Page 70 of Property of Fox

“I’m still numb. I don’t think it’s sunken in yet…what I did, I mean.” I felt the same way after my first kill. Guilt ate me alive for weeks until I found a way of coping with it. Women. It’s funny to think that sex became my coping mechanism, but I’ve heard of worse, far less pleasurable things. Until now. Now, the only thing I need to feel is Brea safe in my arms to wash away the dark stain of death from my hands. Reassurance that she’s okay.

“That numbness can be a double-edged sword,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on my chest. “Just know that it’s okay to feel it, but once it hits, it’ll hit hard.” Guilt has a funny way of showing up when you least expect it.

She nods absently, her gaze drifting back to Keira.

“I brought you both a bag of clothes, just in case we need to bail.”

Her brow furrows, confusion flickering across her features. “Bail? Why would we need to bail?”

I run a hand through my hair and take a deep breath. “The man who broke into the house was a member of our rival club.”

Brea’s eyes widen, the color draining from her face. Her face, unreadable.

“He must have followed me to your house. When we were here at the last signing, we had some issues with them. I’d hoped not wearing our colors would eliminate that problem. Guess not,” I reply, my insides twisting. “But, for the time being, it’s taken care of until we can figure out our next move.”

She swallows hard, glancing back at Keira again, as if that might somehow shield them both from the reality looming over us like a storm cloud. “Was he a Hoosier Hellion?”

Her question hits me like a ton of bricks falling from thirty thousand feet. I blink, assessing her face. “How do you know that name?” I ask, my voice low and cautious.

“So, it was a Hoosier Hellion then?” she asks again.

“Yes,” I admit. “Answer the question, Brea. How do you know who they are?”

“Shit, you said rival. You’re a member of the Bastard Boilers, aren’t you?” she curses under her breath.

I don’t deny it.

“Because, of course, you are. Of all the guys at that freaking signing, of course, I had to go for the Bastard Boilers member.”

“Why does that make a difference?” It wouldn’t…unless. No. It’s not possible. Was Az right? Does she have ties to the Hellions?

“He wasn’t there for you.” Brea stares back at me. “He was there for me.”

My heart races as I search her eyes for answers that don’t come. “Why would they want you?”

She takes a shaky breath, steeling herself against whatever tides threaten to pull us apart. “It’s Tank,” she says finally, the name rolling off her tongue like poison. “My stepdad. He’s a Hoosier Hellion in the mother chapter in Bloomington.”

“You mean the stepdad you casually mentioned a few days ago? I’m going to need more than that. Explain.” I try to keep my tone even, but there’s an unexpected bite to it. She’s the fucking stepdaughter of a Hellion. Brea's gaze drops to the floor as though it holds the answers I need. I take a step closer, desperate for clarity. "What does he want from you?"

“We moved here when I was younger from Ireland. My dad did mechanic work for the Hellions until he died,” she continues, brushing a stray curl behind her ear as if it could somehow shield herself from this truth. “Tank shoved his way into our lives, and about a year later, he married my mom.” A tremor runs through Brea’s frame. All I want to do is reach out and comfort her, but I’m rooted in place.

“Does he have some fucking property claim on you?”

“God no. I’d never allow that to happen. He’s my mom’s problem. Not mine.”

“If he doesn’t own you, why would he send someone after you?”

“I don’t know. He’s always been controlling of me, telling me what to do, where to work, confining me to the house like a fucking child. But it got worse a few weeks ago. He started showing up at the coffee shop where I worked, and whenever Keira and I would go to the bookstore.”

“That’s why you left, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she admits. “Keira quit college to help me escape. The house we’re staying in is her aunt’s house. I don’t understand how he found us. We were so careful. He was tracking methrough my phone, so we left it in Bloomington. I thought we would be safe here until I figured out where to go next. I guess not. I don’t know how he found us.”

“The signing, maybe. Did anyone know you were going?”

“No,” she admits. “Keira had asked me a dozen times to come with her, but I knew Tank would never let me leave. I didn’t even say anything to my mom about it. There’s no way he could have connected the signing to me.”

“Brea…” I start, my voice thick with urgency and protective instinct. “Why didn’t you tell me about all of this?”

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