Page 44 of What Lies Within

She's found a home with us, and I love that for her.

Rae's lips roll, and she drops her chin, frowning deeply—unaware that I watch her like a creep.

“What is it?” Are they fucking here already?

"Nothing." Rae moves back to the middle of the room and drops to her knees, the same as Sweetie left us.

I don’t buy her lie one second. “Spill the shit that’s on your brain, girl.” I need her focused, not spiraling into doubt and fear.

“I feel like a fucking idiot for letting her lead me here.” Her broken tones near gut me.

"Rae." I wait until she meets my eye before I stress, "I grew up with the woman, and I didn't see it coming. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"Your Dad's gonna be so pissed." Her lips curl into a vulnerable smile, shoulders rolling. "Is it wrong that I can't wait to see what he does to her?"

I glance at where the woman waits for my uncle as though she’s visible through the wall. "Ain't wrong, Rae. It's Fox that I'm most curious about. What the fuck's Daddy gonna do to him?" He couldn't stomach giving him the full punishment when Fox was booted from the club, being family and all.

Will this time be any different?

"Guess we won't find out what he does about either unless we get out of this shithole, right?" Rae rises to her feet with a groan and assesses the doorway, then the kitchen. "Was there a back door through there?"

“Locked.” Same as every other door. “I walked this place, blind, last night. All the external doors are locked. At least, I think they were all external. I only had the mud map in my head to go off.”

I squint against the board and glimpse smoke puffing from Sweetie's direction. "We doing this bound? Or are we trying to get free of these fucking things first?" I turn to face Rae and jerk my shoulders to gesture to my restricted hands. "I got a plan, but it'll go a hell of a lot better if I can use my hands."

Rae smirks, pulling her arms around herself to show her unencumbered wrists. “One step ahead of you, buddy.”

"What the fuck?" I flick my gaze between her hands and face as she moves for me. "How the fuck'd you do that?"

“I’ll show you.” She huffs a little laugh. “I’m just glad it worked, considering it’s the first time I’ve done it.”

I stare at the dark horse, eyes wide. Who is this woman, and what the fuck did she do with my helpless Rae?

She smiles broader and shrugs one shoulder as she works my binds. “Had to find the silver lining in that shit with Connor, right? If it weren’t for him restraining me the same way, I wouldn’t have looked up how to get out of them in case he did it again.”

Motherfucker.

My girl’s getting stronger.

And I couldn’t be more proud.

18

DIGGER

Don’t need to panic, asshole. Deep breath.I push the small door open and step out onto the clubhouse's roof, checking my quiet spot as a last resort.

Rae wasn't in her room. She wasn't in the kitchen or the garage. No sign of her in the hall of fame or anywhere in the yard. I swept the common area twice and finished up in Tyke's office before I assailed her phone with unanswered calls and ran the halls again, ending up here.

Where the fuck is she?Gaze darting over the yard below, I snap my eyes left and frown.Fuck.How did I not notice that the first time? The steel roofing groans under my hurried steps. I launch downstairs two at a time and land in the living area with a resounding thud that turns heads.

“Where’s Jamie?”

“Over here, Dig.” Minion’s girl rises from a sofa behind the fireplace and steps into view. “What d’you need?”

"Who's using the truck? Do you know?" If it isn't her getting supplies for the run, somebody's got it.

And money’s on it being my misplaced woman.

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