Page 3

T he knock comes soft, but there’s weight behind it. I stay still on the bed, legs curled beneath me, the blanket wrapped around me as if it can somehow protect me from having to face Talon after this morning. I haven’t moved since I got back. Hell, for a moment, I actually considered running away. But where would I go?

Another knock. Then the door cracks open.

“You decent?”

Talon’s voice, thick and husky.

I don’t answer.

Talon steps inside anyway.

“I don’t think that matters,” I mutter.

He closes the door behind him. His eyes immediately zone in onto mine and I can’t read his expression. My comment was laced with sarcasm, but that doesn’t seem to bother him at all.

“Didn’t know you were in there,” he mutters. “I wouldn’t’ve walked in if I had.”

“Yeah, well, next time knock.”

More silence.

He folds his arms across his chest, leaning against the wall like he’s trying to hold himself back. “You gonna tell me who did that?”

“Nope.”

His jaw ticks.

“I’ll find out, you know that don’t you? Nobody gets away with doin’ that to someone. Not if I’m living and breathing.”

“Well, good luck.”

Silence stretches, thick and tight.

Then he pushes off the wall. “Get dressed. We’re going out.”

I narrow my eyes. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

I shake my head. “No.”

“Yeah.”

The audacity of this man.

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“You are .”

“You don’t get to bark orders at me.”

He tilts his head. “Got a choice. You either get up and come with me, or I’ll take you by force. Don’t want to have to take you by force, considerin’ what you’ve been through, but one way or another, you are comin’ with me.”

My mouth drops open, and I want to snap back but I can’t find the words.

I stand slowly, keeping my eyes narrowed on him. “Where are we going?”

His eyes flash, but his expression doesn’t change. “It’s a surprise.”

He turns and walks out without waiting. The nerve.

Still, I do as he asks. I get changed. I slip into jeans and a worn hoodie, yank on my boots, and tie my damp hair back. By the time I step outside, Talon’s already straddling his bike, helmet held out for me. My eyes widen and I’m taking a step back and shaking my head before he even has the chance to say a single word.

“I’m not getting on that death machine!”

He raises a brow. “You trust me?”

“No.”

“You want to?”

Silence.

He tosses the helmet to me and I catch it quickly, not wanting it to fall in the dirt. “Then get on.”

I bite my lip and my hands shake as I slide it on, fingers fumbling with the strap. Then, I take two strides towards him, my heart racing as I climb on, awkward, unsure where to put my hands. Being this close to him has my heart skipping a beat, and I try to hold my breath so I don’t have to breathe his delicious scent.

“Wrap ‘em around me,” he orders.

I hesitate.

“Unless you want to end up on the road.”

I wrap my arms around his middle. Not tight. Just enough.

The bike roars to life. And then we’re flying.

I barely get a chance to gather myself before the bike is whizzing down the road. My screams are muffled by the loud rumbling sound it makes as it moves. The wind is brutal, slapping against my skin like a warning. But there’s something freeing in it, too. Like I’ve ripped a hole in the past and dared the future to chase me. The world blurs around us, noise and fear stripped away by speed and vibration.

It's exhilarating and my screams quickly turn into bursts of happy laughter.

We ride for what feels like forever. Past towns and empty fields. The sun rises higher, casting golden light over the trees. It’s spectacular and in that second, I forget about the world around me and just focus on the now. A feeling I’m not used to having, and one I could learn to love.

Eventually, he pulls off the highway and into a dusty parking lot in front of a tiny corner diner with a broken neon sign. He cuts the engine and dismounts. I stare at the place in front of us a moment, before getting off the bike and putting my helmet on the seat. My hair is a mess, so I try to run my fingers through it, but my attempts are futile.

“Come on.”

I follow him inside. The place is quiet—faded booths, cracked vinyl, the air thick with grease and coffee. A couple of old folks share pancakes near the window. The woman behind the counter greets Talon with a smile that tells me he is a regular here. Flicking her long blond hair over her shoulder, she walks over, putting her hand on his shoulder.

“Talon, how are you darling?”

He grins down at her, and the sight nearly takes my breath away. Talon isn’t the kind of man to smile, let alone grin, and seeing the way it transforms his face has me sucking in a breath. I’m standing there, staring up at him like a lovestruck teenager.

“I’m good, Maria. This is Nia. You got any of that good ice cream?”

Maria winks at him. “You know I always keep some for you, honey. Sit down, I’ll get two cones.”

He nods, then looks to me. “You like ice cream?”

