Page 3 of Menace

Years ago, when I escaped my family I had help. This time there was no one.

I couldn’t tell Pixie, she would immediately get involved and she couldn’t. Not in her condition. She was pregnant with her and Remy’s baby and there was no way I would endanger the two of them.

My revolting family were criminals and wouldn’t hesitate to hurt her or anyone they thought was important to me. Pixie’s brother, Dom Maingarde, was a big boss in the organised crime underworld but I didn’t know if he was more powerful than my father. I’ve been out of the loop for years and had made no attempt to check up on them.

It was a mistake I now regretted.

When I ran from them I had cut ties completely. Leaving my old life behind.

I had to become someone new. And I did, I became someone they wouldn’t recognise.

Someone who had tattoos and piercings and looked very different from the girl I used to be.

But they had found me. I had no idea how they did but they were here and I had to find a way to get out of the studio and to my car. I had my go-bag in the boot and once I got my hands on it I could…what? Do what? I had nothing, no ideas, and no plans. I had become too comfortable in this life and had no plan of escape. I should have made plans.

My shoulders sagged.

He found me and by now he knew everything about me.

Where I lived. The car I drove. My friends.

My gut churned and my heart jumped in my chest.

He would know about my friendship with Pixie and the other artists. Not only them but Dom and Nika, and if he knew about them then he knew about Rider and Delene.

Sweet baby Jesus.

He would know about Rider and my little squirrel.

I had to warn them, all of them. To keep them safe I had to keep the bastard’s attention on me.

How the hell was I going to do that? And where was I going to go?

I was still standing behind Zanni staring at the bastard when a small hand slipped into mine. I jerked in surprise then realised who it was. Only one person in the studio had hands that tiny, I turned and smiled down at my boss.

“Hey, boss lady, you need me for anything? I don’t have a client coming in until around five. I’m available to help you if you need me.”

She didn’t smile just pulled on my hand to follow her. “Come to my office, I have something I want to show you.”

She’s been designing a chest tattoo for one of the bikers and guarding it like it was a state secret.

I was incredibly curious to see it. Giving a little hop in anticipation I grinned.

“Lead the way.”

Letting go of my hand she led the way past the busy artists to the back of the studio and into her tiny office.

I did not expect the office to be crowded.

Dom and a man I had never seen before were waiting for us. Their backs to the wall, arms crossed over their chests.

Looking from one to the other I frowned. “What’s going on?”

“That is actually my question, Joney.” Dom’s cold blue eyes met mine and I had to look away. I couldn’t look in his eyes, eyes that felt like they could see deep inside my head and through my lies.

I dropped my head, letting my long hair cover my face. I couldn’t look at any of them. I was ashamed to show them the broken pieces that made up who I was. Who I really was.

Dom knew, it only took one look into his cold eyes and I knew he had a good idea what I was hiding.

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