all of this for you, doll. You just get those kids to Washington safe and sound and leave the rest to us.”
I knew he was the president of the club and not a man to be questioned, but I had to ask, “Why are you doing all of this?”
Clutch looked at me and answered for him by saying, “I already told you, Liv. When you’re part of the club, you’re family, and our family looks after their own. You and those kids are my family now, so the club is going to do whatever it takes to keep you all safe,” he explained. “It’s just how it works.”
I turned to Gus and said, “Thank you.”
“No need for thanks, doll. It’s what we do. Now, it’s time for you to get on the road. You’ve got a long drive ahead,” Gus replied.
Clutch followed me over to the SUV, and once I’d placed my bags in the trunk, he slipped his hands around my waist, pulling me over to him. He pressed his lips against mine, kissing me softly, before he said, “Keep your eyes open. Blaze and T-Bone will make sure you get there without any problems, but if you need me, I’m just a phone call away.”
“I love you, Shaggy Thomas. No matter what happens, don’t forget that,” I told him.
“I love you, too, Olivia. Now get your ass in that truck,” he told me as he gave my rear a quick pop. “I’ll call you in a couple of hours to check on you.”
I got in the passenger side of the SUV and Blaze drove us out onto the main road. I tried my best to hide my nerves as I told the kids, “I guess we’re in for a little adventure.”
“Where are we going?” Hadley asked.
“We’re headed to Washington. We’re going to Clutch’s clubhouse to stay for a few days.”
“The clubhouse? That will be so cool,” Charlie grinned.
I wish I could’ve been as optimistic as my younger brother, but I was a mess. I couldn’t believe all of this was happening. It was all so surreal. We’d come so far since the day we packed up our things and moved from Boston. It wasn’t easy … none of it. The kids and I struggled every day trying to accept the fact that our parents were gone, but we were getting there. Each day got a little easier, and I was actually feeling good about things, especially when Clutch came into the picture. I was starting to believe that we could truly have a normal life. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I felt like my world had been rocked on its axis all over again, and I knew the kids were feeling the same way.
My mind was bombarded with a whirlwind of uncertainty, but there was one thing I knew for sure: Clutch would see us through the storm. He had to, because without him, we’d have no second chance.
So much had changed over the past few months, making me realize that when I decided to take a break from the club, I wasn’t walking away from what I really wanted; I was walking towards it.
I’d found the life I’d always wanted with Olivia, and watching her pull out of the parking lot with Charlie and Hadley was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Everything I cared about was in that car, and even though I wanted to keep them close, I knew sending them to the club was the only way to ensure their safety. I couldn’t risk anything happening to them, even if that meant being away from them. I just had to remind myself that the sooner I dealt with the men who were after Olivia and the kids, the sooner I’d be able to get back to them, so I got on my bike and followed Gus back to the clubhouse.
By the time we got there, their club’s enforcer, Bic, had already taken the fucker to the back warehouse. Apparently, Bic had gotten his road name because of his fascination with razor blades, which came in handy when he needed to extract information. Knowing I was eager, Gus led me straight to the back. When we walked in, the first thing I noticed was the room was nothing like ours. This room reminded me of an operating room with its strange smell and assortment of needles and blades lined along the butcher block counter. Everything about