Page 42 of Facet

“What? Why?” I was confused. She had spent years wandering the country looking for clues and people who could help her find out anything about her real family. She’d left her home with next to nothing, walked away from millions, just to find her biological parents.

“The guy that did this… he was the one that was in here the other night. He told me to tell you that we needed to stop trying to find my parents. He threatened everyone. He told me that my parents were dead and that was all I needed to worry about.” She took a shuddering breath. “I just can’t. You all have become my family, and I won’t put you guys in danger for me—over people that I don’t know.”

I didn’t reply, I just held her close. My gaze met with my brothers one by one, and in my eyes, they saw my promise. It told them that I was not only gonna find her parents to see if they deserved this awesome woman in their lives, but I was also gonna kill the guy that did this.

And I’d keep her safe if I had to stay with her every minute of every day until I tracked the guy down.

“Willow, I will find this man and ensure he is never a problem to you again,” Séamus promised. “And he will never see me coming.”

“Prospect is bringing your truck. He’ll ride your bike back, unless you want him to drive Willow back and you follow on your scoot,” Hawk told me as he put his phone back in his pocket.

“I’ll drive,” I replied, not ready to let her out of my sight yet.

“We’ll come and clean this up in the morning,” Venom sighed, suddenly looking every bit of his years. “I’m going home to my ol’ lady. Lock everything up, Squirrel.”

“Gotcha, bossman,” Squirrel said as he stood up the tables that were knocked over and pushed them out of the way in preparation for tomorrow.

“I’ll ride back with you, prez,” Voodoo told him.

Venom and Voodoo left. With the sound system turned off, I could hear their bikes start up and then heard them ride away.

“Anyone want anything to drink?” Ghost called out from behind the bar.

“I’ll take a water. One for Willow, too,” Angel replied.

Ghost came back with an armload of bottled water. He handed one to Angel and Willow, then tossed one to everyone else.

“So, uh, how old are you anyway?” Squirrel asked, looking Séamus over with an appraising gaze.

“Honestly? I’m not exactly sure.” Séamus paused and appeared thoughtful. Then he nodded as if he was having an internal dialogue that he was agreeing with. “Fourteen hundred and seventy-three.”

You could’ve heard a pin drop across the building. More than a few of my brothers had their jaws on the ground. Well, except for Sabre. Which I suppose made sense because he had been around a long fucking time, too.

“Ho-ly shit,” Squirrel drawled, dumbfounded.

Sabre got up and went to the front door. He looked out through the peephole.

“Prospect’s here,” he announced as he glanced over his shoulder at us.

I stood up with Willow’s tiny frame cradled in my arms.

As we made our way to the door, Séamus stopped me. “I’ll see you back at your clubhouse.”

By the look on his face, I could tell he had something to talk about. I nodded.

Silently, everyone filed out of the strip club, and I loaded Willow up into my truck. After shutting her door, I held my bike keys out to Riley. Then before he could take them, I closed my fingers around them.

“You fuck up my baby, and you won’t just be out as a prospect. They will be gathering your pieces up for miles. You feel me?” To be fair, I at least warned him.

I liked that he looked me in the eye as he replied. “Facet, if I fuck up your bike, I won’t even put up a fight,” he assured me.

As I dropped them into his hand, I grinned. “Good call.”

At the driver’s side, I removed my cut and carefully turned it inside out before folding it and setting it on the console. Then I climbed up into the driver’s seat and glanced at Willow. She stared out of the window and looked so forlorn that my heart ached for her.

“Hey,” I softly said.

A light sigh left her, and she turned my way.

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