Page 37 of Nines's Time

“Nines,” I murmur, deciding that I need to warn him, tell him about the phone call, let him take care of this. Maybe the members of the club can get everyone out of here and to safety before Johnathan realizes it and goes about doing what he said he would do.

“Give me a few minutes, baby. I’ve got to talk to Blow and the other members of the club about something,” he says, letting my hand go.

“Okay.” I nod and swallow back my nerves. I get he’s got a lot on his mind as well.

“Don’t go out of the clubhouse, okay?” Nines levels me with a look of determination.

Instead of outright lying to Nines, I nod in answer.

Nines leans in and claims my mouth with a kiss that leaves my toes curling. When he walks away, I make my way to one of the tables where Storm and Chelsea are sitting.

“Hey,” I greet them as I take a seat.

“Hey, Meadow.” Chelsea smiles and nods to Storm. “Chickadee here was just telling me about when she took off on Blow to get away from him when he tried to say they were on lockdown and she didn’t want to be. I swear, the story never gets old.”

“That’s only because it leads to me ending up driving all the way to Colorado.” Storm laughs.

“Wait, you got out of the clubhouse and grounds without anyone seeing you?” I stare at her in surprise.

“Oh, they knew I’d left, well not before I’d already done so. But yeah, there’s a part of the fence that hadn’t been fixed yet, and honestly, I should probably tell Blow about it and tell him he needs to fix it. God knows someone else could end up using it to cause harm to the club,” Storm explains. “So, anyway, how are you doing? Everything with Nines okay? It’s been a lot from what Blow’s told me.”

“It is, but Nines has been great about it all. The first time I saw him I didn’t take him for being sweet as he is.”

“Nines sweet? Ha, that’s probably because you’re in his bed.” Chelsea snickers. “Sure, he can be funny, but normally that man is a complete badass.”

I can’t help but giggle at the mere mention of Nines being a badass. I’ve seen him when he wasn’t sweet to me, but mostly he’s always sweet and gentle when he’s around me.

The three of us sit and talk for a bit longer before I excuse myself and head for Nines’s room. Inside I quickly jot down a note saying I’m sorry, that I had no other choice, I had to keep everyone safe. After I finish, I shoot a quick text to Gavril, letting him know I’m leaving and had no choice in the matter, using the code words he’s taught me to use. After I hit send, I make my way to the back of the clubhouse and out the back door. Not seeing anyone around, I rush to the fence line and follow it until I find the hole that Storm mentioned. Until she told me about it unknowingly, I didn’t know how I was going to get away without anyone seeing me.

It doesn’t take me long to find the hole in the fence. With a quick glance behind me, I duck through it, careful not to cut myself on the edges of the metal fencing. On the other side, I swallow down my fear of what I’m doing and wishing to simply go back inside the clubhouse. In such a short amount of time, those people have come to mean something to me. When I was scared out of my mind to be around them, they didn’t push themselves on me, but made it clear they’re here for me. Especially Nines.

I don’t like leaving him, knowing he’ll be furious when he finds I’m gone. He wanted me to trust him, and I do with all of my heart, but I can’t risk everyone in the clubhouse. They’re more of them than there is me. It’s better to sacrifice one life than many.Quickly, I head in the direction I was told. I won’t take the chance of the club finding me before I get to Johnathan. If they do, this will have all been for nothing, and I can’t let that happen.

Sweat beads my forehead and streams down into my eyes the farther I get from Nines. I lick my lower lip and pick up my pace. Out of nowhere, I’m grabbed from behind and pulled flush against a pudgy body, and a hand covers my mouth. In front of me, Johnathan steps forward and grins at me like the evil monster he is.

“Hello, daughter of mine, it’s time you get back to where you belong,” he drawls and brings his hand down across my cheek when the person behind me moves his hand. He slaps me with enough force that it sends my face sideways. “Put her in the truck.” He motions to the guy holding me. “We’ll get her to the cabin.”

“You got it, boss,” the guy holding me grunts.

I don’t speak or fight as I’m thrown in the trunk with enough force to jar my hip against whatever else they have in here. The lid slams down and I’m left in complete darkness.

* * *

There’s something to be said about being in the trunk of a car . . . it’s not very pleasant. I felt every bump and turn they made, and I swear they made sure to hit each rut in the road or took a turn faster than needed. Before the car came to a jolting stop, my body already felt like it was being run through the mill. But I know it’s nothing compared to what’s coming. I’m not delusional as to the fact Johnathan will hurt me. He’ll make sure I’m punished and hurt for running all those years ago.

I should have known you can’t run from your past without it catching up to you. I’ve read that in so many of my favorite books, but I’ve seen it on TV as well.

The sound of doors slamming shut draws me out of my thoughts and I swallow back the anxiety wanting to take hold. It won’t do me any good right now. I made my choice to save the others and I did it knowing what would happen to me in the process. A moment later, the lid to the truck is yanked open, and I’m instantly blinded momentarily by the bright sun beaming down on us.

“Time for you to meet your fate, Meadow,” Johnathan sneers and nods to the man with him. “Get her inside and hook her to the chains in the middle of the room.”

“Want her arms wide?” the other guy asks.

“No, over her head and lift her off the floor,” he answers with a smirk and turns away from me.

I hear him on his phone and switch my focus to the guy doing his grunt work for him. It seems in the time since I ran away, Johnathan got himself an Igor, someone to do his bidding for him. Isn’t it just lovely?

The guy reaches in and grips me by my hair, making me cry out in pain as he drags me from the belly of the trunk and into the cabin, where he does as Johnathan told him to and latches steel cuffs to both of my wrists. When he walks away, I shake my arms, wanting to rip the damn things off. The heavy weight of them is nearly too much for me, but I don’t have much time to consider them before my body is jerked off the ground by my wrists, and I’m left suspended in the air a good foot or two off the ground.

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