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Nova bites the inside of his cheek and shakes his head. “Nah, I don’t think so. I think you should be sandwiched between us. I don’t trust those fuckers not to blow the car up or something as a distraction.”
“You got your gun, sugar?” Bane asks.
I lean forward and lift up the back of my tee, showing him where he gave me a hands-on instruction on how to tuck my gun in the back of my jean shorts. I let the fabric flutter back down, and settle into my seat, wiggling my feet a little bit. I wore Nana Jo’s favorite cowboy boots today. I don’t know if I did it for luck or comfort, maybe I just wanted something pretty and fun. But I do feel better wearing them, so there’s that.
Nova stays hovering behind me, his hand lightly brushing against my shoulder before settling on my chest. His fingertips brush over the skin above my heart, like he needs reassurance.
“Alright, you’re with us at all times yeah? Superglue, baby,” Silas murmurs, his gaze dark as he focuses on the road. “At the first sign of trouble, I want you to run. Take the car or steal a car, I don’t fucking care. You get your ass outta there, and you go to Ma and Hunter.”
My heart flies up into my throat as my breath hitches. A chill runs down my spine at the idea of leaving without them.
“I’m not leaving you,” I vow. “So if you want me to walk away from this little meeting today, you better make sure you do the same.”
Silas’s gaze flies to the rearview mirror, and I glance over my shoulder to see him exchange a loaded look with Bane and Nova. It’s one in a long line of many heavy looks the three of them have been trading over the last few days. I still don’t know what the fuck happened in the bathroom that night I found all of them having what seemed like a heart to heart. But after Silas told us about what the new sheriff said, it’s been tense as fuck around the house.
Admittedly, I don’t really understand what everything means. Like the politics of the Reapers or how it works with the sheriff or even the people of Rosewood, let alone how it works with other clubs. I told Lincoln I wanted to be brought in on everything, and since then, they mostly have. But there is still so much that I don’t comprehend. I think it would take me months, maybe even years, to fully understand their dynamic within Rosewood and beyond.
“That goes for all of you, yeah? I’m not leaving any of you there, so get any heroics out of your heads right now. We’re going home today, and then we’re going to find that motherfucker who stole my panties and then stole me. And then, we’re going to bring Hunter home.” I’m on a roll by the end of my little pep talk. I didn’t intend for it to start out that way, but I can’t deny that it makes me feel better knowing we have a plan. Regardless of how arbitrary it is. Even the best plans go to shit sometimes.
“Perfect timing, sweetheart. We’re here,” Bane says.
I sit up and try to take in the scene. Men standing in small groups, some smoking cigarettes and some chatting with the other guys around their motorcycles. There are clear divides here, and you can spot each little group easily enough by the three-foot buffer of space.
“I thought there was only supposed to be like twenty people here or something?” I ask, glancing at Silas.
“That’s what he told me. He said the three of us, so I assumed he meant just the board for the other clubs too, which would put us at roughly twenty. Plus the sheriffs, so maybe twenty-five,” Silas says, pulling into the gravel parking lot of what looks like a bar that recently had a fire.
I wonder what happened here?” I murmur, eyeing the blackened exterior walls with peeling paint and broken windows. Two giant red dumpsters are next to one side, and one of them looks full. I imagine how much damage is inside for it to look this bad on the outside.
Silas swings the car into a makeshift parking spot at the edge of the lot. A strategic move so it’s close to the exit for a quick getaway, I’m sure.
“Savages and Hounds torched it earlier this summer,” Nova says with a sigh. “Even though this is neutral territory.”
Fear snakes up my back, sinking its poisonous legs into each vertebrae. “Then why the fuck are we meeting here with them?”
“Why, indeed,” Silas mutters as he turns the car off and pulls the keys. He taps the visor with two fingers. “Spare’s in here, yeah?”
“Knock it off, Silas. I’m not fucking leaving you here,” I growl out. Fear has burned away my faux calm.
Bane glances at his watch and makes a low noise in the back of his throat. “It’s three o’clock. Let’s do this.”
“With me, Evie,” Silas says as he pushes open his door.
I get out of the car, letting Nova throw his arm over my shoulder and huddle me close to his side. He leans down and murmurs, “This is supposed to be a peaceful meeting, sweetheart. But you don’t fucking hesitate if they open fire, yeah? We’re not asking for permission today.”
I nod my understanding and look at the men we’re walking toward.
“Good girl,” he says, dropping a kiss to the top of my head.
“So good of you to join us.”
My heart stops inside my chest and I freeze, like my feet are suddenly glued to the ground.
“Sweetheart? You okay?” Nova asks.
I think he says something else, but I can’t be sure because my head is ringing. I shield the sun from my eyes as I look around for the speaker, the man whose face belongs to that voice. My gaze flies over everyone, quickly dismissing each one until it lands on him.
There.
