Page 47

Chapter forty-seven

I had every intention of confronting Bailee that day, but before I gathered the damn courage, Crow and Sage were getting married, and I let Heather’s threat fade from my mind.

I’m still not sure I believe Heather despite the evidence behind her accusations.

Bailee is distant throughout the wedding, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s because she’s feeling guilty and doesn’t know how to tell me what happened.

I empty my fourth glass of whiskey for the night and make my way through the after-party to grab another when I spot Bailee watching me from the other side of the room.

The fucking questions—the doubts—won’t shut their goddamn mouths in my brain, and I’m hoping the alcohol will help shut them the hell up.

I wait for Steel to say something about that day with Heather, but he never brings it up, and I’m too chickenshit to do it first.

He’s been a bit distant since then, merely confirming my conclusion that whatever happened, whatever she told him, he believes her, and that breaks my heart.

Before I have a chance to gather my courage and ask Steel to talk to me, Crow and Sage are getting married. He’s careful through the wedding and the party that follows to not make it appear as if he’s keeping his distance from me.

I’ve been watching him, though, as he tosses back drink after drink as if he’s gathering his courage.

Dear goddess, please not here with all these people.

My phone pings, and I pull my eyes from him as I grab it out of my pocket. The color drains from my face, fuzz fills my head, and my hands tremble as I stare at the screen in horror.

Steel’s parents took Lyric back with them earlier, before the party started. Now, I’m looking at a picture taken outside their home.

UNKNOWN

Picture

You or everyone you love. Starting w/her. 48 hrs.

I bite back a whimper as I search frantically for Steel so I can tell him about this. He’ll know what to do.

He’s on his way over to me, but the brooding expression on his face prickles my skin and breaks through my panic.

“You attack Heather because you’re jealous?”

“What?” I whisper, my shock from his harsh question pulling my mind away from the message I just received.

“Saw her. Saw the bruises and scratch marks. Said you were jealous because you’re not Lyric’s mom.”

I suck in a quiet breath from the pain of his words as they land against my heated skin.

His voice is loud, and heads are turning our way.

Coldness slithers through me, overtaking all the warmth I’d been feeling earlier as I stare into his blank face.

“You believe Heather over me?” I ask in a trembling voice.

“Tell me you didn’t touch her,” he orders deeply.

And there’s the crux of it—I can’t because I did, just not in the manner I’m assuming she’s made him believe I did.

“I can’t, but if you giv—”

“Dammit, Bailee,” he explodes, cutting off my explanation. “Now, she doesn’t want Lyric around you. Fuck.”

He spins, storming away, and I watch as he grabs another drink and heads outside.

I’ve been found guilty without him even letting me defend myself. He claims to love me, but is that true if she’s able to get between us so easily?

Emptiness fills me as I look down at the phone in my hand and the message thread that’s still up.

BAILEE

Give me an hour then you can send someone for me to North Ridge Hotel.

UNKNOWN

If I find a setup, my guy slits all their throats.

BAILEE

You’ll have me. No setup. Just leave them alone. Leave all of them alone.

UNKNOWN

You have 45 mins.

I nod, pushing the phone into my pocket, and shove through the writhing bodies around the common room. I don’t stop to talk to anyone but smile politely when they get my attention as I pass.

There’s going to be a prospect at the gate, so I can’t go that way. I’ll have to leave the car behind, which means it’ll take me longer to get where I’m going, but once I’m off club grounds, I should be able to get a rideshare out of here.

I’ve seen enough of the fence outside that I might be able to climb it as long as no one catches me. It’s just a matter of getting out there and to a spot where there’s no one patrolling. Considering how raging this party is, I doubt it will be too hard.

Only a few people are milling around in the darker part of the yard, so I sneak by them by pretending I’m not doing something I’m not supposed to.

After all, I’m on club property, so what’s going to happen?

The hardest part of scaling a fence is trying to not tear my stitches open, so I move slower than I initially want to. When I’m safely over with no signs of anyone catching on, I blow out a heavy breath.

