Page 7 of The Paths We Cross
I can’t believe my mom would threaten to take my child from me. I never would have thought that my mom would think that little of me. Okay, she’s made belittling comments and not been the most loving parent, but still.
The heat inside my vehicle finally registers with me, so I shake my head and start the engine, turning the air on full force again. When I look toward my gear shift, I notice a piece of paper under my windshield wipers.
I furrow my brow because you always hear about how you’re not supposed to get out of your vehicle to grab papers off your windshield, something about being targeted by kidnappers. But let’s be real, who is trying to kidnap my eight-month pregnant self? No one.
I look around the parking lot and only catch sight of cars, so I gingerly slip from the vehicle and grab the piece of paper, sliding back into my seat and locking the doors before I look at the crumpled piece of paper in my hands, smoothing it out so it’s legible.
YOU WILL PAY FOR HIS SINS.
I gasp and look around the parking lot again, thinking I’ll find whoever wrote this note staring at me, but I find no one. I toss the note into the passenger’s seat and clip my seatbelt before barreling out of the parking lot and back toward Silver Springs.
Who would leave a note on my SUV like that? Whose sins are they talking about? Travis’? He’s the only man who was in my life. My mind immediately goes back to the night of the crash. Travis knew that something was about to happen. He warned me. He was scared.Is this warning from the same people?
I don’t even remember my drive home. I just remember rushing inside and locking the door behind me. I go through the entire house checking that all the windows and doors are locked and then I sink onto my couch.What the hell is going on in my life?
4
ROWAN
Grayson called for Church about twenty minutes ago, so I’m waiting inside our meeting room for everyone to show up. Church is what we call our mandatory meetings. It’s where our members vote on everything that happens with this club. It’s also a member’s only meeting space. Prospects don’t get a vote, and outsiders don’t get to come inside.
Today, we’re meeting to discuss the Devil’s Knights. They have slowly been integrating themselves into Silver Springs, and we can’t let that happen. Our club has had multiple run-ins with them already, and the longer they stay here, the more problems they’re going to cause. We’re also here to talk about the dive bar that we bought a few months ago.
The last of the stragglers walk into Church and are followed closely by my brother. Grayson has been president for over a year now, and he’s perfect for the role. We were all surprised when John Parker chose Grayson as his vice president a few years ago. Our father was John’s vice president for longer than we were alive, so we suspected he would choose another old-timer to take dad’s place. He didn’t, though. He chose his daughter’s ex-boyfriend. Personally, I think that he did it as away to control what Grayson did with his daughter and with his club.
It didn’t work out for John, though. He’s in the ground and Grayson is reunited with Sophie and their son. He’s taken this club in a new direction. A better one that falls more in line with the law and keeps our members out of jail.
Grayson stands at the head of the table. I’m on his right, Axel on his left. He bangs the gavel, and silence falls over the room as he takes his seat.
“Guys,” he says with a nod of his head in greeting. “I called you in to talk about the Devil’s Knights.” Grumbling breaks out around the room. “Quiet,” Grayson orders. “I know you all have shit to say, but we’re all going to take our turns.”
“Like good little children,” I mutter, drawing a few laughs.
“Exactly,” Grayson snorts. “I know that a few of you have had run-ins with them. I won’t tell you to back down. Not now, not ever. If you see them doing something we don’t agree with, take them down. I want them to know that we set the tone in this town. We keep our town safe.”
Everyone at the table nods their heads in agreement.
“A few of the prospects saw them fucking with people’s cars over on eighth street yesterday,” Cane mutters. “They said it looked like they were cutting brake lines. The prospects scared them off and told the people not to drive their cars until they had them checked out here.”
“Why the hell are they targeting random people?” Cole asks.
“Are we sure that they are random?” I mumble, making everyone face me. “They targeted Everly and Travis.”
“Yeah, but we know why. I doubt that Mrs. Simon is involved with them,” Nash chuckles.
That’s fair. Mrs. Simon is ninety years old and cranky as can be. I’ve helped her with her groceries before, and she bitched the entire time.
“I heard you were pulled off one of their members,” Grayson says to Axel.
Axel purses his lips. “He fucking deserved it.”
“What did he do?”
“He wouldn’t take the hint with Wren, so I handled it,” Axel says nonchalantly.
I share a quick glance of surprise with Gray. We all know there is strong sexual tension between Wren and Axel, but it always surprises us when they stick up for each other. Especially since Axel is usually so standoffish.
Grayson clears his throat. “Good. Is Wren okay?”
