“Yes, I agree it’s not as safe as I’d like.”
Diablo seemed relieved.
“Rev, go with Olivia. She might need help finishing her project for English class.”
My son nodded, understanding I needed to talk to the Royal Bastards alone.
“Mama, are we going to leave?” Olivia’s worry increased my anxiety. “We’re going to be safe, baby. Don’t you worry.”
“Okay.”
Rev reached for his sister’s hand, leading her from the kitchen to give us privacy.
I inhaled a deep breath and released it, taking the time to look each of the outlaw bikers in my home in the eyes. “I’m not leaving this house.”
All three began to protest, and I held up a hand. “You need to understand. Jack has chased me for the last eight years. I’ve had to move six times. Six,” I emphasized. “I’m not running anymore from him. I have to take a stand for myself and the kids. He doesn’t get to dictate our lives anymore.”
Rael, surprisingly, agreed first. “I get it. No more argument from me.”
Bodie shook his head, mumbling under his breath that Rael was all up in his feelings since Nylah found out she was pregnant with identical twin boys.
Rael slapped him hard on the back, sneering in his face. “Don’t piss me off right now.”
Bodie pocketed his phone. “We’ll discuss this outside like mature adults.”
Rael followed him out the door, the first to throw a punch.
I ignored them, watching a quiet Diablo. “What is it?”
“I hate that I can’t convince you to leave, but I understand your reasons for wanting to stay.” He tilted my chin up, staring intensely into my eyes. For a few heartbeats, he didn’t say a word. “You clawed your way inside here,” he paused, pointing at his chest with his free hand, “and dug deep. You. Rev and Olivia. I can’t stand the thought of any of you suffering. It hurts.” He pounded his chest. “So fucking bad.”
“Jesiah,” I whispered, lifting my head to press my lips to his, igniting that familiar fire only he could conjure. “You’ve become my rock. My fortress. I can’t do this without you.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he promised.
“The trauma I have from Jack’s abuse is real. I thought I left it behind when I moved to Tonopah, but I realize I didn’t. You showed me that I could handle this. I can fight for what I want. I don’t want to be scared or weak anymore,” I confessed.
“Hey,” he chided softly. “You’ve never been weak. Don’t you see that? It took so much fucking courage to leave him after what he did. You survived. You took your kids, and you ran. Hell, Gina, baby, you brought them here and gave them a wonderful life full of love. No kid could ask for more. Trust me. It means everything.”
“I hope so.” Swallowing hard, I opened up a little more about Jack. “His last name is Downs. Find him, and you’ll find his Hell MC.”
Diablo nodded, staring across the room at Rael and Bodie. Rael ticked his chin, leaving with the information I’d given. I guessed he went to share it with Grim.
Bodie held his jaw. “Fucking Rael. I’ll be outside if you need me. Called Spook too.”
“Good,” Diablo replied.
“I think Jack is pissed about more than leaving with his kids.”
“Yeah, darlin’, I already figured that out.”
“I stole two thousand dollars from his stash and one of the cars he stole, swapping the tags with another vehicle at a gas station a few hours into the trip.”
“Damn, woman.”
“That’s not all,” I added quietly.
“Oh?”