Page 56 of Mex

My body slowly sinks into the sofa, and the feeling of hands touching my body fades away until my world finally descends into blissful darkness.

Even if only for a while.

~*~*~*~*~

“YOU’RE NOT GOIN’ WITHthem,” Jayme growls, arms crossed over his chest as he stares furiously at me.

“Ihaveto go with them. I need to finish this and, believe it or not, I’m safer there than I am anywhere else right now. Until this has all sorted itself out, then I’m going to have no choice but to trust the club.”

“Until they find out that all along you’ve been workin’ with Marek only feeding them exactly what he wants you to. Do you think they’ll appreciate that?”

I shake my head. “No, but they’re not going to find out.”

“You’re so sure?”

“I’m not sure of a single damned thing, but right now, I’m left with little option. I can’t go home because the minute I look Death in the eye ...”

“He wants to see you; he’s goin’ to start askin’ questions, and if he digs too deep ...”

Jayme is right, if Death really starts digging, he might just link it back to me. He’ll figure out that the people I told him she went to see were in fact not the last people to see her alive. If he finds out I killed her, he will hunt me down. He is going to be a big problem if Marek insists on taking over everything. He will never bow down and allow him to lead. I fear that Death will suffer the same fate as my mother, even if, deep down, I’m not sure that’s how I want things to end for him.

“I’ll call him, tell him something. For now, though, this is how it has to be until I finish this.”

“Marek is dangerous, Acacia, he is going to do something horrible.”

I meet Jayme’s concerned gaze. “You don’t think I know that? I don’t trust him, but I have an idea that might just get us both what we want.”

“You going to share said idea?” Jayme mutters, not uncrossing his arms.

“I’m going to cut him a deal. I’ll help him get everything he wants, but in return, he sets me free. He lets me step away from this life and start anew. I’m the only person who can get most of those people to trust him, and he knows it. It’s my leverage.”

Jayme purses his lips. “Do you think he’ll ever truly let you go?”

I shrug. “I don’t know, but I figure he wants what she has more than whatever it is he wants with me. It’s the only shot I’ve got. I want out of this life, and it’s how I’m going to get it.”

“And the club?”

I exhale. “They’re a different problem. I’m going to give them something else to focus on, Marek has given me details that will lead them directly to Ivan. He is someone of interest to them personally, and I know when they start down that road, they’ll forget Marek and my mother.”

Jayme shakes his head. “You’re going to send them after Ivan? Is that wise?”

“It’s the only option I have. It’s not like he’ll know it was me. Hell, the man is almost as bad as Marek. He’s got a lot of people who want him gone, that club mostly, considering he has the upper hand on everything that went down in this town. They have been hunting for this for a while, and I’m just going to gently direct them in that general direction.”

“I think you’re playing with fire, but I agree, you don’t have many options.”

I give him a small smile. “Well, I better go. The club won’t trust me if I don’t show up with something. I told them I would if they promised I could stay there.”

“Don’t get involved with that biker, Acacia,” Jayme calls as I turn toward the door. “You’ll end up hurt.”

Too late for that.

Leaving his place, I get an Uber out to the clubhouse. Marek contacted me, as he said he would, and gave me information to pass onto the club. For a while, they’ll think it leads to him, but when they realize who it really leads to, the hope is they’ll focus on that and that will give Marek time to get out of town and make it even harder for him to be located. With time, their focus will hopefully remain on Ivan and stopping him.

It's what I’m praying for, at least.

Marek has ordered me to check in with him in two days, face to face. It’s safe to say, I’m not looking forward to that, but if I want him on my side then I have to follow his instruction above all else. It’s when I plan on asking to make a deal with him. I have no idea if he’ll go for it, but it’s my last hope.

Arriving at the clubhouse, I’m let straight in.

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