Page 70 of Pit

It comes through a second later, and I stare hard at Tessa’s smiling face as some guy tucks her into his side. My heart slams harder, twisting with each beat. “It’s the cocktail bar near her office,” I mutter. “I’ll meet you there.”

I landed back in London at five this morning and haven’t slept in over twenty-four hours. But as my bike rolls to a stop outside the wine bar, I feel wide awake.

Atlas fist bumps me. “They’re still inside,” he says.

I pull my cap down over my eyes and my hood over it. “Let’s go.”

Inside, it’s quiet, with most people moving on for either food or a night club. I hear her before I see her, and it takes me by surprise because she’s usually so quiet. I peer up from under my cap and see her with her head thrown back and a laugh escaping, and I find myself smiling. Then, suddenly, she sits up straight and covers her mouth, her eyes filled with panic. She dives up out her chair and rushes past me and outside.

Anita stands in alarm, then her eyes land on us and she groans. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“You didn’t answer my call,” snaps Atlas.

“Because you’re not my keeper,” she shouts.

I head out after Tessa, not bothering to stick around to listen to the domestic unfolding.

Tessa is on her knees with her head stuck in a bush. The doorman smirks as I move closer to her and gently run a hand over her back.

“Sorry,” she mumbles. “I just need a—” The sound of retching ensues.

I wait for it to stop and for her to back out the bush before scooping her into my arms and flagging down a cab. She rests her head against my chest, not bothering to open her eyes as I climb into the back seat, keeping her on my knee.

The cab stops outside her place a few minutes later, and I carry her to the door, searching my pocket for my keys to let us in. I turn off the alarm and take her straight up to bed, laying her in the centre, where she immediately curls into a ball. I remove her shoes and drag a thick blanket over her. Then I turn on the lamp beside the bed and take a seat in the armchair, watching her sleep, seething that she has no idea where she is or how she got here. I could have been anyone.

I must nod off because I wake with a start, looking around frantically and relaxing when my eyes land on Tessa’s sleeping form. It’s light outside.

Heading downstairs, I take her phone with me. I open the pictures, skipping through the ones she took last night of her and Anita, then both of them with the two guys, then one of her and one of the guys. I scowl, deleting the pictures. Then I open thecontacts, where I see my number, Anita’s, the office, and then Mark.Mark.I hate him already. I block the number and then delete it.

I take a bottle of water back upstairs with a couple paracetamol and set them on the bedside cabinet. Then I gently press my lips to her forehead. She stirs, mumbling my name as I back out the room, head downstairs, and out the door, dropping the latch as I leave.

I pick my bike up from outside the bar and head to the clubhouse. Axel is in his office, and he stands when I head in, shaking my hand. “You weren’t gone long.”

“I have some shit to deal with here,” I tell him. “I was gonna call, but the flight was last minute and early.”

“Everything okay?”

I nod, and we take a seat. “I’m back for Tessa’s dad.”

He arches a brow. “Brother, you’re cleaning up all these loose ends for her, why the fuck don’t you claim her?”

I shake my head. “She needs a different life.”

“Have you asked her?”

“No, and I don’t intend to. Pres, I treated her like shit.”

“But she’s forgiven you. If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t be leaving you messages.”

“She’s too traumatised to make those kinds of decisions.”

“So, you’re going to wipe out every fucker who ever did anything to add to her trauma?”

“Something like that.”

“Are you gonna top yourself at the end of it?” asks Grizz, entering the office. “Cos you’re on the list too.”

Axel sniggers. “Look, do what you gotta do and then go and speak to her. She should at least know everything you’ve done for her.”

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