Page 123 of All Our Ghosts

“They destroyed the clubhouse, Nash.”

“Kadence?” I ask instantly, my heart threatening to escape my chest as her name leaves my lips.

“She’s okay, everyone is. Holden, listen to me.”Wyatt pauses for a moment. “Stokes knows about Kade. He threatened to call Miami and turn her in.”

“Where is she now?” I ask, my voice tight and hoarse from forcing myself to keep calm.

“Inside, cleaning up with Marlowe.”

My gut sinks and my eyes close. On one hand I’m happy she’s safe, on the other hand the guilt that starts to form a rock in my belly feels heavy.

“Tell her I’m on my way.” I hang up and turn to look at Cole. We haven’t spoken much on this trip. I’m still angry and Cole’s still keeping his distance. But right now, Kadence is right. We have to put aside our bullshit for the good of the club. “Stokes and Watson raided the clubhouse.” As soon as the words fall from my mouth, Cole’s hackles rise. His jaw tightens and I watch as that familiar temper curls itself in his fists at his side.

“He’s looking for a reason for me to kill him,” Cole growls. He swings his leg over his bike and tosses me a pointed look silently telling me to do the same.

I climb onto my bike, anger and guilt tangling together in my chest like some fucked up version of barbed wire. “He threatened Kadence.”

I can feel Cole’s glare shoot over to me again as the sound of our engines come to life. We’ve been so focused on making things right with the Rollin’ Skulls, buying ourselves what little time we can to keep the peace and meanwhile everything has fallen to shit back home. Again. And this time, Kadence has been in the center of it all.

The barbed wire around my heart wrenches again until it feels like I’m bleeding from the inside out. My hands ache with the grip I have on my handlebars but nothing is going to stop me from getting back to my girl. Not even the threatening “E” on my gas tank. We weren’t far from the compound when we got the call from Wyatt and yet it still doesn’t feel close enough.

Light fades from the sky as the gates open, granting Cole and me access to the club once again. I barely kick down the stand on my bike before I’m already off it and storming towards the clubhouse.

Tunnel vision takes over as everything around me fades away. The only thing on my mind is seeing her. Feeling her. Kissing those lips and confirming for myself and with these hands that she’s alive and unharmed.

I can feel Cole hot on my heels, but as Wyatt and Dex step in front of us, a low growl emits from my chest. “Move, both of you.”

“We need to talk,” Dex snaps back.

“No,” I say, turning my glare onto the man who was supposed to keep them safe. It’s unwarranted anger towards Dex, I know that, but it’s either that or I storm my way into Stokes’s office and slam his face through his desk.

“Let him go,” Cole says from behind me.

I glance back at him. A silent understanding passes between us as Cole gives me a nod. I turn back to Wyatt who’s brows look to be permanently furrowed. “Where is she?”

“Inside with Ma,” Wyatt says pinning back his shoulders and putting on a brave face between the four of us. He’s the softest out of all the members. His heart is large and he willingly takes on the role of the club’s brains. But now, he looks like that high school kid in a man’s body. Terrified and hiding it the best he can.

“Thanks,” I say moving past the members.

My legs move into a jog until I reach the clubhouse door, shoving it open hard enough the wood slams against the neighboring wall. For a moment I don’t even recognize the place. Piles of swept-up glass and debris litter the floor. Chairs are tipped over and broken and every bottle of alcohol that was displayed on the wall behind the bar has been shattered. The doors to the Church are torn off and in disarray.

Standing in the middle of it all is Kade. Her hair is pulled up in a messy bun, her cheeks are flushed, and the bags under her eyes suggest that even though she spent the night at Marlowe’s, she barely slept. My stomach sinks as I take a few steps towards her. The sound of my boots causes her to whip around, our eyes meeting for the first time in days.

“Sunflower,” I exhale with a shaky breath.

Her shoulders drop before her hands loosen their grip on the broom she’s holding. I reach for her, her face crumpling as I wrap my arms around her shoulders and her familiar sweet scent washes over me. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “I’m so fucking sorry I left you here.”

Kadence slips her arms around my waist, under my cut as she holds onto me. Her fingers tangle into the back of my shirt as she buries her face into my chest. A shuddering breath leaves her before she looks up at me.

“Stokes would have found a way in no matter what,” she says and it breaks my heart. That she doesn’t blame me but that she almost expected it.

“Are you okay?” I ask pulling back to inspect her for any injuries. She’s wearing my sweatshirt and her legs are wrapped in soft black tights that hide her body from me.

“I’m okay,” she says but something in her tone makes my eyes flicker to hers. I lift her chin with my thumb and forefinger as tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

“No, you aren’t,” I whisper, pressing my lips to hers with a soft kiss. One that lingers but that’s filled with heartache. I break the kiss to look at her again. “How are you really?”

Kadence lets out a soft hollow laugh that stings every inch of my skin. “Terrified, exhausted, worried.” She shrugs in my arms. “Take your pick.” Her green eyes glisten as we stare at each other for a moment. Her lip worries between her teeth. “He threatened to call Jeremy, actually, he threatened to let Watson call Jeremy. Stokes said he’s been obsessed with me and that if Cole didn’t meet with him and didn’t get in line with what Stokes wanted, he was going to call Miami and turn me in.”

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