Page 55 of Cinder
But how do I tell him without raising his suspicions?
Because until Lucretia is out of our brother’s reach, I’m not risking her safety. No matter how much I want to confide in Lars.
A new wave of guilt washes over me, because I know the inside man is probably a Knight. When Viktor first mentioned it, I thought it was someone on the periphery. Someone on the staff. A girlfriend. An acquaintance. A face that is meant to be inside the clubhouse, but not privy to club business. But after what happened to Stone yesterday, I don’t think that that’s the case at all. If what Lars said is true, I think Viktor’s man is one of the Knights.
I could be wrong.
But what if I’m not?
They could be riding into another ambush.
Something doesn’t feel right, and I wrestle with saying something until my stomach is tied up with knots.
But I know what I have to do.
I get ready for work quickly and catch an earlier bus into St. Boniface and arrive at the clubhouse just in time to see a few of the Knights descending the stairwell leading down to the underground garage.
Figuring Lars will already be at his bike, I follow them down the stony stairwell.
The underground garage is an old slipway, but it’s been modernized into a sleek garage.
When I walk in, it’s chaotic with the bark of Harley engines and men yelling at each other over the commotion.
Standing on tiptoe, I look for Lars, and when I find him, I hurry through the medley of bikes, ignoring the wolf whistles and comments as I weave in and out of the bikers getting ready to leave.
Lars is sitting on his bike checking his phone when I reach him.
“Ella…” He looks surprised. As if he’s wondering what I’m doing here, and I start to feel self-conscious. But then he smiles, and my stomach flutters. “Miss me already?”
Tell him.
Tell him everything.
But if I do, Luca will harm Lucretia.
“I just wanted to say… I guess I just wanted to say, be careful.”
His beautiful eyes roam over my face. Then he smiles, and it’s so damn handsome something warm and exciting spreads through my chest.
He pulls me closer by the waistband of my shorts. “Gotta say I wasn’t expecting a sendoff.” His hand runs up the back of my thigh. “But I’m sure damn happy to get one.”
Fully aware of his warm touch on my leg, I have to remind myself of why I am here.
It’s not to say goodbye. It’s to make sure he knows his suspicions are right, so he comes back alive. But I can’t let it come across as suspicious.
So if that means I have to let him caress my thigh then so be it.
“What happened yesterday. It stayed with me all night. What if you were ambushed because someone you trust tipped them off?” I frown. I know how crazy this sounds coming from me. And I know it looks suspicious. But I can’t let him leave knowing what I know.
He frowns. “Do you know something?”
“I had a nightmare.”
His brow lifts. “You had a nightmare?”
“I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
“Your concern is touching, Little Cinder.” He gives me that self-assured grin of his that is sexy as fuck. “Nothing is gonna happen to me. I’m like a cat with nine lives. And I still got three of them left.”
