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If anyone knows how to fuck something up, it’s me.
“I wish there had been someone there to protect me, Em. There never was and there never will be someone in my life who loves me that fiercely. It’s hard to try and not take it for granted, especially when he might leave you feeling caged in sometimes, but unconditional love like that is worth fighting for.” She gulps, wetting her lips as I offer her a tight smile. This is getting heavier than I can handle. “Anyway, let’s make the most of it before he changes his mind.” I link my arm through hers and head for the door before she can object, but she seamlessly falls into step beside me.
Duffer rushes around us before we get to the end of the hallway so he can hold the door to the bar open for us. I murmur my thanks as I bite back a groan at how busy it is tonight. Despite my best efforts, my gaze instantly moves to the Prez’s booth where I find Ryker, Axel, Emmett, and Gray seated with a few Ruthless Bitches hovering around the table, but none of them are actually offered a seat.
I can’t deny the smugness that I feel, but also the raging desire to waltz over there and step between them. As if they’re mine to want, mine to have, mine to claim.
Shit, maybe I do need a drink to get out of my own head for a while.
“What do you guys want to drink? I’ll go to the bar while you find us somewhere to sit,” I offer, shaking my head at Duffer as he opens his mouth to object.
“Emmett said we can sit with them if we want. I feel like I want to be near him since he’s injured, so I can annoy him with some sisterly love, but if you’re not okay with that…” Her words trail off as I turn my shaking head to her.
“That’s good with me. I’ll meet you there.”
She smiles wide before rhyming off the name of an alcohol-free cocktail she wants, while Duffer asks for a soda. Taking off in a different direction than them, I make my way through the crowd of people in cuts or skimpy outfits, before I brace my arms on the bar.
Glancing up and down, I search for Maggie, only to find her knee-deep in orders and a little rushed off her feet. Patting the bar, I move to the end, rounding the wooden top and fall into step with her.
“Who’s next?” I call out, placing my hands on my hips as I look out at the crowd. Maggie glances my way but she doesn’t tell me to piss off or anything so I hold my position.
“Two coronas.” No please or thank you, but I don’t expect anything different. Reaching into the fridge, I flick off the bottle tops and stuff a lime wedge into the top before handing them over, and then moving onto the next order.
I spend almost twenty minutes running down the line, with Maggie taking one end and me the other. There are a few guys in here without cuts tonight. It’s weird that MCs are my sanctuary, yet I want to escape, and seeing guys without any cuts at all leaves me even more uneasy. But the Prez and VP are present so they must be okay with them being here.
“Girl, you’re my queen in shining armor right now. Thank you,” Maggie says when the line dies down and there’s no one waiting.
Wiping my hands on a towel, I smile at her. “It’s no problem. Although I did only sneak over to get a drink for Emily, Duffer, and me, but this was fun.”
“I’ll remember that when I’m sinking again because Lord knows I can’t get any help from the Bitches,” she grumbles, nodding in their direction. They’re all over by the door except the three still hovering around the Prez’s table.
If they’re not helping out, then what the fuck are they actually doing here? That’s not how I was raised for things to be done. I don’t ask though, it’s really not my place.
“If you need me, just give me a shout,” I reply, getting two sodas before quickly mixing the fresh juices for Emily’s drink.
With my hands full, I make my way to the end of the bar and around to where the crowd is when the music cuts off and commanding shouts bounce around the room.
“Jasperville County Sheriff’s Department, hands in the air where I can see them or I’ll be taking more men than I’m actually here to collect.”
My bones turn to jelly, my heart crashing against my chest as I struggle to breathe. The two bottles and the glass in my hands slip from my grip, shattering at my feet, but the noise goes unnoticed among the riot sounding around me.
Stumbling backward, my hip hits the bar, and I use it to brace myself as the crowd moves around me, desperate to escape the law.
This is it. It’s coming. My time is fucking done.
Someone bumps into me, and I slump to the floor in fear of being seen, before crawling on my hands and knees over the sticky wood flooring back behind the bar.
“You’re not arresting anyone today, Petey.”
I try to focus on Ryker’s voice as he speaks to the sheriff, but he’s barely audible over the ringing of my pulse in my ears.
“I have a warrant for the arrest of Emmett Brockman and Robert Lopez, aka Euro.” A hint of relief washes over me when I don’t hear my name called out, but it doesn’t stop the panic from vibrating through my body.
Fear holds me in place, even though I want to step between the cops and Emmett, or at least shield Emily from the storm, I can’t. I’m frozen in place with my knees bent and my arms banded tightly around them.
“What bullshit does your warrant say, Officer?” Axel grunts, but before the cop can respond, Emmett speaks.
“It’s okay, brothers, you know the drill. I’ll appease the cops, just as Euro will. We won’t be there longer than an hour.” His tone is certain, his voice unfazed as I hear the telltale sound of handcuffs being used. Each click of the metal increases the tightening in my chest and renders me useless.
