Going into her bedroom, I look on the single nightstand. There in a frame, is a picture of mom and me from a trip to the zoo. It’s the only picture of the two of us we ever had.
Beside it is a little wooden block with stickers. I smile at the memory.
“Okay, Owen, let’s get crafty!” Mom says enthusiastically as she lays out these wooden blocks and stickers with letters, words, and pictures.
“What exactly are we trying to make?” I ask. I’m an eight-year-old boy, I don’t want to sit down and make crafts. I want to go down to the canal and go fishing.
“Whatever you want, honey.”
“Well, what are you gonna make?”
She pauses and looks to the materials spread out on the table in front of us. “I’m gonna make a reminder.” She smiles proudly. “Owen, there are times in life where things get hard. Real hard.” There is a sadness in her tone that makes me wish I could take all her pain and hurts away. “You gotta have stuff to hold onto. Owen, always believe in love.”
The letters are peeling back in places but they are all still there. Always believe in love.
I couldn’t save her from love. I couldn’t save her from Lo’ren, his wife, or her enforcer. I can give her this.
I pick up the wooden block and take another look around the place before I step outside. I consider going back in for the picture, but in the end, I want to leave my past in the past. We’re leaving New Orleans tomorrow and I don’t plan to come back. I send the go text to Deacon for him to handle having the building burned to the ground now that I’m done.
Hopping on my bike, I get back to the hotel. I give a quick wave to the guys outside before heading to my room. Hadley isn’t here so I reach for my phone and call her.
That’s something we took care of yesterday, I added her to my plan so she has her own phone.
“Hadley, where are you?” I ask needing to simply hold her.
“With Sonnie, are you back?”
“Yeah.”
“Be right to you.” There is a smile in her tone that makes even me smile.
I kick off my boots and take off my cut before she opens the door.
She walks over to me sliding out of her flip-flops on her way.
When she gets closer, I reach out and pull her to me. I hold her close as she wraps her arms around me.
“Thank fuck I have you.”
“I have something to show you,” she smiles and pushes back a little.
I stand in shock when she pulls off the sundress. After everything I haven’t pushed her for anything more than a goodnight kiss. She reaches behind her and unclasps her bra slowly letting it fall to which my eyes go to the silver bars shining.
“You are the most beautiful woman in the world to me.” I reach out pulling her to me and kiss her.
She deepens the kiss. Lost in her, drunk on love, I quickly respond giving back with as much passion and fervor as she’s dishing out. Moving us to the bed, I lay her down with me covering her stretched out body. Our breathing quickens in pace as anticipation, arousal, and so many emotions course through us both. I kiss her neck, working my way to her earlobe.
“I can stop anytime, Hadley.” I whisper and mean every single word of it.
She came out with some internal tears in her vaginal tissue but the doctor said it would heal in two weeks. She had to have stitches on her wrist where she managed to cut herself pulling on the restraints.
“Don’t stop. I have the power, we’re stronger than what they did to me, to you, and to us.” She arches under me.
Her desire pushes me beyond the limits of my own control as I fight to remain gentle. I move my hand down for her to reach up and grip my head on each side.
“I want you to see,” she smiles pushing my head down to her panties before she opens wide.
The sight in front of me is the most beautiful fleur-de-lis I’ve ever seen. Rather than the raised skin of her brand, the ornate design dances on her leg.
“Don’t let him own me anymore. Don’t let them own me anymore. I believe in you Owen Maximus Gallow, and I believe in us.”
Something in her words, her tone, awaken this part deep inside of me. “I believe in our love,” I say against her lips before I kiss her as my hands move to snap the sides of her panties and slide them from under her.
My need to fill her, connect with her is deepening to an unimaginable level. My love for her is more than anything I’ve ever imagined. My desires to free her from the past are even greater.
Slowly I slide my finger over her pussy lips. She rocks into me as I use my thumb against her clit. She’s wet as I insert one finger.
I find no resistance as Hadley stays in the moment with me and her belief in us and the power of our love only pushes me more.
The metal of my piercing feels taut as my erection swells seeking out the warmth of being inside her heat.
Kissing my way down, I spread her legs wide, burying my face in her pussy. I lick her snatch and use my tongue to tease her swollen clit. As I feel the tension build, I reach up and ever so slowly twist her nipple piercing to which she cries out as her juices explode on my face.
I lap up every drop I can before I kiss my way back up her gorgeous body.
She tugs at my shirt. “Owen, I need you naked.” She says in frustration as she tries to pull my shirt off to no avail.
Standing, I remove my clothes while the beauty in front of me gives me the biggest and most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen.
“Gonna make you my wife, Hadley Lauryn Combs.” I tell her as I climb back over her.
She reaches between us as she wraps her legs around me. With her hand, she lines my cock up with her opening.
“I believe in you Owen, so I believe I’ll be your wife.”
I slide inside her. “Shit, I didn’t ask.” I realize but my body and my mind aren’t firing on all cylinders. I still. Her body arches up in pleasure as her walls clinch around me, sucking my dick in more.
