Page 117

I glance out at my bedroom where most of the club hovers, each man looking nervous and irritated by the situation. When Lincoln and I took the note to the club five days ago, they were all adamant that I didn’t meet with Dominic but I knew then, as I still do now, that he won’t leave until he speaks to me. I could run and I could hide but eventually, he’d catch up to me. Alone with my thoughts for the past few days, I’ve wondered if this is exactly how my mother felt when she struck her deal with him all those years ago and I wish she was here to tell me what to do.

“You know I can’t,” I whisper and he scowls as he pulls me closer and shakes his head.

“Please, Tate. We’ll find another way.”

I spin in his arms and cup his cheek as I shake my head. “There is no other way. You and I have a life to start together and we can’t do that if we are on the run from Dominic King. We deserve more than that.”

“Maybe he’s right,” Nix says from the doorway of the safe room and I sigh.

“Guys, I appreciate the protectiveness but the longer he’s here, the more danger we’re all in. Especially you, Nix.”

He shakes his head. “Don’t worry about me.”

“Are we ready to go?” Rodriguez asks, sticking his head in the room and I nod as I suck in a breath.

“Yeah, let’s do this.”

I can feel Lincoln’s reluctance as he grabs my hand and we walk out to the van with the rest of the guys. Smith opens the back door for me and I offer him a smile that he doesn’t return. He’s still a little mad at me about tasing him and he was one of the loudest voices objecting to this plan. I just hope that after all this is over and everything turns out fine, he can forgive me because he’s become a really good friend over the last week and a half and I don’t want to lose him.

Rodriguez, Lincoln, Nix, and Smith file into the van and sit around me as we pull away from the curb and I clasp my hands together, hoping no one will see how badly they’re shaking. If Mom saw me right now, she’d be pissed that I was letting an opponent get in my head but meeting Dominic King feels a little bit like meeting the boogeyman.

“Okay, here’s the plan,” Rodriguez says, pulling everyone’s attention over to him. “Tate, I want you to sit in one of the middle tables along the wall, preferably by a window.”

I nod. “Okay.”

“I’m going to be seated in one corner and Fuzz,” he explains, pointing to Fuzz in the front seat, “will be in another corner. Everyone else will wait outside.”

“I don’t fucking think so,” Lincoln growls and Nix nods in agreement. Rodriguez sighs.

“You either go along with this plan or I send you back to the clubhouse with Blaze.”

Blaze also really wanted to be here today but we all knew it would be a terrible idea with his history with Dominic and we couldn’t risk Dominic learning about Nix.

“No fucking way,” Lincoln snaps, squeezing my hand tight. “I’m going in there with her.”

“Babe,” I whisper and he glances over at me. “If you go in there with me, it’s going to change the whole tone of this meeting and we won’t accomplish what needs to get done today.”

He blows out a breath, running his hand through his hair. “I don’t like it.”

“It’s the way it’s got to be,” Rodriguez tells him. “But I’ll keep your girl safe, okay?”

“He better not touch a single hair on her beautiful fucking head, you get me?” he asks, narrowing his eyes on Rodriguez, who simply nods in understanding. I’m just about to berate them for being cavemen when I notice the diner up ahead and suck in a breath.

“Show time.”

“Last chance, Tate,” Lincoln urges, holding my hand over his heart. “If you want to walk away, tell me now.”

I roll my eyes, pressing my palm flat against his racing heart. “Is this going to become a regular thing for you? If so, I’m gonna need to find someone else to be with me when I give birth to our babies.”

He grins, pulling me closer as the van pulls into the parking spot in the back of the lot. “How about this… march your sexy little ass in there and handle your shit, baby girl. But if you get even one scratch, I’m going to whoop your ass all over this fucking lot.”

“Better,” I whisper, a shiver skating down my spine as I lean forward and kiss him.

“Ugh,” Nix mumbles, turning away from us. “Some things I just don’t need to know.”

“Fucking please,” Smith whines, rolling his eyes. “You and Emma couldn’t keep your damn hands off each other. Still can’t.”

Rodriguez snaps his fingers in front of us. “Can we focus, please? Fuzz is already inside and posted up in one corner. I’m going now. Tate, you give it five and come in after us. Remember what I said.”