“Soph. I’m at the front door, darlin’’. It’s safe to come down and let me in now.”
“Ok,” her voice was still faint. Uncertain. The call disconnected.
When she opened the door, she was pale. Her lip trembled. Her eyes raked over me, darted over my right shoulder and back to me.
“Don’t worry. He’s a King.” I said quickly. “We need to get you out of here, Soph.”
“What? Why?”
“Just for a few days. Maybe more. I’ll tell you later. Where can I take you that’s safe? Your dad’s?”
“What? No. Not there.” There was a shake in her voice. “I don’t have anywhere else, Ry. But I can’t go there.”
“Ok. Mine, then.”
“Your house?”
“Yeah. My house. You ok with that?”
“I…yeah. I guess.”
“Good. Come on.”
“What? Now?” she asked, suddenly taking a half step back.
“Yes. Right now.”
“I need to pack some things.”
I sighed. Right now, I didn’t know what that threat was exactly. But I wasn’t taking any chances. We didn’t know what the Hand’s game plan was. I could suspect and I could assume. But we didn’t have the intelligence. And there was no fucking way I was letting Sophie stay in there by herself. It was a gamble at my place. But at least my place had weapons on tap, and I knew its limitations. There were too many entry points here. Too many options and far too many unknowns.
“Go get the essentials and just those, Grey. We need to get going.”
Sophie turned and jogged up the stairs. She was still in those light linen work trousers. Loose on her legs but tight on her arse. Danger or not, it was still a fucking good sight. When she returned, she was carrying a small bag, her car keys in her hand.
“We’re leaving that here,” I motioned to the white Mercedes sitting in the street.
“No. Why?”
“Because it’ll look like you’re at home.”
“How…?”
“Bike. You remember how to ride pillion, don’t you?”
Sophie swallowed. I watched the bob of her throat as she stared at the matt black bike on its side-stand in the street. Then she looked at me again, uncertainty in her eyes, but she nodded anyway.
“Here, Sophie,” Magnet called, walking towards us, his arm outstretched. “Put this on. It’s my wife’s,” he added when Sophie didn’t move.
“Thanks, bud.” I took the helmet from him. “I’ll get it straight back to you.”
“No rush. Suzy isn’t riding at the moment anyway. She’s pregnant. Few complications. We’re being careful,” Magnet turned to Sophie.
“Oh. Well, congratulations.” Sophie gave a smile. It was light. Clinical. Well-practised. I wondered whether he noticed.
“Where we going?” Magnet asked, going back to his bike.
“Mine.”