I blink, and my cheeks burn with embarrassment. “I’ve never had it.”

His face hardens like that physically hurts him. “Today is your lucky day then.”

Talon leans against the counter, arms crossed, watching me as I stare around the room.

“Booth or table?”

I stare at him. “Ah, booth?”

Pushing off the counter, he leads me to a booth, and we sit down. He’s still staring over at me, his expression unreadable.

“Just ask, Talon,” I say, rubbing my arms, feeling slightly chilly.

“You really never been allowed ice cream?”

“No. We only ate what was grown on the land. That’s it. That’s where it ended.”

I glance away, staring around the room, looking anywhere but at him.

“One day soon, Nia, they’ll pay for that.”

I don’t answer him.

Maria returns, handing me a cone with a rich chocolate ice cream inside. My eyes widen as I take it, and up close I can see it has big chunks of brownie inside it. At least, that’s what it looks like.

“Chocolate brownie, your favorite,” she smiles at Talon.

He winks at her.

I bring the ice cream to my mouth, sliding my tongue over the cold, sweet treat. My eyes widen as my taste buds explode. This...this is incredible. I lick it again, chewing the chunk of brownie that falls into my mouth and moaning as I swallow it.

“Guessin’ that’s a good sign,” Talon murmurs, staring at my lips.

I nod, enthusiastically. “I’ve never tasted anything like it.”

“Glad you like it. You ever been to the beach?”

I blink at him, then shake my head.

“Good, we’re goin’ there next.”

We are?

My heart stutters with pure joy.

“Why are you doing this for me?” I ask.

“Everyone deserves joy in their lives.”

We finish our ice cream and get back onto the bike, riding for another hour until we pull up to the beach. Long, wide, empty. The ocean roars like it’s trying to swallow the sky, and I can smell the salt in the air. The sand is golden yellow, and it stretches for miles either side, with the occasional pile of large rocks that the waves crash up against.

Oh.

It's beautiful.

I waste no time getting off the bike and flicking my shoes off before running towards it. The very moment my toes sink into the cool sand, I laugh loudly. It tickles, and yet it’s so soft and satisfying. This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I could stay here forever.

Moving forward, I stop where the water reaches the sand, and let it trickle over my feet, the soft waves fading to smaller ones by the time they reach me. The salt stings my eyes a little, but I have no intention of moving. Reaching down, I pick up a shell in my fingers and stare down at it.

The world holds so many beautiful things, and I’ve been denied all of them.

“Guessin’ you like it?” Talon murmurs, stepping up beside me.

“I love it,” I cry, spinning around and throwing my arms around him without thought.

His arms wrap around me, too, and I jerk back the second I realize what I have done. He doesn’t release me, and instead I find myself inches from his face, his eyes narrowing in on mine, his breath tickling my lips. I gasp, the realization that I am so close sending a thrill through me.

I hold my breath, unsure if he’s going to kiss me or if he’s going to turn away.

“You ever been kissed before?”

His voice is husky and thick. I bite my lip.

I haven’t been kissed. Kissing is passionate and not for the world I was raised in. But having sex to make babies was permitted and forced if the cult picked a person they deemed fit to reproduce with one of the women. Like an arranged marriage with a horrifying twist.

I shake my head.

Talon releases me. “Then I’m not goin’ to be the one to take that moment from you.”

He steps away and my heart sinks.

Did I want Talon to kiss me?

Dammit, I think I did.

THE LOW HUM OF VOICES in the clubhouse pulls me from my thoughts as I drift down the hall, curiosity winning over the part of me that wanted to stay hidden. I haven’t seen Talon since yesterday on the beach, and my gut twists with unease—the kind that makes me feel a deep sense of shame. I feel horrified about the way I acted. I hate that I looked at him with such longing when I hugged him.

He made it clear it wasn’t going to be him that gave me anything other than friendship when he told me he wouldn’t be my first kiss. That stung, mostly because of the shame that continually swirls around in my chest when I think about it. He feels sorry for me, and that’s all there is to it. He wants to help a broken girl, and I took everything the wrong way.

Maybe I am just a broken girl. The fact that I thought he might want to kiss me makes me feel more broken than I ever have in my life.

I step into the large, open room in the middle of the building where the bikers tend to hang around, drinking and smoking, conducting business and playing pool. There is a bar right in the middle, and Mera has offered me a position while I’m here, to earn some of my own money. I might just take her up on that.

