Page 110 of Claimed

Something snaps and she turns angrily to Lonnie. “What do you mean? After a few hours of sisterly bonding, you’re a changed woman?”

“This is wrong.”

Deena pulls a gun from her purse and aims it at my head. “I could just kill her right now. How about that?”

“Deena, don’t!” Lonnie shouts.

“She tried to off herself. Do you know that? We can get rid of her, make it look like a suicide. You can have Gage and it’ll be just like old times. Only you’ll be an old lady. Isn’t that what you want? To be Gage’s old lady?”

The bitch is crazy. And an excellent actress. I can’t believe no one saw it. All the time she was helping me, she was planning to kill me. She’s snapped, and unless Lonnie can talk her down, I’m a dead woman.

“Look.” She reaches into her top and pulls out the pendant on the necklace she’s wearing. “I got it for you. She doesn’t deserve it.”

It’s my necklace.Myfucking necklace Gage gave me. I bite my tongue to prevent myself from further angering her. She removes it and places it around Lonnie’s neck.

“He doesn’t love me. He loves Raven.”

I keep my eyes trained on the gun because she’s been waving it around like the mad woman she is.

“Then why hasn’t he claimed her, huh? She’snothing. He can be all yours.”

“Why do you care?” Lonnie asks. “What do you get out of this?”

“You’re my best friend. I want you to be happy.”

The hand holding the gun drops and she stares at Lonnie with puppy dog eyes. Bat-shit crazy is what she is. For a moment, I thought she may have wanted Gage for herself, but killing me soLonniecan have him? That’s a new level of friendship.

“At first, I thought you just wanted to be the prez’s old lady, but when you told me you love him…I decided I wouldn’t be with him anymore. I had to help. I couldn’t lethertake him away from you.”

Goldie swears from the driver’s seat and speeds up. He takes a sharp turn and the ride gets bumpy as if we’ve gone off the road. The sound of Harleys echoes throughout the van, and I can’t help but smile.The cavalry is here.

“He’s here,” I taunt Deena. I know it’s not a good idea, but I can’t help it.

“That…that’s impossible,” she stutters and moves to kneel behind the men. “What’s going on?”

“Dealers,” Goldie answers.

I hear a few of the bikes pull away in front of us. Closing my eyes, I pray Gage will get me out of here safely.

“Shit!” Goldie yells and jams on the brakes. The tires blow out and the van swerves. Lonnie and I fall over, slamming into the cold, metal floor. Deena stumbles, drops the gun, and it slides away, hitting the doors. The van slowly comes to a stop, and I hear a gun cock.Looks like the Snakes aren’t going out without a fight.

“Out!”

Razor’s voice is like music to my ears. I struggle to sit up, wanting to get to the gun before Deena can. The doors burst open and I’m met with Reaper’s angry glare. He grabs the gun, sticks it in his waist, and lifts me out of the van. Crow and Motor hop in, Crow grabbing Deena as Motor helps Lonnie out. Gage sits me on his bike, working on the ropes binding me.

“Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

“Did they touch you?”

“No. I think they hit me on the back of my head, but that’s it.”

When he releases my hands, I throw them around his shoulders. He wraps me in a tight embrace, lifting me off the ground and burying his face in my neck.

“It was Deena. She’s the one who –”

“I know. Fuck, babe. I was so scared I wouldn’t get to you in time.”