Page 78 of Devil's Vengeance

A few more of Trick’s guys came out of the front door and barreled toward me. I ran straight for the incoming cavalry, yelping and hitting the dirt when they fired at my back. Thankfully, Croy didn’t hesitate to fire back. He barely pulled to a stop before he was shooting at my attackers. Reaper pulled up right next to me, grabbing my arm and yanking me off the ground. He shoved me past him and pointed at the guy behind him.

“Go with him.”

“But Chase is still inside!”

“We’ll handle it. Go!” he bellowed. I had no choice but to follow instructions. I was only in the way out here. I climbed onto the stranger’s bike, latching onto his shoulders as he took off. I looked over my shoulder, willing Chase to come outside where I could see him, but the library door remained closed. When he forced me out that door on my own, I may have just left him for dead.

CHAPTER 47

MARIAH

Whoever the guy was, he seemed to know where he was going. He didn’t take me to the clubhouse, instead dropping me off with my parents. I scrambled off his bike, hugging my middle as I looked toward the direction we’d come.

“Chase–”

“If he’s still alive, I’m sure he’ll call. Go inside.”

He didn’t look like the kind of guy who you’d want to argue with. I didn’t recognize him from any of the times I’d been at the clubhouse, but it was a big club and I was usually focused on Chase, so it wasn’t saying a lot. I followed his instruction, hurrying inside, and pulled out my phone the second the door shut behind me. I tried dialing Chase, but it rang until it went to voicemail. Two more tries didn’t help matters.

“Please still be alive,” I murmured under my breath, shooting off a text to ask him if he was alright.

The light in the kitchen flicked on and I looked up, surprised. “Dad?”

His brow furrowed as he took me in. “Mariah? What the hell happened to you?”

“James? What’s wrong with Mariah?” Mom called, and I could hear her footsteps approaching from their bedroom.

This was the second time I came into my parents’ house looking like hell. My chin, hands, and knees all scraped from my fall and I was sure myhair was a knotted mess thanks to Trick. But surprisingly, other than that, I was okay. I thought for sure I wouldn’t have made it out alive.

“I tripped while texting. Scraped the hell out of myself,” I murmured. I was not telling my parents I was in a shootout. I’d never be able to leave.

Mom hurried over to me, fussing over every scratch she found. It wasn’t that bad. And I was too worried about Chase to feel it. I kept checking my phone, scowling every time the screen popped up empty.

“Everything alright?” Dad asked as Mom shoved me into a chair so she could get the first aid kit. I nodded.

“Yeah. The guy I’m seeing was supposed to text me back when he got home. I’m worried about him.”

“You’re seeing someone?” Dad asked.

“Oh yes. He came over the other morning to see her. Very handsome and rugged. He was just getting off a long shift, so I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself, but he looked nice,” Mom commented. She grimaced when looking at my palms with the bottle of peroxide and a cloth in her hands. “This will sting, but we gotta clean out the grit.”

I knew it was coming, but I still sucked in a breath through my teeth when she started wiping my injuries down. My hands and chin took the brunt of it, so she spent a lot of time working on those. It was when I’d changed into pajamas and she was working on my knees that Dad finally asked, “Where’s your car?”

I didn’t have a lie ready and I was floundering when the sound of an engine rumbled down our street. I checked my phone automatically, but I still didn’t have any message from Chase. An uneasy feeling swept through me and I edged around my mom, tiptoeing toward the front window. I pulled the curtain aside, peeking out. If it was one of Chase’s crew, they were either here with bad news or here to watch over me. But Chase’s crew wasn’t the only biker crew looking for me.

“Who is that?” Dad asked, looking over my head at the figure that jerked to a stop just out front. It took less than a second for me to realize who that was.

“Shit.”

“Mariah?” Mom called.

“I went on a date with him a few weeks ago. He’s a creep.” I lookedover my shoulder at my parents. “Is Angelica here? We need to go out the back. He carries a gun.”

Dad scoffed, pulling me away from the window and pushing me toward my mom. “So do I, princess. Stay here. Don’t make a sound. I’ll be right back.”

Mom and I ducked around the table when we saw Trick’s shadow near the front window. The curtains were drawn, he wouldn’t be able to see us, but I doubted it’d matter to Trick.

He didn’t pound on the door or demand I come to speak to him. He went straight for kicking the door down. With a few heavy kicks, the door splintered and flew open, and Trick marched into the room.

---