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“He’s coming for me,” I whisper as I stare at a spot on the wall. I feel as empty as Ryan’s eyes looked in my dream.
“I know, baby.”
I shudder. A foreboding feeling rushes through me. It’s almost as if my dream is a message, a warning. What it is saying, however, terrifies me more than anything else.
It won’t be long now.
* * * *
It’s been a week since I woke up screaming in the middle of the night and each passing day puts me more on edge. I’m stuck, waiting here for death. I just don’t know if it will be his or mine. Blaze’s guy, Fuzz, lost Ryan the day after my dream and no one has been able to find him again. They’ve been scouring the area but nothing has turned up. Fuzz, aptly named because he used to be a cop, assured me that he would find him again. They left the biggest guys, Kodiak, Moose, and Smith here to guard me.
Nix hasn’t left my side either. I can barely go pee by myself.
My brothers also decided to stay here with us and they brought my girls with them. So, I’ve been able to de-stress but only slightly. Addy and Daisy have been helping me plan the wedding. We decided to have a small, intimate ceremony in the backyard by the water next month. I really wanted to get married before I got too big to fit into a dress.
Sighing, I grab a couple beers from the fridge and pass them out among the guys. Storm smiles when I hand one to him. “Thanks, darlin’.”
“No problem.” When I turn to walk away, he reaches out and grabs my wrist. My brow shoots up as I look back at him. He nods his head to the chair across from him. I slowly sink down and meet his eyes.
“How are you doin’ with all this?”
“Oh, I’m fine.” I wave my hand through the air to brush off his concern, but he’s not buying it. He raises an expectant brow and stares me down. “Seriously, I’m okay,” I add.
He shakes his head. “I know that’s not true.”
“How could you possibly know that?”
He’s right, damn it, but I don’t want him or anyone else to know it. I really thought I had been doing a good job of hiding it.
“Have you ever heard about the work we do?” I nod my head, assuming that he’s referring to them sheltering abused women. “We do that because enough of us in this club have dealt with abuse in our lives. So, I know from experience that you are not okay right now.” His words and the seriousness in his tone make me pause. Chance’s story comes to mind and I wonder if Storm has a similar tale.
“Have you dealt with it personally?”
He takes a swig of his beer. “Yeah.” I open my mouth to ask him what happened but he shakes his head at me. “I don’t talk about it.”
After a moment, I stand. “Okay.” Just as I’m walking away, he gently grabs my wrist again.
“You’re family now, Emma. We’ll do whatever it takes to protect you.”
Whatever it takes. Those words eat at me, both from Ryan and Storm. Both sides are willing to win by any means necessary, and I’ll be at the center of an all out war. Is there any way to get out of this in one piece?
I force a smile to my face and nod. “Thank you.” Then I slowly make my way into the living room and Nix looks up when I enter.
“Come here, baby.” He pats his leg and I go to him, sitting down and curling up in his lap. He presses his full lips to my forehead and I sigh. “You okay?”
“I guess so,” I reply with a shrug and he squeezes me to him. He doesn’t have to ask what’s wrong; he already knows.
“It will be over soon, sweetheart. I promise.” I pull back to look at him.
“How can you possibly know that, Nix?” Love and reassurance shine in his eyes and he brushes his thumb over my cheek. Closing my eyes, I soak up his touch. One single tear slips down my face. Nix kisses it away.
“It will be okay, Em. We will end this.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, my voice so soft that only he can hear me. I lean down and press my lips to his.
This kiss isn’t full of heat or need like they so often are between us. Instead, it’s full of the love and reassurance I need in this moment and I love him even more for that. He always knows just what I need. When I pull back, I smile at him, feeling a little lighter.
Several loud pops ring out through the air and I jump in Nix’s lap. He stiffens just as Blaze, Storm, Kodiak, Moose, Smith, and my brothers go running to the back of the house with guns drawn. Nix jumps out of his chair, clutching me to his chest and marching with determination to his goal — the front door. Deja vu washes over me.
