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  “Tabby’s here based on her being good. She’s helping my family out. She causes more stress, she’s heading back home. I don’t want her to get into any kind of fucking fight.” He threw down his pen. He sounded like a pussy.

  “I also heard Wayne’s got a hard-on for her,” Dean said. “He believes he can take her from you.”

  Simon rolled his eyes. “I’d like to see him try.”

  No one took his girl away from him. Fucking no one. By the time lunch rolled around, he was as tense as he could be. He didn’t want Tabby fighting, but if Amber got into her face, she was clearly asking for it.

  Tabby waited for him by reception. He pulled her to him and told her the rumors.

  “Oh, please. You think I haven’t heard stuff like this before? It happens all the time. Rumors are empty lies. Trust me. It’s all going to be fine. You need to learn to relax. I don’t know what has happened to you, but be calm.”

  “Is that an order?”

  “Yes. Now, how were your classes, honey?”

  “We’re going domesticated?”

  “Couples do it all the time and seeing as this is the first time I’ve been in school with my boyfriend, I thought I’d try it out.”

  “You sound sexy,” he said, running a hand down her back to grab her ass. “I like it.”

  “You like me being all wifey?”

  “Yeah, I do.”

  She giggled and kissed him. “Wait until I take you home and cook you dinner.”

  “Babe, none of this is bothering me. You’re talking to the guy who actually wants to marry you. I’d have you as my old lady right now.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. I’ll ask my dad.”

  “As much as I’d like to, we both know our dads would pitch a giant fit if we let that happen.”

  “Let what happen? We’re not pregnant.”

  “I know. Let’s give them time.”

  He took her hand, rubbing the finger where an engagement and a wedding band would go. “When you’re eighteen?” he asked.

  “What?”

  “We don’t have to ask them for permission. When we’re both eighteen, you’ll be my wife.”

  She licked her lips. “What if you change your mind?”

  He snorted. “You think after all this time I’m going to change my mind?”

  “We don’t know what is going to happen in the future,” she said.

  He cupped her face, tilting her head back. “I know what’s going to happen. You and I are going to be a team, no matter what.”

  “The clubs?”

  “We’ll figure it out together. Tell me, make a pact with me right now. Both of us are eighteen, we’re married. No doubt?”

  Her smile lightened up his whole world.

  “Yes. You can count on it.”

  He held her hand and they walked toward the cafeteria. Eddie and Dean, along with a couple of others, sat at the tables. He stood in the line with Tabby. She grabbed a salad, some pizza, and a pudding bowl. He loaded up with burgers, fries, and cake.

  Simon didn’t allow her to pay and carried her tray to their table, putting it down before his own. He couldn’t help but think of when he was younger and telling his dad he intended to marry this girl.

  “Hey, Dad, did you catch the bad guys?” Simon asked.

  Devil entered the hospital room and pointed at him. “Why are you in Tabs’s bed?”

  “She has bad dreams.”

  “Oh, you do know that it stops when you get out of the hospital?” Devil asked.

  “You sleep with Mom all the time.”

  “That’s because your mom and I are married.”

  “Then I’ll marry Tabitha. She’s going to be my girl, anyway. It’ll be cool.”

  “Son, you’re not marrying. You’re not even ten.”

  “That’s not fair.”

  “Lucky for me, it doesn’t have to be fair.”

  Before he could respond, Tabby had woken up.

  “I’m sorry, Devil, the nightmares were bad. I dreamt of bullets and stuff. It was scary.”

  “It’s okay, sweetie, I hope he chased the demons away.” His dad had looked so tortured as he spoke.

  “He did, and he told Gavin what for as well, which was really funny.” Tabby looked toward him with a smile and he couldn’t help but feel so proud. That big guy had been scary, but he hadn’t been afraid. No one would come between him and Tabby.

  Simon pulled out of the memory. That felt like a lifetime ago.

  “You’re the entire talk of the high school,” Eddie said. “Wherever I go, you’re there.”

