Page 96 of Avenging Devil: Part 1

No greeting, no hello.

“Saffie, are you alright?”

“Niran. Please, leave me alone.”

“Where are you? Are you safe?” I thump my fist into the wall.

“I’m at my apartment. I’m sorting stuff out.”

“I don’t like you being there. Not alone. Can I come over?”

There’s a pause, an indrawn breath, then, “No.” Her voice sounds shrill.She’s upset.Then she spits the words out one after the other. “Niran. You and I would be a great mistake. You’re not what I want. I can’t be with someone like you, either at the compound or anywhere.” There’s another pause, as though she’s sitting herself down. “I don’t want to see you.”

There’s something about her tone. “Saffie—”

“No, Niran. I’ve done a lot of thinking. I’m not right for you, and you’re not right for me. We wouldn’t work. It’s best you just let me go.” The words tumble out one after the other.

Is that a sob I hear?“Why the fuck not, Saffie? I thought we were friends.”

“We’re not friends!” she cries. “Please, Niran, leave me alone.” She ends the call.

I scratch my head.What the fuck just happened? What’s gone on between me leaving her with promises last night and now? Why did she leave without talking to me?I thought she’d told me she’d stay. While last night I put the discussion on abeyance, I thought this morning I could pick it back up. In the light of day, her thoughts might have become clearer. Apparently they have, but not in the direction I wanted.

And now I’ve got to go see Lost and tell him how I’d fucked up.Fuck my life.

“What the fuck happened, Niran?” Lost asks as I enter. “Patsy’s upset and I don’t like that one fuckin’ bit.” He waves me to the seat in front of his desk.

What do I care about the distress caused to his old lady, or that he might not get any until this is cleared up?Myold lady is alone and missing. And it’s all my own fucking fault.

Sitting forward, clasping my hands, I give it to him straight. “Last night I spoke to Saffie. She’s too savvy about club ways, Prez. Knew we couldn’t just give her protection without there being some strings attached. She was scared she would be expected to be a sweet butt, so I came clean. I told her I claimed her.”

Lost rolls his eyes. “Which went down like a lead balloon, I take it?”

I shrug. “What could I do? She was right. Giving her a place to stay while her shit gets sorted is one thing, going head-to-head against another club is something else.”

Lost wipes his hands down his face. “I’m going to have a hard job holding Patsy back from going after her. But I’m not putting my ol’ lady in danger.”

“I appreciate that, Prez. I’m having enough difficulty stopping myself.” I would, but I know from our recent conversation, Saffie wouldn’t take kindly to me turning up.

Lost leans forward and picks up his phone. He taps out a message. Almost before he’s finished, the door opens.

“Ah, Toke. I was hoping you’d already be up.”

“Up? I ain’t gone to bed yet, Prez.” Token grins, hooks his foot around a chair pulling it out, then sits. “Whatcha want?”

Lost sighs and simultaneously rubs at his temples. “Niran, the stupid fucker, opened his big mouth and shoved his foot right in it. Saffie took a dislike to becoming property again. She’s taken off. We need to know where the Crazy Wolves are on tracking her, and ultimately, how much time we’ve got? In that, do we leave her in whatever hole she’s bolted to, or drag her kicking and screaming back?” He shoots a glare full of accusation my way. “I take it despite her objection to becoming yours, you’re still willing to help?”

In answer, I give a sharp nod. Yeah. It’s stung my pride, but that’s not going to stop me wanting her safe.

Token grins and sits forward. “You’re in luck. I spent the night seeing where we were with her. As Niran,” he winks at me, “is claiming her, I decided to see if I could track back and see exactly how much info the Crazy Wolves have got.”

Ignoring his reference to the woman who’s unlikely ever to be mine, I sit straighter. “What did you find?”

“I’m assuming they’ve hacked into the Freedom Trail database, but that only holds info about her alias and her previous San Diego location. When she moved, she was careful not to leave a forwarding address, and continued using the old one. All official records show her previous location.” He raises his chin as though impressed as he adds, “Saffie was good at covering her tracks.” Leaning back, Token folds his arms. “And, as we’ve been over before, it’s likely he knows she was pregnant. If I were him, the hospitals would be the first place I’d start.”

“Have you checked what address she gave the hospital?” I ask.

“Sure. As you know, it’s child’s play to access their database. But no worries there, Saffie gave them her prior address and not the recent one.”

---