Chapter 1
Rory
“Sorry for the last-minute change of plans, Donovan.”
I snorted, giving the prison guard a filthy look as he led me through to the front desk so I could collect my things.
I hated this guy.
He was a fucking prick.
“Oh, I feel better now that I know you’re sorry. I’ve been locked up in this shit hole for two months for fucking nothing like I told you all.”
He shrugged, almost dragging me along the hallway by my bicep.
Fucker couldn’t wait to get rid of me, not that I could blame him.
I’d caused him a bunch of paperwork in my short stay, that was for sure.
“Bit hard to use the statement made without the person who made it or any evidence.”
That made me pause.
I’d assumed the statement had been proven as false, and that was why I was getting my freedom back.
“What do you mean?”
“Your case was dropped due to the witness showing up dead. Convenient, isn’t it?” He replied dryly, but I ignored him as my mind spun.
The witness was dead?
What the fuck had happened since I’d been arrested?
I collected my items and changed into my street clothes in silence, a smirk stretching across my face once I finally got to walk out the front doors and I spotted Skeeter leaning against my Corvette.
The keys dangled between his tattooed fingers, and he had a similar smirk on his face as he watched me approach.
“You fixed my car?” I beamed as I looked it over, but he snorted and gave me an amused smile.
“I show up to pick you up after you did time, and you wanna talk about your car? Good to see you too, baby girl.”
I rolled my eyes but moved against him, wrapping my arms tightly around his middle.
He felt like home.
“I missed you a bunch.”
“Missed you too. I did try to visit you but…,” he started to answer, but I cut him off.
“They wouldn’t allow me visitors or calls because I got in a fight my first day here. Sorry,” I mumbled, making him laugh deeply with pure amusement.
“You got in a fucking fight the moment they dragged you into the pen? C’mon, babe. You’re getting too badass for your own fucking good now.”
“Sorry to nag, but can we get out of here? Do you have a ciggie for me?” I asked, itching to get away from the hellhole I’d called home for two months.
He nodded, jiggling the keys with a smile.
“Of course. Want to drive, or do you want me to? We’re heading to the shed.”
I frowned.
I didn’t really feel like jumping back into crew life straight away.
I knew things had to be different now that I was a member, but a day or two to get used to being home would have been nice.
“Why the shed? You can drive if you want.”
“You’ll see,” he chuckled, climbing into the driver’s seat and tossing me his cigarettes, before cranking the music up.
Teeth by Dirty D’Sire hit my ears, and I smirked as he drove off, skidding the tires as he went.
I put the window down and sighed contently as the fresh air hit my face and I could finally relax.
I’d survived lock up, and I’d never take being free for granted again.
When we pulled up at the shed nearly an hour later, I noticed the number of cars and bikes parked around the yard.
“What’s going on, Skeet? Is it fight night or some shit? What day is it?”
He rolled his eyes as he climbed out, his lip twitching as he fought a grin.
“Believe it or not, everyone missed your sassy-ass and wanted to be here to welcome you home. Hunter insisted we make a thing out of it, so if you want to be mad at anyone, it’s his fucking fault.”
I raised an eyebrow, a spark of relief washing through me.
Hunter was still around?
“You two getting along again?”
“Well I was going to let him into bed with us, remember? But he’s been seriously great since they dragged you away. His crew’s intending on hanging around too, so we’ve got a bit of help if we need it, which is so fucking good. A few of the older members walked out on us, so we’re a little low on muscle.”
I followed him inside, loud whistling and cheering almost deafening me instantly.
Yeah, now I was home.
A grin hit my face just before Hunter jogged over and lifted me into his arms, almost cutting my breathing off with a hug.
“Hey, hot shot. You miss me?”
I laughed, swatting him playfully but secretly loving the familiar contact.
Jail birds weren’t exactly huggers.
“Put me down, you big oaf. Of course I missed you, pretty boy.”
He gave me a wink before moving back, emotions suddenly washing through me as Caden and the others came into view.
I didn’t hesitate to throw myself into Caden’s arms, wrapping my legs around his lean waist and burying my face in his neck to breathe him in.
I didn’t care if they thought I was acting weird.
I’d missed their smell.
His arms held me tightly as he kissed my neck affectionately, his voice soft as he spoke.
“Welcome home, baby.”
“Can we order pizza? God, I’d kill for some fucking pizza,” I mumbled against his skin, making him chuckle.
“Anything you want, Rory.”
I pulled Jensen in for a massive hug, fixing my heart the smallest amount.
I watched Lukas over his shoulder, a little bit surprised when he gave me a nod and that was it.
I guessed he was still managing to hold onto that big stupid fake grudge.
Jensen’s grip didn’t loosen until he spoke, his voice gentle.
“We got you a welcome home gift.”
I leaned back to look him in the eye, suspicion in my gaze.
“What is it?”
“Go check out your desk,” he murmured, kissing my forehead before letting me down.
I wandered into the back office and paused when I noticed the pile of things on Slash’s desk, that was now apparently mine.
There were flowers, photo albums, and some of my favourite snacks, but emotions ripped through me when I picked up one of the photo albums and started flicking through it, finding photos of me and the guys, and some of me fighting at the shed.
The ones I found of Slash and I got to me though, and I didn’t know they’d even been taken.
I’d spent the whole two months thinking about him while I’d had nothing else to do, other than work out, and there hadn’t been a day that went by that I didn’t miss him.
I closed my eyes as a gentle hand rested on my arm for comfort.
“I wasn’t sure if the photo albums were too much, but Holloway and Skeet insisted they’d be a good idea,” Tyler mumbled, slowly turning me until I was facing him.
“I love them, Ty. It’s just a lot of memories at once, you know? I didn’t even get to go to his funeral,” I said softly, and he gave me a small sad smile.
“It was perfect. Skeeter and Diesel managed to find a really nice photo of you and Slash at one of our parties, and they got it printed onto the head stone behind some glass with nice writing. Diesel said he’ll take you around later when you’re up for it and he can sit in the car to give you some space.”