Enjoy 🤍.

"You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated." – Maya Angelo
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Chapter 67
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"Try this one," I offered.

Kade, who was currently cursing my very existence, rolled his eyes. "I'm not trying any damn thing else."

I sighed, placing the cup back down. "Fine." I bought several coffees from the airport just to do it, and Kade had been my test subject the entire time. This was the fourth cup.

His eyes shifted to me then the cup. With a groan, he motioned for it. "This is the last one, and I'm not playing, Kimberly."

I grinned excitedly as I handed the cup of coffee to him. "That's what you said the last time." Still humored by his lack of compassion for caffeine, I leaned into my seat.

I noted a curse under his breath. The grimace on his face before he spit the coffee back into the cup sent me into a fit of laughter.

"Good, right?" I continued to laugh as he took a swig from his water bottle.

His shirt strained against his arms as he shoved a hand through his hair. "I'm going to get you back for that, sweetheart."

I chuckled, massaging the back of his hand with my thumb. "How so?"

His lips hung in a suggestive smile as he leaned over to me. Inches away from my ear, I heard him murmur, "You'll see."

I pushed him away as the butterflies awakened in the pit of my stomach. If my nerves became even worse, I wouldn't make it to Wisconsin in one piece.

The fact that I was more afraid of what would happen over the next couple of days than the airplane was horrendous. That didn't stop me from freaking out the moment the plane took off, though.

Kade was as cool as a damn cucumber. He'd done this numerous times, but this was my first time on an airplane. Not only that, Kade booked first class tickets.

I grinned excitedly as I dared myself to sneak a glance out of my window. Beautiful. "I can't believe I'm on an airplane."

He chuckled as he leaned over to catch the view with me. "You liking it now? After y'know, throwing up?"

I leaned into my seat, rolling my eyes as my cheeks heated. "I didn't throw up. I just...dry heaved a little bit." My voice shrunk during the last part.

Maybe I hadn't completely been calm, but I made it on the plane. That was all that mattered.

I glanced around to the empty seats."I would have been fine with economy tickets."

"Fuck that," he scowled back at me. "I knew you were already anxious, and I knew a crying baby, and hundreds of other passengers wouldn't help that. I didn't want to put you in that situation."

My heart warmed in my chest. It was true. After the last week, I didn't want another panic attack. Even though I faked my fear, millions of other factors on a plane could send it all to shit.

I kissed his cheek, swiping his jawline once. "Thank you."

"Only the best for you." Kade lifted our conjoined hands, pressing a kiss to the back of mine. I smiled then shut my eyes.

He had arrived earlier than expected at Raven's so I was only running off five hours of sleep.

I was glad to get out of there.

Raven and Jax spent all night, and morning 'training' me, in their exact terms. After seeing Raven pretend to dry hump a teddy bear, I was traumatized. She even gave me a matching lingerie set intended for Levi that she never wore. And, that didn't end there since Jax decided to give very specific instructions with a banana, and a cherry. Maggie had to dowse herself in a buds light to stop from throwing up.

It was an eventful, surely traumatizing night.

I didn't bring any of it up to Kade. I didn't think I could have without sounding completely insane. Plus, I wanted to surprise him.

Before him, I was absolutely petrified to lose my virginity. Hell, I didn't even trust myself with my body. But now, I did. That trust included him.

Every time I thought of Wisconsin now, all of my problems seemed to float away, even if it were only temporary. I was excited to spend time alone with Kade, as well as Grandma Jacky. Away from home. Away from our problems. This was going to be an amazing.

***

The drive to Grandma Jacky's seemed to last for an eternity. Maybe it was because of the slick roads. Woods upon woods stretched around her home, which was perfect. The entire scenery was peaceful.

I glanced at Kade, who was frowning down at his phone as he drove. My own followers. "What's up?" I thought there would be no reception since of the trees, but I guess not. Maybe we had to go deeper.

He glanced up after a moment, then placed the phone down. I expected the frown to stay, but as soon as his his eyes flickered to me, it transitioned into a smile.

