Page 110 of Honey Bee Hearts

When the gunshots stop, someone whistles, and I tip my head up, listening. “Come out,” a familiar voice calls. I know that voice. I know it well.

Rhett turns to me. “Stay here,” he commands, before they all step out, leaving me in the garage.

“Fable, too.”

My heart freezes, but I stand and carefully peek around the doorway, before wincing and following the guys. Lennox stands before us, his hands in his pockets, his goons standing with their guns relaxed but ready to be used if necessary. He smirks at me as I appear, Jethro at my hip. Bodies litter the ground around us, and I try not to look at them, knowing I’m one step away from another panic attack.

“Thank you,” I choke out, because we’d probably be dead if not for Lennox. Callie certainly would be.

His smile widens. “I’m just protecting my investment, Fable Everhart. Nothing else.”

“That’s right,” Rhett says, his voice angry. “When the fox hears the rabbit screaming, he comes running. But not to help.”

Lennox laughs. “Well said, Thomas. Here, I didn’t think you were a poet.”

“We want out,” Rhett spits, his shoulders tense.

“There is no out,” Lennox replies. “And now you owe me, too” He glances around. “I assume you can clean up the mess on your own?”

“Yes,” Trent grunts.

Lennox nods. “Very well. I look forward to my shipment next week.” He turns but before he does, he meets my eyes. “Looks like you found your way into the hive after all, Everhart. Such a shame.”

He whistles as he strolls away, back to his car. His goons follow, and they all drive back down the driveway as if they didn’t just kill a couple dozen men in the yard, as if we’re not surrounded by bodies.

“Go inside,” Trent orders. “Check on Callie.”

I do, only so I don’t see the blood.

Only so I can’t look at the massacre at Circle Bee.

Chapter 60

Fable

I’m sitting at the dining room table, everyone around us. I’d finally gotten Callie to sleep, but it had taken some melatonin and a long marathon ofWhat Not To Wearreruns. Eventually, she succumbed to the gummies despite her new trauma, and I’d come down to join the discussion.

Everyone has been arguing, but I’ve just been sitting here. I don’t know what to say, don’t know what could even be said, but this is exactly what they’d feared.

“The Crows know who you are now. They know you’re involved,” Colt points out. “You can’t leave. We have to protect you.”

“He’ll leave her alone if she leaves,” Trent growls.

“You’d risk that with Fable’s life?” Rhett demands, his face hard. “Colt is right.”

“We need better protections,” Gunnar says. “They took over too easily. Callie almost died?—”

“We need more guns?—”

“More guns don’t do shit if we’re caught unaware!”

Not once have they asked me for my opinion. I’ve sat here, quietly listening, wondering when they’d think to, but theyhaven’t asked me anything. They’d put me in this mess, played with my heart, and now here we are. I’m involved in gang activities. But they still don’t ask for my thoughts.

My mind reels with what I can do to fix this situation. I could leave, but Colt is right. They know who I am. Lennox made it very clear he knows more about me than I’d like, but that’s been the case since long before this. I never told them how I ran into him at the Boot Skoot, thinking it didn’t mean anything, but I understand now. I’m involved in this mess now.

My mind goes back to their comments about not being able to afford to buy their way out, and my stomach turns.

The shared bank account I have flickers through my mind, the money sitting in it from the settlement. I don’t want it, barely want to touch it, but. . .

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