“I think we’ll move faster if I give you a piggyback ride. Can you hold on tight, so I don’t drop you?” I turned around so he could climb onto my back.
“Mom says I’m getting too heavy for piggybacks.” He grabbed hold of my shoulders and wrapped his legs around my waist. “You’re probably stronger than her, though.”
“Don’t let go, okay? No matter what, just hold on tight, and we’ll get back to your mom as soon as we can.”
“Okay.”
I left the bedroom as quietly as I could. The voices down the hall had grown a little louder, but thankfully, the door to the bedroom remained closed. The sound of fists crunching against flesh came from the front of the house. At any moment, Eastman would probably storm down the hall and pull open the front door to investigate.
I went out the same way I’d come in. As soon as I got outside, I took off toward the woods. Oliver bounced against my back as I ran. My arms wrapped around his legs, trying to hold him in place.
“You run fast, Juice.” His hands shifted from my shoulders to wrap around my neck.
I’d never spent much time around kids and didn’t know what to expect the first time I saw him. With no point of reference to base my expectations on, he was smaller than I thought he’d be. Talked more, too. And heweighed next to nothing. It was like carrying a sack of feathers on my back.
I paused when I reached the trees to look back at the front of the house. Two of the bikes laid on their sides. Arrow stood over one of the guys on the ground and delivered a punishing blow. Thunder held onto one of the other men by the shirt and slammed his fist into the guy’s face while Sirius and Hades ganged up on Warden.
Satisfied everything was under control, I adjusted my grip on Oliver and made a beeline toward where I’d left the truck. Then a shot rang out, and Oliver screamed.
CHAPTER 8
SAMMY
The wait was killing me.I didn’t know if Juice heard my warning on the radio or not. For the past fifteen minutes, I’d been debating whether or not I should head in the direction I knew they’d gone or stay put by the truck. Then I heard the crack of a gun and Oliver’s scream.
My knees buckled as I jumped out of the truck and ran straight into the woods. I didn’t know where I was going. All I knew was that something bad had happened to my boy, and I was going to get to him even if I had to crawl to him on my hands and knees.
My foot caught on something, and I pitched forward, slamming my head against a tree before I tumbled to the ground. I ran my fingers over my forehead, wincing as they brushed over a painful bump. Knocking myself out while running through the forest would be a bad move. I needed to pay more attention to where I was stepping if I wanted to get to my son.
I got up and moved forward again, this time a little slower. It was going to take me forever to find my way through the woods. Even though I’d lived in Montana my whole life, I’d never been interested in spending a ton of time in the great outdoors. While my classmates went on survivalist weekends and learned how to make fire with a pair of glasses and a piece of twine, I’d been helping my mom around the cafe. Now I wished I’d been one of those kids who spent summers hiking trails through Yellowstone.
Something wet brushed against my arm. I pulled back and groaned. Probably just swiped my arm against a toxic mushroom or a bundle of poison ivy. Then something nudged into my leg. I looked down to see Sirius. I’d never been so happy to see a four-legged animal in my life.
“You didn’t get eaten.” I bent down and wrapped my arms around his neck. Finally, something good had happened. Then I looked up, straight into the eyes of a giant wolf. My legs gave out, and I went down.
“Easy there, Sammy.” Juice came out of nowhere and crouched down next to me.
“Mom?”
Tears welled up in my eyes, making it impossible to see. “Oliver? Oh, baby. Come give me a hug.”
His thin arms wrapped around my neck. I got back up on my knees and hugged him tight.
“I was so worried about you. Are you hurt?” I didn’t want to let go, but I needed to know he was okay.
“My stomach hurts a little.” He rubbed his palm over his belly. “I ate a lot of cookies. Are you mad?”
“No, I’m not mad at all.” My sweet, sweet boy. He’d just survived the scariest experience of his life and he was worried he’d get in trouble for having too many cookies.
“Let’s get back to the clubhouse. I don’t want to be out here any longer than necessary.” Juice helped me to my feet and picked up Oliver.
“Did you meet the wolf, Mom? His name is Hades. Juice has a dog that’s part wolf too.” Oliver’s voice vibrated with excitement. He didn’t sound like a little boy who’d been traumatized. Even though he’d only been gone for a few hours, a lot could have happened during that time. I wouldn’t be able to take a full breath until I checked over every inch of him.
We reached the truck and Juice held the back door open. “Why don’t you two ride in the back and I’ll have Sirius sit up front with me?”
“That sounds good.” I waited until he set Oliver down on the seat, then leaned over and secured the seatbelt.
“I don’t have to be in a booster?” Oliver asked.
