Honey

 

Honey held onto Grit tight as they drove back to the Hotel. Tears flowed from her eyes as they rode, but they weren’t the tears of horror and fear that she’d been shedding—they were ones of relief and joy. Her man had come for her, just like she’d known he would. He’d kept her safe.

 

After a time, they arrived back at the hotel room. The men took their seats around the space, and Grit stood in the middle of them. Honey was amazed at just how cool and in control Grit was, even after everything that had happened. She realized that Grit was the sort of man who was born to be a leader of men, and she felt lucky beyond words to be at his side.

 

That is, she thought, if he wants me to be at his side.

 

There was still the issue of what she’d done, how she’d betrayed him by holding back information that could’ve ended this whole mess before it began.

 

But before she had too much time to think the matter over, Grit spoke.

 

“You all did a hell of a job tonight,” said Grit. “I can’t imagine having a different gang of rough-ass motherfuckers at my side during an operation like that. You all did me proud, each and every one of you.”

 

Honey watched as the men all shared pleased looks with one another. She could tell that Grit’s words went right to their cores.

 

“What about the other men?” asked Razor. “Any word from them?”

 

“Yep,” said Grit. “I got a word from Diesel down at the warehouse that a couple of fancy fuckin’ cars full of men were patrolling the area near them. But they broke off. I figure that once we let Emile go, they go the word to back off.”

 

“Then they’re all still out there,” said Killian. “And it’s only a matter of time before they come for us. We gotta be ready.”

 

Grit nodded his head.

 

“I’m thinkin’ you’re right. These organized crime motherfuckers aren’t the types to take shit like this sitting down. Once Emile gets back to them, they’re probably gonna start planning their next operation as soon as they can. But …”

 

Then men all waited for him to continue.

 

“… there’s still the issue of the drug lab at Fantasies. It’s buried under the rubble right now, but it won’t be for long. And once the cops start doing the work of figuring out just who owns that place, they’re gonna come on them. Hard.”

 

“I say we strike now,” said Razor. “Take those fuckers out while we got ’em running scared.”

 

Stone nodded.

 

“They’re running now,” he said. “I say we track ’em down and finish the fucking job. Then this’ll all be over for good.”

 

“We need to let the heat die down,” said Gray. “We gotta wait to see just how all of this shakes out in the next week. We make a move too soon and we might just shoot ourselves in the foot.”

 

Grit said nothing, instead standing there as still as a statue as he listened to the men. Honey could tell that he respected the opinion of each and every one of them and wanted to hear them out before making a call.

 

But Honey knew what she wanted—no more bloodshed. She hoped that Grit would see things her way.

 

“I haven’t decided what we’re gonna do,” said Grit, his eyes moving from man to man. “But one thing’s for fuckin’ sure—I think we’ve earned a night to relax.”

 

The men sounded out with their approval. And as they did, Honey watched as Stone glanced at her. His eyes moved back from her to Grit, and she could sense that he had something on his mind.

 

“Yo, guys,” he said, standing up. “I think the boss has been through enough shit for tonight to want to hear us tell him what we need to be doing. Why don’t we give him and Honey some time.”

 

He started off towards the door.

 

“Come on, assholes,” he said with a grin. “First round’s on me!”

 

The men let out a cheer as they got up. Grit went through the men one last time, shaking their hands and slapping them hard on the backs, thanking them sincerely for their hard work tonight.

 

Once they were gone, a silence fell over the room. For the first time since Grit had sent Honey out in anger, they were alone. She had things she desperately wanted to say to him, but as soon as it was just the two of them, Honey felt so overcome with emotion that all she could do was sit with her arms wrapped around her body, tears trickling from her eyes.

 

Grit moved onto the bed next to Honey, slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She felt calm and safe as soon as his body was pressed against hers. Still, all she could do was cry. Grit obliged her, and Honey pressed her face into his shoulder and let the tears flow. He sat there patiently through it all, giving her all the time that she needed to let her emotions out. He knew that, at that moment, there was nothing she needed more than for him to simply be there for her, to be the rock that she needed.

 

After a time, Honey felt that she’d cried all the tears she had in her.

 

“Sorry,” she said. “It’s the baby or something; I’ve just been an emotional wreck.”

 

“The baby, and the fact that your boss took you hostage and threatened to kill you,” said Grit. “Cut yourself some slack; you’ve been through more tonight than any woman should have to go through. And you’re still standing.”

 

“How … how the hell are you so calm about this?” Honey asked. “You look like you aren’t bothered in the slightest.”

 

“Because I’m the man in charge,” said Grit. “I don’t have the luxury of letting my emotions get the better of me. My men look to me for guidance, and I’ve got to be there to give it to them.”

 

But then Grit looked away for a moment, and Honey could tell that there was something else on his mind.

 

“But still, when that motherfucker Charlie had that gun to your head, I wanted to tear him to pieces more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life.”

 

He took Honey’s hand into his and looked deep into her eyes.

 

“I swear, so help me God, that I’ll never let another man do what he did to you tonight. I’m gonna be watching your back like a hawk from this day forward, whether you want it or not. I’ll always keep you safe, Honey.”

