Page 102 of The Monsters Within

I was gonna find my woman and take her to bed.

When I found her in Mimic’s room, the two of them were curled up together sleeping. As quiet as I could, I moved to the side of the bed and slipped my arms under her. When I lifted her, Mimic shot up and pulled a gun on me.

“Easy, brother, just taking my woman to bed.”

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

I walked to the open door, but before I stepped into the hall, I turned when I heard Mimic’s voice.

“Cash? Protect her.”

“With my life, brother.”

He settled back down as I pulled the door closed.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Kytten

It wasn’t the sound of Cash’s phone that woke me up. I didn’t hear the beeping of text messages echoing through the room until my eyes opened, and he was climbing out of bed. No, what woke me up from a deep sleep was the way he’d jackknifed out of bed.

“Someone’s at the gate,” he said when he saw my eyes open. My mind didn’t register his words as I watched him pull his T-shirt over his head and slip his feet into his boots.

I threw on some clothes, forgoing any shoes. He was right in front of me, hand clasped tightly to mine as we entered the hallway. Chaos reigned around us as every brother in the club rushed down the stairs and out the front door.

My eyes landed on the giant man holding a battered and beaten woman, and I knew immediately who he was.

Massacre.

And Amber.

My skin began to itch as I stared at the unconscious woman in his arms. This was my fault. My carelessness in talking to my brother led her to overhear something she wasn’t ready to know.

At least that’s what everyone said. I looked at Cash. He shook his head at me and moved to stand beside King. That small movement was him telling me it wasn’t my fault. And someday, I would believe him.

But not today.

“Holy fuck,” Romeo gasped. “Is that Amber?”

I took a step back when every Silver Shadow drew their guns and pointed them directly at Massacre. I could have spoken up. Could have told them who he was, but I couldn’t move. My body locked up tight as my mind railed at me that I was to blame this time.

Everything Amber had been through from the day she was born was done by men. But this, this was my fault. My jealousy and bitterness toward her made me careless.

Dr. Dunaway’s words trickled through my head. Telling me I had no control over someone else’s reactions. Trying to remind me that people made their own choices, and her choice to run away rather than talk to someone was on her, not me.

But that felt a little too much like victim blaming in this moment. I couldn’t do it. If there was one thing Dr. Dunaway had taught me, it was that we owned our feelings. My feelings of guilt and remorse were mine. It was what I did with them that mattered.

“I’m gonna kill you,” King threatened.

I groaned inwardly when Massacre grinned at him and said, “Good luck with that.”

“Oh my God.” Haizley stepped forward, slipping in front of Gunner as he growled at her. I had gotten used to their dynamic. I still thought he was an asshole. But he was an asshole who loved his woman and would do anything for her. “You’re him, aren’t you? The one who saved her all those years ago. You’re Massacre.”

“Oh shit,” Cash cursed. “Someone go get Sypher, fast!”

King groaned as he put his gun away. “Why do I get the feeling that trouble just landed on my doorstep again?”

The doors burst open, and Val, Bane, Sypher and Dante poured outside. They were all staying at the clubhouse, waiting for word about Amber. They wouldn’t have received the textalerts. Someone must have notified them. It probably should have been me, but I stood silently, watching everything play out.