Chapter Twenty-Nine

Rose

Lad’s Motorcycles—it’s what the emblem says on the breast of the black polo shirt I not long ago pulled over my head. Running my finger over the stitching as I sit on the bed I’m sharing with Fin, I think about how glad I am to be going into work with him. He told me not to leave his side, and that suits me just fine.

Friday sees the end of a week I’d prefer not to relive—well, maybe not all of it, because I think I’m falling in love with Finlay.

“Are you ready?” Finlay’s standing in the bedroom doorway, shirtless and with a pair of dark-stained jeans hanging from his hips. It’s a vision I’d enjoy getting used to seeing daily.

“Almost.” I smile at him broadly as he swaggers towards me.

“Remember, you don’t leave my sight.”

“I won’t,” I promise, as his finger slips under my chin and he lifts it. “I have to keep you safe until I figure out what to do.”

“I know.”

Bending at his waist, Finlay tilts his head before pressing his lips to mine. I moan from this simple connection. I’ve no doubt he has put a spell on me, one I believe existed from the moment he held me on the day of his accident.

My lips stay pursed even after he’s gone, and when I flutter open my eyelashes, he’s smiling. “You’re beautiful, Rose. You deserve to be treated like a goddess.”

I know I’m flushed. How could I maintain composure after having him speak to me in such a way? Running my eyes down his chest, I sit admiring the inked rose and dragon tattoo taking up a large portion of his skin. When did he get this?

“Rose?” Finlay stares at me. It’s an almost puzzled look.

“Huh?”

“Do you want to know what they mean?” He points to his chest.

“Yes,” I breathe.

Taking my fingers, Finlay controls them as he skirts the tips over the coloured ink. “The dragon represents the protector, and the rose is symbolic of innocence. All five of us lads have a variation of this rose tattoo.”

“You do.” I pause. “Blocker has the skull.”

“Yes.” He smiles as he releases my hand. “Blocker does have the skull with the rose, and the significance of the two for him is life and death. Sailor has a serpent and the rose. For Sailor, the serpent and the rose represent the bloom of new life. Tardo has a cross and a wilting rose, and for him this implies the end of life and loss of innocence. Lastly, Rance has a tiger holding a rose between its teeth, which for him symbolises a fierce leader who will protect the innocent, but if you ask, he’ll tell you it’s because chicks dig big tats and it gets you laid if you have one.”

I snicker.

“We all had them done after Penny died.”

“A tribute?”

“No. I don’t think so. I think it was a way to represent how shitty our lives were, and maybe how one day they could get better. I don’t know. It’s just something we decided to do together.”

Sliding my hand to the back of my neck, I squeeze tightly. “And the ones on the tops of your arms, Fin?”

“Those ones I’ll tell you about tonight, because if we don’t get going we’re going to be late and I need to make a quick call on the way to the car.”

“Okay.”

The shop is bustling, and even though I don’t know much about how to work anything, I take great delight in unpacking boxes of clothing and seeing to it that they’re housed in the right areas. Every now and then, Finlay checks in on me, but most of the day I spend with a country boy name Connor. I like him, mainly because he has a rogue boyish charm and a charismatic personality. He leaves me wondering what my life would have been like if my family and I had never left our little farming community a long way away from Hoffman.

When 3:00 p.m. arrives, Finlay relieves me of my duties because we’re collecting Alan from school. Today, he gets his new prosthetic leg, and I’m not sure who’s more nervous once we arrive at the physiotherapy centre, Finlay or Alan.

Watching Alan slip on a jogging shoe to his now fake right foot before standing and swaggering in our direction has a tear brimming in my eyes. Finlay laughs, but I think it’s because he’s trying hard not to let his emotion get to him, and when I shift my attention to him, his face beams with a fatherly pride.

“What do you think, Rose? I’m pretty hot, right?” Alan’s eyebrows wiggle, and it causes me to laugh out. “Yes. So very handsome.”

“Heeeey.” Finlay draws out the word.

“If I were at least six years younger, I’m sorry, Fin, but I’d have to say Alan would take my eye.” I hold my hands up in front of me in defence.

“Come here, you.” My back meets Fin’s front when he twirls me into him and he kisses my neck. Does this mean we are now in a relationship? It is a public display of affection.

“Get a room, you two. Fucking sick.” Alan fakes vomiting noises before we’re all in a fit of laughter.

I’m happy. The happiest I’ve ever been, and when we come to stop in front of a four-condo complex after leaving Alan’s appointment, even I’m puzzled as to what we’re doing here.

“Okay, here’s the plan.” Finlay has us in a huddle. “We need to enter each of these condos … Hang on, I’ll be right back.” He runs toward the utility, leaning through the window before jogging back and resuming our previous huddle. “What was I saying?”

“We need to go inside each of them.” Alan laughs.

“Yes. We need to check the furniture is set up, and on the table just inside there will be an envelope. Open the envelope and check which name is inside … We will need to put the right motorcycle key tag on the corresponding key ... got it?”

