As we drove to the meeting place, Lana had Christina Aguilera blasting, trying to hype us up for what we were about to do.

"Thanks for making me a FIGHTER!" We scream sang the fuck you anthem to all the men in my life.

Lana turned the music down

"We're almost there Hailey, Oh God...I have to shit!" she exclaimed nervously. I could feel us slowing down and then she turned into somewhere.

"This is no time for stressarhea Lana, are you sure you can do this?" I asked her one more time, as I settled into my position in the back of the Honda so I would be able to move quickly.

The car crawled to a stop then she honked the horn.

I held my gun in my hands as I pointed the gun towards the roof of the car.

I was ready for anything.

"Well excuse the fuck out of me Hailey! I am fuckin stressed! You're about to-fuck, he's walking out" she whisper yelled at me.

"Stay calm and act fucking normal" I said quickly before I felt the door being opened, shaking the car.

"Hey baby, what's going on? Who's car is this?" Ghost asked as he got into the passenger seat and closed the door.

Lana drove off immediately so he couldn't escape.

"Jimmy, I need help" she answered vaguely trying to stall.

She needed to stall for a couple of minutes until we were off the main roads. Once I heard the code, I would execute the plan.

"With what? We took care of everything at your place, you don't have to worry about that. Our guys got it all covered" Ghost tried to reassure her.

"How do you know?" She asked, keeping him side tracked in this conversation, thinking this was what she called him worried over. It couldn't have played into our plan any more perfect.

She made another turn and the lights weren't as bright. I felt butterflies in my stomach, we're getting close.

"Because baby, we got cops on the inside in our pocket okay? You're clear, I promise you" Ghost reassured her again.

"Okaay" she shakily said "I want a Hawaiian pizza with extra pineapple" I heard the nerves in her voice. That's the code!

Fuck! Here we go!

I flew up and over the seat and into the second row, putting the gun to Ghost's head where he sat in the passenger seat before he even knew what happened.

"I'm sorry Ghost, but I have to do this until I know you didn't try to kill me, or know anything about it. Put your palms flat on the dashboard" I told him firmly with no emotion in my voice.

Lana on the other hand was crying and through her tears tried to apologize and drive at the same time.

"I'm so sorry baby, please forgive me, in the end you'll know why we're doing this"

He sighed and put his hands up on the dashboard of the Honda Pilot.

"I didn't have a fuckin thing to do with what happened at Lana's. I don't know what the fuck you two are up to, but Hailey...put that damn gun away before someone gets fuckin shot, like me! Put it away and let's talk. Okay? Okay baby?" He looked at Lana and then turned his head slightly to look at me.

I grabbed my taser and pushed the button making it pop and crackle, making us all jump a little and Lana scream "Damn it Hailey!"

"I'll put the gun down, but don't fuck around or I will drop you" I put my gun down in my lap and put the taser in my right hand.

"Jesus woman, who are you" He asked

"Listen, all I need from you is to get my money out of the shop and that's it. Don't let anyone see you and don't tell Cole anything. I'm dealing with him" I said through glared eye daggers at him.

"Alright, it's your money Hailey, you could-

"No more talking" I cut him off pressing the taser to his neck.

Ghost was huge guy and I know if he really wanted to, he could have disarmed me at anytime, the fact that he didn't gave me a good feeling that he didn't have anything to do with anything that happened at Lana's.

I could see the property I used to watch Cole's house from come into view as we drove up the hill of the dirt road, my stomach did a somersault, then a backflip.

"Pull in there, park in-between both buildings" I instructed Lana

When she pulled in and parked, we sat and waited for a minute. My leg bounced uncontrollably.

"You go in there and try and shoot Rex and you're fucked Hailey. I'm not letting you get killed or letting you get Lana killed"

"That's not going to happen" I said just as a light tap on the window sounded.

The door opened and Drew popped his head inside.

"What the fuck prospect? You're in on this crazy shit?" Ghost asked Drew who was dressed in his cut once again.

"Yeah, I'm doing my job, protecting her and Lana" Drew responded giving Ghost a look "Let's go" he nodded his head towards Cole's house.

"Ghost?" I reached up and stopped him before he got out "just so you know, I don't think you were in on it and I am sorry about this, I just don't know any other way"

He gave me one sharp nod of his head then slipped out of the car and followed Drew.

