Page 49 of A New Era

Wyatt immediately yanks Jonah by his cut until there’s space between us all but Jonah fights back all the way.

“Why the fuck would Leo’s old lady have anything to do with Beth?” Cookie tries to reason with him.

I keep my mouth shut and will my face not to give anything away.

“It’s too convenient. The first time she leaves since we get here, and Beth’s gone!” Jonah argues.

I mean, he’s categorically spot on, but I don’t react one bit. The farther Beth gets from Willow’s Peak and this asshole, the better.

“You need to shut your mouth, brother,” Cookie warns him.

JJ nods to Mason and says, “Walk Holly back to the house and go find Leo.”

Mason looks at me and jerks his chin in the direction of the house.

“You okay?” he asks once we’re away from Jonah and the Southern Chapter.

Swallowing thickly, I nod. “I just wasn’t prepared to face that.”

He side eyes me and I keep my face forward.

“If you helped her or not, that shit won’t happen again. Leo and the rest of us will make sure.”

Helped her or not. I forget how perceptive the brothers can be. Mason’s not stupid, he can probably guess I had something to do with her departure.

“Thanks.”

He walks me to the door and jogs away as I lock up behind me. I lean against the door and take a deep breath. I hope and pray Beth gets as far away as she possibly can, and Jonah never sets his eyes on her again.

Chapter Thirteen

Leo

“You stay the fuck away from Holly!”

Hearing JJ in such an aggressive tone has me jumping up from my desk and running out to the bar, especially hearing Holly’s name. I first look around for my fiancée but only find JJ fronting up to Jonah with Zach and Myles at his back and Wyatt, Cookie, and Creep at Jonah’s.

For JJ to get in his face, this is bad. For JJ having to defend my old lady, shit’s going to get a shit ton worse.

“What the fuck is going on?” I bark and the brothers fall silent.

Jonah scratches the gun against his head and is clearly agitated.

“This fucker got in Holly’s face and accused her of lying to him about his old lady. Apparently, she’s left him, and he thinks Holly had something to do with it.”

“Why do you think that?” I ask Jonah.

“She left to go into town.”

Holding my hands out, I show I’m clearly confused. Holly probably has everything to do with this, but I’d never sell her out, especially when she felt she was doing the right thing. Even if Jonah had proof Holly took her into town, he knows he should’ve come to me to deal with it. With the fact they’re already on my shit list for being pussies, this isn’t helping their cause.

“My old lady makes trips to town numerous times a week. I still don’t see how you jump to conclusions that she helped your old lady make her great escape.”

His agitation builds and he bounces from foot to foot, failing to find his cool.

“Beth has no fucking idea where we are, we’re miles from town! How else would she leave?”

Fuck this.

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