In the middle of the room, I see Kael, Zane, and Knox sitting around a heavy wooden table cluttered with empty beer bottles, maps, and papers scattered in front of them. They’re discussing something, and whatever it is, it has their faces scrunched with concentration. All three men look up when I enter.

I pause, swallowing, not sure if I’m interrupting something I shouldn’t be.

Kael— Thorn —is the first to speak. “Mornin’, darlin’. Didn’t think you were up yet.” His tone is always calm, sometimes playful, and he is definitely one of the easier members to talk to. He never seems unkind and always has time for me.

“I couldn’t sleep,” I admit. My voice is smaller than I want it to be, but none of them comment on it or even seem to care.

They probably see me exactly how Talon does. Weak.

Knox— Havoc —nudges a chair out with his boot. Now him, he scares me. He has a deep darkness that I can’t quite put my finger on. I wouldn’t want to cross him in an empty street at night. Absolutely not. “You can sit. This involves you, like it or not.”

Oh.

Right.

I hesitate, then lower myself into the seat, heart racing. Being around them makes me feel both nervous and safe. Zane— Rogue —chews a toothpick between his teeth like he hasn’t a care in the world, but he’s got his focus solely on me, and I know he’s taking in my every move, judging, reading me like a book.

Kael slides a notebook toward me, flipping it open to a hastily scribbled sketch of the compound. I’m impressed. I have no idea how they got that, but it’s actually quite accurate. “We’ve been trying to map out the grounds, but the satellite shots are blurry as hell. We need details—entry points, rotations, where the leaders sleep. Anything.”

My stomach clenches. “Right. Of course, they do. I can’t keep my head buried in the sand forever. I knew the club would want to make a move soon. I just wasn’t entirely prepared for it to come quite so quickly.”

“Why do you need this?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.

Am I stalling?

Probably.

“To dismantle them, bring them down, break their fucking legs if we have to,” Zane grins. “We want to stop these fuckers in their tracks before they do any more damage. There are innocent people in there, and they don’t deserve to be hurt in the process.”

My hands tremble as I reach for the pen lying beside the notebook. I stare at the sketch for a long beat, then point to a corner in the far right. “Here. That’s where they grow crops. No cameras, but there’s always at least one guard patrolling. He’s armed. It’s how I got out. I found the loophole.”

Kael leans in. “Do they take new members?”

Not what I was expecting.

I purse my lips. “They don’t take in adults anymore unless they come through family. Converts are rare, and when they do allow someone in, they’re isolated for weeks first. No contact, no questions. They’re broken down until they either leave willingly... or don’t.”

Knox scribbles notes, his face tight. “And the ones who stay?”

“Given ranks, jobs, positions that they can move up in depending on how willing they are. The inner circle is made up of the most loyal. Reginald, Micah, Elias... they all live in the largest area, sticking together like a pack of fucking monkeys.”

Kael snorts. “That’s one way of putting it. Guessin’ you’re not a fan.”

“No,” I mutter.

Zane’s voice is steady when he asks the next question. “How well do you know them? The higher-ups?”

My voice falters, and I have to take a deep breath to steady it. “Everyone knows them well. They’re the ones who teach us discipline. They’re the leaders.”

The word tastes like ash in my mouth.

Kael’s eyes narrow. “And your father. Where does he sleep? Guessin’ he has his own place considering he is the boss.”

Boss . While correct, it seems so unfitting for him.

“Yeah, he does. It’s the oldest part of the compound, but also the most heavily guarded. Only four people are allowed in without direct permission.”

“Were you one of them?” Zane asks.

I snort. “No. He might be my father, but to him, I am nothing.”

Silence stretches between us like a rubber band, taut and trembling, just waiting to snap.

“I want to get someone out before you do anything. It’s really important to me.”

Knox lifts his eyes. “Who?”

“Lily. She’s five. Her parents are horrible, and they don’t care about her. I am all she has. I can’t leave her there.”

Kael exchanges a look with Knox. “Is there a pattern to her caretakers? Someone we can distract or isolate to get to her?”

There is only one person who watches over the kids, does homeschooling with them, and seems to care about them a little more than anyone else, and that’s Miriam. An older lady, who I often think is only there because she has nobody else in this world. It’s the only thing that makes sense to me, anyway. Why the hell else would you want to stay in a place like that?

I nod slowly. “Miriam. She takes care of most of the children. If you get to her, or distract her, it will leave it open long enough for me to get her out.”

Zane’s face hardens. “We’ll make it happen.”

My voice cracks. “Just... please don’t let them hurt her. She doesn’t deserve this.”

Kael gives me a stern but gentle expression. “Neither did you, darlin’.”

