Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 148220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 741(@200wpm)___ 593(@250wpm)___ 494(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 741(@200wpm)___ 593(@250wpm)___ 494(@300wpm)
Oh shit. I flatten myself even closer to the ground, angling my face down so that only the dark hood points in the direction of the clubhouse. Because the biker who just arrived is heading this way—a big man with a short black beard.
Did he see me?
My heart thunders. I dare another peek. Oh god, and now he’s not alone. I recognize the other biker who comes out of the clubhouse and joins him. The one who asked me all the questions.
Blowback.
Frantically I pull my sleeves down over my pale hands, bury my pale face in my crossed arms. Nothing here to see in the shadows behind this cabin. Nothing here to see.
Oh god, I hope they aren’t heading toward my cabin. Let me get away before someone comes to check up on me. Just let one plan go right, just let me get away.
“You coming in?” the bearded biker calls out. “Or are you waiting for a fucking invite?”
Because someone is still out here, I realize. Maybe even sitting on this cabin’s porch, and who would have seen me the minute I sneaked into the lot. Oh my god. Holy shit. That would have fucked up my plan really quick.
My breath catches when I hear the reply. Because it wasn’t just someone. It was Stone.
“Planned to come in,” he says, and my heart twists. His voice sounds…dull, almost. Defeated. “Unless I need that invite?”
“I figure we’re squared away. Unless you’ve got more to say?”
“I said my piece.”
“And I heard it real loud and clear. We fucked up. But you can help make sure it won’t happen again if you’re all in.”
“I’m all in, Prez.” Stone’s short, rueful laugh holds a bitter edge. “I’m just not all here.”
“Fair enough. For now, we’ll take what you’ve got to give. And Blowback’s got something for you.”
That man says, “Creek’s ready for the girl.”
My heart freezes. What? Is the girl me? And who’s Creek?
“Is he?” Stone again, his voice flat and hollow.
“We’ve just got to set up a meet and hand her over. Then she disappears.”
Disappears.
No. That can’t mean— No.
Stone wouldn’t hurt me, let alone have me killed. He wouldn’t. He’s a good man.
My pulse thumps sickly in my ears as the prez says, “The way I see it, Papa isn’t going to be looking for anyone who isn’t a danger to him. All those fighters came from outlaw clubs, so they aren’t likely to head to the cops. Plus most of them killed someone in the Cage and they might have to confess to that. So they won’t be thinking the outcome would be worth going to the law with what they know.”
“From what I can tell, they don’t know shit,” Stone says. “Papa didn’t exactly parade himself through the barns.”
“So he’ll just be after this girl. And if word reaches him that we’ve got her? Even if we handle whatever firepower he throws at us, it’ll put eyes on us that we don’t need. Other clubs and the cops will be looking at us real hard. So our best option is just to get rid of her. Unless she’s finally talked to you?”
“Not a damn word.”
“But you think she’ll talk to the cops?”
“Yeah.” Stone gives a bitter laugh, and hot tears leak into my sleeves when he adds, “Pretty fucking sure that was her intention all along.”
“So handing her over will be a win-win, sounds like. That deal Blowback made means you still get first shot at Papa. This girl vanishes into thin air and no one will ever know she was here.” The prez’s voice deepens. “Unless you’ve got another reason to keep her around? You’ve been spending a hell of a lot of time in that cabin lately.”
There’s a long silence, with my heart pounding so thick and slow. Then Stone replies with a flat, “No reason. She’s just a girl I met in a bar—and I’m done trying to get answers from her. So set up that meet and we’ll get this shit over with.”
I don’t hear anything more, desperately muffling my sobs against my arms while my shattered heart bleeds into the ground. Vaguely I’m aware that the three men head off toward the clubhouse, and that I’m alone out here, and I should get up and go. That I need to keep moving. Need to stop crying. Because Stone’s not worth my tears and broken heart anyway. He’s not the man I thought he was.
And Matt’s waiting for me.
It’s only the last that gets me going. Tears silently streaming down my cheeks, I get to my feet, trying to make my brain work again. To make anything inside of me work again. The bikes are even bigger than I realized, their consoles and controls more complicated. Until my gaze lands on a smaller motorcycle sitting in the shadows.