“Jesus, Shield. I’m putting a bell on your neck.” Casper goes over and rubs her hands on his body. “If this is supposed to turn me on, it’s working.”
“Yeah, he’s with my parents. I need to get there as fast as I can,” Julie says, interrupting them.
Hearing Julie’s pleas, I let go of her waist and stand up. I still don’t know what to say. She had our baby and didn’t tell me. Two years. Fuck, I’ve missed everything.
“The best thing you can do right now is go to the Ghost Riders clubhouse and wait until tomorrow. If Mac’s right, they’ll seek out revenge on you and Savage tonight. I’ll send a couple of squad cars out to your parents’ place just in case, but they’ll be looking for a fight with you guys first. My suggestion is to get your asses out of this lot and get to the club. It’s just for tonight, and it’s the safest option for you and your son.”
I look to Julie, and she nods her agreement, solemnly giving in and doing what’s safest for everyone. As she tries to get into her car, I take her hand and pull her with me to my bike.
“Abe, what are you doing?” She tries to pull away from me, but we don’t have time to waste.
“You’re leaving your car here. It’s faster on my bike.” Before she can protest, I grab her up and put her on the back, then get on and start it up. At first, she grips the side of the bike, but as I back out, her arms go around me. Feeling her on the back of my bike and having her hands around my waist, it’s in that moment I feel it again. It’s been years since I felt it, since the last time I touched her, but the click is there, and I’m back in place. My puzzle piece has fit right once again, and I know now what that feeling was all along. Julie is and always has been my soulmate. I know how much I fucked up and what I did to her. I’m trying to process that we have a child together, but there’s time for talk later. Right now, we need to get out of here.
Pulling out of the parking lot, I hear Casper behind me on her chopper, and Vincent is just behind her in his car. I change gears and hit the gas, letting the wind flow around us and blow away the bullshit. Some people say when they’re on their bike, they’re free, but not me. When I’m on mine, it’s a reminder of what I’m missing and who’s not sitting behind me, where she should be. Riding with Julie and feeling her warmth at my back changes everything.
When I feel her face press against me from behind, I reach back and rub her thigh, letting her know I feel it too. In this moment we are connecting and thinking back to all the other rides we’ve taken together. It feels like old times, and our hearts recognize what we once were. I’ve fought this thing between us, and I’m tired—so fucking tired—of fighting it. One thing in my entire life has made me happy and made me a better man, and that’s Julie. She’s my everything, and I threw her away because I was scared. I know what needs to change, and deciding to go to her tonight was the kick in the nuts I needed. It was the universe telling me, “Hey, dumbass, you’ve got one more chance,” and I’m not about to waste it.
We pull up to the iron gates, and I punch in the access code to the clubhouse. I look back at Julie and I can tell she’s seen the numbers I put in. I’ve always used her birthday, and I’ve never even thought about changing it. We don’t say anything as I roll through, pulling up outside the clubhouse, and helping her off the bike.
When I walk up to the double doors, I take her hand. She pulls back and just stands there, looking at me and then at the doors.
“We’ve got a lot to talk about, shortcake, so let’s get inside.”
Casper and Vincent stroll up beside me and stop to look at us. “Since she’s your wife, I guess that means she’s old lady status, but you might wanna check with Pres since she’s not agreeing to much, and she’s not sporting your tags,” Casper says.
I hate to admit it, but Casper has a point. Vincent shakes Casper’s tags around his neck as he walks by, both of them going into the clubhouse and leaving us outside.
I look back at Julie, and she crosses her arms over her chest.
“Baby, you’ve gotta wear my tags to get in. No exceptions.”
“I guess I’m not going inside then.”
She’s doing that ‘stubborn Julie’ thing I fucking love, but right now isn’t the time to be proud. “I get that you want to be right, and you still can be, but you can’t go through those doors without my tags on.” As I say it, I pull my tags out of my pocket and hold the chain open so she can put it on.