Chapter 26

26

ESTELLE

I've never been so happy to board a flight. Since Saddle, Texas is a ten hour drive, we opted to fly instead.

I don't know what I'm going to find when I greet Tilly, but the women told me that she's doing well and only remembers parts of her life, but not her name or where she came from. They said she had a bad head wound from what looked like a beating, and this was likely the cause. That information alone makes me want to go back to Mississippi and help Viking and Savage skin Monty Jefferson alive.

Nevada holds my hand.

He's been amazing. So has his mom. Making sure I was comfortable last night while she cooked for us before our flight and kept me company when Nevada had to deal with more club business…

"I'm sorry about your troubles," she said. "This mess has been awful, but the silver lining is you get your sister back."

It's unclear how much she knows about ‘club business' so I don't take it upon myself to elaborate about what went down. She'll see it on the news soon enough.

I warm my hands on the mug of hot chocolate she made. It's delicious and exactly what I needed. "I still can't believe it," I say. "I think I'm still in shock. I wanted to talk to my sister, but Diamond advised against it since Tilly has temporary amnesia and doesn't know who she is. She remembers small details, but her memory has holes in it which is why they couldn't identify her." My stomach lurches at the wound Diamond described on her head.

But she's alive. She's fucking alive.

Audrina pats my hand gently. "It's a miracle."

"It really is. A part of me always knew that she wasn't really gone, but as time went on, I started to lose hope."

She smiles warmly. "I can see why Asher is head over heels."

I feel a little awkward having this conversation with Nevada's mom, but she seems pretty easy going and she's been so nice to me that I feel an explanation is in order.

"I'm older than him."

She presses her lips together. "You don't look it."

"Six years." I shrug. "And you should know that at first I was worried about that, and if I was a little too much for your son. I'm set in my ways and he's not exactly known in the club for his chastity. I wasn't really looking for a boyfriend in all of this, but here we are."

"But yet you came together, that's the most important thing."

I can't deny it. "We both fell fast."

Her eyes light up. I'm glad she seems to like me at least. "So, you're in love?"

I look down at my hands, then back at her. "Yes. I'm in love for the first time and it's with Asher. He's… amazing. Though, I don't need to tell you that."

She smiles, looking pleased. "Well, I'm glad, just so you know. I think he needed a woman like you to come along and set him straight. He's had a colorful past, but I've never seen him look at a woman the way he looks at you."

"Well, that's something."

We both laugh. "I guess it is."

I smile at the memory. I'm glad Audrina approves and doesn't think the age gap is an issue, or the fact I'm her son's first real girlfriend. Though, it did trouble me when she said some red roses arrived for him while he was away. That seems a little romantic for my liking and got my hackles up.

I glance at Nevada and he says, "You're doin' it again."

"Doing what?"

His eyes are closed. "Tryin' to figure out what I already told you. I don't know who they're from."

"Maybe the heavy breather who keeps phoning you?"

"They're probably for my mom, she has more than one admirer."

"Right, even though the flowers were addressed to you."

"Probably just because it's my address."

I'm not buying it, but I also believe he's telling the truth. Before me, he's been with a lot of women. Maybe one got too attached? Maybe it's just a secret admirer?

The takedown with Jefferson is all over the news, even in the airport it was playing on the overhead TV in the bar. The massacre described as vigilante justice and gang related has me believing Bane has some of the feds in Mississippi in his pocket. No mention of the MC whatsoever. That'll keep Cash happy as none of our club members were mentioned or harmed either. Our club members. I want to slap myself.

But what Bane does on his own turf is up to him. Without being embroiled into this mess, none of this would be happening and I may never have found Diamond. I'm nervous; my palms sweaty and my face hot by the time we land. Anxiety fills me.

