Page 61 of Bozo

“I begged him not to, Con. I didn’t want you to be hurt. I didn’t want you to know. I don’t want you involved. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you.”

I clench my jaw, trying to contain my anger. Not at Gráinne, but at the whole fucked up situation. "I appreciate you wanting to protect me, Sunshine, but that's my job. I'm the one who's supposed to keep you safe."

She sighs, leaning her head against my chest. "I know. I just... I've been so scared, Con. I didn't know what to do."

I wrap my arms around her, holding her close. "You don't have to be scared anymore. I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."

We stand there for a moment, just holding each other. I can feel her trembling slightly, and I tighten my grip, wanting to shield her from everything.

"Pack a bag," I say finally, pulling back to look at her. "You're coming with me to the clubhouse. It's the safest place for you right now."

Gráinne nods, wiping at her eyes. "Okay. What about work?"

"Call in sick," I tell her. "Your safety comes first. We'll figure out the rest later."

As she moves to pack, I pull out my phone and dial Pyro. "We've got a situation," I say when he picks up. "I need your help."

"What's going on, brother?" Pyro asks, concern evident in his voice.

I glance at Gráinne, who's stuffing clothes into a suitcase.

"It's Gráinne," I say, keeping my voice low. "She's in danger. Someone attacked her. I haven’t got the full details yet, but I need her somewhere safe."

There's a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. "Shit. How bad?"

"Bad enough. She's been attacked twice already. I'm bringing her to the clubhouse."

"Alright," Pyro says, his voice grim. "I'll call everyone in once you have the details. We'll figure this out, brother."

I end the call and turn back to Gráinne. She's zipping up her suitcase, her movements jerky and nervous.

"Ready?" I ask, moving to her side.

She nods, but I can see the fear in her eyes. "Con, are you sure about this? I don't want to put anyone else in danger."

I cup her face gently, mindful of her bruises. "Listen to me, Sunshine. You're not putting anyone in danger. We're choosing to help you because we care about you. Because I love you. Got it?"

Gráinne takes a shaky breath, then nods. "Okay. I trust you."

We make our way outside, and I wait until she’s in her car before climbing onto my bike. I wish she was on my bike with me, where I know she’ll be safe, but right now, she’s injured and I’m not sure how fucking bad it is.

As we pull out of Gráinne's driveway, I keep a close eye on her car in my rearview mirror. My mind is racing, trying to piece together everything she's told me. Someone's after her, someone dangerous enough to make her fear for her life. The thought of her going through this alone, thinking she couldn't come to me, makes my chest ache.

The ride to the clubhouse is tense. I’m on fucking edge. I've never felt this kind of fear before, this overwhelming need to protect someone. It's new, and it's terrifying, but I know I'd do anything to keep Gráinne safe.

As we pull into the lot, I see Pyro and Raptor waiting outside. Their faces are grim, and I know they understand the severity of the situation. I park my bike and hurry over to Gráinne's car, opening her door before she can even reach for the handle.

"You okay?" I ask, helping her out.

She nods, but I can see the exhaustion in her eyes. "Just tired," she murmurs.

I wrap an arm around her waist, supporting her as we walk toward the others. Pyro's eyes widen as he takes in Gráinne's bruised face.

"Jesus Christ," he mutters. "What the fuck happened?"

"Let's get inside," I say, not wanting to discuss this out in the open. We enter the clubhouse and I’m surprised to see only Preacher and Wrath sitting down. Everyone else is gone.

“Jesus, Grá,” Preacher says thickly. “The fuck didn’t you say anything?”

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