Page 129 of All Our Ghosts

My eyes draw closed when I jump with the sound that echoes against the walls around us. "What are you doing here?"

"I came for you, baby," he sings, arms wide. "You've been missing for a very long time." Jeremy leans over the table and it's then I see the truly manic look in his eyes. "I wasted a lot of resources looking for you. Only to find you in some shithole town." He spits the words like venom and it takes everything in me not to wipe away the spit that lands on my cheek.

Deep down, I'm scared to say anything. Even the simplest of statements could set him off. For a moment I'm that same scared woman cowering in her kitchen corner. Until my mind wanders to the baby I'm carrying, to the man who hopefully knows by now I'm missing. Something wrenches in my heart, something so entangled within me that I narrow my eyes at him. Steeling myself against the power his gaze used to have.

"This shit hole town has been more of a home than Miami ever was," I taunt daringly.

He laughs and it sends a chill down my spine. "God, you were always so easily fooled." His eyes land on mine again as he pushes the bowl towards me. "Take a bite, baby, I made it."

I glance down at the bowl of slop and glare up at him. "I'm not eating it."

His jaw ticks as I sit back in the chair I'm surprised I'm not bound to. My eyes flick past him for a moment seeing something move in the shadows and I do my best to hide the racing of my heart.

"That's too bad." He shrugs, picking up the bowl and staring into it for a moment. "I was hoping you'd eat before our flight." In a flash Jeremy chucks the bowl to the side, sending it flying across the open space and shattering against what sounds like a concrete wall.

"Flight?" I ask and swallow back the rising bile.

Watson steps out into the light, glaring at Jeremy as he makes his way to the table. "Do you really need to make a mess?" He curses, staring at where the bowl crashed.

Jeremy rolls his eyes and glances over at him. "It was proving a point."

"Yeah that you're an asshole."

"What flight?" I all but yell bringing the two of them back. Two pairs of terrifying eyes hone in on me.

"We're going home, sweetheart!" Jeremy smiles though it doesn't reach his eyes. "Watson just got himself a promotion! It's time to celebrate." He pats Watson's chest before turning away from me, grabbing something from the dark.

"You see, my darling," Jeremy drones on. "It's time we make this official. We're getting married." He says the words like they're the most obvious statement in the world with his back still to me, and when he turns around, my eyes flick down to where he's got a handful of zip ties. "And then, you're going to give me back the childyoukilled."

HOLDEN

“Iwant eyes on Stokes,” Cole barks, gaining the attention of every member standing in the room. “I don’t give a shit if we have to turn over every goddamn boulder in this town. I want his location within the hour.”

The room hums with everyone’s agreement as members begin to file out of Church. I glance over at Cole. That furious glare stuck behind his blue eyes matches my own. Blake took Wyatt to his room once Lang arrived with a reminder that he better get his shit together.

“We’re wasting time not looking for Watson,” I say as I make my way to the door. Even if we did get Stokes there was no guarantee that he would give up Watson. Hell at this point I wouldn’t blame Stokes for it. That doesn’t mean I won’t do whatever it takes to get Kadence back.

“Let them do their job. We’ve got large enough targets on our backs without us running around town on a wild goose chase, Nash,” Cole counters, and the rage that begins to bubble in my chest has me spinning on my heels and my fists twisting in Cole’s shirt.

“This isn’t some wild good chase,” I hiss between my teeth. My eyes flash with anger as I glare at my best friend or whatever the fuck he is at this point. “This isKadencewe’re talking about.”

“I know that.” Cole shoves me off.

“Do you?”

“What the fuck does that mean?” He says and I can hear the offense in his voice.

I shake my head. “It means that, just this once, I need you to be on my side. I need you to realize that this–” I pause almost close to telling him about the baby, “that she is worth whatever risk we have to take. Every bullet, every punch. Whatever the fuck it is, Kadence is worth that and more.”

Cole’s hands find his hips as he stares at me. The unresolved tension between the two of us bleeds out into the space. “I know that.” He repeats. “I’m on your side, Nash.”

“She’s pregnant, Cole.” I finally say after a moment and the weight I thought would be lifted by that only feels heavier. My eyes meet Cole’s. There’s an unreadable look on his face, something between sadness and anger.

“You didn’t think to tell us that ‘til now? How long have you two known?” He asks with disdain in his voice.

“A week or so. She found out before Stokes wrecked the clubhouse.”

Cole lets out a long drawn out sigh, like somehow this has turned into an inconvenience for him. It takes everything I have not to toss him through the Church window. “Say what you’re gonna say, Cole.” My voice rumbles low as I get ready to leave the room.

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