Diamond, Ruby and Sapphire are all on the same flight, and we agreed it was best to go to the clubhouse, rather than take Tilly to the airport. I asked Diamond a million questions while we were seated, eager to know what the hell went down…

"Most of the girls were new, and as I said, a lot were immigrants, some were also homeless or girls from poor families who were promised a new life and a job. A lot of these organizations promise work in factories and legit jobs, only to turnaround and move the women into sex work without their consent. That's how they operate," she says. "And you can bet that these women and young girls aren't being housed at the Ritz. When we intercepted the bus across the state lines, we took the girls and handed the majority over to the authorities. The cops in Saddle know what we're doing to a degree, but when they and the Texas Task Force do jack shit, you have to take matters into your own hands."

"How did you get into doing all of this?" This woman and her MC are amazing. I have full admiration for every single one of them.

She looks down at her hands and then takes a breath. "I was trafficked a long time ago."

My pulse races at her words. "I'm sorry."

"In fact, every woman in the MC has been either trafficked, abused, assaulted, mistreated, beaten, you name it. We're not a bunch of battered women standing around hugging one another, but we get shit done. I wanted to make a difference. I never wanted to be another statistic. So I decided to do something about it. I also love motorcycles and riding, so the connection between the two just made sense."

"That's amazing." It's a lot to take in, but without these women, my sister would've been fed to the wolves. "I admire what you've done so much, and not just because you have my sister."

"When we realized Tilly couldn't tell us exactly who she was, we knew she was in trouble. Memories are coming back, but maybe the trauma is stopping her from really remembering. The doc said there was no permanent damage, that her memory should come back in time."

I swallow hard. "When you got her out of that bus, how was she?"

She knows what I'm asking.

"Scared. Terrified. Foggy. She'd been resistant in transport, and one of the guards hit her in the back of the head with the butt of his gun repeatedly, the other girls told me. She was out cold for a while, hauled her onto the bus like that, bleeding and still handcuffed. I don't know if she was sexually assaulted, and she can't remember if she was forced into sex work before being transported." She looks grim. "That's the risk with amnesia; these memories will come flooding back."

I blink back tears. "That's barbaric. These monsters have no conscience. I wish I could dig them up and kill them all over again."

"It's all about money. Women who resist and talk back don't make them money. They want quiet and submissiveness, which is why illegal immigrants are a perfect candidate because there's always the threat of telling the authorities." She shakes her head. "We knew your sister's name was Matilda but no surname, that she remembered had a sister called Star, and that you could've been from Texas or Louisiana. That was about it."

"We vacationed in Texas when we were little. Hence her confusion."

She nods. "Like Bane, we have a doctor off the records, that's how she wasn't handed into the authorities. She'd just get lost in the system. The doc said she believes it's temporary amnesia; it should pass. She remembers things, but there are holes and pieces of stories missing. Oftentimes memory will come back, but it can take time and nobody knows when."

I bite my lip to save from crying. I can't believe my sister had to endure all of this. It makes my stomach turn.

"I can't even begin to thank you," I start, but Diamond waves me off.

"Our reward is seeing women like Tilly go back home to people who love them. Trust me, it's not always the case for a lot of them…"

Nevada squeezes my hand, snapping me out of my reverie. "You good?"

I smile. "Better than I have been in a long time."

We take the short drive from the city to Saddle and I take a deep breath when we stand outside the clubhouse doors. It's an old homestead but has been remodeled. There're gorgeous planters out the front with cactus and other succulents adorning the garden bed. It looks like something out of an old Western movie, but it's inviting and has a branded sign hanging above the front doors that reads: Stiletto Riders — Saddle, Texas.

I smile. At least I have the comfort that Tilly was well looked after while she was here.

We step inside and it's exactly like a saloon bar, though a lot cleaner and tidier than any cowboy would've left it. We walk through the long bar stacked with bottles of alcohol, just like in the NOLA Rebels clubhouse, though this one has a disco ball in the middle of the pool room. Not something I could imagine in the NOLA clubhouse, and it looks slightly out of place here. Still, it makes me smile…

And then I see her. I stop in my tracks and so does she. We stare at one another and for a moment I feel pain in my chest that she doesn't recognize me, but then she starts to cry and runs toward me. "Star?"

