Page 56 of Lost Soul

“You get the girl to talk?” I nod back. “So, what's the deal?”

“She was working for them, tracking phones, hacking shit. She’s the reason things have been fucking up around here lately.”

“Shit. That pretty little thang causing all that trouble. Don't know if I wanna throttle it or fuck it.” Troj rubs his hands together disturbing the gym chalk in his palms. “Wouldn’t mind having a go at both.” He winks then slaps me on the back. I try not to scowl at him, and the temptation to pick up a kettlebell and smash the fucker in the face with it takes all my energy to hold off. “Hell, I wouldn’t wanna be her right now,” he adds.

“She’s got club protection,” I tell him, and the reaction that follows is exactly what I expect. His mouth drops open, and his eyes search for sense.

“What the fuck? She’s been screwin’ us over. Hayley’s dead because of her and now we’re protecting her?”

“Yeah well, she had no idea who she was fuckin’ with.”

“Damn straight,” he nods.

“No, I mean she had no idea it was us. Our texts are cryptic as fuck. She only had cell numbers to go on and only ever saw figures. She recognized Chop from a file she’d pulled and then she got scared, started avoiding their calls. That’s why they picked her up.”

“And you believe that?” he asks, one of his eyebrows lifting up higher than the other.

“Yeah, I do. Hayley saved her life. It’s all got to mean something,” I explain as best I can why I feel the instinct to trust Maddy, leaving out the part that I really want to. Troj raises his shoulders seeming to accept my answer. Troj is trusting of those he’s loyal to. If it’s good enough for you, then it’s good enough for him not to question it.

“That’s why I’m here,” I continue. “I need to pick up the girl’s Mom, she’s involved with the Bastards somehow, they used her to keep Maddy doing what she did for them. I need someone to ride out with me to get her, bring her back here so we can find out how she’s involved and protect her too.”

“Gotcha.” He’s already grabbing his cut off the bench and pulling it over his shoulders, no questions asked.

“And there's another thing,” I add. “I’m gonna need to keep an eye on Maddy, Prez ain't gonna trust her a hundred percent, he wants eyes on her 24-7. I thought maybe she could stay with us, just until all this shit blows over. You cool with that?”

“Ain’t got no problem with her staying at ours, brother, but playing house with two bitches… Far too much drama for what I can handle. I’ll move into one of the spare cabins while they’re here. I’m sure Prez won't mind. It’ll give you guys more space, her and her mom can share my room.”

“Thanks man.” I pull him back in. Troj is my most solid brother in this club, not once has he let me down when I need him.

“Let's go pick up this chick’s mom and get back so we can get some sleep. I wanna write this fucking day off,” he says, leading me out of the gym.

A gentle knock on the door disturbs me from a sleep I hadn’t realized I’d fallen in to. I’m startled when I open my eyes and don’t recognize my surroundings. It’s a small room, dark and dingy but still better than the basement where I’d been kept before.

The basement.

The knife.

The kiss.

Jessie.

Hayley’s dead!

When it all floods back to me I suddenly wish I was back asleep, where none of those things had happened. Except for the kiss. That part had been amazing.

The door knocks again reminding me what woke me in the first place, and I call out for whoever it is to come inside. The door opens slowly, and the friendly woman from earlier pokes her head around the door.

“Hey, you mind if I come in?” Carly asks with a half-smile on her face.

“Sure.” I shift on the mattress to prop myself up.

“Here, this is for you,” she holds out a neatly folded pile of clothes. “They might be a bit big, but I figured you’d want something a little more…” Her eyes look me over pitifully. “…Comfortable.”

“Yes. Thank you so much.” I take the items of clothing from her, and she turns her back while I change into the jeans and vest top, then throw the baggy hoodie over my head.

“Jessie and Troj have gone to get your mom. They’ll bring her back here. Prez has promised you club protection, so you’re safe,” she tells me with a warm smile, a surge of relief that I’m not expecting seems to make my whole body relax.

“Jessie asked me to take you back to his and settle you in. You don’t wanna be sleeping in here tonight.” Her eyes wander around the room, and my head nods back in absolute agreement.

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