  Tabby tucked her long hair behind her ears before sliding her jacket off. It was raining outside, otherwise, he would’ve taken their lunch out there to be more private.

  “Yay, I’m miss popular at the moment. I won’t be around long. I don’t know what the big deal is. Don’t you have new kids coming and going all the time?” Tabby asked, stealing one of his fries.

  “You’d think so, but no. Piston County has got a lot going for it, but the whole MC element, they don’t like it.”

  Tabby laughed. The sound filled his senses.

  Simon watched her. She picked up her pizza and took a large bite, wiping some tomato sauce at the corner of her mouth.

  “Believe me, they’re wasting their time on me. I don’t get involved in the little cliques.”

  “Babe, you’re in your own clique, don’t forget that.”

  “I guess you’re right. I never thought of it like that. We’ve got a couple of civilians on our squad as well.”

  “Civilians?” Dean asked.

  “Non-MC kids. They’re good people.”

  “Dean wants to prospect for the Chaos.”

  Tabby winced. “Good luck.”

  “Okay, you and Simon have both said stuff like that. He’s got to prospect as well.”

  “Yeah, but he’s like MC royalty. His dad’s the prez, which is like a big deal. The same goes for my brother. My dad was the previous prez. My point being, they know what the deal is. They’ve grown up around all of it. They’re not uncomfortable getting their hands dirty.”

  “And you think I am?” Dean asked.

  Tabby reached across the table, taking hold of his hand. Simon didn’t like her touching other people, but this was his own jealous, possessive personality, and he wasn’t going to push it on Tabby.

  “Look at these hands. They’re soft. You can feel mine. I work hard. I will never prospect for the club because I’m a girl, but I will earn my place to be one of them. It’s who I am. You need to know what you’re getting yourself into. There’s no crying about it, and there’s certainly no trying again if you can’t hack it the first time.” She dropped Dean’s hand.

  “Okay.”

  “Not trying to scare you off. A couple of guys are thinking about doing it. I gave them the same warning, but they don’t all have rich parents. It’s second nature to them.” She shrugged. “Want a bite?” Tabby asked, offering up her pizza.

  Simon couldn’t resist, watching her as he took a bite. She was going to be one hell of an old lady.

  A girl cleared her voice and Simon tensed up as he turned to see Amber standing there, a couple of her friends nearby. What was with the popular kids and having a little entourage?

  “Hi, Simon. Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing. I do.”

  “Amber, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend,” he said, wrapping his arm around Tabby and pulling her close. “Tabby. The love of my life.” The cafeteria had gone silent and he slammed his lips down on hers, kissing her hard.

  “Tabby, is that like a cat?” Amber asked. “Please, you can do so much better than that.”

  “Excuse me?” Tabby asked, getting to her feet. Simon stood, as did Dean and Eddie.

  “You heard me. You’re scum. Nothing but a fat, ugly cat. It’s pathetic.”

  Tabby smiled. “Oh, you seem to mistake me for someone who gives a shit.”

  “Simon�
�s mine. He and I are together.”

  “In your dreams,” Simon said.

  “You’re so cute, but it’s time for you to run along with your little whores.”

  “Do you have any idea who you’re speaking to?” Amber asked, arms folded.

  No one stood up to Amber, at least none of the girls Simon knew of.

  Tabby got into Amber’s face. “Do you know who you’re dealing with? You may rule this school, but, girl, I’m not a coward. You and your little girls mean nothing to me. I’ve gone up against guys that are twice your size and they’ve gone squealing to mommy. Back off before I break your face and give your parents something they do need to spend their money on.”

  She took a step back and Simon thought he was going to have to protect her as Amber lashed out, but Tabby saw it coming. As Amber went to claw at her, one punch to the face, and she was down, blood everywhere.

  ****

  “What the fuck did I say?” Devil asked, slamming into the house. He couldn’t believe on her first day of school he had to go and pick her up.

