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What I remembered was him telling me that us fucking was inevitable.
He’d made sure to stay away from me since then.
“Does Dove know I was coming to this meeting?” I asked, as I pulled into the parking lot atAllure. The new club had changed hands now and was officially ours, so there was a need to touch base with Dove, to make sure she had everything handled.
Keira raised an eyebrow at me. “Should I have let her know?” she asked, peeking out the window to wave to our escort, two lieutenants who’d ridden in front of and behind us, and were now parked on either side.
“No, not necessarily. I just haven’t been here in a few weeks, haven’t been the point person in a while, so—”
“Stop it,” Keira scolded, gathering her bag to exit the car. “It’s no different than any other meeting.”
“Don’t patronize me,” I warned. “Are you sure all the bruising is gone? I feel like I still have a bit right here.”
She pointed. “It’s a shadow from the trees over there. You’re playing.”
“I’m not playing, I’m fucking nervous. Does everybody know what happened?”
“The details? Absolutely not. But I won’t pretend there’s no speculation. You’re suddenly out of sight, club on lockdown, Kev MIA, everybody under scrutiny. The important thing though, is that everybody is on your side. We look to you like you’re the fucking North Star.”
I knew she was trying to be encouraging, but really it just made me even more nervous. Before all this, the leadership role wasn’teasy, but I’d accepted it and excelled.
Now?
I barely knew who the fuck I was anymore.
I didn’t need anybody looking to me.
Still, I pulled it together with a deep breath and got out of the car, head held high. If nothing else, I knew Ilookedgood, so I drew on that to make my way inside the club with Keira right at my heels.
As soon as we’d crossed the threshold, I knew something was off.
A glance back at Keira confirmed she was feeling it too and she moved to step in front of me. She didn’t pull her weapon, but she had her hand at the holster, ready. The woman working the hostess stand sent us straight back to Dove’s office but didn’t give any clues otherwise that something was amiss.
“I put out a beacon to our guys outside,” Keira muttered over her shoulder as we approached the door. “They’ll get the message out if needed. Or we can just turn around. I don’tthinkwe’re in danger, but something is weird.”
I shook my head. “Nah, let’s see what’s going on.”
Keira nodded her compliance with my choice and raised a fist to rap at the door before she pushed it open. We found Dove sitting at her desk, no hiding the exasperation on her face as she glared at the person seated across from her.
Sanaa.
“Whereis Kevondre!” she snapped, popping up as soon as she saw me in the doorway.
Before anybody could do anything, Keira had chopped her in the throat, putting an instant halt to her attempt to get in my face.
“Whoa, she’s pregnant!” Dove exclaimed, standing to come around the desk and attend to Sanaa on the ground, coughing as she tried to catch her breath.
“Well if she wants to keep it, she should be a little more careful with her actions, shouldn’t she?” Keira said, directing her words at Sanaa before she stepped over her, taking a seat at the desk. “Now, about those numbers we needed to discuss?”
I fought the urge to smirk, knowing Keira’s actions had likely caught them all by surprise.
Not me.
Her aura of amiable competence matched who I knew her to be, but it didn’t remotely tell the whole story. Keira was a fighter, had always been, really. Once I’d graduated high school and couldn’t be the one around all the time for Tali’s protection, Keira had picked up the reins and bridged the gap, even though she was younger.
When it came to the people she cared about – when it came to herink– Keira didn’t fuck around.
Now Sanaa knew.