I meet her halfway, pulling her into my arms as I lift her off her feet and kiss her hair. It's short, like someone shaved it. Fucking assholes. "Oh my God, Tilly! I've been looking for so long."

"I heard. They told me all about it. I didn't know… I didn't remember our last name."

I still hold onto her, afraid if I let go, she'll disappear. "St. Clair," I whisper. "It's St. Clair."

"Matilda St. Clair."

"Yes, but you hate your real name."

"I do?"

I try not to wince. It doesn't matter. I'll get her the best therapist money can buy. I'll do whatever it takes to get her better. "Yes. You do. Don't worry, I'll fill you in on everything, okay?" I squeeze her so tight. I don't even know how long we stand there for, but when I finally let go, I cup her face. "Anything you want or need, I can get it."

She smiles. "I know."

"Do you really know who I am?"

She nods. "I knew I had a sister called Star and what you looked like. I couldn't remember what you did."

Then I remember her wound and I look her over. I see a large scar on the back of her head, and I figure this is why she has such short hair. It's almost healed over, as have most of her bruises. "I never stopped looking."

"I know that. I knew you'd come for me. I knew it. I kept saying."

Nevada clears his throat and I turn and look over my shoulder, then back to Tilly. "Tills. This is Nevada, he's my… uh, boyfriend." It feels weird calling him that.

Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Boyfriend?"

"You remember the part about me being single?" I quirk a brow.

She smiles, then says, "Nice to meet you, Nevada?"

He shakes her hand. "Nice to meet you too. Of course, I've heard so much about you."

"I can't wait to hear all about me, too."

I hold her hand, hardly daring to believe that she's here. A few hours ago, I thought she was dead.

"Are you okay? Do you need to rest?" I'm frantic with what to do next for her.

"No. I'm fine. I've been resting and healing here for quite a while now. I'm good."

I smile. "I know, the women of this club are amazing."

"I owe them my life." Tilly's eyes flick over my shoulder.

"Well, you're all welcome to stay here for the night," Diamond says. "Or as long as you want."

Tilly glances at Diamond and she almost looks sad… I can understand she's formed an attachment with these women, that's understandable. She feels safe here, but this isn't her home. At least, I don't think it is. We have all the time in the world now, so we can leave whenever she feels ready.

"Thank you." Tilly turns back to me. "I can show you to my room."

I smile. "Okay. I'd like that."

"Go freshen up." Nevada's hand is on the small of my back. "Catch up with your sister. I'll be here."

I turn to him, pecking him quickly on the lips. "Thank you."

"Nothin' to thank for, Mama."

I cup one side of his face and kiss him again, a little longer this time. "None of this would be possible without you."

He moves his mouth to my ear. "You can thank me properly later."

I grin. "I love you."

"Not as much as I love you."

"I can't believe it," I whisper. I laid for a long time with Tilly until she fell asleep. We talked for ages, and I know we have a long road ahead, but the main thing is she's safe. She's found. And soon she'll be home where she belongs and I doubt I'll ever let her out of my sight. There's still the matter of who spiked her drink in the first place, and that's still a mystery. The footage from the Viper's Engine was virtually impossible to make anything out.

"I can." Nevada kisses the back of my head. He's holding me from behind as we lie in bed. I've never felt so safe, and while exhausted, I'm also elated. "You had the determination."

"I did, right up till the end when I fell apart."

"I wouldn't call it falling apart."

"It feels surreal."

"That's because it is."

"She seems good, I mean, despite the amnesia and her obvious trauma and scars. She's more nervous, quieter than usual, but I'm glad she knew who I was. I don't know what I was expecting." I take a breath. "To know she's alive and well… it means she can finally put this behind her."

"You have the support of the club, and me. Whatever she needs, we'll get it for her."

I turn in his arms. "I don't understand what I did to deserve you."

He pecks my lips gently. "Some would say I'm your punishment."

"For being a bad girl?"

His eyes heat. "You know these walls are paper thin?"

"So?"

