Page 18 of Unmasked Anarchy

It’s another member.

He takes Gage by the shoulder, pulling him back, forcing him to release me.Gage throws him a look that says he’ll pay for that later, jaw set, breathing in hard steady bursts.

I twist out of his grip, knuckles aching, shoving past both of them.My legs barely work.Every part of me screams at me to stop, but I don’t.I bolt for the exit.Gage roars after me, a sound twisted up with something raw.“Don’t you dare fuckin’ leave.”

I don’t stop.I don’t even look back.I move my body as fast as it will allow, picking up into a run and charging out of the compound and into the night.I hear engines growling soon after, and I know it will be seconds before they come roaring into the night after me.

I take a turn to the left and disappear into the thick woods beside the road.I find a large tree and sit down in front of it, back against the trunk, my breath burning in my lungs as I hear the bikes roar past.I wait ...five minutes, then ten before pulling my phone out of my pocket.

I call Kael.

“Not goin’ to lie,” he answers after a minute, “I’m concerned as to why you’re callin’ me.”

“I need you to come and get me,” I croak, my voice strained as pain pulls at my insides.

“Where?”

He doesn’t hesitate.Not even for a second.

“I’ll walk to the 7-11, I’ll wait around back.Don’t bring your bike.They are everywhere.”

“I’ll be there.”

Of course he will.

I know I should go anywhere else.

But he’s the only person I want right now.

5

Kael doesn’t wasteany time.

He shows up within an hour and a half, pulling around behind the 7-11 in a beat up old pick-up truck.The Son’s clubhouse is over an hour away, in a different town, and I knew it wouldn’t be as easy as him just appearing, so I found myself a comfortable spot and sat down while I waited.

He doesn’t even turn the truck off when he launches out, striding toward me and taking my face in both of his hands, eyes scanning over me as if he is checking I’m all in one piece.I hold my breath, just for a moment, and then the tears fall, hot and heavy down my cheeks.