  “You told me to not start fights. I didn’t. She came at me. If you don’t want me to defend myself, give me the update.”

  “Watch your lip, girl.”

  “You’re not my dad. Seriously, if this was your daughter and she was about to get attacked, would you tell her to wait? What if this Amber had a good hit, or a disease, and she goes around scratching people? I don’t care what she said to the principal, she was going to hit me.”

  “She was, Dad,” Simon said.

  “Enough, the both of you. You are both more than capable of handling shit without getting into a fight.”

  “Devil?” Lexie asked, coming out of the sitting room.

  “It’s fine, honey.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  “I’m not having her here causing trouble.”

  “I know of this Amber girl. She’s bad news. You and I both heard what she tried to threaten Simon with.”

  Devil gritted his teeth. Simon had come to them straight away with the recording of her voice and threats. He’d taken the device, gone to the girl’s father, to make sure nothing came of it. It was a good thing he had. When he arrived at the house, Amber was acting like a victim, and the cops had already been there.

  Nothing had come of it, not when he played the cell phone for Amber and her parents to hear.

  What he didn’t want right now was trouble. Every other day he could handle it, but not right now. Not with chemo around the corner, the possible operation, and all the medication. Not when he held his wife and knew there was a chance he was holding a ticking time bomb.

  “Get out of my sight,” he said.

  Tabitha and Simon disappeared.

  “You’re both grounded!”

  “You can’t ground me.”

  “I can. Your father gave me plenty of permission and while you’re under my roof, you will do as you’re told.”

  He glared at both of them until they were out of his sight.

  “That’s not like you,” Lexie said.

  “They need to learn to do as they’re told.”

  “I get that, I do, but come on, Devil, even you know that you’ve sometimes got to hit first. Tabitha is a Skull. I know from her mother that high school is not the easiest of places.”

  “They can’t be starting shit. Not now.”

  “You mean because of me?” she asked.

  He went to his wife. “I love you, Lexie. I don’t want you to be under any more stress than you already are.”

  “You need to learn to relax, Devil. This isn’t you. Don’t push this. I trust Tabitha and Simon.”

  He pulled her close, breathing her in. Sinking his fingers into her hair, he allowed the silence to calm him.

  “I’m here.”

  “I know.”

  “I’m going to keep fighting,” she said. “And we’re going to beat this thing.”

  “I know.”

  “Do you?”

  He looked up and saw the tears in Lexie’s eyes.

  “When you asked me to trust you all these years, I have. You’ve been strong for me. Let me do this.”

  “This isn’t some guy with a gun, Lexie. This is inside your body and I can’t, I can’t fucking kill it for you. I can’t do anything.” He gritted his teeth. Fuck! He wouldn’t cry. Not now, he wouldn’t allow himself to fucking cry. She needed him strong.

  Lexie cupped his face.

  He didn’t know if it was in his mind or if her strength was disappearing. She felt weaker to him.

  “I’ve got this, Devil. You make me strong. Every single day, you give me a reason to fight.”

  “It’s not supposed to end like this. Not for us.”

  “It’s not over. It will never be over, not with us. If I end up going first, then I expect you to pick up the pieces. To bring our kids up.”

  He shook his head.

  “But that is the worst-case scenario. I know our kids need us both. Now stop, and hug me, and know you will help me every single day.”

  Devil held her close. He’d never considered himself a praying man, but whenever it came to Lexie, he always begged for her to live.

  Chapter Ten

  Lexie had been sick.

  Tabitha was used to the vomit but each time, she caught Simon looking terrified. Like always, he’d help, make some excuse, and disappear. She’d wait for Devil to arrive home and then she’d go looking for him.

  This had happened every single day this past week. Now, she found him on the edge of Piston County, right at the welcome sign.

  “Shit, is he going to be okay?” Eddie asked.