I immediately grabbed the binoculars.

Lana broke down crying.

"It's going to be okay Lana. He isn't mad, he's just annoyed. He will forgive you easily" I reassure her.

"You pulled a gun and a taser on him Hailey, trust me, he's mad!" she huffed but stopped crying.

"Come on, let's watch them" I held the binoculars up to her and took out another pair for myself.

My stomach felt like angry bees were inside of it. I put the binoculars up to my eyes and scanned the area for them.

It was mid morning and there wasn't a lot of activity at the house yet. I hoped that made it easier for them to get in and out.

Rex's bike was there but Roxie's car wasn't.

I saw them walking up the driveway and towards the shop. Cole locked my money in the safe where they always held club meetings. Only three people knew the combo. I prayed none of them make off with my money.

Once Ghost and Drew got inside I couldn't see them anymore.

My mind started to wander and think about Cole and all the things he said to me. All the times he said it was just me and him. One way or another, by the end of the day, I'll know how he really feels.

After about fifteen minutes they popped back outside of the shop, with my leather briefcase, and looked around before sneaking off the way they came.

I was not expecting that to go so easy, almost too easy.

Just as they were out of sight Rex stepped out the front door looking ready to ride. He wore his cut proudly. I wanted nothing more than to pull up next to him and shoot him, but I had to stick to the plan.

Once they made it back inside the Honda, Ghost handed me the case

"It's all there" he said gruffly.

I opened it and confirmed it was all there.

"Okay, I trust you didn't have anything to do with what happened at Lana's.

So what do you know?" I asked him

Before he could answer Drew spoke up

"We have to go Hailey, if you want to finish this, we need to go"

I looked at both of the men in front of me, knowing they both know more than what they lead on.

"You and Lana can go Ghost" I said narrowing my eyes at him "don't follow me"

I looked at Lana who was already looking at me. She didn't know the plan Drew and I came up with, just her part in it, and that I would leave her with Ghost after. I could tell now she didn't want to do that.

"I'll be fine" my tone was low and firm "go with Ghost now Lana, I'll call you as soon as I can"

Lana leaned towards me from the drivers seat and I leaned into her hug from the seat behind her. It was awkward and contorted our bodies but we held onto each other for a minute.

"Be safe, call me as soon as you can, and don't get fuckin shot or I'll kill you" She sniffed trying to hold back tears.

"I will, keep him from talking to Cole. Thank you for everything" I whispered to her and then let her go.

Ghost and Lana got out of the borrowed Honda and Drew got into the drivers seat as I climbed up into the passenger seat.

"I know where he is, you ready?" Drew asked with a little smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

I took a deep cleansing breath

"Let's do this"

The drive was silent for the most part. We headed west out of Vegas to the place where Drew said Cole would be.

My mind danced between all of my favorite moments with Cole. I had to turn my head away from Drew when a tear broke free and ran down my cheek at the memory of the first time Cole told me he loved me. Each memory played like a movie in my head confusing me even more at all of the,

I love you's and promises, all of the private things we shared, how could he have faked all of it?

After an hour of that torture, we were pulling up into a trailer park. I looked at Drew with furrowed brows when he stopped in front of a little white double wide trailer with black shutters.

Cole's bike was parked out front.

"Go ahead, I'll be right here, you won't need me" he nodded towards the home smiling.

I looked at him in a daze

"Okay" I spoke softly still confused

I reached for my gun

"You won't need that-

"I'm not going in there without my gun" I told him as I put it in my purse and then I grabbed the case.

I gave him one last look before grabbing the door handle and getting out of the car.

I climbed three wooden steps up to a small porch, just as I was about to knock, the door opened.

A very pretty woman in her 50's maybe, with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, stood in front of me. She had on tight black jeans and black off the shoulder sweater that hung just right. Her lips had a smile that played all the way to her eyes.

"Finally! We've been waiting for y'all all mornin" she said with a southern drawl leaving me even more confused.

Before I could speak Cole stepped past her and took me in his arms, the briefcase dangled from my hand around his back.

"Thank God baby" he said into my thick dark hair as he kissed my head and face, picking me up off the ground a few inches and holding me to him. He put me down leaving me standing in total shock and confusion.