His words hit me right in the chest, and the feelings that wash over me aren’t ones I can easily control. I need air, I need to get away from the looks they are giving me. I know they feel pity for me, and I hate that. I care that they are willing to help me, and that they have taken me in, but something about the compassion really digs deep.

I rise abruptly, pushing away from the table, murmuring a quick apology and getting the hell out of there before anyone can stop me. The hallway feels too narrow as I hurry down it, needing a gulp of fresh air more than anything else in the world right now. A laugh echoes from down the hall—soft, feminine, flirty. I pause, not wanting to distract whoever it is with my stomping as I rush out.

A door creaks.

I inch forward, tiptoeing past it when I hear a familiar growl. A low, throaty sound that sends shivers right through me. I’d know that growl anywhere, and I immediately freeze, my chest tightening as I hear the giggles continue, followed by a breathy moan.

Talon is in that room with someone. A woman.

I shouldn’t look. I know it. Yet my feet move without thought.

I peek through the gap—and flinch.

Talon is on the couch, a girl sprawled across his lap. Her tank top is pulled halfway up her back. His hand is between her legs, and she’s moaning as she whispers something in his ear. I know what he’s doing. Even in my sheltered and isolated world, I know what he’s doing.

My world tilts. Something inside me makes me feel as though I’m being lit on fire.

He leans forward, kissing her neck.

I stagger back, hitting the opposite wall.

His head lifts.

Our eyes meet.

My heart stops beating for just a second.

I don’t wait to see what he does next. I turn and run, vision swimming, breath caught in my throat. I shove out the front door, the morning light stings my eyes. I shove a hand up to block it and keep moving. A group of old ladies sits smoking and drinking coffee on the porch, and their eyes move to me as I hurry towards the stairs.

One of them—Leona—tilts her head. “Watch your step, girl. Club floors can be slippery with regret, especially when you’re doin’ the walk of shame.”

Her words sting, and I spin around without thought. “Why don’t you worry about your own fucking regret?”

She stands. “Excuse me?”

“I said—”

She moves fast. One second she’s sipping coffee, the next I’m shoved against the railing, her hand gripping my jaw. Her perfume is powdery and suffocating. She glares at me like she wants to drive a knife through my heart. I gasp, gripping her wrist to try and push her hand away.

“You don’t get to speak to me like that, you fuckin’ little...”

“Fuckin’ let her go, Leona. Right fuckin’ now .”

Talon’s voice whips through the air and travels up my spine like an electric bolt. Leona bares her teeth at me, not moving away even though Talon ordered her to. He takes a step forward, she squeezes tighter. She doesn’t seem afraid of him, which tells me she has been here for far too long. He terrifies me.

“She needs to learn some fuckin’ respect,” she mutters. “Sweetbutts don’t talk to old ladies like that.”

“She ain’t a fuckin’ sweetbutt, now remove your hand before I remove it for you.”

Leona turns her head slowly, glaring at Talon. “She belong to you, Steel?”

Talon’s eyes flash. “Remove. Your. Fuckin’. Hand.”

She does as she’s asked, releasing me and holding Talon’s eyes for a long moment before growling, “Teach your dog some manners.”

I don’t say anything, even though I really want to.

Instead, I keep moving, rushing down the stairs.

“Nia—”

I hold up a hand when Talon calls out to me, turning just enough to look up at him. “Don’t. I’m not your fucking problem, Talon.”

His eyes narrow. “Yeah, you are.”

I hate that, because it’s true. Every second I’m here, I am his problem.

“Well maybe I don’t want to be!” I snap. “Maybe I just want to be free of all of it.”

He stares at me, jaw clenched.

“I can’t do this,” I say, shaking my head. “I don’t belong here. I don’t know the rules. One second I feel like maybe I’ve found something that isn’t chaos, and then the next I’m being shoved into a wall. I’m not part of this. I don’t want to be. I need to go.”

“Running won’t fix it. We’re the only people who can help you and you know it.”

I shake my head with a bitter laugh. “Maybe I don’t want to be fucking helped anymore.”

With that, I turn and walk away.

I don’t look back.

My feet hit the gravel with a force that feels almost punishing, like if I slam them hard enough into the earth, I can shake the feelings loose. But they cling. They always do. Shame. Rage. Hurt. The kind of pain that doesn’t make noise but still cuts so fucking deep it makes it hard to breathe.

