow my brows and shake my head wondering what she’s doing.
“Willow that’s the television remote?”
“So? It’s mine. I can take it if I want. I paid for it. If I left it behind, I’d miss it because it’s mine. Don’t you see, Dylan?”
I tense up and walk over to her as the tears are flowing freely now. “See what babe?”
“This is mine, and I’m leaving it all. I’ll be leaving my house, my kids at the centre, my mum and dad. Actually, scrap that… I don’t care about Mum, I can leave her behind. But I’m leaving my life, Dylan. This is huge and you’re making it seem like we need to go and not take a moment to just reflect, and take it all in one final time. This is my home Dylan, how am I meant to leave this stuff?”
Clenching my jaw, I wrap my arms around her and pull her to me tight. Her body slumps into mine and she holds onto me just as tightly.
“Babe, I know how hard this is. Trust me, I know. Remember, I’m leavin’ everything behind too. This isn’t just about you leavin’ your home. I’m leavin’ my family and my home too.”
She bursts into full on tears. I grab her before she collapses and drag her to the lounge where I sit us down. She cuddles into my side and I rock her back and forth with me.
“I’m sorry, Dylan. I didn’t think. But this is so hard. I’ve never had to run before.”
I stroke her hair and lean in kissing her forehead. “I know babe, neither have I. This is on me. All of this. Us runnin’, it’s all my fault. If I’d just told you. Been more open about the rules of the club, told you how club life worked and told you to stay away from the Chop Shop, this never would’ve happened. This is on me, babe. This is my fault entirely, not yours.”
She breathes out a stuttered breath and looks up at me with red puffy eyes.
Bringing my hand up, I wipe her tears away from her cheeks. “I’m sorry you can’t take everythin’. I’m sorry we have to leave so much behind. Hopefully, one day, we can come back for it. But don’t hold out your hopes for that. Please, babe, we have to take what we need only, and we have to get out of here. Chops could already be on his way. I need to protect you, Willow. Fuck, if anythin’ happened to you… I couldn’t stand it. I won’t let that happen. I’m guardin’ you with my life, Flame. You’re my only priority. I love you, you’re my woman and nothin’ and no one is gonna get to you. You got me?”
She sniffs and nods. “I got you. I love you, too. I’ll finish packing. But there’s one thing I really can’t leave behind Steel, and it’s a non-negotiable.”
Taking in a deep breath, I nod and swallow waiting to hear what it is. “Okay?”
“Petunia… I won’t leave her behind. She comes with us or I don’t go.”
Smiling, I pull her to me and kiss her head. “Babe, she was always comin’ with us. I wouldn’t leave my favourite piece of bacon behind.”
She slaps my chest as I chuckle lightly and she looks up at me with glistening eyes. “Are we going to be okay?”
Bringing my hand up to her cheek I caress it tenderly and nod. “We’re gonna be fine, babe. As long as we hit the road asap. Go, finish packin’. I’ll get Petunia’s things and we’ll leave in five. Okay?”
She nods and goes to stand up, but I grab her arm and pull her back to me. She looks at me furrowing her eyebrows and I lean in pressing my lips to hers forcefully. She doesn’t hesitate to kiss me back, obviously needing the little bit of tenderness at the moment. I pull back and she half smiles at me. Then stands up wiping her cheeks, straightens her back, and walks back into the bedroom.
Holy shit. I thought I was going to have to take her against her will there for a moment. I would have hated to have to do that. Standing up, I look around the room and wish like fuck we didn’t have to leave. I know exactly how she feels. Leaving my brothers and my club is a pain that’s tearing me up. But I have to. I don’t see another way. I have to keep Willow alive. That’s my number one priority. And if I have to leave everything to do that, I damned well will.
Once Willow has gathered everything she needs, I pack the car as she loads in all of Petunia’s things. A road trip with a teacup pig is going to be interesting. But I’ll do anything to keep Willow alive, including sharing a car with a pig. She locks up her house and we stand in the driveway just staring back at her home. Standing behind her holding onto her waist, I nuzzle into her hair.
“We’ll be okay. I’m goin’ to protect you with my life.”
She exhales and wipes a stray tear from her eye. “I love you, Steel.”
“I love you too, Flame.”
She turns her head and leans in kissing me gently. The kiss is calm and sweet letting me know she trusts me. A spark ignites a fire inside of me. I have to protect her. I have to do everything and anything to keep my Flame alive.
And I will.
She is my life.
My love.
As I turn and get into the bright yellow Yaris with my woman and my pet teacup Pig, I pull out onto the street and head for the Port Wakefield Highway, not knowing where to go, or where our life is headed. But knowing we’re together and that Willow has well and truly penetrated my heart of steel.
EPILOGUE
STEALTH’S POV
These ceremonies they hold are actually kind of cool. Dou
g had just been patched in for saving the Prez in the shootout at the club today, and he was given the road name Sentinel. His job will be the new Gatekeeper of the clubhouse, seeing as he has so much trouble pouring a beer. He was given the name Sentinel because he watched over Mad Dog in the raid by the 5113ers, and took out a member who was going to kill him. Sentinel’s meaning ‘A soldier or guard whose job it is to stand and keep watch.’ They all thought it was a good fit.
“FIM, step up prospect,” Mad Dog says snapping me out of my thoughts.
Swallowing hard, I step up next to him under the burning tree and look out at all the Virginia Satan’s Savage brothers. Little did I know when I arrived here not that long ago I’d be patched in so quickly.
“FIM, you showed your true colours stepping in front of a bullet to save this club’s VP. That takes courage and honour. As a prospect normally a year is given before patching in, but like your blood brother, you have shown courage, honour and duty to this club. I therefore, patch you in as a brother. No longer Adam or FIM. You are now branded Stealth, the meaning ‘Cautious and covert action or movement’.”
I chuckle thinking my new road name is quite fitting for me, as I tend to always sneak up on people… especially Steel, who for some reason seems to be missing. I wish he were here to see me being patched in, it’s because of him I’m here right now. I owe him a lot, plus I like to think of him as a mate.
“A Savage to the end, Stealth.” Mad Dog hands me my Virginia patch and I smile and shake his hand as my brothers’ cheer for me. Glancing at Doug, he nods at me and I grin back knowing we’ve done well to get this far in such a short amount of time.
“Brothers, it’s time to remember,” Mad Dog says as we all make a circle around the bonfire, arms wrapped around each other in a show of solidarity.
“We come together to mourn the loss of this brotherhood’s great Gatekeeper, three brothers, and a prospect that we all thought would be patching in next month. The honour, generosity, valour and devotion these men showed the club was second to none. These men were our best, our bravest, our funniest, and our most loyal. They fought hard, they died devoted, and their honour will never be forgotten.”