“I don’t care how it happens, Owen, or when, just so long as I’m yours and your mine.” She moans each word as her body builds to another climax.
I move at a steady pace, her body continuing to milk mine as I go deeper and deeper with each thrust. “I’m yours,” I tell her just as I find my own release and she goes over the edge with me.
“I am yours, Hadley and you are mine.” I say as I rest my forehead over hers trying to catch my breath.
I will always believe in this love we have.
Chapter Sixteen
~Hadley~
~One Month Later~
Haven’s Harbor is not what I expected. We pull up to what looks to be an old school. There is a single sign out front, the only way to know this is it. Once we park and stretch our legs, I send the text to Cameron Linn so she knows we are here.
We walk in through a long breezeway. Just as we make our way to the front doors, we hear the buzz of a door unlocking before Brennan comes barreling out towards me.
Cameron Linn walks out with a bright smile on her face. She’s wearing a pair of jeans and a flowing top that is a beautiful plum color with her blonde hair coming down in waves almost to her waist. She looks healthy, happy, and maybe even somewhat healed.
I release Brennan who takes off for Trapper to go hug my friend.
“Oh, it’s so good to see you.” I say squeezing her tight.
“Hadley, this has been the best thing.”
I pull away with tears in my eyes. “Good, Cameron Linn, good.”
She points to what must have been the front office to the school. “I work in there. Since I’m not in any danger, I’m kind of the watch person. I answer the phones. When people come to the door, I look to the monitor and ask them to show identification to the camera outside. If they are not on one of the denial lists, I click the button to unlock the doors. If they are on the denial list, I call security.”
She smiles brightly. “They have a private school for the kids here so Brennan is right down the hall f
rom me. It’s all legal too so for those women on the run, their kids don’t miss an education.”
She leads us into a cafeteria area.
“Good to see you Cameron Linn,” Judge says while the rest of us take a seat. “I’m gonna check in with Tempest and find Sabrina.”
Cameron Linn nods her head. “Sabrina is so very thankful and she’s waiting for you in the library I think. Tempest is in her office just down the hall from my office.”
The guys all go to the food stand to order us some lunch, while I can’t help but find this peace seeing my friend so happy.
After we’re all seated, it’s Collector who surprises me. “Cameron Linn, were you the one who sent the emails?”
She lays her fork down and wipes her hands nervously on her thighs before looking up at me. “You always talked about Owen. When you took off, I couldn’t help you from NOLA. I didn’t want you out there taking on Marco or anyone else alone. It took work but I asked a client if he knew what ever happened to Owen Gallow. He said the word on the street was Owen found himself a gang.”
“How did you figure out a way to contact us?”
She laughs. “It happened to fall into place. There was a bike rally in Mississippi. A client paid me for a weekend with him. I saw the back of your cut’s. Then in the bathroom a woman was talking about Collector,” she shifts her eyes to Sonnie and mouths the word ‘sorry’. “I took a chance.”
Tears fill my eyes. I lean over and hug my friend. “Thank you, Cameron Linn, thank you.”
“I had to send them from the library when I would take Brennan for story time. I didn’t want to risk anything being traced from my phone.”
“You are so smart.” I tell her knowing I never would have thought of that. I just wanted out.
We eat with Owen sitting beside me, his hand comfortably relaxing on my thigh.
After catching up, Cameron Linn and Brennan walk me us out to the parking lot. At Owen’s bike, I stop and hug my friend.
“When will we see you again?” She asks me and I don’t have an answer.
Looking over to Owen I see mischief in his eyes. He opens his saddlebag and pulls out a wooden block.
“There once was a single mom of a little boy,” he says watching me but glancing to Cameron Linn. He hands me this wooden block with letters that are still on but curling in places.
Always believe in love.
“My mother believed in love, passion, and life. Hadley Lauryn Combs, you believed in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. I believe in you, in us.” He drops to his knee in front of me and our friends as I roll the block over and find a diamond band formed to make an infinity symbol. “Will you be my wife? Can we make it official so we can tell Cameron Linn and Brennan a date we will most certainly see them next at our wedding?”
I nod my head as my hands shake. Owen stands taking the block from my hand and sliding the ring on my finger.
After kissing him, I look to my friend. “I’ll see you at my wedding!” I squeal and raise my hand up to show off my new ring.
Owen looks to Brennan extending his hand with the box out. “Don’t ever let your momma forget to keep believing in love.”
I let the tears fall as does Cameron Linn while we both find a new level of healing for both of our situations.
“I love you Owen Maximus Gallow.”
“And I you, Hadley.”
We are all happily chatting when Judge storms from the building with a woman struggling to keep up.
“Bladen Jones, stop and listen to me!”
“Tempest, the time to talk was when Tamalyn was here!”
Judge’s usual cool demeanor is gone, in it’s place is a man on a mission.
Deacon steps in Judge’s path stopping him. “Listen to the woman. Don’t be a dick Judge, it’s not who you are.”
Judge doesn’t turn around, but the woman quickly catches up to stand in front of all of us. “She’s a grown woman, I can’t hold her against her will.”
