Chapter Five

Falcon

I felt like the next two days were leading up to my execution. I knew whatever happened in the following days would change my life forever but I wasn’t sure which way it was going to go. So I refused to think about it. Instead, I spent every waking moment either pestering Scout, the ExFil team leader who’d contacted me and Rattler, or with Gina.

Right now, Gina and I were in her backyard. We lay on fucking pool lounge chairs. The sun filtered through the trees providing the perfect amount of light and warmth. I’d grilled hotdogs because I couldn’t cook anything but omelets for shit, and opened a can of pork and beans for lunch. It was the first time we’d done anything like this, and I was already mentally kicking my own ass for not coaxing her out sooner.

Gina had a genuine smile on her face as she ate nearly burnt hotdogs and sopped up the bean juice with her hotdog bun. She chatted lightly about any topic I distracted her with. I did not mention my imminent departure. Or Joilyn.

“If I’d known you were this great at grilling hotdogs, I’d have invited you over for this sooner.” She gave me a bright smile. It struck me that this was the happiest I’d seen her since I’d met her. Even before we all found out the hell Hammer had put her through, her act had fooled us all. Including me. I also hadn’t realized how different her fake smiles were from her genuine ones.

Daylight and dark.

I snorted into my beer bottle. “They’re burnt, baby.”

She gave me a big smile. “Exactly! Soooo good!” She took a bite and actually rolled her eyes in what looked like ecstasy. Which… yeah. All my brain cells went straight to my cock and I absolutely would not acknowledge my fucking hardon.

We finished, and I disposed of the paper plates. When I came back, she’d scooted her chair closer to mine so we were close enough to touch. After I sat down, she tentatively reached over and took my hand in hers. Her palms were slightly sweaty and her hands trembled. I could see the pulse pounding in her neck.

She didn’t look at me, but kept her gaze ahead as if she were studying something beyond the yard. I smiled softly at her, even though she wasn’t looking. I turned my hand so our fingers laced together, and Gina instantly relaxed and she let out a breath she’d been holding. Gina clung to me, her grip tightening almost reflexively.

“It’s going to be all right, Gina.” I spoke softly, not wanting to upset her.

“Sure,” she agreed with a smile. But it was one of her fake smiles. I knew them well because it was those smiles she’d used to greet me with.

With a heavy sigh, I tugged her until I could urge her to crawl onto my lounge chair and into my lap. I wrapped my arms around her and cuddled her close. It took her a few seconds, but she finally relaxed and snuggled against me.

Under the canopy of leaves, with the soft rustle of the wind as our only music, we sat in silence. It was a comfortable quiet, a shared respite. I knew Gina needed this moment of peace as much as I did, maybe even more. She’d been through so much, her resilience constantly tested by the storms of her past.

The sun began its descent, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. It was beautiful, almost painfully so, reflecting how fleeting moments like this could be. I tightened my hold on Gina slightly, not enough to constrict but enough for her to feel my strength surrounding her. At least, I hoped that’s how she felt. Because I’d do anything to protect her. I hated to leave her, but I couldn’t turn my back on Rattler or Joilyn.

“When do you leave?” Her voice was soft. I loved the feel of her lips against my skin where she burrowed against my shoulder. If I had my way, we’d stay like this forever.

“First light.” I knew I needed to reassure her. I just wasn’t sure what to say.

She exhaled slowly, her breath stirring the fine hairs on my neck. It was a warm, intimate moment -- the kind that branded itself on your heart and soul, impossible to forget or ignore.

“Thank you,” she murmured, her voice muffled against my throat. “For this… for today.”

I kissed the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her shampoo, a mix of vanilla and something floral. “You’re welcome,” I whispered back. “Anything for you, baby. Anything.” I meant every word. She brought out a fierce protectiveness in me that I’d tried so hard to bury deep. For my own sanity. But it was really impossible. I felt the same need to find Joilyn and get her to safety. But it was somehow different. Probably the time that had passed, combined with my sense of betrayal that Joilyn had been alive all along and hadn’t bothered to contact me or Rattler to let us know what was going on.

I could feel the tension slowly ebb from her body. I stroked her hair gently, feeling the soft strands slip between my fingers. The sun dipped lower, stretching our shadows across the lawn like long, dark ribbons until darkness enveloped us in a warm breeze. The tops of the trees were silhouetted against the remaining light in the sky.

“You probably need to get some sleep,” she murmured.

“I’m perfectly fine right where we are.” I wanted to puff out my chest when she nuzzled my shoulder and neck with a contented sigh.

“Me too.”

At some point we dozed off. I woke knowing we weren’t alone. A moment later, Lemon sat in the chair Gina had vacated for my lap.

“Did you tell her?” Lemon spoke softly, obviously not wanting to wake Gina.

“Yeah. I told her everything I know to this point, including about my relationship with Joilyn.”

“Good. I don’t have to tell you to make sure you know what you’re doing before you leave here. Right?”

“Lemon, now ain’t the time.”

She gave me a hard look and I had the immediate urge to give in to whatever demands she made. Somehow, though, I managed to quash the impulse. “She deserves to know what to expect when you come back, Falcon. She’s a good person. None of this should have ever happened to her.”

