Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 50311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
“You look serious,” she says, arms sliding around my waist, her face tipped up to mine. “Good or bad?”
“Good, I think.” I wrap her tight against me, burying my nose in her hair. She always smells like vanilla and sunlight, and something that hits me straight in the chest—home.
“Axel?” she asks, voice soft.
I nod. “He sees it now.”
Her smile turns shy, a little unsure. “Sees us?”
“Sees me. But yeah, us too.”
Relief flickers in her eyes. For so long, she’s been waiting for the other shoe to drop—for someone to tell her she doesn’t belong. But now, for the first time, I see her believe that she does.
I kiss her, slow and certain. She melts against me, and the rest of the club, the drama, the history, it all falls away. There’s only us, right here, in the warm light of afternoon.
The next morning, I find Toon in the garage. Something’s off with him. He’s working on a busted carburetor, sleeves pushed up, grease deep in the tattoos on his forearms. He’s wrenching down on a bolt like it personally insulted his mother.
“You gonna break it or fix it?” I joke, grinning.
He looks up, sweat on his brow. “Can’t a man do both?”
“Not if you want it to run after.”
He snorts. “What’re you doin’ in here? Thought you’d be stuck to Cambria’s side like a barnacle.”
I shrug. “She’s with Yesnia. Figured I’d check on you. You been... quiet.”
He doesn’t look at me, just starts wiping his hands on a rag.
“I’m headin’ out soon.”
The words hang heavy in the air. My heart stumbles.
“Out?” I echo.
“Back to Haywood’s Landing.”
I swallow. “Shit. When?”
He shrugs. “Couple days.”
“You serious?”
He nods. “Tripp made the call. I ain’t happy about it. But sometimes the club’s gotta come first.”
My chest tightens. “This place won’t be the same without you.”
He finally meets my eyes, and there’s nothing but sincerity in his gaze. “You don’t need me anymore, Little Foot. You got your place. Your girl. Your brothers. You found what you were lookin’ for.”
I rub the back of my neck. “I didn’t want to find it without you.”
He claps my shoulder, squeezing hard. “We ain’t dead, man. Just takin’ different rides for a while.”
I nod, throat tight. “Yeah, brother. Yeah, I get it.”
But it’s a lie. I don’t get it. Not really. I hate the thought of Toon gone. For years now, he’s been a fixture in my world. The guy who always had my back, who always kept things light even when the shit got thick. The clubhouse won’t sound the same without his laugh echoing through the halls.
That night, Cambria and I are tangled up in my bed, the trailer dim except for the flicker of a candle she lit on the nightstand. She’s curled on her side, one leg draped over mine, her fingers drawing slow circles on my chest.
“Toon told me he’s leaving,” I share, breaking the silence.
She lifts her head, eyes searching mine. “I’m sorry, baby.”
“Tripp called him back. Never heard of that happenin’ before. I’m sure there’s a reason. Somehow, it’s right. He’s doin’ the right thing. I just... shit. I hate goodbyes.”
She brushes a strand of hair from my forehead. “Then don’t say goodbye. Say ‘see you down the road.’”
I grin despite myself. “You get real poetic sometimes.”
She grins back, wide and bright. “Shut up. I’m tryin’ to comfort you.”
I roll her on top of me, hands sliding under her tank. “You always do. And I know how we can both be comforted right this second.”
She laughs, low and sweet, and I press my lips to hers, slow and deep. We get lost in each other, moving slow, the kind of love that blurs the line between bodies and souls. She whispers things against my skin—broken pieces of her past, her fears, her hopes. I catch every word, every tear, every tremor.
Afterward, we lie together, hearts still thudding, her head on my chest. The candle burns low, shadows dancing on the ceiling.
Toon leaves on a Sunday morning.
The sun’s barely up, mist hugging the grass, but every brother’s here, bikes lined up in the yard. There’s a weight to the air—a mix of pride, sorrow, and respect. Toon stands in the middle, his cut over his shoulder, helmet dangling from his fingers. Rex pulls him into a bear hug, Axel shakes his hand like he’s passing a torch. Even the prospects hang their heads, knowing something’s shifting.
Cambria slips her arm around my waist. I pull her close, grounding myself in her warmth.
Toon walks up, meeting my gaze head-on.
“You sure?” I ask, voice low so the others don’t hear.
He nods. “Gotta be.”
“I’ll miss you.”
“Same, brother.” He hugs me—quick, rough, and real—then punches my shoulder hard enough to sting. “Take care of that girl.”
“Always.”
He slings a leg over his bike, throws on his helmet, and fires up the engine. The sound is thunderous, echoing through the yard. We watch him ride out, the sun glinting off his chrome until he’s just a memory and the wind.