I’m sure she’s going through some kind of survivor’s guilt, and it’s hitting her from all sides.
I don’t think she’s up to talking to Willow so I’m gonna shoot her a text asking to postpone after tonight’s events. If she has to relive any of what happened today again so soon, she’s gonna crack.
“I know it’s not fair.”
“Why? Why, Logan? I d-don’t get how all of this works. You’re here one minute, gone the next, and for what?”
I let her rampage. I let her get it all out until she’s hanging onto me for dear life.
“I need to get you back to the clubhouse,” I say. “I’ll come back later for your shit.”
“I-I should wait. They probably need me to answer questions.”
“No. They won’t be gettin’ any more answers tonight. We can come back when they’re done. We need to leave.” Well, I’ll be coming back, she won’t be going anywhere.
I’m sure I can rifle through her shit and bring some clean clothes and girl stuff for her later.
The cop asks a few questions and Payden doesn’t even ask to go see the apartment.
When she’s talking to the cop, I ask the concierge, Danny, how bad it is and he says, “Ransacked.”
Fuck.
“We gotta go,” I tell the cop. “We’ve gotta go check in with Willow Sinclair about the shooting earlier.” Willow uses her maiden name at work, much to Haze’s annoyance. In her defense, they had been ‘divorced’ for years, even when neither of them signed the divorce papers, so how was she to know she was still a Dawson?
“I’ll make sure the place is locked up,” Danny says.
“Better yet, I’m sending a locksmith over pronto once you’re done to change the locks,” I say as we turn to leave.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Payden mutters.
Time to go.
I shoot Brew, Haze, and Sawyer the same text telling them in brief what happened, and that I’m heading back to the clubhouse. Brew texts back that they’ll keep an eye on the bar and station two prospects outside, just in case they’ve seen me with Payden.
Behind us, I hear straight pipes. Two prospects pull up next to us; Rip and Wheels.
I give them a chin lift. “Payden’s apartment was broken into,” I tell them. “Flank us, not takin’ any chances.”
“Got it,” Rip says, revving his engine.
“Right behind you,” Wheels agrees.
“What are they doing here?” Payden asks as I bundle her back into the truck. She turns to me as I pull out, checking the mirrors to make sure we’re not being followed.
Rip and Wheels follow behind.
“So now we’re in danger, both of us?”
I glance at her. “Not me, you, and the sooner we get back to the clubhouse, the better.”
I can’t risk taking her back to mine. The clubhouse is the safer bet, and I’m not gonna take any chances when it comes to her safety.
“They’re after me, aren’t they?”
“It looks that way, yes.”
She clears her throat. “I have to tell you something.”