Honestly, I’m surprised because I was sure they had security out here to let them know if they have a breach.

I take off walking down the darkened street, no longer worried about Killer attacking me out of nowhere. Why the hell would he when he gets me without a fight in just a bit anyway?

The calmness I feel inside scares the hell out of me. Or maybe it’s the emptiness that’s keeping everything else at bay.

Once I’m a good bit away from the clubhouse, I pull up the rideshare app and request a ride. I mention to the driver that I’ll be walking to meet them on their way, then I continue on my journey.

I keep my mind carefully blank because I know if I give myself time to break down over what’s happening, I’ll never be able to go through with this.

The driver meets me not long after, and then we’re on our way to the hotel. Since I won’t be staying the night, I don’t bother going in to get a room. I just wait under the front awning.

Glancing at the time on my phone, I realize I still have about thirty minutes, so I pull up Lena’s contact and hit the phone icon, lifting it to my ear.

She doesn’t answer, so when her voicemail clicks over, I leave a message.

“Hey, Lena,” I murmur, staring out into the darkened night. “I don’t know when you’re going to get this, but I just wanted to tell you a few things. I don’t know if you know it or not, but you saved me a lot when we were growing up. You were my safe space whenever Dad was in one of his moods. Do people have platonic soulmates? If so, you were mine. You’re not going to like what I’m doing, but I can’t let them have her. It was either me or her, and if there’s ever that choice, it’s always going to be me. A world without that beautiful little girl is just too hard to fathom. I’m strong. I’ve been through more hell than some, and I’d like to say I’ll come out of this one, but I don’t know, Lena. I’m not feeling it. I love you. Be sure to look after my brothers and sister.”

I didn’t even know I was crying until my screen becomes blurry as I try to find Emmy Lou’s contact.

“Hey, girl,” Emmy Lou answers.

“Hey. Got a minute?”

“Sure. Give me a sec.”

When she comes back on the line, I jump into it without warning. I explain what happened between me and Heather. How she’s back to trying to manipulate Steel, and how he’s obviously fallen for it. I let her know about the threats I got before my fight with Steel. Then, I tell her what my plan is.

“Stop. Just stop. There’s no way I’m letting you hand yourself over to him. Do you know what that will do to Steel and Lyric? Just give me time to come up with a plan. We’ll figure something out to take him out of the picture.”

“He threatened her,” I murmur, flicking a loose pebble away from me.

“Shit. Okay. Just . . . let me gather the troops, and we’ll figure it out. You hear me? Just give me a couple hours.”

The terror in her voice has me letting out a sigh as I agree with her. There’s no sense in having her afraid when it’s not going to matter. Someone will be taking me out of here before much longer. I can give her this bit of peace.

“You’ll give me time?” she asks.

“Yeah.” I call her name again before she hangs up. “Thank you for everything.”

“You’re family, Bails.”

“I was jealous of you, you know? Because I was so sure he loved you.”

“Silly woman. The only person outside of his daughter and his mama that he loves is you. Even if he’s being a goddamn dick about showing it.”

I don’t let her say anything else because headlights swim through the parking lot of the hotel, so I end the call.

Quickly, I type out a message to Wraith.

BAILEE

It was either me or Lyric and all of you. I won’t let you all lose anyone else you care about. I’m the only expendable one. Take care of them for me, please.

My phone slams to the ground as a burly, ugly-looking fucker knocks it out of my hand, and I’m thankful I was able to hit send before it happened. He slams the heel of his boot down on it before grabbing me by my hair.

“Hands behind your back, bitch,” he snarls.

I bite the inside of my cheek to hold back the scream of pain from the hold he has on me. My scalp is on fire, and tears prick my eyes.

He slaps handcuffs on me, and before I can think about anything else, he slams a cloth over my face.

As darkness coats my vision, I can’t help but be happy that everyone I love is now safe.