“If you’re not released, you can only be with a Knight.” I thought about it for a second. There was no one I could imagine her with. She’d never consider Justin, who was a several years older than her. It wouldn’t matter, since he wasn’t a member anymore. Wolf was the next brother closest to her age at thirty-five. It was a bit of an age gap, but everyone else was either taken or under thirty.
“I know. Just leave it as is. I’m fine now.” She wiped under her eyes. “Can I leave?”
“I don’t want you going alone.”
“I’ll take Markey with me. He’s wanted to go to Arizona for a long time. He might end up liking it and staying.” Sugar blinked, like the words falling from her lips bothered her. She’d never want her sons to be away from her. They were all she had left after Uncle Matt passed.
“He should be with you and Maddox, in Minnesota.”
Sugar frowned. “I know, but he wants more than the club life. You know this.”
“All right. You two can leave, only until this shit with the Vipers is over.”
“Thank you, Storm.” She bolted for the door.
“Sugar.”
She turned around. “Yeah?”
“I want you to be happy. If that means being with someone, then you should be. I’ll make it happen.”
She smiled sadly. “I appreciate that. Matt was my whole world. I’ll never stop loving him.”
“I get it, but you can love two men.”
“I’m sure you’re right. I just don’t see that happening.” She opened the door. “I’ll be gone within the hour. We’re driving.”
“I’ll get a couple of guys to escort you out of the state safely.”
“Thank you.”
I blew out a breath after the door closed. I hadn’t seen that conversation coming.
19
Ire
After sleeping away most of the day, Patch and Boxer took me to my private bedroom upstairs in what they called the “councils wing.” Apparently, I was a big shit in this club, one of two enforcers. Boxer was the senior enforcer and my best friend. I didn’t remember him either.
Ava had arrived not long after them, looking worse for wear. Of course she’d followed to help get me settled. She hardly left me alone. I liked and hated it at the same time.
“All right, brother. This is it.” Boxer observed the room. “You’re a low-maintenance guy, if you couldn’t tell.”
The room was bare, aside from the bed, a dresser, and nightstand. “I don’t like clutter.”
Ava’s eyes brightened. She didn’t have to say hope had entered her mind when I could see it on her pretty, blotchy face. Unfortunately, my memory wasn’t returning, not about her or any of the MC guys anyway.
“My parents are hoarders,” I blurted, to dash her thoughts. “They’d piled all kinds of crap in my bedroom after running out of space in the house. When I left home, I swore I’d only have the essentials.”
“You told me about your folks.” Boxer set some water bottles on the nightstand. “Said your room had been like the city dump.”
I almost smiled. “Yeah. That’s right.” Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable. If I’d told him about my parents, did he know how my mom had died while taking a bath? How much did these people know about my rotten childhood? And what about Ava?
The scars on my back itched. I refrained from scratching to avoid any questions. It probably didn’t matter. If Ava was my girlfriend, she must’ve seen me naked. But had I told her the truth of how I got them?
“I’ll leave your pain meds here.” Patch put the bottle next to the water. “Remember, rest is the best medicine for your head.”
“Thanks.”