Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
“Thank you,” I managed, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t need to say anything, Lavender.” He patted my shoulder awkwardly, looking a little uncomfortable with my struggling emotions. “This is what family does.”
A young doctor emerged from the elevator, stopping short at the sight of the transformed waiting room. His startled expression shifted to cautious approval as a club member offered him coffee.
“Looks like you’ve set up camp,” he observed, accepting the cup with a nod of thanks.
“Just supporting our people, Doc,” the biker replied easily. “And anyone else who needs it.”
The doctor glanced around, then back to me. “Ms. Calloway? They’re ready to take Brynn down to pre-op.”
My heart jumped into my throat. This was it. I clutched my tea tighter, the warmth barely registering through the sudden numbness in my fingers.
I nodded as I stood. As I moved toward Brynn’s room, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Ada stood behind me, her expression firm but gentle.
“You’re not alone,” she said quietly. “Not for any of it.”
Looking around at the room full of people who had shown up for us I realized she was right. After years of handling everything on my own, of being Brynn’s only advocate and support, I now stood surrounded by a family I’d never expected to have.
I straightened my shoulders and headed to get my daughter, drawing strength from the knowledge that an army in leather waited to help us through whatever came next.
* * *
The pre-op area consisted of several “bays” separated by curtains. Knight lay on the narrow gurney, an IV already feeding clear fluid into his arm, while nurses moved around him. The thin hospital blanket did little to diminish his imposing presence. I sat in a chair beside him, my fingers intertwined with his, both of us silent as the monitors beeped a steady rhythm that matched his heartbeat.
A nurse with steel-gray hair checked his vitals, making notes on a tablet. “Everything looks good. The doctor will be in soon. You and your daughter are first on the list this morning.”
Knight nodded, his face unreadable to anyone who didn’t know him as I did. But I saw the tension in his jaw, the slight narrowing of his eyes. Not fear for himself, but concern for Brynn and me. He squeezed my hand, his palm warm against mine despite the chill of the room.
“How’s our girl?” he asked, voice rougher than usual.
“Sleeping,” I said, forcing steadiness into my words. “Ada’s with her. She’s doing OK. Was nervous earlier but putting on a brave face.”
Knight’s lips quirked. “Stubborn. Like her mother.”
“And her father,” I countered softly.
Another nurse entered, this one younger, with a no-nonsense expression. “We’ll be taking you down in about ten minutes, Mr. Leahy,” she announced, checking the IV line. “Dr. Patel’s already in OR One getting things ready.”
When she left, Knight’s grip on my hand tightened almost painfully. I met his eyes, those strange, tattooed eyes that probably should have terrified me, but I knew it for what it was. He’d needed to transform himself in order to fit into the new life where he’d been forced. Freaking people out was a good thing where he’d come from.
“Lavender,” he began, his voice dropping to that low register that seemed to vibrate directly through my bones. “There’s something I need to do before they take me.”
A flutter of anxiety passed through me. “What is it? Are you having second thoughts?”
“Christ, no.” His vehemence startled me. “Never about this. About saving Brynn. But there’s something…” He paused, his free hand moving beneath the blanket covering his lower half. “Something I should have done a long time ago.” He extracted a small, velvet box from somewhere within the folds of the hospital blanket. The sight of it made my breath catch, a sudden understanding dawning.
“I got this the week before the FBI kicked in my door,” Knight said, his tattooed fingers looking strangely delicate as they held the tiny box. “Had it all planned out. Dinner at that Italian place you liked, the one with the string lights in the garden. Down on one knee like a proper gentleman.” A bitter smile twisted his lips. “That didn’t exactly pan out.” I stared at the box, unable to form words. “The FBI took most of my shit, but my sister got to this first. Kept it in a safe deposit box all these years.” He opened the lid to reveal a simple diamond solitaire on a slender gold band, the stone catching the light in brilliant flashes. “It’s been waiting for you. Just like I have.”
“Knight,” I whispered, my throat suddenly tight.
“Marry me, Lavender,” he said, voice rough with emotion. “I should’ve given this to you years ago. And I know it’s crazy timing, but fuck, if today has taught me anything, it’s that we can’t waste any more time.”