Page 109 of Fighting the Odds

I set the phone back down, finish drying off, and get dressed before heading out to the living room. I pause, listening to see if Sierra is moving around in the bedroom.

She’s not. Good.

Heading into the living room, I make a detour to the kitchen, grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator, and pick my laptop bag up off the kitchen table. Until they get here, I have an assignment I can work on.

As I sit down, I cross my feet on the coffee table and pull out my laptop, placing it on my legs. I dread doing this assignment. But I only have a couple of things left to do to complete my business plan.

Just when I’m about to begin working, my phone buzzes.

Colt: Stepping into the elevator

Me: Unlocking the door so just come on in.

Setting my laptop on the coffee table, I head over to the door and unlock it, then sit back down. They need to get used to coming in like they’re not guests. Maybe in a couple of weeks I can talk to Sierra about giving them a key to the apartment.

A few minutes later, I can hear them talking loudly in the hall. As they come through the door, I cut my eyes at them. “Shh, I said she was asleep.”

“Sorry,” Zander whispers, as Braxton playfully slaps him across the back of his head.

“Sit down so we can talk before she wakes up.”

Zander sets Sierra’s coffee on the table and hands mine to me. They all find somewhere to sit, forming a circle around me.

“What’s up? Did they contact her about Sam? Dad hasn’t told us anything.”

“No, it’s not that. That rapist fucker contacted Rico about setting up the private dance. It’s tonight.”

I can see Colton, out of the corner of my eye, jump up, but his brother quickly grabs his arm and pulls him back down.

“No, she can’t. He could fucking hurt her,” Colton whispers harshly.

“I agree, but we don’t have a choice and Sierra agreed to it. The girlfriend of one of the bikers Rico brought is going with her, along with two of their men. I guess they’ve staked out the address and are making sure both of them are completely safe.”

“You’re going with her, right? Can we?” Braxton asks.

“No, and I don’t even have the address. Rico's reasoning is that he wants me to be able to take care of her in case something happens. So if I’m not able to go, then you know that you guys can’t. It makes me feel sick and helpless,” I confess, roughly rubbing a hand down my face as I blow out a deep breath.

“I don’t like this,” Zander murmurs, just as we hear footsteps coming down the hallway.

“What are y’all doing here?” she asks in surprise when she walks in.

“We wanted to see our girl,” Zander saves them. “We got you coffee.”

“Thank you.” She drags out the words as she pretends to be a zombie walking toward us.

We all bust out laughing at her silliness.

“Umm, Cyrus told us about tonight,” Braxton says softly, scooting closer to Colton so she can sit between me and him.

“Yeah, Rico and the guys helping him are coming by here this afternoon to go over everything. I think they’re going to be here around three.”

“Can we be here when they come?” Zander asks.

“I don’t know. I can ask, but I’m not sure they want very many people knowing about it. I can message him real quick.” She stands up. “Let me get my phone.”

“He’s not going to let you,” I tell them with a smirk when she disappears down the hallway.

“We can still try.” Braxton shrugs. “But while we wait, why don’t we go out and get something to eat? It’s almost noon. That way, she can be back in time for her to meet them.”

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