Chapter 13
Gage
Conleigh hit the garage door opener to her garage as we pulled into the driveway.
Glancing back behind the seat, it was to see that Collins had passed out on the way here.
Turning my head to look at Conleigh, it was to see a soft smile on her face as well.
“I got her. Go unlock the door, babe.”
She nodded and then climbed out.
The moment I had Collins in my arms, I quietly shut the door and carried her up the three steps into the house.
Conleigh was waiting for us in her room. She turned down the covers as I laid Collins in her bed.
Leaning down, I pressed a kiss on her forehead then headed to make sure the house was locked up tight.
With Conleigh in my arms, neither one of us had to say a word.
Because with one goodnight kiss, we were both out.
The sadness, the worry, and the nights spent at the hospital; had all faded away into the night while we slept.
One week later while Collins was at school and after we had church, I was headed towards a parts house to grab something for a bike build that we didn’t have sitting on the shelf when I saw Conleigh’s car in the last place I expected.
What in the actual hell was her car doing here? I thought we had come to an agreement. One that felt like I had been pulling teeth to get her to agree.
Jerking my bike into the parking lot, I felt the anger consume me.
She fucking knows better.
Storming into the strip club as my eyes adjusted, I scanned the packed room. Not seeing her on my first sweep, I did another, and another. Her car was in the parking lot, so where the hell was she?
Walking through the room, people moved out of my way when they saw the kutte. Well, it was either that or my size. I was a big man, nowhere near as big as Heathen, Clutch, and Skinner, but to normal people, I was massive.
Stopping by Harley’s side, I asked, “Where’s Conleigh?”
“I’m right here, goober. Getting my last check and picking something up that Antonio’s wife, Esmerelda, painted for Collins.”
My anger evaporated to a low sizzle. “And you couldn’t tell me, so I could come with you?”
She wrinkled her brow and said, “You were in church.”
Narrowing my eyes at her, I said, “And?”
Then she placed her finger up to my chest and poked with every single word, “You. Were. In. Church.”
“Fucking and? Ole’ ladies are allowed to come into church when it fucking matters and you going somewhere like this place fucking matters.”
With fire dancing in those blue eyes of hers, she said, “I’m not an ole’ lady.”
“Well, you will be soon. Jesus Christ. Why is it so hard to surprise you? Fucking stubborn.” Shaking my head, I turned on my heel and walked outside to inhale some much-needed oxygen.
With my back against the wall, I tightened my hands into fists.
What I wouldn’t give for a fucking cigarette. But I knew that if that got around Collins while she had been fighting leukemia, that would’ve been a death warrant. And I was so not that man.