Page 49 of The Souls We Claim
King sighs. “I know it’s the right fucking thing to do, but everyone has had enough of being pulled out of their homes to spend days at the clubhouse. It’s wearing on nerves.”
“Which is another reason to try and draw Collins out. Finish this,” I say.
King pulls out his phone, and everyone’s phones vibrate. “There. Sent. Get home. Get your women and families. We meet back at the clubhouse. Nothing is going to get resolved tonight. Church first thing in the morning.”
“I need to stay here and sort this out though,” I say. “There’ll be police, and the fire crew, and processing insurance and reports and shit.”
“I’ll sort it. Saint can get Rae. You go and get Arianne and Lola.”
“Can’t let you do that, Prez,” Spark says. “You’re not going to stand here unprotected.”
At the words, Switch’s bike pulls into Dad’s lot. “Not alone,” King says. “Switch can have my back. And at the moment, Collins doesn’t want me. If he really is coming for Wrinkle’s line, Halo and Lola are the only two left. And Halo’s mom if he really wants to do it all.”
“Fuck. We all need to get everyone the fuck out of here,” Spark says.
“Lola deserves better than this shit,” I say. “She’s just a baby.”
King squeezes my shoulder. “We’ll make it right.”
And while I appreciate the sentiment that the club has my back, I’m certain that when the time comes, I’ll have to face Collins alone.
I jump on my bike and ride home. I’ll have to switch out the bike for the truck to get Ari and Lola to the clubhouse. Makes me think I should make some permanent changes to my room there so it’s easy to accommodate my sister…and Ari.
Probably should grab some clean sheets too. My mind whirs with all the things I need.
I see the damage before I turn onto the driveway. Thick black paint daubs the outside of my house. It doesn’t say anything, just abstract swaths of black paint over the windows and doors and paving.
My heart races as I accelerate. I pull all the additional weapons I have on my bike. Hidden knives strapped to various parts. I park the bike and leap off it, hitting a dead run for the front door.
There will be nowhere they can hide if they’ve hurt Ari or Lola.
I’ll hunt them down and massacre every one of them.
I yank my key from my cut and open the door, then push it wide open. A small light has been left on in the hallway. There is no paint inside. No sign that anyone has been here.
I close the door, and with my gun raised, I clear the lower level. I pass the dining table where it looks like Ari has started the jigsaw puzzle I gave her. She’s put all the straight edges in place, but I can’t stop to look properly as I check we’re secure before I head up the stairs. It takes me a moment to realize my weapon is wavering. My usually steady hands are shaking, my heart racing.
Lola’s bedroom door is ajar, and I nudge it open with my foot. She’s asleep, her little chest rising and falling in her favorite onesie with a giraffe on it. I try to swallow and realize my mouth is bone dry.
I’m actually fucking scared.
I step across the hall into Ari’s room, but she turns and opens her eyes as I enter.
“Everything okay?” she mumbles.
I lean back against the doorframe, hide my weapon by my side, and rub a hand across my jaw. “It is now.”
16
ARIANNE
As the gates close behind us, locking us in the Iron Outlaws compound, my heart starts to slow for the first time since Halo opened my bedroom door thirty minutes ago.
His instructions were simple. Pack a bag for myself and Lola. Grab things she might need for forty-eight hours. Her little sippy cups, plastic bowls, toys, and most importantly diapers.
While his words were designed to calm, there was something about his tone. I’m used to reading between the lines. I had to do it constantly with Patrick. The way he asked a question would always tell me whether he already knew the answer or not.
When he told me I was beautiful, I always knew by his tone if it was because he’d cheated on me and felt bad or, worse, was about to abuse me.