"So? Those eyes you're givin' me, Mama, are spellin' out one thing. If I fuck you right now, they're all gonna hear."

"I can be quiet."

"Yeah, but I can't."

"I need to be close to you."

He rolls over the top of me and I spread my legs. Of course, Nevada insisted I sleep naked. "You mean like this?" He presses his lips to mine and his tongue slides in my mouth. I suppress a groan because it feels like so long since he was inside me.

We kiss for a long time. His lips smooth as they brush against mine, his scruff tickling me as I wrap my arms around him. His cock is hard as it presses against my belly.

"I need to eat your pussy," he groans when I reach down to grip his dick.

"You know if that happens, I'll scream the clubhouse down." But he ignores me.

He kisses down my body as I spread my legs and he inhales when he reaches his destination. "I fuckin' love this tight cunt."

My heart rate accelerates as he spreads me with one hand and licks my clit. I almost jump off the bed and he grunts against me. He eats me like a starving man, licking, sucking, nipping until my hands are fisting in his hair and the bed starts to squeak when I rock. Jesus, no. We can't have that… but it's too late. I'm spiraling as I come quietly, the blood pounding in my ears as I hold Nevada's head down and he inserts two fingers into me and curves them. My orgasm goes on and on until I'm gasping for breath. He looks up and when our eyes meet, I drag him to me. He presses all his body weight on me and I lean up to kiss him. I groan when he devours my mouth, leaning down to position his cock at my entrance. He slams all the way in one move as my breath leaves my chest in a sudden huff. He's so big and so deep. He stills and we stare at each other.

"Tell me," he whispers.

"I love you, Asher."

He pulls out and slams back in, the bed squeaks once more. "Again."

"I love you… I…" He slides in. "…love you, Asher."

His body is so beautiful, pulsing and flexing above me as he slides in and out, his fists gripping the pillows either side of my head. "I don't know how I'm gonna be quiet."

I arch my back and he leans down to pull my nipple into his mouth. I grip one hand into his hair, and the other grabs his ass. Tonight isn't the time to get adventurous, but there's lots more I wanna do with this man. So much fucking more when we get home.

"Baby," I groan. "Right there…"

"I love you, Estelle," he whispers.

" Oh ."

"Come for me, baby."

I never thought I could ever come on demand, but that all changed when I met him. Now just the sound of his voice coaxing me and telling me I'm his gets me off. It isn't just that magic dick of his.

He sucks my nipple harder, and I let go as his dick slides in and out torturously slow. I wish the bed wasn't squeaking, but at this point, I don't even care. I need him.

"Never forget how much I want you," I breathe. "Never."

"Jesus." I know he loves it when I praise him, when I tell him he's wanted and I love him. It's his kryptonite. And that means so damn much that it makes my skin tingle and my body ache.

I grip his ass harder, needing more of him. He tilts my hips and slams in harder, his whole body rigid as I stare at him. "Look at me." He lifts his eyes. "I fucking want you for the rest of my life, Asher. You , baby. I want you… "

He groans softly as I feel him erupt, his cum shooting inside me as he stills and fills me, his stomach muscles tensing as he releases. His orgasm is long and hard and I feel every inch of his pleasure right down to my toes.

He collapses on me and buries his face into my neck as we lie there tangled together, our breathing ragged. "I'm so glad you kicked my ass that night."

I laugh. "Want me to do it again?"

"Only if you wear a really short skirt with no panties."

"Careful what you wish for."

He looks up, straight into my eyes and says, "I did, Estelle. I wished for you, and here you are. My woman. The only woman I'll ever want."

My heart constricts and I know that the man I once called a cute disaster is far from that. He's my everything. My lips quirk as I smile up at him. "Are you still my old man if you're younger than me?"

He chuckles. "I'm your old man, period, baby. Long as you're in my arms, you can call me anything you like."

"I'll remember you said that."

"Countin' on it."

I pull him down and our lips lock once more.

I once never believed in love. But now I know I was just guarding my heart.

That heart now belongs to him.