 

Honey knew that his words were sincere. And she could still see that the image that she imagined was in his mind of Charlie holding her hostage was causing him to lose a bit of his composure. He looked as if the walls that he kept around him had come down, if only just a bit.

 

“Honey,” he said, taking her chin into his hand and looking into her eyes once again. “I love you.”

 

Honey nodded, and more tears flowed from her eyes.

 

“I love you, too,” she said. “More than I’ve ever loved anyone.”

 

Grit pulled Honey close and held her tight. At that moment, for Honey, there was no one else in the world but the two of them.

 

However, there were still grave concerns on her mind.

 

“But,” she said. “There’re men still out there. And they’re not gonna be too happy about what happened tonight.”

 

Grit nodded.

 

“They’re fucking done,” he said, standing up and pacing back and forth in the room. “I was fucking stupid for letting Emile go. I should’ve snapped his neck like a fucking twig and sent a nice, clear fuckin’ message to the rest of those assholes about what happens when you screw with the Vandals. Tomorrow, I’m gonna start tracking those assholes down and dismantling them, one by one, piece by piece. By the time I’m done with them, they’re gonna wish they were never fuckin’ born.”

 

Honey found it so hard to believe that Grit had both of these sides to him. One moment he was expressing his love for her in a way that she knew was pure and sincere. And now he was like a dog let off a chain, ready to kill to protect the ones he loved.

 

“I’m gonna keep you safe,” he said. “And it’s gonna start with killing the men who Charlie was working for. You have my word.”

 

But that wasn’t what Honey wanted. Not at all. Despite knowing that Grit was speaking and acting out of a protective instinct, she didn’t want what he was offering.

 

“No,” said Honey, her voice soft.

 

Grit turned to her with a quizzical expression on her face, as though she’d said something in another language.

 

“What did you say?” he asked.

 

“I don’t want that,” she said. “I don’t want any more violence.”

 

Grit narrowed his eyes.

 

“Are you serious?” he asked. “These are the men who almost killed you tonight. They’re criminals, thugs, murderers. They need to be taken off the streets.”

 

“Then let’s get them off the streets,” said Honey. “But I’ve seen enough bloodshed tonight to last me a lifetime. I don’t want the father of my child out there like some lawless vigilante, killing criminals left and right. I need to know that you’re going to be coming home at night, that you’re going to be the father I need for this baby.”

 

She placed her hand on her belly to make her point.

 

“But … this is who I am,” said Grit. “This is the life that I lead. I’m the president of a fuckin’ bike gang.”

 

“And now you’re going to need to be a father,” said Honey, her voice stern and calm. “You said yourself that there’s enough evidence to link the bosses to Fantasies. Once the cops find the drug lab, they’ll have all they need to put those men behind bars where they belong. What I need is to know that you’re going to be the man that I need you to be. A real man, not some kid prowling the streets looking for a fight.”

 

Grit nodded, understanding just what Honey was asking of him.

 

“You’re right,” he said. “If I’m gonna be running this club, I can’t be risking my neck looking for a fight. Especially with a kid on the way. All right, Honey—I’ll keep the dogs at bay for now. But if those fuckers go out of their way to threaten you and our baby, then I’m gonna do whatever it takes to keep you safe. No questions asked.”

 

***

 

Honey’s heart warmed at Grit’s words. And looking at him standing before her, tall and strong, a look of deep determination on his face, she knew that she could trust him to do the right thing. She rose from where she sat and placed her hands on his shoulders and looked up into his eyes.

 

“I … promise I won’t make you regret this,” she said. “I promise that I’ll be a good mother for this baby, and a good woman for you. I’ll be by your side and support you through anything.”

 

Grit nodded slowly, taking in Honey’s words. Without saying a thing, he took her by the hand and led her out onto the hotel room balcony. Together, they stood in front of the grand sweep of the city, the casinos and hotels of the Strip glittering and flashing in front of them. Off in the distance, the suburbs of the city seemed to stretch into forever, the grand mountains of the desert, deep purple in the evening light, rose majestically behind them. Grit wrapped his arm around Honey’s shoulders and pulled her close.

 

“I never had much of a childhood,” said Grit. “I got passed around from foster home to foster home, and I had to grow up fast—the other kids at the homes had no tolerance for weakness, and I wasn’t about to show them any. As soon as I got out of those places, I swore two things: one, that I’d never have to rely on anyone else, and two, that if I ever had a son or daughter of my own, I’d never let them grow up without being there for them at every step of the way.”

 

Honey felt tears form in her eyes as Grit talked. She could tell that he was opening up to her in a way that he might’ve never opened up to anyone before.

 

“And after all this time, here I am, ready to let a woman into my life and rely on her to be the mother that I know she can be.”

 

He took Honey’s chin into his hand and looked deep into her eyes.

 

“Honey, I know this is strange for both of us, and more than a little frightening. But if there’s one woman I want at my side during a journey like this, it’s you.”

 

Tears streamed down Honey’s eyes. She’d never before felt so overwhelmed with joy. She couldn’t even begin to imagine the words she wanted to say back to him. Just hearing him speak was enough to fill her with the kinds of emotions that she’d never felt she’d share with another man.

 

“Then, if you’re ready, I am too,” said Grit.

 

Honey smiled.

 

“I’m more than ready, Grit. Let’s do this. Together.”