I move closer, the floodlight from the bar making the words stand out.
You took from me, so I will take from you. You will get what you deserve.
My stomach drops.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Talon asks.
I look up and meet Panther’s eyes. He looks as worried as I feel.
It could mean Maggie. He was her first conquest that got away. He could want her back. He is psychotic enough to think that way. He always was unhinged.
Then again, he could mean Aspen. She was in his hands, and I took her from him. He could be talking to me. He most likely knows I am with them now, especially if he has been watching.
It makes me scared for Aspen. I don’t want her going anywhere alone anymore, but I also don’t want to tell her that and make her more scared than she already is.
It’s a catch-22. I have no idea how I am going to handle it.
“We have no idea what it means, but I can tell you what I’m going to do. The club is in lockdown. All family will be escorted as a precaution. No one is to be left alone for long periods of time. If they are in public, someone needs to always have eyes on them. That means the carnival too. Meek watches while one of us is with them. If we need to handle anything, we always have someone within eyesight of them. Understood?” Panther says.
“Understood,” we all say.
He nods. “Let’s get this to Meek and see if he can tell us where the blood came from. If it’s a bird, it could be Maggie since I call her Magpie.”
I chime in. “Could be Aspen too. I call her my songbird.”
He curses.
“We will keep them both safe. He won’t get either of them.”
I nod, making the same promise in my head.
I will die before he hurts my girl again.
CHAPTER
SIXTEEN
ASPEN
I’m putting clothes away when someone knocks on my bedroom door.
“Come in,” I yell as I shut one of my drawers.
“Hey.”
I turn and see Asher shutting the door behind him.
“Hey, everything okay?”
He nods as he walks toward me. “Everything is fine. Sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up.”
“It’s fine,” I tell him.
He pulls me into his arms and kisses me deeply. Only when I whimper into his mouth does he pull away.
“Are you busy today?” he whispers against my lips.
I smile. “No, why?”
