Page 40 of Shadow

Shirley stormed out of the greenhouse, saying nothing more.

Carrying Faith into the house, I placed her on the couch as Hope walked in the front door. Nevil and Charity took a seat in one of the overstuffed chairs.

“She’s gone,” Hope whispered, as she sat next to Faith, who refused to look at anyone.

Fuck, this was a shit show.

Pulling the coffee table close, I sat before my two sisters and said, “What did Shirley mean, girls? Who else was it?”

Faith started shaking as Hope grabbed her hands. “It’s okay,Faith. You can tell Zeke. He won’t say anything.”

Faith whispered something I couldn’t hear.

Leaning forward, I looked at Hope, who simply said, “Sometimes Malachi brought a friend.”

Frowning, I shook my head. “Malachi didn’t have friends. He barely talked. Who did he bring?”

Faith lifted her head, looked me dead in the eyes and said, “Chaos.”

Chapter Nine

Joan

Two days had passed since I drove over to the Diamondback clubhouse seeking information. Since then, I’ve been patiently waiting for the man named Shadow to get in contact with me regarding the information I need to protect me and my siblings. Part of me wanted to insist the man gave me what I wanted right then and there, but I didn’t. Trusting the President of the club and the man called Shadow.

He was exactly as he was in my dreams. Since my attack, I would dream of the man with the haunting silver-blue eyes. Eyes that looked so old, so tired, so desolate. Even while I laid on the ground that night in pain, I wanted to comfort him. To tell him everything was going to be okay.

I never learned who he was. For the longest time, I thought he was just some random stranger who saved me, but now, I wasn’t so sure anymore. I wanted to know what that other brother meant when he said Shadow was a killer. That he killed Jinx.

I knew that night was still fuzzy, as I barely remembered anything, but what I did remember was that I was being attacked and Shadow saved me. By the time I woke up in the hospital, Shadow was gone and I barely remembered anything. Even the police asked if I could give a description of my attacker. I shook my head and only described my savior. His was a face I would never forget.

Going with my gut and not what the other man said, I chose to trust that Shadow would, in time, get me the information I needed. I just needed to be patient.

I’d waited this long.

What was a few more days?

Entering my apartment, I stopped dead in my tracks.

Nothing was as I left it. Hands shaking, I dug into my purse for my cell phone as I stared in disbelief at the words written on my living room wall. Backing slowly away, I didn’t touch anything.

I knew not to.

Dialing 9-1-1, I held the phone to my ear trying to calm my racing heart.

“9-1-1, what is your emergency?”

“Someone broke into my apartment.”

“What is your address?”

“316 F Street, apartment B. Please hurry.”

“Police are on the way, ma’am. Is someone still in the apartment?”

“I don’t think so.”

“What is your name?”

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