Page 73 of Mace

I have to hope Mace will help me, that the time we’ve shared together will be enough.

My leg bounces as I stare out the side window, feeling as if I’m heading into calamity, and when the cab pulls up outside the clubhouse, my mouth is so dry, my tongue is glued to the roof of it.

Toby leans forwards to peer out at the building as I pay the driver, his eyes wide as he takes in the rows of chrome bikes parked inside the chain link fence.

The driver says nothing, but he gives me a wary look as we get out of the taxi, and he doesn’t waste a moment peeling out of there.

“Are you sure about this?” Ivy asks, a tremor working through her voice.

No.“Of course. Come on.”

As we approach the gates, a guy about my age steps out of the building and heads over to us. He’s wearing a vest like Mace’s, and there is not a single hint of warmth in his expression. All I see is suspicion.

Maybe I should have taken Steve’s warning seriously. Mace has been good to me, more so than I deserve, but I’m not getting the vibe we’re going to get a warm welcome.

“You lost, sweetheart?” the guy asks. The words are light, but his tone is not, and his ‘sweetheart’ isn’t an endearment.

I stand in front of my brother and sister protectively, ignoring Ivy’s fingers digging into my arm. “Is Mace here?”

He stares at me for the longest moment, and every inch of my body reacts, sensing the threat from him.

“You’re definitely lost.” He turns to walk back inside, and I move along the fence, following him.

“Please, I need to see him.”

“What you need to do is turn around and get the fuck out of here.”

“He’ll be pissed if he knows you turned me away.” It’s desperation that has me saying these words. I have no idea what Mace’s reaction will be to me turning up here, but my bravado sends a ripple of doubt through him.

“Fine. I’ll call him, but if you’re lying to me…” He trails off, letting the threat hang between us.

This guy looks like he’s Ivy’s age, but already there’s an air of ruthlessness to him that is honestly a little terrifying.

His fingers swipe over the screen, his gaze splitting between us and the phone. What if Mace won’t help us? What if all he wanted was what I gave him in the office? Shit, how could I be so stupid to come here? I’ve put my siblings in even more danger.

As a thousand worst-case scenarios race through my head, the guy speaks into the phone. “Got a girl hereaskin’ for you. Right. Yeah.” I wish I knew what’s being said, what Mace is thinking. “What’s your name?”

“It’s Maylie.” I hold my breath, waiting for him to dash my hope. What’s my next move?

“Maylie,” he repeats into the phone, and then his eyes lift to mine. “Right. Sure.” He holds his phone out to me. “He wants to talk to you.”

I awkwardly grab it as he feeds the handset through the fence and lifts the phone to my ear. “Hello?”

“Maylie? Fuck. Are you okay?” He’s not telling me to go, and the weight on my shoulders lifts.

“No, I’m not.” It costs me everything to admit that, to ask someone else for help, but I do it for my sister and brother. “I didn’t know where else to go. I’m so sorry, Mace, but?—”

“I’m glad you came to me. Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“Okay, good. I’ll be there in ten minutes, yeah? Just hang tight until then. Give Riley back the phone.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

My throat is tight as I hand the phone back to the guy who I guess is Riley. He listens to whatever Mace says, making noncommittal responses before he hangs up.

“Follow me.”

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