I make it to the side of the clubhouse before my knees give out. I crouch down by the old, rusted water tank, hiding behind it like I’m a kid again—like I can disappear if I just get small enough. My chest rises and falls in shallow, sharp bursts. I don’t belong here, and yet, I have nowhere to go.

Seeing Talon with that woman hurt.

It hurt in a way I can’t explain.

Why do I care?

I don’t even know him.

My fingers curl into the dirt.

I don’t hear her coming.

“Hey.”

I look up and see Mera, standing and staring down at me, a coffee mug in her hand, her expression careful but understanding.

“Didn’t mean to sneak up on you,” she says softly, crouching next to me. “I saw what happened back there. Don’t worry about Leona, she’s a bitch.”

I scoff. “Maybe, but it doesn’t change the fact that I don’t belong here.”

Mera offers me the cup. I take it, even though my hands shake. Sipping it, I close my eyes and let the warm liquid rush down my throat, bringing me a small amount of comfort.

“You want to talk about it?” she asks.

“Not really.”

She doesn’t press. Just sits beside me, pulling a pebble from the dirt and rolling it between her fingers. “You know, when I first got here, I was in a dark place, too. I didn’t fit in, and I sure as hell didn’t trust anyone. But, eventually, I realized that this life, these people, they are one of a kind. They will protect you if you let them, and they’ll do it with a fierce loyalty you won’t be able to believe until you see it.”

I’ve read enough about Mera now to know about her life. Being the daughter of the infamous Shadow Butcher made her stand out even when she didn’t want to. If anyone understands, it’s her. That still doesn’t change the fact that I have a whole army against me, and I’m not certain these bikers understand just how dangerous that army can be.

“I know, trust me, but the people after me are going to come with a force that you didn’t have. I’m scared for this. For all of it,” I admit.

“True,” she says. “You’ve been through things I can’t even begin to understand, and I know they don’t, either. If you just let them in, though, you might be surprised at what they can do.”

I set the cup down, kicking the dirt with my shoe. “I saw Talon with another girl. I don’t know why it bothered me, but fuck, it did.”

Mera exhales through her nose. “That fucking sucks, honey. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t even have a right to feel it. He’s not mine. I’m not his. We haven’t... nothing’s even happened. God, he asked me yesterday if I had been kissed and then proceeded to tell me he wouldn’t be my first. If that isn’t a hint, I don’t know what is.”

Mera laughs softly. “Talon’s a hard ass, he is always going to do the right thing because that’s just who he is, but trust me, honey. The man has eyes on you. Trust me on that.”

I glance sideways at her. “So what, I should just kiss him anyway?”

She laughs. “If you are confident enough. I guarantee he wouldn’t turn you down.”

I huff. Maybe she’s right, but she’s more than likely wrong. Either way, I’m not about to find out. Not right now, anyway. Right now, I need some space, and I have to get out of this club to do it. It’s a risk, but I just need a minute to myself to process everything that has happened.

“I’m going to take a walk,” I tell her, pushing to my feet.

“Are you sure that’s safe?”

I glance at her. “Nope, but I’m doing it anyway. I need... I don’t know, a minute.”

Mera purses her lips, but she doesn’t stop me. Instead, she steps forward and hugs me, before taking the coffee mug and disappearing. Turning, I head towards the exit, not sure where I’m going, but knowing I will be better off for it. I don’t understand a single thing about this club. Leona was demanding respect, and I know there is a reason for that.

I am from a world that is so different, yet scarily the same.

Without respect in the cult, you were punished.

Maybe it’s the same here.

I walk until my legs ache along the scarce, somewhat empty highway. It feels strange being out here alone, almost freeing. The last time I was out on my own, I was kidnapped by a fucking crazy person and held captive. But, I’m not entirely ungrateful. I met Mera, and without her, I wouldn’t be here. That’s a blessing.

The midday sun burns my eyes as I slow to a stop near an old, worn-down dirt road that has a sign saying that there is a lake a couple of miles ahead. Deciding to risk it, I turn and walk down that road, hoping it actually leads to something beautiful. I’m lost in my thoughts, so much so that I don’t hear the gravel crunching as a car approaches, not until it’s too close anyway.

Turning, I narrow my eyes, and my heart skips a beat as I see a familiar white car and face that I was hoping I wouldn’t have to see again anytime soon. The car comes to a stop, and out steps Cyrus, the man I was set to marry, the one chosen for me. It’s all part of their plan, their belief, and they truly think that I will have a child with this man, and that child will be the chosen one.

It's sick and twisted.

“How the hell did you find me?” I whisper, taking a step back.

