Viper said he wasn’t a criminal, but they are bikers, so he probably lied.
I step closer to the window and gaze at the cloudless sky, so I turn to Elena. “Is there a path or somewhere we can go for a walk? It’s nice weather, and I don’t want to sit around all day. I’m sure Conan will love it, too.”
She looks away, as if in thought. A hand comes to her chin. “There is, actually. The MC has a small cabin up the mountain. There’s a road that leads there. At a guess, I would say it would be an hour’s walk.”
“Great. I’ll go get my shoes on, and I’ll meet you back here.”
She nods. “I’ll wait for Axle to see what they’re doing. My trainers are by the front door anyway.”
I move up the stairs and through the hallway and open my bedroom door to see my bag open. My heart hammers. I dart over to it and fumble through it, pulling out clothes and toiletries and my birth certificate. When I reach my wallet, I pull it out and unzip it and count the notes.
A rush of relief hits me when all the money is there. The lack of sleep is taking a toll on me. Maybe I left it open and I don’t remember doing it. I put all the items back in, bend down, then slide the bag under the bed. I grab my shoes, sit on the bed, and put them on, tying my shoelaces as I go.
When I reach the top of the stairs, I can see the men coming out of the room they were in. As I step down, my pace slows as I sense the tension in the room. There are no laughs or smiles. All have stern looks on their faces.
“Be safe,” Elena says to Axle, then wraps her arms around his neck.
His arms come around her waist. “You have nothing to worry about, babe.”
She gives him a chaste kiss on the lips, then drops her arms.
“We won’t be long. We should be back later tonight. Rage and Twitch will stay with you two. If you have any problems, I’m a phone call away.”
He kisses her once more. Her body slouches as she watches him leave.
When I reach the bottom, I walk toward her. “Are you okay?”
She sighs. “Every time he leaves, I feel sick to my stomach, and I don’t get any relief until he returns.”
“I’m sorry,” I reply, not sure of what to say because I don’t know what they are doing and how dangerous it might be. “How about we go for that walk so we can get away from the other women?”
She pauses. “Okay, you get Conan and I’ll let Twitch know.”
I walk through the house and out the back door. My body stiffens when I can’t see Conan. Maybe I should have put him on a leash. “Conan,” I yell and walk farther out, searching around the table and chairs, then around the bonfire. “Conan!” I shake my head at my stupidity. He most likely doesn’t recognize his name yet.
Loud motorcycles pierce the air, making me jolt. Through it, I can faintly hear barking. He must be out the front. The loud rumbling seems to get farther away as I walk through the house, and when I push the door open, I can see the last few motorcycles tear down the road, kicking up a cloud of dirt in the air as they go.
Conan is standing next to Elena, watching the motorcycles.
She turns. “I was just coming to get you to tell you Conan is here.”
“It’s fine.”
Conan turns at the sound of my voice and walks over to me with his long tongue hanging out of his mouth.
“Are you ready to go for a walk?” I ask enthusiastically.
His tail wags faster, and I bend down to pat his head.
“Twitch gave me a walkie-talkie,” she says as she clips it onto her belt. “The service here can be unpredictable.”
We follow the dirt road, but instead of going straight ahead, we veer left. The road has a rocky surface and ditches. High shrubs grow on both sides, and plants grow along the hump between the tire tracks.
A ringing filters through the air. Elena stops, puts her hand in her pocket, and brings her phone up to her face. She groans when she sees who’s calling but answers it anyway. “Hi, Mom.”
I swallow thickly. Mom’s muffled voice booms through the phone, but I can’t make out what she’s saying.
“I still haven’t heard from her, either,” Elena says as she looks at me. “No, I’m not lying. I’m sure she’s safe.” She pauses. “Okay, I’ll let you know if she calls. Bye.”
