“Her SUV is gone,” the prospect, Juneau, says.
“Why the fuck aren’t you with her?” I demand as my fist flies at him. His body falls against the wall behind him, and I roar.
“Oh shit, who set him off?” Gunny walks into the room.
“Fuck you.” I run out the front door, something in my gut telling me I need to get to her.
Marnie
Ihated lying to Icarus, but I had to get away. I can’t believe I confessed to Rylan that I love him. My heart thumps harder as I think about the fact he told me he loves me too. But I can’t live this life.
I tuck Oly into her bed and kiss her softly on the forehead. She sighs and rolls to her side, cuddling against the bear Rylan got her. She loves that man too.
He doesn’t know that I’ve already arranged for him to have custody of her if something happens to me or if I have to run. I won’t lead Silas or my father to her. She won’t be safe until both of them are dead.
Part of me wants to take Rylan up on his offer to protect us, but I can’t lose him. Silas killed Jean-Louis while I watched. Shot him in the chest and let him bleed out, even though I tried to stop the bleeding. I tried to call for help. That’s how I got the scar on the side of my head. Silas pistol whipped me.
When I step out of Oly’s room, the hall light flashes over my arm, catching the scars beneath the tattoos. Rylan has felt them before but never asked. I told him and his men that I had them, along with the scars where I tried to end my life.
Now here I am, worried that my life is heading toward a climax that won’t be sexy, and definitely not one Rylan gives me.
I pull the tie from my hair, letting the thick strands fall down my back. As I unzip my dress and unfasten the tie at the back of my neck, it reminds me of Rylan stripping me in that room and starting to take me. I wish we could have finished it, but if we had, I wouldn’t be here. I would have gone home with him.
My gaze drifts to the nightstand, where the bookOath Keepers MCby Sapphire Knight sits. Harley loaned it to me. Shepicked it up last spring at a book signing in Texas, before she moved here.
I glance down at the cover, then lift my head and look through my bedroom door toward the living room. Something doesn’t feel right.
I’m sure I left that book on the coffee table this morning before heading out to Sutton. I don’t remember bringing it back into my room.
I shrug it off, thinking it’s just one of those things I’ve been noticing lately. Things being moved around my apartment. Windows being left open. A toy of Oly’s broken. Some of my clothes missing. It’s becoming real scary. It’s another reason I must stay away from Rylan. I did find a new apartment, but it’s further away from the shop, and I’m not sure if I want to move yet.
I walk into the bathroom and change into a pair of pajamas and get ready for bed. As I’m removing my makeup, I hear a thud and think it’s Oly. I open the door and listen again. When I don’t hear anything else, I quickly finish up in order to check on her and then climb into bed.
The shop is closed tomorrow, but I want to go in and get some things arranged. I’m going to have to decide what to do with my business when I leave. Should I leave it to Harley and Quinn? They don’t know enough about baking, but they are good at what they do know.
Just thinking about closing it down makes my stomach curdle. My dream is being destroyed by my father and Silas again.
I head into the living room in my gray lounge set. The pants are wide-legged and heavier sleepwear for the chilly apartment at night. The top is a cropped shirt with long sleeves.
There’s one more nightly task I need to complete before bed. My laptop sits on the table. I open it and notice it’s on, but thelock screen is up. That doesn’t make sense. I always shut it down. It’s a habit I learned at Sparrow House, and Pen, my hacker friend, drilled it into me.
I log in as a chill races down my spine. I glance around the apartment, feeling like someone is watching me. But it’s just Oly and me. She’s asleep, so it isn’t her.
I open the private VPN Pen set up for me, then log into the secure server. I click on my secure email like I do every night. As I move the cursor over a new message, a noise comes from the hall. I jump up and spin around.
Standing in my hallway, staring at me, is Jim. His greasy hair is messed up and wild. He smiles a sinister grin as he reaches down to the front of his loose sweatpants and grabs his junk.
“Wish I’d set up a camera in your bathroom to watch you change.” He slurs his words and advances on me.
I don’t think. I just react.
“How did you get in here?” I scream and think of nothing else but protecting my daughter.
He reaches for me and grabs me by the wrist. I struggle for only a moment, then remember what Harley taught me. I smash my other fist down on his elbow. He groans and starts to fall to the side, pulling me with him. I punch him in the side of the head before scoring a goal kicking him in the nuts. He cries out as he falls backward onto the floor, releasing me in the process.
I rush from the hall and back to my laptop. I slam the lid closed, knowing it will log me out, and grab my cell phone. Jim is still on the floor, rolling and moaning in pain.
I race to Oly’s room and slam the door. Strength I didn’t know I had surges through me as I drag the dresser away from the wall and shove it in front of the door. Oly is sitting up in bed, crying. I scoop her into my arms and dial the only number that matters.
