Page 48 of Valley

So, I put off my conversation with Dad, vowing to talk first thing in the morning or tonight if there were time.

Dad still looked concerned as I headed out the door. The way his brow furrowed and how he tried to mask it with a forced smile made my heart twist with guilt. He’d seen too much in my face lately to dismiss this easily. But I felt safe at the club, for the most part. It wasn’t like a guy like Asher Collins showed up very often; most of the time, things were good.

And Valley would watch out for me. I knew that, even if we weren’t together.

As I drove, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. Every shadow on the side of the road felt like it was hiding something sinister. The dying sun cast long, eerie silhouettes that seemed to stretch and bend toward the van, and every flash of another car in my rearview mirror sent my pulse racing. It was like a constant prickling at the back of my neck, an unsettling awareness that I was being watched, even if I couldn’t see who was watching.

Making a quick stop for gas, I scanned the station with wide, alert eyes, searching for anything—or anyone—that didn’t belong. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a harsh, sterile glow on the asphalt, but it did nothing to ease my nerves. I jumped back in the van as quickly as I could, locking the doors with trembling hands.

Goodness gracious, this was no way to live.

Five minutes later, I was pulling into the parking lot of Twisted Heat. My fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter than usual, knuckles white. I shut off the engine, letting the silence wash over me as I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I eyed the parking lot, looking for anything out of the ordinary—an unfamiliar car, a shadow that moved when it shouldn’t, a figure lurking where there shouldn’t be one.

All quiet.

But quiet didn’t mean safe.

I grabbed my purse and stepped out onto the pavement, the sound of my shoes hitting the asphalt sounding in the hushed parking lot. My heart hammered in my chest as I slammed the door shut and hit the lock button. The van beeped in response, but the noise seemed too loud, too jarring in the stillness. I winced, scanning the lot one last time, feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

“Hey Madeline.” The voice from behind me sliced through the silence like a knife, sending a bolt of panic straight through my chest. My breath caught in my throat, and for a split second, my mind went blank with fear. I spun around, heart pounding, ready to run if I had to.

But then I saw the smiling, familiar face, and the fear drained away as quickly as it had come.

I CHECKED THEtime on my phone again, my guttwisting with unease. Where was Madeline? Margie said she agreed to work tonight behind the bar, but it was six, and shewasn’t here. That wasn’t like her—Madeline was always on time, sometimes even early, her work ethic strong.

The bar was already starting to fill with the usual crowd, and I could feel the energy buzzing in the air, but it only made the absence of her presence more noticeable. She should be here, taking orders, flashing that beautiful smile of hers, handling the busy bar with her usual calm. But she wasn’t.

Spotting Margie coming out of the back, I made a beeline for her, pushing through the crowd with a sense of urgency that I couldn’t shake. “Did Madeline change her mind?” I asked, my voice sounding more anxious than I intended.

Margie’s brow furrowed, worry etched into her features. “No, and she would have let me know if she had,” she replied, her voice tight with worry. “Sean hasn’t shown up either.”

That was odd. Prospects never shirked their duties, not if they knew what was good for them. Could he and Madeline be together? The thought barely formed before I dismissed it. Madeline wasn’t the type to take off with someone and ditch work, especially not without letting someone know.

“I’m going to go check outside,” I said, already moving toward the exit, my mind racing. The night air hit me as I shoved the door open, stepping out into the darkening parking lot. The lot was dimly lit, the yellow glow of the streetlights casting long shadows across the asphalt.

“Madeline,” I murmured, the sound of her name barely audible over the pounding of my heart. My eyes scanned the lot, desperate to catch sight of her, and then I saw it—her van, sitting in its usual spot.

Relief washed over me for a brief moment, but it was quickly replaced by a growing sense of dread.

Something was off.

I hurried over, my pulse quickening with each step, eyes darting around for any sign of her. But there was nothing. Nosign of movement, no indication that she had even been here. Just the stillness of the night and the silent, empty van.

My gut was on fire with the feeling that something was very,verywrong. I cursed under my breath, trying to push down the rising panic. Madeline wouldn’t just leave her van here and disappear. Not unless something happened to her.

Shit. I needed to get help.

Was Sean our rat? The thought made my blood run cold, but I couldn’t focus on that now.

As I started to turn, something caught my eye—a small, sparkling object on the roof of the van. I squinted, moving closer, and that’s when I saw it: a beaded hair tie, the kind Kezia often wore, resting on the top of the vehicle.

My heart lurched in my chest.

What the hell?

And then I saw the note, partially tucked under the hair tie, a small piece of paper fluttering slightly in the night breeze. I reached up, my fingers fumbling as I grabbed the note and flipped it open.

It read:You don’t get to declare war; I declared it years ago, and tonight the war ends.

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