"Hailey this is my mom, Gloria, she's going to help us. Mom, my girlfriend Hailey. Come inside baby so we can talk and I'll explain everything" he rambled on.

I gave his mom a smile and a whisper of a hello. She smiled back and said

"There's no time to be shy sweetheart there are plans to be made! Bad men to eliminate and a whore to eradicate like the cockroach she is" she exclaimed throwing her arms up. Her red acrylic nails flashed.

I smiled at her. I liked her.

I still couldn't speak because my mind was trying to deal with the information it just was slapped with, but I took Cole's hand and let him lead me inside. I turned around to look at Drew right before stepped inside the house. He gave me a smile with a wave of reassurance.

Once we were inside the trailer I looked around as we walked into a sunken living room to sit down onto a grey sectional couch. There was a fake Christmas tree set up in her front window that was lit up in white twinkle lights.

Gloria sat at her wooden dining table in the attached dining room and lit a cigarette.

"Can I have one of those?" I asked her.

"Sure, here ya go" she held up a filtered cigarette

I walked over and took it and then lit it up

"Thank you, it's nice to meet you, I was just not expecting...I heard you last night on the phone...it was..." I abruptly turned to Cole who was sitting on the couch with his eyes already pinned onto me.

"My mom"

We held strong eye contact that made my body tingle. All the anger I had towards him was for nothing. I could feel it instantly go away and all my other feelings rush back in.

Without him explaining the pieces were falling into place.

I put the cigarette out having not even smoked it and walked over to him.

"Can we go talk?" I asked with a needy tone as I looked down into his swirling eyes. They were a light steely grey against the dark grey hoodie he had on.

He stood up and grabbed my hand

"We'll be back Ma"

He wasted no time pulling me down the hallway into a bedroom, slamming the door and pushing me up against the door by my waist.

His mouth was on mine with such a force it took my breath away. I dropped the case this time and wrapped my arms around him and put my finger through his hair.

I broke away to catch my breath as my head spun with questions.

"You sent Drew to help me didn't you?" I asked smiling at him finally figuring out what happened.

"Yes, I knew you were starting to spin, come here and sit" we sat down on the queen size mattress covered in a floral print bed set. I sat next to him with one of my legs pulled up and bent so I could face him.

"After that night at Lana's you started to spin and let doubt about us, me, creep in. I knew you would either run or you would try something dangerous because you've changed so much since I met you. I told Drew to watch your every move and give you whatever you needed, within reason" he raised an eyebrow at me and smirked.

I looked down at our hands that were interlaced and watched Cole rub his thumb over my skin igniting a fire on my skin.

When I looked back up his eyes were swirling with emotions as he looked right into my eyes

"I love you Hailey and I have never lied to you. I had nothing to do with what happened at Lana's all I want to do is protect you baby, from everybody" his voice was deep and strong with conviction.

He slid off the bed and got onto one knee then took my left hand in his left hand and pulled me forward so my feet touched the floor as I sat on the edge of the bed now. He dug in his jean pocket awkwardly and pulled something out into his hand.

My eyes snapped up to meet his

"Cole?" I whispered as my right hand covered my mouth.

"Baby, I love you and only you. From the first night we met, I knew you were different from anyone I had met before, and all I wanted to do was protect you. I knew I loved you pretty much right away. Let me love and protect you forever...will you marry me?" He asked as he slipped a ring on my finger.

"Marry me, be my partner in life and crime and let's get these fuckers together baby"

I looked down at the gorgeous antique white gold band that is pavé encrusted with diamonds. A large rectangular diamond sat in the center was surrounded by more pavé diamond. It was insanely gorgeous and probably cost a fortune.

This is not what I expected when I woke up today

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Author's Note:

Hi y'all! I'm so sorry for how long this has taken. Having to fly back to take care of sick family has taken all of my time. I didn't want to leave it on a cliffhanger but this is where I was when I posted that I had a huge chapter starter. I haven't been able to continue on it but I didn't want you all to wait anymore so I am posting what I have. Hopefully I can get another update done in the next week.

Thank you to all my dedicated readers, I know who you are😘

Big love to everyone who reads and hits the ⭐️ to vote

Love

A💋