I always knew Guerilla wanted me back—he had chased me and nearly caught me in New Orleans. I didn’t fool myself; I knew it wasn’t because he loved me. Looking back, I can see that he was obsessed with me, but not because of me or for me; it was all about Hayes. He knew I was important to Hayes; he might even have known that Hayes loved me, even though I was too blind to see it.
Guerilla has always been a master manipulator. The naïve, young version of me couldn’t see it back then, but distance,time, and maturity let me see it for what it was. From the start, even when he was ‘courting’ me before I turned eighteen, he constantly tried to drive a wedge between Hayes and me. He hated our friendship, and he used to go on and on about the woman that Hayes fucked, which I know now is a lie because he remained a virgin until I became Guerilla’s old lady.
Even when I told Guerilla I was pregnant, his reply was a smug smile and how he couldn’t wait to tellUncleHayes. I mean, I couldn’t wait to tell him either, because I was ecstatic about being a mom, even though I was way too young and never should’ve been with the father.
And now… Now, all this.
I know deep in my gut that this is all Guerilla. Somehow, I justknow.
Which means that, for him to have been able to strike at Hayes and Hedon only days after I’d returned, he was watching for me or having me followed, somehow knew I was Kathryn Wentzell, and probably knows all about Hayes.
And for him to have been able to do all that means he has scary-ass skills or connections to people with scary-ass skills for everything he’d need for this. To track me, to convince both a judge and an assistant DA to use loose and weak evidence for a search warrant, to…
Oh god.
I’m full-on hyperventilating now, and just realizing that I’ve been spiralling in my head, and Hayes is trying to talk to me, and I can’t focus…
All I want to do is run. Run to keep him safe, because I’m going to be the thing that gets him killed.
I want to run, but black spots are dotting my vision because I can’t breathe.
“Deep breaths, Leeva.” He cups my shoulders and leans down so we’re eye-level. “Deep breaths, my girl. In and out. Match mine.”
I focus on him, mirroring his deep inhalation and slow exhalation until my breathing and heart rate calm.
“If this is Guerilla,” he says, calm and steady, cupping my face, “he won’t get his hands on you. He won’t take you from me.”
“It’s you I’m worried about.”
His expression is dark. “I’ll take care of him.”
His cell phone rings, and he releases me to answer it. He listens, then says, “We’ll be right down.” He puts it back into his pocket, looking at me. “I need you to make sure that Ursula’s team is en route.”
I had called her before we came to Hedon, and I nod. “But where will you be?”
“I need to figure this out.”
“But I need you.” Panic lances through me, seizing my chest, and my fists curl into his suit jacket. “I need you to be safe, too.”
“I’m trained for this, little dove.” He leans down to kiss me softly. “Don’t forget, I grew up in the MC and was a Marine.”
I shake my head. “That doesn’t make you untouchable, and Guerilla will see you as expendable.”
“If it’s him.”
“It is,” I insist, and I can see he agrees that there’s a good possibility I’m right. “Guerilla is motivated—”
“Not more motivated than I am.” He plants a brutal, claiming kiss on my lips.
“I don’t know what the hell is going on here,” Riveria interjects, making us turn to her, and her beautiful face is etched with concern but also determination, “but I’ll help however I can, including if you need a place to hide, Leeva. Belinda and I will gladly help you out.”
“Thanks, Riv,” Hayes says with gratitude lacing his words. “However, I need Leeva protected behind fortified gates.”
“You’re locking me up?”
“Keeping you safe,” he stresses, pushing my hair back. “Just until we figure this out. Dom is here to get you; he and the Saints will continue to guard your place until Ursula and her men arrive.”
Ursula’s men, being her boyfriends and her personal security team—all ex-Special Ops. Hayes tilts my face toward his, lifting my chin with his finger. “I’ll probably need to stay away until we figure out exactly what’s going on and the magnitude of the threat. But I need you to promise me you won’t try to run.”
