“Don’t worry about us. We have insurance,” Bugger cryptically adds. “You need to cut all ties with Clay immediately. You saw how he turned on Chris. He will do the same to you now, Presley, because it will be clear your allegiance is with Kent.”
“It’s not that cut and dry,” I mumble because my head is a mess.
“It’s got to be.” Rafe pulls me into a hug. “Don’t think for one second that Clay can’t or won’t turn on you. Whatever you shared as kids will mean nothing to him compared with maintaining his rep and keeping his turf.”
“Don’t go back to your place tonight, Presley,” Ford says. “Give me your keys, and we’ll move your stuff out after we finish here. We’ll bring it to Kent’s apartment tomorrow.”
I remove my house key from my keyring and hand it to him. “I don’t care about the furniture, just my personal possessions and my pictures.” I swallow over the lump in my throat. “What about Mo and Kady? Are they safe to stay at their place?”
“They will move in with me for the moment,” Rafe supplies, staring at Mo, daring her to argue with a cutting look.
She blushes, and shock splays across my face.No fucking way. I know she has feelings for him, because she’s told me, but something has obviously happened recently, and I’m a little hurt she didn’t tell me. Then again, I’ve been avoiding people since Chris died, and we haven’t shared more than a few words lately. I’m sure she was planning on updating me now I’m back to work, and it’s not like I haven’t got bigger problems to deal with. I know who my best friend is, and I can cut her some slack. Truth is, I’m glad she’s got Rafe looking out for her and my goddaughter. I’d only worry myself sick if they were alone.
“Take the bare essentials and move yourself and Kady into my house tonight,” Rafe says, still eyeballing her. He swings his gaze to me. “Can you drive them?”
I want to look for Kent, but I won’t leave my friend in harm’s way either. “Of course.”
Rafe kisses Mo on the lips before Bugger escorts us outside. I walk on autopilot, my brain failing to process everything that has happened. It’s like a living nightmare except I know there is no waking up from this. My new reality extends beyond the fact Clay isn’t the person I thought he was. The consequences of Kent’s actions will have far-reaching implications for all of us. Most urgent of all is the fact my boyfriend is out there somewhere, lost in a homicidal rage, while members of Clay’s gang plot ways to exact a bloody revenge.
I toss the car keys to Mo. “You drive. I need to make some calls.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Presley
The doorbell chimes, and I race to the door, checking the peephole before I open it. What Rafe, Bugger, and Ford said back at Ramshackle has shaken me to my core, and I’m on edge. I step aside to let Kent’s brothers enter his apartment.
“Have you heard from him?” Keanu asks, striding past me, heading toward the kitchen.
I shake my head. “I’ve been calling his phone continuously, but it’s turned off.” I’m not telling them anything new. I am sure the second I called Keanu to tell him what happened he called his brothers to let them know Kent was in trouble.
“Keven has tracked his location through his SUV,” Kyler confirms. “But he has refused to give us the coordinates until he lands.”
“Lands?” I inquire because I thought Austen and Keaton were the only two currently on a plane. It just so happens they are due back from their honeymoon in the morning.
“He was in Vegas on a case, but he’s on his way back now,” Kalvin explains, shutting the front door.
Knots twist in my gut. “He’s been gone for hours, and the guys looking for him are dangerous as fuck. We can’t wait.” I pace the floor, wrapping my arms around myself as a full body shiver washes over me.
“A couple of Kev’s colleagues are going to check out Kent’s car. Kev won’t let us go anywhere without him. Not after I told him the guy Kent almost killed is one of The Vipers.”
“Not justoneof The Vipers,” I say. “He’s their VP.”
“This is real fucking bad.” Keanu places a bottle of JD and four glasses down on the island.
“Tell us what you know,” Kyler says, running his hands through his hair.
“Not much,” I admit, accepting a glass from Keanu. “Kent came into the bar. He was happy until he got a look at Clay. Then he lost it. Grabbed the bat we keep behind the counter and beat him to a pulp. Our bouncer let him at it until I begged him to intervene. Bugger pulled him away, and then Kent took off before I could stop him.”
“I take it this was Kent’s first time meeting Clay?” Kalvin asks, and I nod. “Do you know why he reacted like that?”
I take a big mouthful of whiskey, enjoying the burn as it glides down my throat. “All I have are theories.”
“Let’s hear them,” Kyler says, sipping his drink.
I don’t like admitting any of this, especially when I have no facts, but this is a life-or-death situation and my boyfriend is out there in danger, so this isn’t the time for holding anything back. “Something happened to Kent in the past. I don’t know what,” I add before they question me. “Just that it was something sexual.”
The glass drops out of Kyler’s hands, shattering to pieces on the floor. His tan face pales, and he looks like he’s seen a ghost.