His hand reached for mine, placing it into his lap as he took a turn. "Absolutely nothing, sweetheart."

I didn't fully believe it. "Are you sure? Is it something with the cages?"

I examined him closely as he nodded. Honesty.

"It was Luke," he admitted after a moment. "He was letting me in on something."

I frowned. "He told you?"

Kade blinked at my words, then let his eyes linger on the road for a second, before moving to mine. "What?"

Shit, he doesn't know. "What?"

"He told me about one of Chivo's men," he explained in a slow voice. His head tilted then moved to his buzzing phone. He let it ring, casting his attention to me. "What are you talking about? Did something happen?"

Fuck it. It already happened, and we were honest with one another.

I decided to ease into it. If I didn't, Kade might turn this car around, and head back to Washington to beat Luke down.

"Well," I drew out, tugging at a loose strand on my sweater. "Luke and I started to argue again, and you know how he likes to talk. A lot. Obviously, it's okay for some people to do that, but when you're—"

"Kimberly."

"Right, right. Well, he pissed me off. You know how he does. Actually, Levi is the one who tried to break it up, but Luke kept talking and—"

"Why are you stalling?"

I shrugged my shoulders, my back sinking against the seat. "I'm not stalling. What is stalling anyway? Why are bathroom stall, and stalling in the same—"

His knuckles tightened across the steering wheel now. His eyes stayed on the road as he spoke with a sharp tone, "Sweetheart, if you don't tell me what the hell happened right now, I'm going to pull over, and shove my head in between your legs with the windows down so that everyone in damned Wisconsin can hear. And, you know I won't stop until you're shaking."

Oh. I cursed my blush as I swallowed past the lump in my throat. Okay. A part of me didn't want to tell him just to have him fulfill his threat, but I continued on, anyway.

The words were quick, "Luke and I fought. But ,not like arguing, we actually fought. But it was my idea." Why the hell was I protecting Luke? "It was quick, and before you turn this car around, Levi tried to stop it. I got a few jabs in, and he got a few hits in—"

The car swerved for a moment as Kade jerked his glare over to me. "He hit you?" The tightness in his voice shifted into a darker tone with each word.

I paled. Whatever the hell was waiting for Luke, and Levi when we got back wouldn't be good.

Finally, I pulled the thread from my shirt. "It was more of a small, tiny little shove, but you know. Equal rights, equal fights...and, I wanted to fight him. And it didn't even hurt that bad, actually! Plus I won—"

"Where'd he hit you?" His voice sent tremors through my spine as he grabbed his phone.

"He didn't hit me, but..." I glanced at him oddly. "Why's that important?"

His thumb slammed into his keypad. "Because I'm beating his ass the moment we land back home. Levi's getting fucked up, too." I heard his phone chirp to confirm he sent a message before he threw it into the cup holder.

I placed my hand on his arm, shaking my head. "Don't. I initiated it—"

"His strength, and training compared to yours and him still choosing to fight you makes him a pussy," he said in a tight tone. "And, Levi's getting hit just for damn being there."

I cursed under my breath before tightening my grip. "You should save your strength for your match. Trust me, it didn't even hurt. I hit his nose, and caved his knees in because of what Levi told me. And, Luke and I called a...somewhat truce."

"Sweetheart," he paused to take another turn. "I love you, but no one's going to put their hands on my girl, and not get it back from me even harder/ Especially my best friends."

With a groan, my hand fell from his muscle. "Fine." Whatever the hell was coming to them was coming, I guess.

Several minutes passed before Kade spoke, again. I glanced over in time to catch the small smirk crossing his lips.

"You got his knees?" Even though he was still red at the confession, I noticed traces of humor in his tone.

I turned away from my window to fully catch sight of him. "I did."

His chuckle was quiet as if he wanted to deny it. "Stupid fucker always forgets the knees. He deserved a good hit." I smiled as he kissed the palm of my hand. "That's my girl."

***/

Grandma Jacky's house was a museum. Not the one where you dreaded going, but the one where you dreaded leaving.

