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“And what if he says no?” I ask, my bottom lip wobbling at the thought. Pain pierces through me and I turn to the crowd as a tear slips down my cheek. Reaching over, she rubs her hand down my back and I peek back at her as she grins.

“Then your brother and I will make him regret that he was ever born.”

Laughing through my tears, I shake my head. “I don’t want him to get hurt.”

“Oh, Lord,” she whispers, pulling me into a half-hug as more tears fall down my cheeks. “You’re so far gone, sweetie.”

“I know.”

Sighing, she just holds me as more tears fall down my face and even though I don’t want it to, the idea of telling him how I feel pops into my mind. I picture sitting him down in his room and saying the words and then I imagine the horror on his face afterward. My heart shatters at the thought and I bite my lip to hold back the sob as I push it all to the back of my mind and cry. After a moment of my little pity party, I order myself to get it together before sitting up and taking deep breaths as I wipe my eyes.

“How long has he been down there?” she asks and I look over as she points to Warren before rolling my eyes.

“Awhile. He’s just been watching me.”

She does a dramatic little shiver next to me. “Fucking creepy ass son of a bitch.”

“I know. Maybe it’s the mask but when I see him… I get this hollow feeling in my chest like I’ll never be happy again.”

“Hell no. You can’t think like that,” she barks and I glance over at her as she narrows her eyes at him. “We’ll figure this out and beat him and then things can go back to normal.”

I arch a brow. “You really think that will happen?”

“I have to believe it will.”

Nodding, I turn to look out at the crowd as the past month races through my mind. So much has happened and I have no idea what normal will look like for me since I was thrust into the middle of this but I’m looking forward to a bit of calm when this is all over.

“Who the hell is that?” Tate asks and I glance over to where she’s pointing. At the front gate, the guys have gathered on one side, looking intimidating as hell as they stare at a man on the other side of the fence with a police escort and I squint, trying to see him better as the gate slides open.

“Holy shit…”

Tate turns to me. “What?”

“It’s fucking Ash.”

“What?” she whispers, turning back to Ash as he walks into the parking lot with all of the guys around him. “Cheating, piece of shit, scum-bag ex-boyfriend Ash?”

I nod. “Yep.”

“Come on,” she says as she jumps up and grabs my hand, pulling me up with her. “You go see what he wants and I’ll go get my gun and taser.”

Despite the situation, I laugh. “Is that necessary?”

“Is breathing?” she calls over her shoulder as she practically skips toward the door and I laugh as I follow behind her, trying to figure out what the hell Ash is doing here in Baton Rouge. Did I ever even tell him where I was going? Thinking back to the last time I spoke to him when I was in Texas, I shake my head. I don’t think I did but I guess it wouldn’t have been that hard for him to figure out since Lincoln is the only family I have left. That still doesn’t explain why he’s here, though.

The clubhouse is quiet when I step into the bar and I groan. Everyone is going to be outside to witness whatever the hell this is but I can’t really say that I blame them. We’ve been practically climbing the walls for the past four days so at this point, anything is entertainment. But that doesn’t mean I want it to be at my expense. The sun blinds me as I step outside and I blink at the harsh light but I still can’t see Ash because everyone has their back to me as they crowd around him.

“I’m here to see Rowan.” His voice drifts over the crowd and I hear my brother’s answering grunt. Oh, boy, that’s not good.

“Yeah, you said that but you still haven’t told me who the hell you are.” Lincoln is in full-on protective brother mode and Ash should probably be happy that he doesn’t already have his balls in a vise grip. The clubhouse door opens and Tate steps out, a huge grin on her face and her taser in her hand.

“No gun?” I whisper and she winks at me as she pulls up her shirt, revealing the holstered gun at her waist before she shakes her head at me.

“Of course I brought the gun.”

“I’m Ash.” His voice is shaky, pulling my attention back to the hidden confrontation, and I release a sigh.

Shit.