“Roddick?” I whispered. It seemed like a human form. Had he just fallen asleep? Why like that, in that awkward way on the floor when there was a chair right beside him?
Before I could turn away, there was a bang on the window, right up in my face. I hadn’t seen him there in the dark, but now he thumped hard on the windowpane again.
“Open the fuck up!” I heard his muffled voice.
His face was right up close to me now. I could see the inside of his mouth when he growled. I backed away from the window. I covered my mouth with a hand, trying not to screech even though my flesh was covered in goosebumps. I recognized him instantly. What was he doing here? They were all looking for him. Ghost was out there right now, trying to smoke him out!
“Open up!” he growled again and thumped his fist hard on the windowpane. I was sure it would crack any moment now. A few more solid thumps and it would shatter into smithereens.
Eagle’s voice was grating but muffled. I backed away to the couch, shuddering, trying to think. He’d done something to Roddick, that was obvious. And I didn’t know what he would do to me.
I needed to call Ghost. I needed to call someone. But I didn’t have anybody’s number. My hands were shaking as I backed away into a corner of the room. I could see him coming around to the front door. I heard him kick. Once. Twice. Loud thumps like deadweight falling against the door.
I didn’t even have the time to think about how afraid I was, but I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
“No. No. No!” I whispered hoarsely while he continued to kick.
Then the door caved in and Eagle was framing it.
“No!” I screamed and he lunged into the room.
There was furniture between us and I ducked and scurried and ran. He chased me around the room in circles and I managed to slip out the door. My heart was slamming hard in my chest. I couldn’t believe I was out.
It was chilly, dark, and still outside the cabin, and I skidded over the porch, scrambling down the steps. Then my eyes fell on Roddick.
He was lying there, awkward and misshapen, in a pool of his own blood. He was dead. He was definitely dead.
“Roddick!” I screamed, staring at him from the steps, trying to decide what to do.
What if he was still alive? What if I could save him? Would I be able to carry him if I tried to make a run for it through the woods? I couldn’t make up my mind fast enough. I’d never been in a situation like this. I wasn’t prepared for it.
I didn’t see him coming.
Eagle grabbed me by my shoulders and for a split second, he’d lifted me up in the air like he’d just won a trophy.
I kicked and flailed my arms.
“No! Let me go! Let me go!” I screamed. My voice cut sharply through the still night air.
He hurtled me back down and then wrapped his arms tightly around me. I may have stupidly wasted time when I could have run into the woods, but I wasn’t going to let him take me easily.
I tried scratching him, tried reaching his hand with my face so I could bite him, but he was stronger than me and dragging me along efficiently.
“No! You’ll pay for this! Ghost will find you!” I was rambling. I didn’t even know what I was saying. Empty threats, probably. Why would Ghost care? Why would the MC?
“Shut up, bitch,” Eagle growled and now I could see the dark SUV parked on the side, between a thicket of trees. The back of the car was open. I knew what was coming. He was going to throw me inside.
I kicked harder. Struggled harder. But there was no respite. He wasn’t letting me go. I felt spent and exhausted. I went limp as he hauled me up and then threw me in the back.
And then; darkness.
11
Ghost
On any other night, it would have taken me over two hours to ride over to the Granite Apostles warehouse, but tonight I rode harder and faster than ever before. I didn’t like the idea of leaving Mercy behind.
My feeling was that the current threat level was low. Eagle was going to lie low for some time since he knew we were all after his ass. Besides, she wasn’t alone. She was either at the clubhouse with the rest of the MC, or she was in my cabin where Roddick was watching her. Either way, she was protected.
It didn’t matter. For some reason, unless I was watching her myself, and unless she was in my view, I wasn’t going to rest easy. Maybe Mercy was the kind of chick who knew how to look after herself. God knew she’d done pretty well so far without me, but ever since I first met her, I was frustratingly full of this need to protect her. To keep her safe.
I wanted her, was so close to having her. I could still taste her and feel the lusciousness of her soft creamy skin on my hands. Something was always fuckin’ in our way every time I was close to fully possessing her.
Once I was done meeting with the Granite Apostles, I was going to ride back to my cabin directly and take her. Right there at the door if I had to. For the first time in my life, I wanted to explore the possibility of something real with a woman, and I didn’t want to hold back any longer. Every time I kissed her, I became more and more sure that she was the one, the woman who was going to bring me to my knees. The one I’d been waiting for all these years.
So, by the time I arrived at the warehouse, it
