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A sweep of dark power flowed over my skin, checking me and seeing if I’m all right. He made a low sound. “Do I need to send you back to bed?”
I glared at him. “Grave already made me stay in bed for a lot longer than I wanted. I’m good. Not fine enough to have anyone else tonight, but good.”
He tilts his head, watching me before he nods. “All right.”
“Skyla asked about things to do, including helping the Shadows,” Delta said behind me.
I spun on my bar stool, turning my glare on him. “You’re snitching on me?”
“Like you weren’t going to ask the question.”
Comet was the one who touched me, placing his hand on my lower back. “I’m sure we’ll be able to fill your time once this is all over, sweetheart. But no, you won’t be involved in the Shadows.”
“I know.”
Silver looked like he was about to say something, but the loud buzz of a crowd of motorcycles drew everyone’s attention.
“Patrol coming back,” Comet told me.
A minute later, a group of members spilled into the clubhouse and around the bar. Silver spoke to them about where they’d gone, and I scooped up Puff so she wasn’t in the way.
I liked the clubhouse and the feeling of being surrounded by community. In this moment? It felt like too much. The tingling awareness that had been with me since I woke up was ablaze with light and new sensitivity, brushing up against so many people.
Maybe I was more exhausted than I’d admitted to myself. The sudden chaos made me tired. “I think I’m going to go find Maggie,” I said quietly. “Relax for a bit.”
“Okay, beautiful.” Comet kissed my hair and helped me down off the stool. Silver reached out and squeezed my hand in the middle of his conversation.
Puff finally seemed tired and nearly fell off my shoulder in an attempt to get lower. I stretched her out in my arms. “Did the string and the straw wear you out?”
That ring of awareness sharpened. Something felt wrong. I turned and found harsh eyes on me. Pure anger and power that made meill. The man bellowed, charging straight for me.
It was too fast for me to dodge out of his way. His body hit mine. I curled myself around Puff to protect her as I slammed into the wall, all my breath gone from my lungs. His hand was around my throat, and this wasn’t the good kind.Realpain sank through my skin and cut off all my air.
And then he was gone, body flying across the room, back buckling as he hit the bar with the force of a storm. Silver, Comet, and Delta stood in front of me, shadows coating their bodies and rage pouring through them.
“Four-leaf,” Silver’s voice echoed with magic. “You have five seconds to explain yourself before I tear your head off your body.”
I had no doubt he meant it literally.
Air had me coughing. Choking while I tried to catch my breath. Comet turned to me, hiding my body with his. His hands cupped my face, subtly checking my neck as he did so. “Is she okay?”
Opening the cage I made with my arms, Puff looked up at me, fear in her eyes. She was okay, but seeing her afraid reminded me of the day I found her. And that wasn’t okay.
Tears flooded my eyes. “She’s not hurt.”
“Areyouokay?”
My throat hurt. It didn’t help that it was already sore. “I think so.”
“What the hell, Pres?” The man Silver had called Four-leaf groaned. “Why—”
Through the space between their bodies, I saw him look around and go pale. Every club member was on their feet, looking at him. Chills ran over my arms. The animosity in the air pulsed with life.
“What the hell just happened?” He asked, throat bobbing. Then his eyes fell on me and they went wide. He wasn’t one of the ones I knew from the club, but he clearly knew who I was.
The man pushed up to his knees. “Silver, you need to check me.” He held his hands up in surrender. “Do what you need to do, because it wasn’t me. I swear it on my shadows.”
Where I was standing I couldn’t see Silver’s face. His body was taut, shadows still rolling off him in waves. He stared down at Four-Leaf, until finally, he nodded to Delta. “Take him to the office. Restrain him.”
