“Hot damn, I guess you weren’t lying.”
Laughter bursts out of him and I can’t help but smile. “You doubted me?”
“Yes. Yes, I did.”
“I’m hurt,” he whines, bringing our clasped hands to his chest and I shoot him a disbelieving look.
“You know I have to ask where you learned to dance, though.”
His smile falls and our steps falter for just a second before he takes a deep breath and pulls me closer. Each time I bring up anything about his past, the tortured expression on his face kills me but I hope that I really am bringing him peace like he said I was.
“When I was a kid, I had pretty bad insomnia and Iris would stay up with me in the middle of the night to keep me company. We’d watch movies or play cards and she taught me how to dance.”
“Who’s Iris?”
“She was our guardian.”
My nerves rear up as the next question pops into my mind but I press on. “What happened to your parents?”
“They… they died,” he answers, looking away from me and my heart aches for him. I know his pain all too well and I know that nothing I could say right now would fix anything so I simply lean into him and offer him my silent support.
“What do you say we go on some rides?” I ask, peeking up at him and relief washes over his face as he nods.
“Let’s do it.”
The sky is lit up with oranges and pinks as he steps away from the ticket counter and I drag him over to the Ferris wheel to enjoy the sunset. In the car, he pulls me into his side and I cuddle closer, surprised by how much I’m enjoying the date.
“Hey, Quinn,” he murmurs on our second trip around the wheel and I glance over at him. “I’m sorry that it’s so hard for me to share my past with you but I want you to know that I’m trying.”
I nod. “I do know that and if anyone understands, it’s me.”
“If we’re taking things slow, does that mean I can’t kiss you?”
I smile as we reach the top of the wheel. “No.”
“I was really hoping you’d say that,” he whispers as he leans in and cups my cheek. Our gazes meet in the space between us and he smiles before leaning in and claiming my lips in a soft kiss. I melt into him, sighing as a feeling that I can’t quite explain rocks through me and when he pulls away, we’re both quietly gasping for air.
“One date isn’t going to be enough for me,” he admits and I nod.
“I know.”
Chapter Eight
Lucas
Storm nudges me as we walk across the wet grass of the graveyard and I glance over at him, nodding in acknowledgement.
“Keep your eyes open today, yeah?”
“You think this bastard’s gonna show up here?” I ask, glancing out at the crowd of people dressed in black gathering around the casket.
“Not ruling anything out at this point.”
We move to the back of the crowd as I nod. “Yeah, you got it.”
Ever since I ran into Rodriguez at the station, we’ve had people checking in on him everyday. The reports remain the same - he’s grieving and determined to find whoever killed Laney and make them pay to the point that he’s obsessed. We’re all worried but putting myself in his shoes, I think he’s handling it all pretty well or at least, as well as any of the rest of us would. I can’t imagine how much Storm, Chance, or Kodiak would lose it if anything happened to the women they love.
My thoughts drift to Quinn and I fight back a smile that’s not at all appropriate for this funeral. After riding the rides for over an hour last night, we walked over to the booths and I threw down over a hundred dollars to win a little teddy bear for Brooklyn but damn was it worth it to see the smile on Quinn’s face when I handed it to her. I think I’d do just about anything for that smile. Fuck, this girl is doing me in. Not that I care. Being with her just feels right and after all the shit in my life, I’m not going to question it. Especially since I’ve never been able to hang onto anything good for very long.
The music dies down as the preacher steps forward and begins delivering the sermon but my focus is on the guests. I roam the crowd, looking for anything out of place but I don’t see anything. Laney’s parents are sitting by Rodriguez, sobbing over their daughter as Rodriguez struggles to keep it together. The club has formed somewhat of a barrier around the back to watch over everything and I glance over my shoulder to check behind me. A man that looks vaguely familiar is standing about seventy yards back and I scowl, trying to place him before turning to Storm.
“Five o’clock,” I whisper to him but when we both turn to look back again, he’s gone. Storm moves closer as he scans the crowd in front of us.
“Did you recognize him?”
I shake my head. “I’m not sure. Maybe, but I couldn’t tell you where from. It would be incredibly stupid to show up here though if he was the guy.”
“Yeah,” he agrees. “Unless he couldn’t enjoy his victory without seeing Diego’s pain.”
“This is so fucked up.”
The club has been dealing with some heavy shit for the past six years but this feels different.
“I’ll tell you one thing,” Storm whispers as the pastor goes on about God always being with us and I roll my eyes. “I’m getting damn tired of going to funerals.”
“I’m with you there.” This is the second funeral in the last year and I’ll be happy if we don’t lose anyone else anytime soon. Dana was someone the club helped escape her abusive ex and her death hit us all hard. No matter how many we save, the ones we don’t haunt us all.
“What did he look like?”
I shrug. “Like the most average white guy you’ve ever seen. Kinda tall, brown hair, slim.”
“Perfect,” he grumbles as his wife, Ali, walks up to him and grabs his hand, her pregnant belly poking out in front of her.
“Is everything okay?” she asks, glancing between the two of us.
“Yeah, kitten,” he assures her. “Everything is fine.”
Her gaze snaps to mine before drifting back to her husband. She flashes him a determined look and I lean back against the tree to watch the show, fighting back a smile.
“Logan James Chambers, don’t you dare lie to me.”
He growls and pulls her into his body. “We will discuss this later, woman.”
Laney’s parents stand with Rodriguez right on their heels as they approach the casket and each lay a single rose on top. Rodriguez lingers for a minute, his hand pressed against the closed lid of the casket and a single tear falls down his cheek. He quickly wipes it away and returns to his seat as the second row of chairs lays more roses on the top followed by the third and so on until there is a pile of flowers adorning her coffin.
The preacher finishes his sermon and steps back as two men in work uniforms step forward and start lowering the casket into the ground amid the sound of sniffles and tears. Kodiak and Moose make their way through the crowd and join our group.
“You guys see anything?” Kodiak asks.
“Maybe. He disappeared before I could get a good look, though.”
He sighs and nods. “Shit.”