the front desk she ought to close up for the night, and she seems scared enough to listen.
“What about the other guests?” she asks. “We have about six.”
“We’ll tell them to go across the street to the diner,” I explain. “That work?”
“Should we call the cops?” she asks.
I smirk. “Hell no. The men of the Heartlands can deal with the Outlaws better than anyone else.”
“The Outlaws?” she says, eyebrows raised. “Shit.” She grabs her purse, and heads out of the office.
Once the motel is cleared, we move behind cars and walls. We will come out of hiding when the Outlaws show, and it’s better that we are the ones with the upper hand.
“You okay, Cali?” I ask, my hand on the small of her back.
“I’m scared, but okay,” she whispers.
“When this is over, we have a whole life waiting for us, okay, baby?”
She nods, blinking back tears. “I love you.”
“Good, because I fucking love you too.” I kiss her hard. “Now go show that asshole, Grill, what you’re made of.”
Chapter 12
Calico
When Grill rides into the parking lot with six other men and a truck, I recognize the men. Over the years, dealing with Grill over custody of River, I’ve learned who his right-hand men are. And now that he runs this club, I realize they are more devoted to him than ever.
How can a man so cruel be the one with power? It isn’t fair, isn’t right.
But all that is about to change.
Because now the men of the Heartlands are on my side, and I am not alone. I never will be again.
“You really are a fucking piece of work, aren’t you, Calico? I still can’t believe I ever fucked your prudish pussy.”
I clench my jaw, not emotional — purely disgusted by this man.
“Enough, Grill. I don’t want to fight.”
“What do you want? You think I will forgive you for stealing my shit without any payback?”
“What kind of payback are you expecting?” I ask. We are standing in the parking lot of the motel, my car behind me. The Outlaws are off their bikes and are circling me.
“Well, my men just had a long ride. Why don’t they take you to a motel room and have a little fun first? Then we can talk payback.”
My stomach recoils. “I’m not your plaything. I never was.”
“You need to get laid, honey. That’s what your problem is. You need to lighten up. You’ve always been so fucking riding. And so I will help you with that.” He grins, his eyes dark as his heart. “Come on, boys, give my old lady a little gangbang.”
I start to shake. I know Conley is here, but he doesn’t want to shoot if he doesn’t have to. Biting my lip, I pray for a resolution.
Before I can say no, River is here, walking across the parking lot with a gun raised. “Don’t talk to my mother like that,” he shouts. He is a boy trying hard to be a man, and I gasp.
“River!” I cry, scared of this ending with a loss I won’t be able to bear.
“Who do you think you are?” Grill growls at my boy. River stands shaking, sweat rolling down his face. His hands clenched around a revolver. A gun he must have taken from the trunk. My heart aches for the pain he must feel, wanting a father to love him, but instead getting a man like Grill.
“I’m done with you,” he shouts.
“Well, I’ve been done with you for a hell of a long time.” Grill pulls out a gun and pulls the trigger. It all happens so fast, I could have blinked and missed it — but then Conley is in the sir, diving in front of River and shooting right back at Grill.
Both men fall. The bullet meant for my son hits the back of the car, and I turn, seeing the bullet that shot from Conley’s gun has hit Grill straight in the heart.
Blood pools around him as Grill lies limp on the ground. The Outlaws are angry, shouting and ready to fight, but the men of the Heartlands step into the light, holding guns themselves.
The Outlaws gather around Grill, but it’s clear he is gone. Dead. And that is one death I don’t regret. He tried to kill his son. Our son.
Tears fill my eyes, not for losing Grill, but for the pain River will now carry all of his life, knowing his father was willing to kill him to get what he wanted: power.
Conley stands, lifting his