“It means that look you use on your parents won’t work on Colt,” I answered.
“Rats,” Lily said.
“Ten minutes,” Colt relented. “Then you and Cam can have your dessert.”
Cam and Lily high-fived. “Can I go play with my friend Brock?” Cam asked.
“Where’s Brock?” I asked.
Cam pointed out a dark-haired boy. Something about Brock looked familiar.
“Okay,” I said. “But you have to stay where I can see you.”
Cam scrambled up from the grass and dashed after his friend.
“What about you, Lily Burger?” I teased. “You want to go play with them, too?”
She shook her head. “They don’t like it when I tag along.”
“We’re more fun anyway,” Colt said.
“Who’s Brock?” I asked Colt.
“Laura’s son.”
“Ah.”
Lily climbed into my lap and I hugged her. I pressed my cheek to her blond head and closed my eyes. There was something about Lily. Maybe it was her inherent sweetness, her trusting nature, even though she hardly knew me. But I realized how much I wanted to be around to see her grow up. To paint her toenails and give her advice. To see her go to prom with a nice boy who respected her.
An ache formed in my throat and swelled when I thought of Knight, who’d missed all of that with me. I didn’t know what kind of father he would’ve been, but the photo he’d shown me of him and my mother, and my mother’s smile…
She left him not because she didn’t love him, but because she wanted to protect me from Knight’s way of life.
I glanced at Knight who was standing with Bishop and Boxer. He threw his head back and laughed, and I realized in that moment that I wanted to know him. It wouldn’t make up for lost time, and all the years he hadn’t been there could not be gotten back, but that was neither of our faults and it wasn’t fair to punish him for my mother’s choice.
It was time for Knight to be a part of my life.
“What’s that smile about?” Colt asked.
“I’m just…happy. Despite all the crazy.”
“Has it been ten minutes yet?” Lily asked impatiently, effectively ruining the intimacy of the moment.
“It’s been long enough, honey. Let’s get you an ice cream,” Colt said.
I turned to Cam and Brock and yelled out, “You guys want ice cream?”
The young boys ran toward us, boisterous and full of energy, eager for sugar, which they clearly didn’t need.
And then I heard the sound of motorcycles, followed by a series of gunshots and the screams of terrified children.
“Brock!” Laura shrieked.
“Mom!” Brock howled, darting toward her.
“Stop him!” I screamed to Colt as I shoved Lily behind me to shield her. “Laura! Get down! We’ve got Brock!”
More gunshots rang out and I heard a distant scream. Laura tucked and rolled behind one of the bushes, and Colt didn’t hesitate as he ran for Brock. Cam was frozen in fear next to his friend; Colt grabbed both boys and pushed them to the ground. “Stay down,” Colt commanded. “Crawl on your bellies to the hot dog truck. Get behind it and stay there. Go!”
The boys snuck off, and I gave a sigh of relief when I saw them make it to safety.
Colt took out his pistol and peered around, looking for threats. I crouched and slid across the grass, all the while making sure my body was in front of Lily’s.
“Be careful,” I called to him over the roar of motorcycle pipes and shots.
I continued to slither with Lily until we made it to the hot dog truck. Brock and Cameron were sitting with their backs against the vehicle, terrified, pale, and shaking.
“It’s okay,” I whispered repeatedly, trying to wrap my arms around all three of them, wanting to block out the noise but unable to.
“Cover your ears,” I commanded all of them. Once they did what they were told, I peeked around the back of the truck to survey what was going on.
Five masked men in white T-shirts sat atop motorcycles with weapons drawn, letting off shots at anything that moved, the chrome of their bikes gleaming in the sunshine, their presence sending fear through the crowd.
I knew it was the Iron Horsemen, but why was Dev bringing this war out into the open instead of keeping it between clubs and on club territory?
He’d violated the sacred code of not bringing a war to families. Colt would kill him for it.
They reloaded their firearms and opened fire again, causing more panic and screaming. I felt Lily trembling beside me and I reached a hand out to her, but my eyes were scanning the park, searching for the people who were my family. I removed the pistol from the holster at my hip, feeling safer with a weapon in my hand. I’d defend myself and protect the children. Whatever the cost.
I saw Colt in the middle of the park, helping a woman and her child toward the safety of the public restrooms, which left him out in the open.
The Iron Horsemen didn’t waste any time as they fired off another round of shots, and I watched as Colt fell to his knees. His face was a picture of shock as his hand went to his side, covering a bloody stain on his shirt.
I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out.
Colt lifted his pistol and fired off a few shots toward the Iron Horsemen, but they went wide and he missed.
He dropped his weapon to his side, a look of angry resignation passing over his face as if he could hardly believe he was going out that way.
Turning his head, his eyes found mine. There was nothing but remorse shining out from them, silently apologizing for the life we wouldn’t get to share.
Colt mouthed something to me and even though it was too far away to lip-read, I knew what he was saying.
I love you.
“Fuck that, Colt,” I whispered, tears spilling from my eyes.
Hope drained from his face, mine going with his. I refused to look away, I refused to let him think he was dying alone, that I wasn’t dying with him. Because I was. Every last bit of me that had survived the death of my mother and grandmother, would die now, too. Colt had helped me live. He’d helped me love.
More gunshots from across the park pulled his attention and a slow smile crept across his face as though he had embraced the finality of what was to come.
“Get down, you bloody fool!” Flynn Campbell yelled from behind a large oak tree.
Colt heard him and flopped to the grass, letting out a moan, his eyes closing.
Flynn yelled in a foreign tongue, which sounded very much like a war cry. Men swarmed from every avenue, armed, ready, and firing at the Iron Horsemen.
My heart was torn in two. The love of my life was bleeding out on the lawn, but there were three children who needed my protection.
My savior came in the form of Darcy who had somehow managed to avoid the fray and snuck up against the hot dog truck. No danger would stand between a mother and her babies. She sent me an overwhelming look of gratitude for protecting her children, but then she gestured with her chin at Colt.
“I know,” I whispered. “I have to go to him. It might already be too—”
“Go,” she urged.
I attempted to hand her my pistol but she shook her head. “I’ve got one.”
All rational thought for my own safety left my mind, and before I stopped to think if it was a good idea or not, I was up and running toward Colt. I didn’t get far because someone tackled me from behind and I went down hard, teeth rattling in my head.