Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
“If you don’t shut your mouth, I’ll kill him,” Mac said. “I will kill Matthew, and I’ll make you watch as I do. I’ll make it hurt.”
Tears filled her eyes, and Matthew stared at her as he put his cell phone on speaker. Duke answered on the fifth or sixth ring.
Luna couldn’t believe what was happening. This wasn’t going to be how it ended.
“What’s up, son?” Duke asked.
“Dad, er, I’m at the diner. There is—”
“Hello, Duke,” Mac said.
“Mac, what’s going on? Did my son forget to bring money or something?”
“If you want to ever see your son again, you are going to do exactly as I say. You’re going to turn yourself in. You’re going to hand yourself in for distributing drugs, and you’re going to take Pike and the whole club with you.”
“Mac, is this some kind of joke?”
“You’re going to do it, or I’m going to kill your son and his girl.”
“Luna’s there?”
“I’m here, Mr. Bana,” Luna said.
“Matthew,” Duke said.
“Yeah, Prez.”
“I can’t risk the club.”
“I know.”
Luna couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
No. No. Fucking hell no.
“I love you,” Duke said.
Mac laughed. “Do you think I’m kidding?”
“One man against my club. You want to play this game, then we’ll play.”
Matthew stared at Mac, and then he turned off his cell phone.
“Sorry, kid,” Mac said.
“No!” Luna charged forward as the gunshot rang out. She shoved Matthew hard and then felt the pain in her side.
Matthew’s arms wrapped around her, and he dropped her down to the ground. An eerie silence followed and then complete noise as the Trojans MC completely swarmed the diner.
Luna didn’t get to see what happened.
“What the fuck did you do?” Matthew asked.
“I— You can’t die. I can’t allow you to die,” she said.
“Luna?”
“I love you, Matthew. I love you so much. Even if I hate you, I can’t, I don’t want to live without you.”
The pain was getting worse. Matthew lifted and put his hand against her stomach. “No, Luna, don’t!”
His voice faded, and she felt so very tired.
She loved Matthew, but she was so sleepy.
****
Several hours later, Matthew sat at Luna’s bedside. The bullet had gone through and through. Mac had been a bad shot, and the bullet never hit him.
They had no choice but to bring Luna to the hospital, but the bullet hadn’t hit any vital organs.
The moment Matthew had gotten the call, he’d already been with his dad and Pike. Mary had finally told him about what Luna had said to Mary. Mac closing the diner, the sudden disappearances, and the OD victims. It had been a stretch, but Duke had put it together.
Mac was the guy smuggling drugs into Vale Valley.
Duke had told him the club wouldn’t be far behind, but Mac would ask him to pick his son or the club.
Matthew stared at his girl. She had taken a bullet for him. It would never have hit him, but he’d seen what she did. She was a fucking hero.
“How is she?” Duke asked.
He looked toward his dad. “She’s fine, as you already know.”
His father would have gotten an update long before him. The one thing he knew about his dad, Duke Bana was always one step ahead of the game.
“She shouldn’t have been there,” Matthew said. “This is all my fault.”
“It’s not your fault.” Duke closed the door. “I asked Luna to help.”
This got Matthew’s attention. “What?”
“She has contacts at the college, and she was in the right age group. I know she’s a strong woman. I couldn’t ask Maya. Not after everything she has been through. I wouldn’t risk it.”
“So, you got my girl?” Matthew stood as he wanted to beat the living crap out of his father. “How? What if— She could have fucking died.”
“Do you know what it means to be a fully fledged Trojans MC?” Duke asked.
“Yeah, I know. I’ve grown up with it.”
“No, what you have grown up with is being a kid in this world. Not a member but an offspring. That is all. To be a fully patched-in member is one thing, but to have an old lady, one you're so determined to have, you’ve got to know that you can trust her. That she is by your side through thick and fucking thin. I had to know if my son had found the right girl for him or if he had his head in his ass because of past mistakes. Look at the old ladies, Matthew. Look at Holly, Mary, Zoe, Leanne, Maria, Beth, Eliza, Kasey, Lindsey, and Anna. Look at them all and see that they are strong women. Independent women. They will fight for their man.” Duke looked to Luna. “I had to know after everything you two have gone through that she would have your back.”
“You had no right.”
“As Prez, I have every freaking right. And as your father, I can tell you, son, she is a fine young woman. She will not see you come to any pain or injury. She has your back and she has the club’s.” Duke moved closer and put his hand on his shoulder. “If this had been any other situation, you will always be my first pick. I will move heaven and earth for my family. You are my son, and don’t ever think I would put your life on the line above my own.”