Page 36 of Nines's Time

“Hello?” I answer apprehensively in greeting.

“Stupid . . . stupid . . . whore.”

I wince at the venom that all but pours from the other end of the line. I can almost visualize his face and the contorted anger that takes over his expression.

“Please leave me alone,” I whisper, my lower lip wobbling in fear.

“Now, why would I do that?” He cackles. “You thought you could come to my hometown and I wouldn’t come after you? Even after so many years? Like I said, stupid. Should have stayed hidden. Now, I’ll take you back to where you belong.”

“I don’t want to go with you.”

“Too bad, you either come with me willingly or I ensure that the man you’re with right now and everyone else in that clubhouse of theirs is blown to smithereens.”

“You can’t do that,” I protest weakly.

“No?” He snorts. “I can do whatever the hell I want. I fucking own your whore ass, and it’s time you do as your damn well told. I’ll give you until three to meet me down from the clubhouse. You don’t, I’ll blow the clubhouse and everyone in it. If you even think to tell anyone, I will kill everyone. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” I whisper, my heart beating rapidly against my chest, feeling like it were going to erupt from my chest.

“Good, glad you can see reason. Now, do as you’re told, bitch. It’s time to get back to where you belong.” He disconnects, and I pull the phone from my ear and set it slowly on the table.

My stomach churns and it’s all I can do to keep from throwing up, but I can’t. I’ve got to figure this out. There’s no way I can let anyone at the clubhouse be hurt because of me. I was told not to tell anyone, but it doesn’t mean I can’t shoot Gavril a message and let him know I’m leaving. But I’ll have to do it right before I do so.

“Sorry, Buttercup, but we’ve got to get to the clubhouse,” Nines says, coming back into the house.

I nearly jump out of my seat, not hearing him open the door. I clear my throat and furrow my brow. “Is everything okay?” God, I hope he hasn’t already done something. He said he wouldn’t long as I did what he said, and he was giving me until three this afternoon.

“Will be, baby, but we’ve got to talk,” he says, coming to stand directly in front of where I’m sitting at the counter on one of the stools. He grips either side of my thighs and pushes them open before stepping between my legs. “I’ve given you time, but now we’re gonna talk about the unknown calls you keep getting and don’t answer.”

“What . . . what about them?” I breathe.

“You know who it is, don’t you?”

I swallow and nod. “Yes. It’s why I don’t answer. I don’t know how he got my number.”

“Not hard to find a number, Meadow,” he says gently. “You can get it easily off the internet or if you know where to look.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, and now, I’m about to tell you something that will probably piss you off, but you’ll have to get over it because I’ll always do what I have to, to keep you safe. I had Nerd look into the unknown caller. We found out who it is. With doing some more digging, Nerd found out about a life insurance policy on you,” he announces, keeping his voice smooth, though I don’t miss the way his eyes flash with anger and harden. “Now, we’re gonna go to the clubhouse, and until we get this motherfucker dealt with, the boutique will stay closed. We’ll also be staying in my room there for the time being.”

I open my mouth to protest but remember I wasn’t going to be able to go to my boutique in the first place. It’s best I go to the clubhouse, find a way to slip out of there, and leave without anyone noticing.

Lowering my head in defeat, I lean my head against Nines’s chest. “Okay,” I whisper and close my eyes. The smell of his body wash and cologneis intoxicating, and I just want him to make love to me here and now, but we don’t have the time. This could be the last time I get to spend with him.

“It’s gonna be all good, Buttercup,” Nines says, smoothing a hand over the back of my head, tangling his fingers in my hair, and tugging back, forcing me to look up at him. “Promise, baby, I’ll make sure it’s all good, and he’ll hurt for every goddamn thing he ever did to you. I will ensure he suffers to the point he’s begging for me to kill him.”

I swallow, wishing that were what could happen, but it can’t. Johnathan has already ensured his safety, and I know this because the man is not afraid to blow something up or to kill. He takes great pleasure in it.

CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO

MEADOW

By the time we got to the clubhouse, tension seemed to build higher in Nines. I could feel it radiating off him in waves as we rode from his house to the club. Something’s eating at him and I don’t know what to do about it. Granted, I’d give anything to be able to tell him what was worrying me and going through my head. But if I do that, everyone is dead.

I hop off the back of Nines’s bike, and he follows suit taking my hand in his.

“Come on, Buttercup.” He pulls me along with him inside.

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