“Sure,” Alan replies.

“Rose?” Finlay speaks loudly.

“Yes. I understand.”

Taking the lift, I start to feel uneasy, but I’m not sure why.

“Rose, you take number one. I’ll take two, and Alan, you take three, and we’ll do four together. We don’t have a lot of time, so rush around and come straight to unit four.” Finlay is almost bouncing on the spot when the elevator doors part. “Here are your keys.”

Turning this cut metal in the lock for door number one, I push it open and call out, “Hello.”

For some reason, I thought someone would reply. There’s not a sound.

I’m almost breathless as I rush through the large rooms, making sure there are furnishings in place. There are beautiful furnishings. Leather lounges, stainless steel appliances, two large wall hangings with pictures of motorbikes on them. There’s even one of the motorcycle shop with all five of the lads in it. A massive television is mounted on the wall, both in the lounge area as well as in the master bedroom … Fin did a great thing here for his friends. I head back in the direction I entered and stop when I see the envelope Finlay asked us to look for. I quickly turn it over to find it’s not sealed. Slipping out what I realise to be a simple postcard, I read the black print on the white front.

Lads for life … We’ll ride for life. Enjoy, Finlay.

I gasp as my hand rushes to my lips to stem any noise. Of course, there are four of them, so this means these condos are for Blocker, Rance, Sailor, and Tardo. Turning the postcard over, I read in big black letters: BLOCKER.

With a hard closing of the door, I race down a corridor and straight into Finlay’s unsuspecting arms. I take his chin on either side with my hands and kiss him so deeply, I have to break connection to breathe. “You’re amazing,” I whisper.

“Do you think they’ll like them?”

“Like them? They’ll love them. I’ll never understand how someone can be as selfless as you are.”

“I had to wait until they were built to get the boys out of the shitholes they live in. I feel bad it took so long, even more so since there’s been a break-in.”

“A break-in?”

“Forget I said anything.”

“You know they wouldn’t have ever expected something like this.” I honestly believe what I say to Fin.

“I know.” He’s suddenly fidgeting.

Is he nervous?

“I have Tardo,” Alan calls out as he walks towards us, not on crutches, not with help, but on his own two legs.

“And I had Rance. So number four is Sailor.” Finlay takes one of the key tags, handing it to Alan. “Put your key on this tag,” he instructs.

“Okay,” Alan says.

“I had Blocker.”

“So here is number one’s tag.” Finlay passes it to me.

Once the right tags and keys are together, we hurry back into the elevator and await the ground floor. It doesn’t take long.

“I’m so excited.” I’m squirming on the spot.

“You can’t say anything when they get here. I have a way in which I want this to happen.”

“Okay,” Alan and I answer in unison.

“Rose. You need to look less like you’ve won”—he pauses—“the lottery.” Finlay follows this with laughter.

“Okay. I’ll try.” I’m finding it almost impossible.

A rickety utility parks next to Finlay’s vehicle, and as each of the boys clamber out from this one car, Finlay takes my hand in his and squeezes.

“How’s it hanging, Tank?” Blocker chuckles on approach.

“Little to the right, mate,” Finlay calls back.

“Right’s good, mate.”

All four of them are laughing.

“So I’ve heard.” Finlay places his hand to Blocker’s shoulder when he’s in reaching distance.

“Al, good-looking legs you have there, mate.” Each of them take turns in patting Alan on the shoulder in what I believe is an offering of their support.

“Thanks. Picked up this leg today, so it’s my latest accessory.”

“I’d say they’re pretty good wheels, those legs of yours.” Rance chuckles.

So does Alan.

“Okay, we’re here. What work are we doing?” Blocker puffs out his cheeks and follows with a long exhale.

“Odd jobs they tell me.” Finlay is trying to keep a straight face, but he’s struggling. Letting go of my hand has him reaching into his pocket and removing the key tags. I watch as he discreetly eyes their backs. “Blocker, you take one.” He hands it out. “Tardo, you take three.” He passes another over. “Rance, you take two, and, Sailor, that will leave you with four.” The last two are distributed. “The owner of these condos said there’s a card on a table just inside the doors. Open it up and the jobs needing to be done will be listed on there.”

“Gotcha.” Rance begins to drag his feet towards the lift and the others follow.

“Are you coming up to help us, you rich skirt? Or are you too much of a princess to get your hands dirty now that you’re rolling in the money?” Sailor flashes a cheeky grin.

“Yep. Getting some tools, you tool, and I’ll join you.”

“Righto,” they say in unison before laughing between them.

We don’t go up. Instead, the three of us stand in one spot and look at the doors. Finlay’s hand slides into mine, and he squeezes hard.

It feels like it takes forever, but I’m sure hardly any time elapses before the lift tings.

Finlay releases his hold on me, and when the doors part the four lads rush towards him.

There are tears, a whole lot of tears, and watching five grown men break down while holding on to each other is enough to make any person cry, and I do. I cry just as hard as all of them, and so does Alan.