Page 70 of Traitor

I smirk. "He's got it in his head that he wants a second chance. That he still loves me. That he can't live without me. Blah, blah, blah." I make a dismissive hand gesture.

She nods sagely. "A classic case of dumbassery."

"I have a plan to make him leave for good," I continue, "and I need your help." My eyes narrow slightly. "Unless... tell me the shit you put in his coffee isn't lethal. Not that I wouldn't love to watch him suffer, but I don't want his brothers hunting me down and tearing my spine out of my body. I like my life here. I have a new branding project I really want to finish."

She claps her hands together, delighted.

"Oh, don't worry! Myspecialcoffee will just give him extreme stomach pain and explosive diarrhea for about two days."

I snort, laughing loudly. "You're a goddamn treasure."

Right then, the bell above the coffee shop door chimes.

I turn — and freeze.

Tank is standing there. Sweaty, pale, hunched over, holding his stomach like he's dying.

He groans. "Ely. Hi. I'd love to talk when you have a minute. But for now..." He turns, eyes pleading as he looks at Ria. "Little pretty lady... where's your bathroom? Please?"

He barely finishes the sentence before doubling over with a sharp inhale.

Ria looks like she's been struck by lightning. Her lips part, but all she does is lift her hand and point toward the bathroom. Speechless.

Tank doesn't wait. He runs.

I turn back to Ria, watching her blink rapidly, her fingers still pointing. She looks mildly horrified.

"That's Tank," I say dryly. "I think Bones left him here to watch me. Make sure I wouldn't leave. Apparently, he got the third coffee."

She pouts. "Why are all the brutally beautiful ones such idiot morons?"

"He did what he did that night, but he also saved my life," I say, watching the closed bathroom door, my lips pressing into a thin line. "But if I get a chance for revenge on him too?" I'm taking it."

Ria hums, pleased. "I like where this is going."

"I have to get to work." I sling my bag over my shoulder. "I'll help you close up later and tell you exactly what I need."

She gives me a mock salute. "You're the boss of this revenge plan, Captain."

I leave the shop, my mind already calculating every step. Bones says he'll be back by Saturday. Five days.

That's all the time I have to build his demise.

15. Trap

Bones

Some kind of bug knocked me on my ass for two miserable fucking days. I barely made it two towns over from Silverpine before I had to pull into a rundown motel and ride it out, locked in a battle between cold sweats and barely-contained rage. I hate being weak. I hate being out of commission.

Tank had the same shit. Probably caught it from that godforsaken motel in Silverpine. We'll need a new place next time. First thing I told him when I could speak without my voice shaking was, "I don't care if you have to wear a fucking diaper — keep your goddamn eyes on Ely."

She said she wouldn't run, but I saw the glint in her eyes. It could've been a lie, a way to throw me off while she plots her next move.

After seven hours on the road, I finally pull into the clubhouse. The brothers are already waiting, sensing the shift in the air before I even say a word.

I step inside, don't waste a second before barking out the only word that matters.

"Church!"

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