  She’d called Eddie as Dean was going through his emancipation and could no longer afford a car. He had to prove in the next month that he was capable of holding down a job and also taking care of himself. Devil had to make sure his family didn’t interfere, and to guarantee it, Dean was working for Devil.

  “Yeah, he’ll be okay.”

  “I’ve never known him to be like this.” He sighed, running a hand over his head and down to grip his neck.

  “I know. Something like this, it can change a person. It’s hard to explain.”

  “You’ve gone through this before?”

  “Not me, but I have a friend back home. She struggled as well, but she got through it.” Just thinking about Darcy always reminded her of home and how much she was missing it.

  After climbing out of the car, she walked several steps. Simon was on the welcome side while she stood on the side that asked them to come back soon.

  Gripping the cuffs of her jacket tightly, she stopped a foot away from him.

  “Where are you going?”

  Simon spun around, wiping at his face. “Tabby, what are you doing here?”

  “You’re here.”

  “I know. I’ll be home soon.” He turned his back on her.

  “You know, I came here to help you. Not to do all of this for you.” Devil had warned her she’d need to practice tough love with him. She hated the very idea of it, but if it would help, she’d do it.

  Simon chuckled. “You’re cute when you’re trying to play a role.”

  “This isn’t funny.”

  “I know it’s not funny. You think I’m laughing?”

  “Don’t fucking yell at me.”

  “I don’t mean to.” He slammed his foot to the ground. A hand went to his mouth, and he shook his head. “I don’t … fuck, I don’t know what to do.”

  “There’s nothing you can do, Simon. This isn’t something you can plan or rationalize. It happens. You move on. You get shit done.” She shook her head. “You think Lexie wants this?”

  “I know she doesn’t.”

  “She’s fighting every single day. For her kids, for you, for Devil. For the entire freaking club. I see it. What she doesn’t need right now is this. If you can’t handle this, then you need to come back to Fort Wills with me, and we will hang out, you’ll go to school, and when it’s a
ll over, you come back, pick up the pieces.”

  Simon stared back at her, tears in his eyes. “You’ll think less of me.”

  She pressed her lips together. Folding her arms, she glared at him. “You know what, yeah, I will. I was going to give you the pansy answer, telling you it would all be okay and I’d be fine with you walking away from your parents but you know what, that is a horrible idea, and I don’t think you should do it.”

  “Tabby?”

  “No!” She slashed her hand across the air. “No! You don’t get to say my name as if I’m nagging, or if this is too much of a hard decision. Stop whining about it. It is what it is and we can’t change it. What we can do is be strong. If you run away right now, I guarantee you’ll regret it and not just because of me being pissed at you or whatever, but because for the first time in your life, you’re being challenged and you can’t take it. You talk to me all the time about wanting to take Devil’s place when the time is right, then prove it. Be a man. Even now. Be a fucking man.” Tears spilled down her eyes and Simon shook his head.

  “Don’t cry.”

  “I can’t help it. I’m right here for you and you’re there. You’re on the opposite side of this sign.”

  “You don’t know what this is like,” he whispered.

  “Are you crazy? You think I don’t know what this is like? How this all feels?” She laughed. “You think I’ve never not wanted to run? That I’ve never not wanted to hide? To be as far away as possible?”

  She licked her lips. spinning in a couple of circles, looking around them. “Simon, for a long time, I didn’t even want to be an MC girl. I wanted nothing to do with The Skulls. My very future was about getting out until I talked to my grandpa and he convinced me, so yeah, I get that you’re struggling. Really, I do. I probably understand you now more than ever.”

  “Then come with me,” Simon said.

  She shook her head. “No.”

  “Tabby.”

  “You will hate yourself for this. I can’t stop you, but I’m not going to join you. Not here, not with this. If you’re not home tonight, I’ll pack a bag and go back to my family. I miss them so much, but I’m here for you.” She went to him and cupped his face. “You’re stronger than this, Simon. Stop fighting who you are.”

  She turned on her heel and got back into the car.