Page 121 of The Loves We Lost

Footsteps draw everyone’s attention to the left of our position, and relief floods me when I see Saint and Spark.

“Everyone okay?” Saint asks.

“Vi took a fall on her ankle. Don’t think it’s broken. We’re missing two of the assailants.”

Spark nods. “The van is just a hundred meters back that way. Let’s get the girls out.”

“Where’s Uncle Colton?” Avery asks on a hiccup. “He said brave people stay. I have to stay for him.”

Spark crouches in front of her. He’s perhaps the biggest of the brothers. “He sent me a message for you and said you were a very brave little chick and that you have to go now.”

“Okay,” Avery says, reaching for me again.

“Let’s go, pumpkin.” I hoist her into my arms.

Halo assists Vi, who this time seems to be able to walk with a very heavy limp, with the help of Halo’s arm beneath her shoulder. Spark and Saint watch our rear.

It takes another seven stressfully slow minutes to make it down to the van, and we climb into the back. Avery sits on my lap, Vi next to me, and for the first time in an hour, I feel an inordinate sense of relief as I wrap them both up in my arms.

I want to get them home; I want them bathed and warm, and I’m gonna burn every fucking thing they’re wearing so they never get traumatized by seeing them. And I’m gonna hold them while they cry, then hold them again when I dream at two in the morning of their faces in that fucking clearing.

Vi starts to shake. Shock, I’m guessing. And we need to get her ankle checked out and possibly x-rayed.

We’ve just started to move when the van comes to a stop again, and Niro and Cat climb in the back. I hold up two fingers, hopefully.

Niro shakes his head and holds up one, just as Avery bursts into tears.

“Mr. Spark told me I didn’t have to stay, Uncle Colton. I’m sorry.”

She reaches for him, and he reaches for her. Halo takes her from me and hands her to Spark, who hands her to Niro. She sits across Niro’s lap, and he holds her tenderly while he says words Ican’t hear. When she looks up at him and I see tears in both their eyes, I almost lose all fucking composure.

I just need to be strong for a little while longer.

“The house is clear,” Switch says. “Noah was murdered.”

“Good,” I say.

Switch glances over at me through the rearview mirror. “What do you mean, good? He might only be a prospect, but it doesn’t mean it’s not a loss to the club. He died trying to save Vi.”

“No, he didn’t. He was trying to spy on the club for the Brotherhood.”

I can see the confusion on Switch’s face. “King just told me his wife said some men from the Brotherhood held all of you hostage, then shot Noah when he argued with them.”

I sit forward, squeezing Vi a little tighter. “Sarah’s still at the house, right?”

Switch shrugs. “No idea. Why?”

Releasing Vi, I fumble for my phone.

“Bates,” Prez says when he answers. “You okay? Got your girls?”

“Yeah. You’ve still got Sarah, right?” I turn and see Vi’s eyes on mine.

“She left about ten minutes ago. Said she was going to her mom’s while we clean up. Why?”

“Send someone after her. Stop her.”

“Why?”