“Then why the fuck did you pull her away?” Shadow snarls. “Who are you working with?”
“No one,” Lee cries, his words breaking apart. “I was just being nice.”
The scrape of a chair echoes out. “You fancy her, is that it?”
“No—”
“Bullshit. You saying she’s not gorgeous?”
Lee’s sobbing now, babbling through his tears. “No, no, she’s beautiful. I just . . . I was being nice, that’s all.”
Another brutal thud shakes the walls.
I squeeze my eyes closed, bile rising in my throat. The man who kissed me soft last night, who begged me to stay, is here breaking someone apart without hesitation. And this time, it’s because of me.
I can’t listen to another punch. Another sob. Another second of Shadow tearing someone apart like some deranged monster.
My legs move before my brain catches up. I scramble back up the stone steps, every sound echoing like a gunshot. I race back towards the clubhouse, pushing through the door and causing everyone in the main room to look at me. I keep my head down, taking the stairs two at a time.
My chest is heaving by the time I reach the bedroom. I slam the door closed, leaning against it to catch a breath before dropping to my knees and crawling closer to the bed. I hesitatethen reach under to retrieve the duffel bag, relieved it’s still in the same place.
My hands tremble as I yank it free. It’s heavier than I remember, stuffed so full, the zip barely holds. My heart thunders, louder than the music drifting up from the bar below, louder than the voice screaming in my head that this is madness.
But I can’t stop. It’s the answer to all my problems.
I sling the bag over my shoulder and creep down the stairs, weaving through the noise of the clubhouse. Nobody looks twice.
The early evening air hits my face as I push through the door. Relief surges, sharp and dizzying. I just have to cross the car park, and I’m gone.
“Remi.”
His voice freezes me.
I turn, slowly, the bag heavy against my shoulder. Shadow stands by the clubhouse doors, broad shoulders backlit by the glow inside. His kutte hangs open, his expression calm.Too calm.
My pulse spikes, panic clawing at my throat. He knows.He knows.
“Heading somewhere?” he asks, casual, like I’m just taking a stroll. His gaze flicks to the duffel, barely a glance but enough to tell me he’s clocked it. Recognition glints in his eyes, masked under that cool exterior.
My mouth is dry. “I . . . I needed some air.”
“You should go and see the doc. You’re needing a lot of air lately.” The corner of his mouth twitches, not quite a smile. “Bag looks heavy.”
My stomach flips. My fingers tighten on the strap.Run? Lie? Beg?
His eyes lock on mine, dark and unreadable, and for the first time, I can’t tell if he’s about to pull me into his arms . . . or break me where I stand.
Shadow steps forward, slow, deliberate, and pulls a rag from his kutte. He drags it across his knuckles, wiping away the smear of blood like it’s nothing more than dirt. The movement snags my attention, and I can’t look away. My stomach knots, panic clawing higher, because I know exactly where that blood came from. It should make me sick. Itdoes . . .but it also drags a shiver down my spine.
His gaze flicks up, catching me staring. A faint, knowing curve touches his mouth, like he’s daring me to ask. My grip on the duffel tightens, heart hammering so loud, I swear he can hear it. The rag is still clutched in his fist, streaked with blood he hasn’t finished wiping away. The sight twists my stomach, but I can’t drag my eyes from it, or from him.
“I . . . I just need a walk,” I manage, clutching the duffel strap tighter.
The muscle in his jaw ticks. “With that?” He nods to the bag.
Heat floods my face, panic and guilt tangling until I can barely breathe. My feet want to move, to run, but my body stays frozen, trapped in the gravity of him.
Shadow doesn’t raise his voice. He just starts walking, slow and steady, closing the space between us like a predator confident he’s going to catch his prey. Right now, I can see the Enforcer in him. I can see why Axel chose him for the role.
