Runaway ✔

032 • Dana

She bit the nail of her pinky. But that applied to everyone, right? If Maddox found out she was here, he would destroy the whole club, no matter who her friends were. 

Maybe she really needed to let it go a little, as scary as it was. Maybe he wasn't even thinking about her anymore, was he satisfied with the thought that she would live in fear for the rest of her life. That she would never be able to commit herself to someone else, that she would always be looking over her shoulder. 

The thought that she would do that to herself, while he'd moved on for a long time, made her shiver. 

The screen lit up. 

- Tomorrow after work? 

- Okay. 😊

- 😊

Her lips curled into a smile. She'd never messaged with him, but even such a simple smiley was making her feel warm from top to toe. 

💀

At half past twelve she heard a rattle at the door. She'd fallen asleep on the couch and sat up straight. The TV was on. Kip had laid his feet on the table, but his eyes were closed. 

She grinned. Cherry must be slaving him away. 

The floor cracked beneath Opie's heavy boots when he walked through the hallway and into the living room. 

"Hey Ope," she smiled.

"Hey. Sorry I'm late." He sat down next to her. 

"It's okay. I've been sleeping. As did Half-Sack, as you can see," she said in a low voice. 

He smirked. "Good. The kids behaved themselves?"

Dana nodded. "They're angels."

"Only when you're around, I guess." 

She chuckled.

"Hate to ask, but can you watch them tomorrow night too? Clay wants me to finish some things off."

"Oh. Eh... Actually, I can't..."

"All right. I'll send one of the sweetbutts. But they really like you." Opie walked to the fridge, took two beers from it and sat down again. "Doin' somethin' fun tomorrow?"

She grabbed the beer, realizing she was thirsty. It had been a few hours ago that she had a drink. "I hope so." She tried to hide a smile, but failed miserably. 

"Sounds excitin'?" Opie raised his eyebrows. 

The warm glow returned to her stomach. You're really making a big thing of it. She resisted the urge to drop down her eyes. "I think I'm having a date."

"Well well..."  Opie started to grin. "With who?"

She had another sip of her beer and smiled mysteriously. 

Opie chuckled. "Know 'nough. Have seen someone else grinnin' like an idiot today. Clay bawled him out for not keepin' his head clear."

For what felt like the millionth time today, she felt her cheeks glow. Hopefully Clay hadn't been too hard for him. 

"But an old-fashioned date,"  he continued, referring to one of their first conversations. "You came up with that condition?"

"No, not even. Was his idea."

Opie started to laugh. "Juicy must've got it bad, then. Can't even remember which of us was the last who had a real date."

"You only date in bed, huh?"

"If I'm not mistakin', you already had that date."

Dana shook her head. "I've been a good girl, we've just slept. After the last time..."

Opie gave her an understanding nod. He put an arm around her shoulders. "I'm happy for you, girl." His beard tickled her cheek when he kissed her temple. "I can see that happen, between you two."

Dana finished her beer and nudged his shoulder. "Well, it's a big relief to receive your blessing."

She rather did not think about the opinion of her brother.

"Yea, that's really important." He glanced at Kip, who was still sleeping. "Next time you should take another guard with you. This one will even be sleepin' when a bulldozer is drivin' over him." Opie took his boot off and threw it at Kip's head. 

The boy jumped up, eyes wide. 

"Could've been worse," Dana chuckled. "Let's go, Kip. We don't want Cherry to seek pleasure with the neighbor, do we?"