“Dammit, Tempest, she’s not safe out there.”
Tears fall down the woman he calls Tempest’s face.
“I don’t know what to tell you,” she concedes not hiding her defeat. “She’s my cousin. I’m all she has left. If I made her stay or worse, if I called you, she would hate me. I can’t have her hate me. What do you expect me to do?”
“Nothing, you’ve done enough.”
Collector steps in front of Judge. “Brother, calm your shit.”
“No.” Judge huffs back. “The devil may have gotten his due with you and now for Owen, but this time shit hits closer to home than any of us have dealt with.” He looks over his shoulder to Tempest.
“Bladen, she’s not there. I don’t think she would go anywhere near home.”
“You hear from her, or get any kind of clue, I’m the first you call. I failed her once, I won’t fucking do it again.” Judge says to the woman before climbing on his bike.
“Let’s ride,” he says looking to all of us. “The devil’s checking his tab.”
Epilogue
~Hadley~
Who would have thought there was a man out there better than any fairytale I read as a child? Fiction. Nonsense. That’s what I used to think when I read that final line in all the books, and they lived happily ever after.
We stop for the night in Florence, South Carolina. The air is cool, clean, and it’s quiet. Our hotel is right off the interstate but it still isn’t filled with the hustle and bustle of New Orleans.
It’s a good feeling to know Cameron Linn B and Brennan are doing good. More than anything, it’s good to be with Owen.
During the dark times I never could have imagined this is how life would be. When I finally got free of Lo’ren, I never imagined it would lead me to Owen.
Our story is not a fairytale. Our story is our own. Like the beautiful colors of Mardi Gras from our home, we found justice, faith, and power.
The domino effect of one person’s crime going unpunished is ever lasting. As each and every block falls there is a change in the course and the impact. Luckily for Owen and I, when they all fell down, the impact left us with lasting love rather than hatred.
And for that, I will, no, we will always believe in love.
Bottom Line
~Bonus Time~
Trapper
I shouldn’t do this, but I don’t stop myself from dialing the number. The voice that is a twist of my own personal heaven and hell answers on the third ring.
Watching Hadley push to overcome her assault reminds me of my own. Then when the cops said we couldn’t leave town so both X and Hads were stuck in the town that took everything they had to give and more, it snapped something inside of me.
I avoid home as much as possible.
Leed, Alabama is not a bad town, but it haunts me. Everything bad that could happen to me, happened there.
And the only thing I’ve ever known good is there too. Only I’m not man enough to face Avery again. I shouldn’t have called is my immediate thought, but the answer on the other end keeps me from disconnecting.
“Mitchell, everything alright?” My cock immediately comes to life.
“Yes, Avery. Just wanted to see how you’re doing?” I aim to sound casual.
There is a pause. “Fine.”
“How’s the weather?” I ask knowing I am fucking lame. Everything between Avery and I has been one big mess after another.
“Shit storm if you’re asking.” The tone is bitter and I deserve it.
My cock hardens painfully feeding off the anger. Avery mad is a fire that can’t be washed out. It’s hot as hell.
“I’m trying here, Avery.”
The response is a laugh. “You’re trying to ease your guilt. All is forgiven Mitchell.”
Deciding a change in tactic is necessary, I switch subjects. “How are the fish?”
“The fish are still swimming. Dory reminds them to keep going all the time.”
“Drop the attitude Avery. I’m fucking
trying.”
“Too little, too late. No need to feel guilty, no need to call and check in. I’ll keep the fish alive till your precious friends make their way home, but I’m done waiting on you, Mitchell. I’m done being a secret. I’ve moved on you should too. We need to be free from our past together.”
The resounding click is ten times louder in my head than in reality.
I smile even though I am anything but happy.
“I’ll never be free. I’m forever trapped.” I whisper to the air around me as I hear his voice play in my head once again. “I’ve got you trapped. This is how you like it after all. Rough, forbidden.”
I stroke my length. My ass tightens painfully as I close my eyes and go back.
I sold my soul a long time ago. I will never know freedom. I will never know acceptance. I will never know love.
I had the chance with Avery and blew it all to hell. Who was I protecting back then? Me? Avery? Or the world?
I don’t know that I will ever find the answers I seek. In the end none of it matters. I’m here until the Devil calls my number and demands his due in my blood.
~The End~
Until the next crime goes unpunished in Close the Tab, Devil’s Due MC 3 coming later this year.
Close the Tab
(Devil’s Due MC 3)
The system created to serve and protect failed him. The domino of one person’s crime going unpunished has no boundaries.
He’s no saint.
Bladen ‘Judge’ Jones rides to escape the firm hand of his past. When home is a nightmare, the unknown suddenly isn’t so frightening. Riding with his brothers, the Devil’s Due MC, is more support than he has ever had in his lifetime.
She’s not afraid to call herself a sinner.
Tamalyn Andrews is a master mixer, hiding in a small town hick bar on the outskirts of a town for nobodies. Looking over her shoulder is something she can’t stop herself from doing. Old habits die hard.
However, danger bellies up to her bar.
Below The Line Page 10
