Page 21 of What Lies Within

She twists her lips. “Wanna watch something?”

“I’m okay.”

A disgruntled sigh falls from her lips. “You can’t stay up here all night.” She darts her eyes toward the door and hesitates before moving into the hallway, reappearing a few moments later. “Marco and the witch just walked out. You’re safe to come hang out with the rest of us while we wait on news.”

As though confirming her point, the rumble of an engine passes the window, followed by the rattle of the huge steel gate.

I glance at the framed nightscape. What little moonlight there is paints the edges of the clouds outside in dull shades of silver.

I envy their freedom to come and go—Marco and Charlene.

And yet, I crave the security of this little square room more than I should. I feel tethered to this place. Tethered to the two men downstairs.

None of which makes any sense when, despite it all, I still feel exactly how Jamie described me.

An outsider.

9

TYKE

I hold the small leather vest, weighing its supple construction between my roughened palms. “Do you think she’ll like it?”

Digger licks the paper of his joint and slides the stick between his forefingers and thumbs. “Honestly?”

“Always.”

He pops the smoke into a small tin for later and pockets it. “I have no fuckin’ idea.”

My arms drop, the ladies’ cut hanging at my side. “Fat load of fuckin’ use you are.”

“Can I ask you something?” He narrows his gaze in a critical stare.

“Sure.”

“You doin’ this now to distract from the real problem?”

“You think I want to forget my fuckin’ daughter is held hostage by her uncle?” I growl.

He lifts both hands, palms toward me. "It's a fair question. We've done all we can for now: you've got men heading all four fuckin' directions gathering information, lookin' for clues." His lips flatten. "Aside from talkin' to Terry to garner his possible association to all this shit, you've done all you can."

He doesn’t need to say it. He thinks I risk Maddie’s life by delaying Terry’s involvement. A part of me has to question that. Do I hesitate due to nothing other than ego? Do I still refuse to call him because I don’t want him to recognize my weakness and desperation?

I lift the stitched property patch and run my thumb over the coarse design: same as the club insignia, but with crimson roses interwoven around the reaper. A suggestion the ladies brought forward in my father's time. One that was instated when the gavel became mine.

“I know what he’ll want,” I utter, still staring at the image that’ll either cement Rae as ours or scare her off for good. “He’ll ask for her in exchange.”

"And if he does?" Digger presses the tips of his fingers together, shoulders hunched in as he leans closer, waiting for my answer.

"I can't do that." I lift my free hand and rub absently beneath my eye. "I can't turn her over knowin' what he'll do to her. But I can't ignore it, knowin' what Fox could be doin' to Maddie. Fuck." I bring both hands to my head, the leather in my left cloaking my distress.

“Let her choose.”

“The fuck?” I drop my hands and stare at my fucking brother. Has he lost his goddamn mind?

“We head upstairs now, show Rae what’s hers.” He gestures to the cut. “And we explain the fuckin’ crossroads we’re at.”

I'm sure he's fucking fried his brain with that shit he smokes. "She came to us for protection."

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