Page 45 of Hollywood

“Did you and Hollywood have a fight?” Peyton rested her chin in her hand, head tilted as if I was some type of puzzle to be figured out.

“You could say that, but it was more of a settling of things. We’re not on the same page and that’s the long and short of it.” Thankfully, the sound of my phone ringing in my pocket kept me from seeing the looks of pity I was sure were aimed at me. “Hello?”

“Winter.” Luisa’s voice was shaky and soft, as if she was trying to avoid being overheard.

“Lu, what’s wrong?”

She let out a bark of laughter followed by a sob. “You know me and my ability to turn any situation messy. I was out at The Last Shift, that new bar where all the casino employeeshang out after work, and I met this guy. Super-hot and totally ripped, just my type.”

I rolled my eyes. “And what, he turned out to be an asshole?”

“You could say that,” she whispered again, her voice hitched on a sob. “Turns out he’s a bit of a criminal but not like your criminal, this one is crazy. And Asian,” she whispered the last two words so softly I wasn’t sure I’d heard her right at first.

But I did. “Fuck, Lu. Are you okay?”

“So far, yeah, but they want to talk to you.”

My legs gave out and I barely made it to a chair before I collapsed. “Lu.”

“Not Lu,” a male voice replied, a hint of amused menace in his tone. He sounded a lot like the guy who approached me on campus.

I swallowed down my fear and sat taller. “What do you want?”

“You.” He laughed. “Come to me and don’t tell anyone where you’re going. Do that and I’ll let your friend go. I promise.”

I snorted. “I don’t believe you. Where are you?”

He rattled off an address. “I am a man of my word, I assure you.”

I rolled my eyes. “I won’t come inside until Lu is outside and safe.” I knew what this was about and even though I also knew they were wrong in thinking that kidnapping me would get my father to pay the money, I was going anyway.

“Fine. See you soon, Winter. Come alone.”

I ended the call without a word and let out a long breath as I looked around the bar at all the women and kids, laughing and smiling. They were all so happy and so comfortable in their lives. They were confident, sure that their men loved them, that they would do anything to keep them safe.

It’s what I had to do for Lu. She didn’t deserve getting caught up in the middle of this shit and it was up to me to keep her out of it. These women, they were nice and had welcomed me in as if I belonged.

I would miss them.

I stood and made my way to Hollywood’s room, grateful I had clothes to change into since we were all on lockdown. I slipped into a pair of jeans and a plain black t-shirt along with my black sneakers before I tied my hair into a loose bun. Instinct told me to leave my phone behind, but I had no clue where I was going, so I needed to use the map app which meant it had to come with me.

I scribbled a note and left the room I’d shared with Hollywood, likely for the last time. I knew he didn’t want me, but some sense of self-preservation had me writing the address where they were holding my friend. I couldn’t call him though, because I knew he’d stop me and I couldn’t risk anything happening to Lu—aside from my dad, she was all I had left in the world.

I just had to get out of here without being seen, which wouldn’t be an easy task since several of the members of the MC, some were what they called prospects, were here to make sure nobody left.

I had to find a way out without being noticed.

Sooner rather than later.

Even though I itched to get to Lu, I had to be smart because I would only have one chance to get away. The women sat together in small clusters, so wrapped up in conversation or feeding children that my presence, or rather my absence had gone mostly unnoticed.Come on,I urged silently as my impatience grew.

One of the guys went out back, tugging a cigarette from the pack as he moved, and I knew this was my chance. Like any good semi-rebellious teenager I’d participated in my fair share of cigarette circles behind fast food restaurants and inside parks late at night. I timed it as best I could, inching towards he door just as he opened it. “Winter,” he frowned.

“Hey, Pike, right?”

He nodded.

“Sorry to be a bother but this is all kind of new to me and I’m a little frazzled.”

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