“Damn, that was fun.”
I giggle. “Let’s just say I’m never going to look at a bouncy house the same way ever again.”
“Same,” he chuckles, kissing the top of my head.
A phone buzzes from somewhere underneath our discarded clothing. Smiling lips turn into a puzzled frown as Jax shuffles around until he finds it.
“Shit,” he mutters, sitting up straight. All playfulness vanishes from his face as he reads the message. “It’s a text from Dylan.”
“What does it say?” I push myself up onto my elbows, blissfulness quickly replaced by a knot of dread.
“The burner phone is about an hour south of Lakeside.” His voice is tight as he scrambles to his feet, reaching for his clothes. “We need to go. Now. Get dressed. I’m gonna call Ryder.”
My heart hammers against my ribs as I reach for my underwear.
“Come on. Come on. Pick up,” he growls, tossing my leggings at me before shoving into his jeans.
I fumble to pull them on. The squishy floor is making it ten times harder to dress quickly. My hands are shaking so badly I barely manage to pull them up.
“Rye,” Jax barks into the phone. “Dylan just texted. They’re close.” He pauses, listening. “Yeah. We’re on our way.”
Tucking his phone into his back pocket, he tugs his T-shirtback on before he grabs my hand, practically dragging me toward the exit.
Our post-coital bliss has completely evaporated, replaced by a sense of urgency that makes my skin prickle with fear as we shove into our shoes and grab our bags.
“What did Ryder say?” I ask as we rush across the now-deserted fairgrounds.
“He’s alerting his brothers. After I asked him to call off your shadow earlier, he moved them to watch over your house. Wanted to make sure we were covered there for when we got home.” Jax’s grip on my hand tightens as we reach his truck. “In light of this new development, he thinks we’ll be safer at his place rather than mine, and I agree. There’s a good chance that’s the first place they’ll go.”
The driveto Noia and Ryder’s cottage is tense, with Jax constantly checking his rearview mirror. Hands tight against the steering wheel, his jaw is ticking away.
“You think they know where I live?” I ask, barely managing to keep my voice steady.
“Not sure.” His eyes flick over to me briefly before refocusing on the road. “But we’re not taking any chances. My guess? If they are after you, they would’ve done their research.”
We turn off the main road onto a narrow gravel path that winds through thick trees. Noia’s cottage appears as we round a bend, nestled among towering pines with a small lake glimmering behind it in the moonlight. Under any other circumstances, I’d find it incredibly romantic.
Now? It just feels ominous.
The lights are on inside, casting a warm glow through the windows and onto the wrap-around porch. Ryder’s black Ford F-150 is parked out front, along with his motorcycle and Noia’s SUV.
Jax parks next to them, kills the engine and turns to me. “You okay?”
Not trusting my voice, I just nod as the reality of the situation sinks in—at the possibility Triple Six’s goons are actually coming for me.
“Hey.” He reaches over to cup my face. “Nothing’s going to happen to you. I won’t let it.”
The conviction in his voice helps calm my racing heart a bit. “I know.”
As we approach the front door, I can hear voices inside. Before we can knock, the door swings open, and Noia rushes out, pulling me into a fierce hug.
“Are you alright?” she asks, squeezing me tight.
“I’m fine,” I assure her. “Just a little shaken.”
When we step inside, something soft immediately brushes against my legs. I look down to see Noia’s calico cat, Goonie, weaving between my ankles, purring loudly.
“Hey there, sweet boy,” I murmur, bending to scratch behind his ears.
