Page 14 of Three to Fall

Oh, for fuck’s sake. “Seriously? You’ve been at the club two weeks and you’re still running with the name Colin?” That was fucking embarrassing. “Get a road name already. Quit being so lame.”

But that was beside the point. I didn’t give a fuck about where Ice had gone. Only that I hadn’t been able to rely on him to do one simple fucking task.

And this was why he was still a goddamn prospect. Everyone liked him, sure. Everyone gave me a hard time because I kept refusing to patch him in.

But liking someone didn’t mean they were right for the club. I doubted either of these idiots were. I refused to make the samemistakes Riot had, patching in prospects before they’d truly proved themselves.

Look where it had gotten Riot. In an alliance with a cult and dead members on his hands.

Ice, to his credit, clearly knew he’d fucked up. He was also smart enough to know not to apologize to me, because fuck knows I didn’t want to hear it. Instead, he offered up information.

“Cops have a bunch of guys in custody. We had to slip in the side entrance. They don’t have enough men out there to cover that yet. We can get Hayley Jade out that way. I think.”

I glared at him. “You think? Or you know? You’ve already put my kid in danger once today, so trust me when I say you do not want to make that mistake again.”

It was weird how “my kid” was starting to roll off my tongue so effortlessly.

Ice nodded. “It’s clear.”

“Then let’s get the fuck out of here. Go get the van and meet Chaos and me at the side exit.”

Ice and Colin, whose name was so fucking ridiculous I couldn’t even think it without wanting to roll my eyes, ran off, boots thumping on the linoleum floor.

Chaos stalked to the other end of the corridor, checking it was clear, and when he nodded at me, I tapped on the classroom door again.

“Miss Winters? It’s clear. Can you open the door?”

There was a moment of hesitation, and then the locks disengaged. The handle turned, and the woman’s huge, terrified eyes peeped around the door. “Are you sure?”

I nodded. “But stay in here until the cops come to get you. Get the kids to pull their hats over their eyes as they walk out, okay? It’s a bit of a mess out here.” I cleared my throat. “Andnobody goes into the bathroom. I don’t care if someone pisses their pants. No one goes in there, okay?”

She agreed shakily. “Okay.”

“I need to take Hayley Jade.”

She bit her lip, then nodded, opening the door wider.

From a huddle of kids, Hayley Jade flew to her feet, sprinting across the room and launching herself at my legs.

In a heartbeat, I had her up in my arms, closing my eyes and inhaling the familiar scent of her hair. I let the smell calm my nervous system and crushed her to my chest. “Hey, shortie.”

She didn’t even squirm, hugging me right back, just as hard.

Miss Winters grabbed my arm before I left. “Please don’t let this stop her from coming back to school. She’s been doing so well.”

I wanted to tape the kid up in bubble wrap and never let her leave my sight again. But I knew I couldn’t. She needed to be here. It wasn’t school that was the problem.

It was fucking Josiah.

I nodded at the teacher and then closed the door, reminding her to lock it again.

Hayley Jade spotted Chaos a step behind me and reached her arms to him, signing something with her fingers.

“What did she say?” I gave her to him and moved my hand back toward my gun. I didn’t trust Ice and Colin as far as I could throw them, but we did need to get out of here before someone found our dickless friend.

I had a feeling Miss Winters wouldn’t run her mouth to the cops. At least I hoped not. But I couldn’t worry about that right now.

Chaos cradled the back of Hayley Jade’s head, holding her close and jogging beside me. She laid her head down on his shoulder, her big dark eyes watching me quietly, red-rimmed from crying. “She said she was scared.”

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