Page 65 of Perish


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Then we were off.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Gracie

The gates to the clubhouse were closed, but as the bike rolled closer, Spike and Cain pulled them open to let us in.

With one look at the driveway, I knew my suspicions about something being very wrong were confirmed.

It looked like every biker was at the club.

At least five of my uncles were walking the grounds, not even bothering to conceal their guns.

“What’s going on?” I asked as soon as Perish parked and cut the engine.

“The shootout wasn’t about the Grassis,” Perish said, climbing off and waiting for me to do the same, then walking behind me, blocking me from the street view.

“It was about the club?”

“It was about me,” Perish said as my father burst out of the front door.

“Sweetie, what are you doing here?” he asked, trying to mask the anxiety in his voice. “Everyone is supposed to be at Hailstorm.”

“I… um…”

“I went to get her,” Perish said, his hand going to my hip to push me forward until I squeezed past my father and stepped inside the clubhouse. “She was attacked,” he added.

“I’m fine,” I assured my father quickly. “I forgot to check the fire escape,” I said, sighing.

“It’s not your fault,” Perish said, beating my father to it.

“Perish,” Fallon said, beelining for the man who was still standing behind me, a little too closely to be casual. Like he expected a madman to come charging through the door at any moment and needed to put himself between me and that imagined person. “You need to start talking.”

“Yeah,” he agreed. “But I want someone to check over Gracie first.”

“Check over me? I’m fine.”

“She was attacked,” he reiterated, tone grave.

“It was nothing.”

“An attack is, by fucking definition, something,” he shot back.

“Really,” I said, looking at Fallon who, out of the three men, would likely be the most logical. “It was no big deal. He just grabbed me from behind,” I said, touching my midsection. Did it feel a little achy? Sure. But it was no big deal. “Slapped a hand over my mouth. I got out of the hold and ran. That’s it.”

“Does it hurt?” Fallon asked, nodding toward my midsection.

“It’s a little achy. That’s it.”

“Coulda bruised a rib,” Perish suggested.

“No, he couldn’t have. Is it just me, or did you all turn into Neanderthals suddenly? I’mfine. It was no big deal. I’ve been hurt worse sparring withyou,” I told Fallon.

“Should check,” Perish insisted. “Any of the girls here?”

“No. I sent them up to Hailstorm since I didn’t know what was going on. Still don’t,” he added a little pointedly. “But, yeah, she should be checked out.”

“I can check,” my father suggested.