The two-story home's exterior was wood, with three large chimneys poking out front. Just in front of the stretch around porch, white columns trimmed around the house, disappearing in the old trees. I could see the pink table on the porch with chairs scattered around as well as a rocking chair. There were far too many windows to count, but the shapes blended in well with the house. That wasn't the best part, though.

The surrounding weeds and bushes were neatly trimmed around the house. Just in front of the house, on either side, was a garden, which contained every flower known to man, it seemed. I wasn't sure if Grandma Jacky tended to the garden herself, but the flowers were perfectly placed. The assortment added to the comfort of her home.

"Are you excited?" I asked Kade who laughed at my question. "I am."

It was in his nature to play things cool. He shrugged his shoulders, placing my suitcase beside me. "I guess. I spent most of my time here as a kid; so I know the place inside and out. All of the best hiding spots, too." I laughed at his hinting tone.

I caught my suitcase handle before he could, earning a scowl. "We won't be staying here l, though. There's a cabin," he pointed ahead. "A couple of miles back. Grandma wanted us to stay here with her tonight, though."

I smiled before it fell as I eyed the large house. It was quite spacey for an elderly lady. "She must get lonely."

Kade snorted, pulling his things out of his trunk, next. "Not at all. Grandma's always been a pimp, even now." I eyed him before I realized that he wasn't entirely joking.

"No..." I responded in shock.

He read my mind, nodding. "The woman brings someone over to gamble every night. I didn't even bother memorizing their names when I came to visit: Don't even get me started on her girl nights. Don't let her fool you, she'll do body shots off a male stripper if you look away too long."

I shook my head, laughter spilling from my lips. I believed it.

He peeked from the trunk, then lifted his body from it. Before I had a chance to move, his arms were trapping me. His fingers purposely tickled at my sides as he pulled me closer.

His head tilted, a small smile lingering across his lips. "Guess what?"

I practically melted once I felt his hand go to the back of my neck. "Mhm?"

His eyes shone as he watched me. "I have a surprise."

I snapped out of it, then. "Oh? And I'm guessing you're not going to tell me."

He grinned at me, releasing me to return back to the trunk. "Of course not. All those pretty little smiles you've been giving makes me want to tell you, but I'm waiting."

"Am I gonna love it?"

"Absolutely not." I rolled my eyes at his mocking tone.

I know there was no way he would tell me, beforehand. It was no use even trying to get it out of him. I sighed, leaning against the car as I waited for him to finish.

Finally, he pulled away from the trunk, and shut it. "What do you want for dinner, sweetheart? I'm taking you out." I heard his car beep as he locked it.

I bit the inside of my cheek before responding, "Pasta and—"

My words were cut short as the screen door to the house slammed. I glanced up to see Grandma Jacky in a biker's jacket, and jeans.

We stood at the end of the half-mile driveway. She lifted a pair of black shades to the top of her head, placed a hand over her eyes then grinned as she clapped.

"About time you brought my food!" Even though her body was small, the woman had a heavy set of lungs on her. "Come on up here, so I can give you your tip! Boy are you gonna enjoy your Christmas this year!"

I glanced at Kade, who was grinning. I felt my lips lift naturally at the sight.

Kade released his suitcase as he yelled back, "It's not your Doordash, grandma! It's your favorite grandson!"

Her eyes narrowed as she stepped a foot closer. A look of realization passed before annoyance settled across her expression. I laughed at her scowl as she pulled her shades back over her eyes. "You're my only grandson, little imbecile! But, I might trade you for that burrito..." She placed a finger to her chin as she pondered before shaking her head. "Eh, I guess I'll keep you around. You're too good at poker."

Her eyes landed on me before she grinned. "About time I saw you two together!" She waved us toward her then turned to walk back inside. "Kade Ryder, you better take that young ladys' bags before I whack your ass upside the head, boy!"

Kade rolled his eyes as I laughed. "I tried, grandma—" His yelling ceased as she gave him the finger on her way back in. Somewhere, I heard a curse from her side.

"I'm going to need a damn body guard around her," Kade grumbled as we began to walk. His hand curled around my waist, tugging me into him. "Come on."