Page 53 of Condemned Soul

“I figured it was her.” I smile through my sadness because just having Paige here is making me feel a little better.

“Jessie explained to us about the Prez situation,” she tells me, sliding her hand over the ground and resting it on top of mine.

“It ain’t fair.” I shake my head. “It should be Cliff.”

“It’s not fair,” she agrees. “But you have to admit, it’s typical of Prez.” She tries her best to sound upbeat but I see no good in losing another person I care about.

“I’m scared.” The words blurt out and I feel so fuckin’ weak for letting ‘em. “All these people keep gettin’ taken away from me. What if you’re next?” I turn my head and look at her. The perfect, strong, incredible girl that’s allowed me into her life, and accepts me for who I am. I can’t even imagine how I’d cope if something were to happen to her.

“You're never gonna lose me. We’ve been through too much,” she assures me with a sad smile.

“I lost Mom, and Dad, now Jimmer. All of ‘em had to sacrifice for me.” I think of all the years my mom took beats from Tank to protect me. She risked her life coming to the Souls and asking them to help get me outta the Bastards’ club. I think about the night my dad saved me, giving his own life so I could carry on mine. Jimmer, getting himself locked up to ensure my freedom, is just another debt I’ll never be able to pay.

“Don’t think like that. Your parents loved you. And Jimmer isn’t just saving you, he’s saving everyone. You owe it to him to be grateful.”

“I’ll always be grateful.” I look at Paige and think about all the things I want us to do together. I wanna take her to Paris. I wanna give her babies and watch ‘em grow with her. And today has made me realize how close I came to missing out on all that.

“Ella’s in a bad place, I really think Dylan and Sophia could do with their Uncle Haydy, right now.” Paige smiles at me, she knows how much I love hanging with the kids. Nyx may not be my brother by blood, but he was raised by the man who was my father and he does his best to ensure everything he was taught by him is passed on to me.

“You're right, we should be there for them.” Paige gives me a new sense of purpose, and when I stand up and dust off my jeans I smile down at the ground where my dad rests and make a silent promise to take the opportunity Prez is giving me by the fuckin’ balls.

I climb back on my bike and wait for Paige to get on behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist and squeezing me tight, before I look back over my shoulder at her.

“Promise you’ll never leave me.” Call it weak, and pathetic, but I have to hear her say it.

“Never,” she assures me, kissing my lips before she rests her head on my shoulder. The heavens open and we both get soaked as I ride us back down to the clubhouse and when we both race inside to get out the rain, I bump into Grimm on his way out.

“You seen Rogue?” The guy who hates fuckin’ touching people grips both my shoulders and looks at me like he’s ready to kill.

“No.” I shake my head and look at Paige.

“She stormed into the garage just after Prez got taken, that's the last I saw of her,” she explains

“Fuck!” Grimm smashes his fist into the wooden banister beside him before marching out the door. “She better not be gettin’ herself into fuckin’ trouble,” I hear him utter under his breath on his way out, and both me and Paige give each other the same look.

I stand in the rain, not caring how long I’ve had to wait. My clothes are stuck to my skin and my lips are trembling. When her car pulls up outside her house, I still wait at least half an hour, until I see the trail of lights, she put on when she got home, go out.

I move across the street and head down the side of the house so I can access it from the back door. The bobby pin in the lock trick is a classic and guaranteed way for me to get inside. So I stick with it. It takes me no time at all to gain entry and within a few minutes, I’m standing in Agent Consuela’s kitchen. As I predicted, it's basic and neat, and when I see the picture of her and an older woman on the refrigerator door, I snatch it away and slide it into my back pocket.

Slowly, I move into the living room, creeping my fingers over her furniture as I head toward the room where the last light went out. Taking my time, I open the door and find her lying in her bed. Her eyes are closed like she hasn’t got a care in the world. It makes me want to slash her open so she bleeds all over the pretty, purple comforter she’s under. I step a little closer and take my knife outta my belt, crouching down over her body and taking in her sweet floral scent. She’s out of it, I guess taking down the president of one of the biggest clubs in the country is exhausting work, and this bitch is about to get a rude awakening. I press the tip of my knife under her chin to make a dimple and as she starts to stir awake I laugh.

“Don’t move,” I whisper, keeping my hand steady as a rock and enjoying the look of horror that flashes on her face when she realizes what trouble she’s in.

“How did you get in here? What are you?—”

“Shhhhh.” I soothe my hand over her long, brown hair and giggle. “Those aren’t the questions you need to be askin’,” I whisper.

“I don’t know who you are or?—”

“I’ll tell you who I am,” I cut her off for a second time. “I’m the last face you're gonna see. I’m the bitch who’s gonna kill you.” I press the tip of the knife deep enough to draw a little blood. “Unless, of course, you wanna drop all charges you’ve made on Prez, and send him home.” I make my best attempt at a friendly voice to make it sound appealing.

“I can’t do that.” Consuela shakes her head.

“Usually, when someone’s got a knife to your throat you tell them what they wanna hear, darlin’,” I remind her of the situation she’s in.

“You can kill me, it won’t change anything.” She tries to sound brave but I can feel her shaking.

“It sure would make me feel better.” I shrug, keeping the knife in place as I reach my other hand across the nightstand and turn on the lamp. I want to see the full sight of her fear.

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