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“I haven’t changed my mind. You won’t see him again.”
As scared as I am, the anger is still simmering, but flames at his refusal. “My hands are burnt to a crisp. Just now, I couldn’t even open the fucking door. If I can’t get answers from him, I need them from you. I’m not stupid, I know you’re not letting me leave, thinking I’ll go to the cops, and probably wouldn’t believe me if I promised you I wouldn’t. So, I’m not going to leave, and I’m not going to go to the cops, but I won’t stay here and stay quiet. I need to know why this happened to me.”
I stop before I choke on the words and show him weakness. I’m stronger than this, and that’s what I want him to see.
Crossing his arms over his chest, I see the fatigue in his eyes, but it’s not my problem.
“For all I know, you could be part of trying to destroy my club.”
What? No! How can this be turning against me so fast?
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. As far as I knew, I was having fun with a guy before leaving for my last year at college.”
“Forgive me if I don’t believe a word you say.” Stepping closer, I can smell his sweat. “You shouldn’t have got caught up in this, but—”
“Cas,” Alannah warns.
The bald guy with faded tattoos jerks his head at Cas, and they walk back over to their bikes.
Alannah looks me in the eyes, promising, “Don’t be scared. No one will hurt you here.”
I raise my brow. Is she serious?
“You have my word.”
“Why? I mean, don’t you think the same as Cas? You don’t know me.”
“Oh, but I do know you. Your father works for the best law firm in the city, and it’s how he’s put you through college. Your mom has her hair bleached and blown out every third Thursday of the month because she’s terrified of her roots showing. You got straight A’s throughout school, and you’re due to finish college with honours. You work at Hank’s, which you’re only doing because your dad made you. You came to the club with your friend because you needed an escape to forget your life in town, and it didn’t work out for you. You were taken, you were hurt, and you’re still alive. I know more than you think I do.”
I don’t know if I should be scared or relieved at what she knows.
“My husband isn’t the only one who digs for information. I was born into this club. Cas has been around a long time, but I’ve been here for forever. The club is going through some shit that I won’t tell you about, but what I will tell you is that no one here will hurt you. They don’t trust you because they don’t know you.”
“And you trust me?”
“I didn’t say that. You have history in this town. I don’t believe you were in cahoots with Tal, but trust? It takes more than belief for me to trust when it comes to the people I love.”
Cas and the bald guy walk back over. “You can see him on one condition.”
“Okay?”
“You tell us everything he tells you, and I mean everything.”
I’ll agree to anything at this point. “I can do that.”
“Let’s go, then.”
I follow them through the bar and into a basement, where I freeze at the sight of Tal.
They have him tied to a chair. His eye and cheek are bruised, and blood has dried around his bottom lip and chin.
He’s worried, but not for himself. His forehead creases as he watches me walk in.
“W–Why is he tied to a chair?”
“Get your answers. You have ten minutes.”
I expect them to hover in the corner or something, but Cas and the bald guy leave, closing the door behind them.
