“What’s next?” I asked quietly, afraid to break the silence but needing to know.
Jay’s jaw tightened. “We finish what Caleb started. Find out who else is dirty, who else betrayed us. Then we hit back, hard.”
I nodded, trying to steady my breath. “And Gage?”
“He’s running scared, but he won’t stay hidden long. Not with what he knows,” Jay said, low but fierce. “We draw him out. Protect what’s ours.”
A heavy weight settled on my chest, but I pushed it down. “And the Fangs? The real war?”
Jay looked up at the sky, searching for answers in the stars. “We prepare. We stay sharp, because when they come, it won’t be a warning shot. It’ll be a full assault.”
“I want him dead, Jay.” My hand tightened around his.
“He’ll get what’s coming, princess.”
The night fell silent again. Too silent. Then my phone rang with an unknown number and an unfamiliar voice.
“You like bombs, sweetheart?”
I froze, ice flowing through my veins instead of fire.
“You just lit one.” The line went dead.
“What is it?” Jay asked, grip tightening on my waist.
Before I could answer, a sound tore through the quiet night.
Boom!
It came from the direction of my motel.
The roar of engines filled the night as the club scrambled onto their bikes, tires kicking up dirt and gravel, heading towards my motel room. My heart hammered so hard I thought it might burst through my ribs, adrenaline mixed with fear and guilt.
When we pulled up, the motel was a hellscape. Flickering flames licked the night sky, smoke thick and black, curling into the crisp air. Shadows of bikers circled the perimeter, engines idling, eyes sharp. They weren’t just watching the fire, they were protecting me.
But all I could do was stare.
“No,” I whispered, backing towards the smoke. “No, no . . .” My throat closed up and my eyes stung.
Jay caught me, pulling me in, holding me tight as I shook.
“They know where I sleep,” I said.
“They’ve known for a while,” Jay whispered. “They want you scared.”
I looked up, eyes wet, furious. “Well, they picked the wrong girl.”
Jay’s grip tightened. “They picked the only girl I give a damn about.” His voice was tight and his eyes pure fury.
My heart thumped at his words, but there wasn’t time to unpack them.
Sirens wailed in the distance.
Jay let me go gently. “This is the part where we vanish. You understand?”
“Vanishing’s not my strong suit.”
“But surviving is.”