“You think I don’t know that?” The question came out harsher than I intended, and Gina whimpered in her sleep, shifting slightly and clinging tighter to my shirt with one small fist. “She’s the sweetest person in the world. She loves the kids in the compound and is always making them cookies or some other sickly-sweet treat they absolutely love. I’ve wanted nothing other than to make her my old lady since the day I fuckin’ met her, but I couldn’t.” My chest tightened with emotion as I remembered those days. “Then Crush warned us to back off but wouldn’t say why.”

“Everyone said they stopped coming to her after Crush and Byte spread the word. Did you?” She raised one blonde eyebrow. “I mean, really?”

“Yeah, Lemon. At least I never went to her for sex again. But I did make a point to talk to her when I could. To be nice to her. Hell, that fuckin’ pink-ass bike I drive now will probably be permanent because I think that’s when she decided maybe I was all right.”

“No accounting for taste.” Lemon was nothing if not blunt and we had a standing feud in which, I’m not too ashamed to admit, she routinely kicked my ass. “But I suppose she could have done worse. Any guy who gives up his man card to ride a pink bike so he can bring some joy to a traumatized woman is OK in my book.”

I blinked, my eyes widening. This wasn’t like the vice president at all. She was the woman who still called me Pigeon Nuts because of our first encounter. Rocket had been in trouble and I’d refused to put the club at risk. It was standard operating procedures at the time. She’d been furious with me. “Christ, Lemon. Are you… are you fuckin’ dyin’ or somethin’? Because if you are, you don’t have to say anything positive about me. I give you permission to call me Pigeon Nuts.” I winced even as I said it.

Lemon let out a bark of laughter, and Gina started awake. “Wassat?”

“Hush, honey.” I stroked her hair. “Everythin’s fine. Lemon dropped by.”

Gina sat up and tried to stand, but I stayed her with my hands firmly on her hips. She gave me a nervous look before giving Lemon one of her fake smiles. “Hi, Lemon. I’m glad you stopped by.” I could tell she was anything but glad, but decided not to say anything. Mostly because I thought I knew why she was wary.

Lemon snorted but grinned at Gina, chuckling lightly. “No, you’re not. Which is exactly why I turned up.” She sat on the edge of the lounge chair sideways, her elbows resting on her knees. Lemon reached over and took one of Gina’s hands in both of hers. “This is your home, Gina. No matter what. We’re your family.”

“I know.” Gina smiled, but again, it was her fake smile.

Lemon studied the other woman for several seconds before shaking her head. “I don’t think you do. Grim Road has a few other chapters over the country. If things are uncomfortable, the guys can transfer. Rocket says members patch over for different reasons. They’d all still have the club’s protection, but you’d be comfortable in your home.”

Gina frowned and shook her head. “That doesn’t seem fair.”

“Honey, what’s fair is none of this ever happening to you. I’m glad you landed here. I just wish things had gone down differently.”

“I’m glad I’m here too, Lemon. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”

Lemon shrugged. “We’re sisters. That’s what sisters do.” Then she gave Gina a wide smile. “Me and the girls are gonna stay with you while the guys are playing in their flying tin cans. We can have a big party with every kind of pizza we can get our hands on. Chips. Beer. Wine. Crown Royal. It’ll be awesome!”

Gina let out a small giggle and I saw her genuine smile break through for a moment. Yeah. She liked the idea but was anxious. “Why not just skip the food altogether?”

“See? This is what I’m talkin’ about! Woman after my own heart.” Lemon raised a hand for a high five and Gina complied with a grin and she started to relax again.

“We should probably get some rest, Lemon.” I couldn’t fuck Gina before I left, but there was no way in hell I was gonna spend my last night before this mission anywhere other than wrapped around her as she slept.

“Yeah. I’ll come with Rocket when he and Knox pick up Falcon and Rattler. You can go back to bed if you want and I’ll be here if you need me.”

“Lemon, why have you always been so nice to me? Is it because you feel sorry for me?”

Lemon held Gina’s gaze for several moments before she answered her. “Gina, you are one of the strongest women I know. You walked through fire and made it out the other side alive. Singed, but alive. Not only that, you’re taking your life back. You’re learning to trust again. It takes a brave person to take the leap. So you’ll always have my respect.”

This was one of many reasons Lemon was vice president of Grim Road. She always seemed to know the exact right -- or wrong -- thing to say or do. It was her superpower. She squeezed Gina’s hands before standing to leave.

Gina didn’t move other than to bunch her hand back into my shirt. “I don’t want you to go.” Her soft whisper wrapped around my heart and squeezed. “It’s selfish, I know. And I don’t expect you to really not go, but I still don’t want you to.”

“Honey, if it was anyone other than Joilyn, I’d gladly tell everyone to piss off. But I can’t.”

“I know. It’s who you are.”

“Come on. How about we go inside and watch a movie before bed?”

She settled back against me, clutching my shirt once more. “Maybe we could stay here a little while longer?”

I kissed the top of her head again. “Of course, baby. As long as you like.”

* * *

Gina

If it gave me a little bit of a reprieve having to think about him leaving me to go rescue the woman who he’d planned on marrying, then I’d take it. I believed Falcon when he said he’d come back, but I wasn’t all certain he’d want to stay with someone like me when he had a second chance at a happy ever after.