Cyrus steps closer, his long blond hair flowing over his shoulders. The white shirt he is wearing is a little too big, and his faded denim jeans make him look scarily normal when we both know he is anything but. This man is dangerous, and he is loyal to my father. He’s always going to put his word before mine. He might have been chosen for me, but that doesn’t mean he likes it.

“Come now, Nia. You didn’t think that it would be so easy for you to escape, did you?”

What is he talking about?

I take a slow step back. My heart is thumping so hard it’s like it’s trying to break free from my chest. For a moment, I forget how to breathe. Cyrus stands calmly, too calmly, like a predator who's been waiting in the shadows. His eyes never leave mine and there is a smirk on his face that screams satisfaction. Like he’s won. I suddenly feel like the world has tilted off its axis.

"How did you find me?" I ask again, my voice shaky, but firm.

He smiles, and it’s cold. Calculated. "We’ve been watching the club for a while. Did you think they wouldn’t put someone on you? I was assigned the moment you left. After all, you are my problem, are you not? We both know you belong to me and the punishment for your actions will be well earned.”

My knees weaken, but I stand tall. I won’t let him see the fear. I won’t let him think he’s winning. "If you’re here to try and take me, or threaten me, you’re making a mistake. I’ll never go with you. Not fucking likely.”

His face hardens. "Your mouth has gotten the better of you, hanging around with those sinners. I’ll warn you, Nia, you should be scared. Because if you don’t do exactly what I say, your little Lily is going to suffer. She’ll bleed for your mistakes. You know how it works."

Rage replaces fear. "If you touch her—"

He holds up a hand. "I don’t want to hurt her. She’s not my concern. But the leaders? They’re pissed. You embarrassed them. You betrayed them. And now they want blood. But they’re willing to bargain. You give them what they want, and Lily stays safe."

Blackmail.

I shouldn’t have expected anything less.

I grit my teeth. “And what exactly is it that they want?”

“Information. Entrances. Routines. Security. Everything you can give us about the club. We want to bring them down from the inside. You do that, and Lily walks away untouched.”

Bile rises in my throat as I stare at him in horror. “You think I’d betray the only people who’ve ever tried to help me? They’ve done more for me in weeks than any one of you did in a lifetime.”

His eyes flash. “You owe them nothing . They’ll turn on you the moment things get too hard. You’re just a distraction, something to bide their time until it gets too hard. Then what are you going to do? You have nobody out here, Nia, and you know it.”

His words cut deep, hitting me in the spots that are the most sensitive because I know he speaks a certain level of truth.

Even if I don’t want to accept it.

I take a step forward, fighting the urge to swing. “What I am is someone who isn’t afraid of you anymore. So go ahead, tell them I said no. In fact, tell them I said fuck no.”

Cyrus’s lip curls. “You’ll regret that. I will give you one more chance. Do as I am asking or suffer the consequences.”

I don’t get the chance to answer.

A low rumble cuts through the tense silence.

My heart flips.

A motorcycle engine.

Cyrus hears it too. He stiffens.

The sound grows louder, closer.

And then I see it—Talon, roaring around the bend, his bike a deadly warning.

Cyrus backs up fast, moving towards his car.

“You’ll regret this.”

Then he leaps into his car and speeds off, spitting up dust and dirt all over me. I cough, pressing my hands over my face to avoid breathing it in. Just as the dust clears, Talon comes to a stop, his expression so intense I actually take a step back, like that will do anything to protect me. His anger is intense, and it is written all over his face.

“Who the fuck was that?”

His voice is a whip, and his eyes move in the direction Cyrus took off in.

“Someone from the cult,” I tell him.

He jumps off the bike, and stalks over. His face is cold. “He touch you?”

“No,” I say. “But he did let me know they are watching, and they are going to make a move soon.”

I can’t tell him about what he asked me to do. I just can’t risk anyone getting angry and doing something they’ll regret. At least not until I know Lily is safe.

“They’re going to hurt her, Talon,” I whisper. “I know it.”

“We’ll come up with somethin’, for now, get on the bike. You shouldn’t fuckin’ be out here.”

He’s right. I know he’s right.

“I needed space.”

His head whips towards me. “Do you fuckin’ want our help or not, Nia? If you don’t, then stop wastin’ my fuckin’ time by doin’ shit that could get you hurt.”

I reel back, his words like a harsh slap to my face. “I...”

“Yes or no?”

He’s angry.

I don’t blame him.

“Yes.”

“Then get on the bike.”

I don’t argue.

I get on the bike.