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5
Lynx
I set Jaynee’s luggage near the bed. The hotel room was clean and didn’t smell funny. She wouldn’t let me take her to the Hilton, insisting on something cheaper. The woman grated on my nerves. She fought me every step of the way, when all I tried to do was help her and her little girl.
Speaking of Sadie, she’d become my shadow since we left McDonald’s. In the lobby, she followed me. When Jaynee told Sadie to stay with her, the little peanut started to cry. Her tears bothered her momma as much as they did me, so Jaynee had stopped trying to control the pint-sized human.
“Let me see your phone.” I held my hand out to Jaynee.
“What for?”
“Just give it to me. Must you question everything?”
She scowled. “You’re a stranger.”
“Not anymore, I’m not. Now give it to me.”
She huffed and placed it on my hand. “If you’re not a stranger, then what are you?”
“Your friend.”
Sadie squeaked, wrapping her arm around my leg. She still hadn’t spoken. I wasn’t sure if I should be concerned. She appeared healthy and inquisitive. Smiled behind her hand and giggled a lot. I’d say she was a happy child. But why didn’t she talk?
I patted Sadie’s back. She stared up at me like she wanted to ask me something. I hoped she would so I could hear her voice.
Just as I was going to squat to talk to Sadie, Jaynee said, “I could use a friend here.”
Why did Jaynee’s reply bother me? It was like I’d been friend-zoned. It was ridiculous to feel slighted when I wasn’t interested in her.
“Well, you’ve got one.” I went to her apps, searching for a tracker. All the Knights had one on their phones. It was a safety measure, not only for the member but for the club. Grizzly did random checks on our whereabouts to be sure no one was up to no good.
“What are you looking for?” She peered over my shoulder. Her damn perfume muddled up my senses, or was it having her in my personal space?
Fuck, whatever it was, it couldn’t be good.
“Found it right here.” I showed her the screen. “A tracker. The asshole on the phone knows exactly where you two are. Tell me everything.” I deleted it from her device, putZanderin her contacts, and made me number two on speed dial.
Sadie giggled.
“You have a potty mouth, Zander,” Jaynee muttered in a displeased tone.
“Sorry, Sadie. I shouldn’t have said that.” I rubbed her back. “Anyway, I’ve removed it, but the dude probably knows you’re at this hotel.” I didn’t have a good feeling about any of this. “Let’s move you somewhere else.”
“No, we’ll be fine. He won’t come here.”
I cocked my head. “You don’t honestly believe that. What’s really going on? Are you on the run? Is he”—I lowered my voice—“abusive?”
“We’re not your problem to solve. You’ve already done enough for us. I’ll figure out where to go from here.” She took her phone back and sat on the edge of the bed. “And he’s never harmed us.”
I wasn’t sure what possessed me to lift Sadie into my arms. I must’ve totally lost my mind.
“You okay, peanut?”
She looped her arms around my neck and rested her head on my shoulder. I guessed her nonverbal answer meantyes. Or maybe she was trying to tell me she was afraid? I didn’t know how to read kids as I did women.
“Jaynee, why doesn’t she talk?”
She sighed. “Because she’s a chatterbox. I told her not to talk to you or the others.”
