Page 58 of Nitro

Seriously, he was never going to leave at this rate, wasn't he?

Then again, I wouldn't mind spending the entire evening wrapped up in Nitro's strong arms while a TV show played in the background.

The warmth of his presence and the comforting familiarity of his embrace were all I craved in that moment.

I knew one word from me would ensure I had him the entire night, but I also understood the significance of the MC meeting to him.

Once a month, the entire MC gathered to address and resolve the previous month's issues, as well as discuss present problems.

It was a crucial aspect of their organization, and Nitro's presence was vital.

With a resigned sigh, I gave him a wave and that finally got him moving.

Once he was gone, I took the elevator up to my floor. Seeing the door to my unit ajar, I froze, but I didn't stay paralyzed for long.

My hand immediately went for my cellphone. Nitro wouldn't have gone far; he would be right here in a minute.

Dylan's description of the creature that took him by surprise replayed in my mind.

It wasn't too late to run back to the elevator and call Nitro for help once I was back on the first floor.

As I hesitated, a familiar voice called out, "Tommy? That you? It's me."

All the tension in my body dissipated upon hearing my brother's voice.

I tucked my cellphone back into the pocket of my jeans and entered my apartment.

I locked the door for good measure before turning to my brother, who was sitting in the living room armchair.

There was some sort of note on his lap, and he didn't look the least bit happy to see me. What was going on?

"Marc, what are you doing here? Why didn't you call ahead?" I asked, settling into a seat on the sofa next to him.

"I was nearby after tying up a case and figured I'd give you a surprise visit," Marc said, his jaw clenching. "Then I saw this note under your door."

He handed me the paper on his lap.

I frowned, wondering what the hell this was all about. Today had been a whirlwind of terror, and I was exhausted.

I didn't have time to play games with Marc. The last conversation we had hadn't been exactly smooth sailing either.

Finally, I looked at the note in my hands, and my entire body went rigid with fear.

One look at the red ink used, and a whiff of the paper told me this note was written with blood.

Blood, I assumed, belonged to Dylan. The realization hit me like a punch to the gut, and I felt a wave of nausea and dread wash over me.

"Your friend tasted delicious, but it's you I'm really after. I know who you really are, Tommy. You took someone important to me, and sooner or later, you'll pay the price," I whispered, reading the note aloud.

With trembling hands, I let the note fall to the ground. This just confirmed my worst fears.

This creature wasn't after the MC after all; it had a personal vendetta against me.

My mind swarmed with questions. Who did I take from this creature? I did wonder why it left Dylan alive.

Dylan was a warning, I realized, to me.

"Tommy, what the hell is going on? I thought you were doing so well in Moon Burrow?" Marc's angry voice brought me back to the present.