Dirty Ride (Wind Dragons MC #3.5)(27)

Maybe he’ll blame my own death on me too.

Spots start appearing before my eyes. I need to breathe, but I can’t.

I’m trying. I hear a commotion, yelling, and the sounds of shoes on concrete. Then I hear a pained growl, and somehow, the sound makes me feel not so alone.

Then everything goes black.



I wake up in a hospital room.

“You’re awake,” Ardan says, kissing my hand.

“What happened?” I ask, my voice coming out croaky. “Besides my getting strangled by Darren.”

I touch my neck and wince. “What does it look like?”

“It’s going to bruise,” he says, frowning. “It’s really red and swollen.”

“What happened, Ardan?” I whisper.

“You passed out, fell to the ground, and banged your head,” he says, rubbing his thumb against mine. “Sin got his cop buddy to take Darren into custody. We gave him the recording. Darren’s going away, Valentina, and it’s all because of you and how brave you were.”

“Really?” I ask, exhaling in relief. “I thought I f*cked everything up after I lost my temper.”

“That redhead temper really surfaced at the wrong time, darlin’,” he says, smiling gently. “But everything worked out. You won’t see him again. Faye will follow the story in court and keep us updated.”

I close my eyes and breathe in and out. “We did it? We made it out unscathed?”

“We did it,” he says to me. “You did it. When I ran into the warehouse and saw you there on the floor, I’ve never been so scared in my life. I picked you up and took you straight to the hospital, sped the whole way.”

He stands and leans over the bed to kiss my forehead. “Rest, beautiful. Everything is fine; it’s all over, all right? But for the record, you’re never putting yourself at risk again, you hear me? I’ll lock you up if I have to.”

“Okay,” I whisper, closing my eyes. “Don’t leave me.”

“Never,” he replies. “I’m just going to step out and tell everyone you’re okay. They’re all here for you, outside your door.”

I smile. “Okay.”

Another kiss to my forehead.

We made it.

I sleep peacefully.





EPILOGUE


Irish


“YOU ever going to tell her what really happened?” Sin asks me quietly.

I shake my head. “No. Never. Take it to my grave, and so will everyone else.”

“I handled the cops,” he says, looking away.

“How?”

“They’re all dirty. I told them the shit we have on Darren, and if they want to go down with him, they’re more than welcome to.”

“Sure they’re not gonna talk?” I ask, trusting Sin’s decision on the matter but still curious. The last place I want to be in is prison, especially now that I have Valentina.

“They won’t talk,” he says, flashing me an evil grin, all teeth. He then clears his throat and says, “You sure you don’t want Tina to know? These things have a way of coming back, Irish.”

“No,” I say in a firm, strong tone.

No.

She never needs to know.

She’s been through enough as it is.

It’s only sunshine and f*ckin’ butterflies for her from here on out.

He nods, looking like he wants to say more, but wisely, he doesn’t. I want Valentina to think that’s what went down—she’ll sleep better at night that way. She doesn’t need to know that when I walked into that warehouse and saw her passed out on the floor, I did what I’d wanted to do from the very beginning.

I shot Darren in cold blood, and I looked him in the eye while I did it.

And f*ck the bastard, I’d do it again.





ACKNOWLEDGMENTS


First of all, I’d like to thank all my readers for wanting more from the WDMC, and for Gallery books and Abby Zidle for making it a reality.

To my agent, Kimberly Brower, I’m so lucky to have you! Thank you for everything you do, as always. I know I can always count on you, and I’m so grateful.

A big thank you to all my beta readers, the women who are always there for me on a daily basis.

Mallory Green, Kara Brown, Stephanie Knowles, Rachel Brookes, Rose Tawil, Eileen Robinson, and Melanie Williams—I don’t know what I’d do without you!

Arijana Karcic—thank you for all you do for me. You’re seriously the best and deserve the world.

Thank you to my parents for helping out whenever I need more writing time—I appreciate everything you do for me—and to my three sons for being patient when they know their mama has to work. I love you all so much.

FMR Book Grind, thank you for everything. I appreciate all the hard work you all do for me!