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“We won’t let anythin’ happen to you, precious.”
Spike’s voice comes from behind me, and I turn, seeing him standing, cigarette in hand, eyes on mine.
“What if there isn’t anything you can do?” I whisper. “What if he kills me?”
“If he wanted to kill you, he would have done it already. Marhsall is too smart to play that dirty. We’ll have eyes on you, and no matter what happens, we’ll make sure you come back alive. You have my word.”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I stare at my feet. “I have a daughter. If something happens to me ... What the hell was I thinking acting like I’m a free woman who can do whatever she wants? It’s so fucking selfish.”
Taking my chin, Spike tips my head back. “You are an excellent mother, and your daughter will never see you as anything but. You made a mistake, like we all haven’t done that at least once in our lives. We’ll get you out of this, I swear it to you.”
A tear rolls down my cheek, and Spike swipes it away.
“You hearin’ me, precious?”
I nod, but deep in my chest, I’m terrified.
“If he so much as lays a hand on you, this club will hunt him down and rip him limb from limb. Of that, I swear.”
“Want to give me a hit of that cigarette?” I say.
Chuckling, Spike hands it over and I bring it to my lips, inhaling. I never smoke, but right now, my nerves are shot and I’m feeling the kind of fear I haven’t in a very long time. It’s the uncertainty of not knowing what will happen next. I have no choice though, and I need to find my strength if I’m going to get through this.
“Since when did you smoke?”
Cade’s voice has me facing him, blowing out the smoke. “Since right this second.”
Taking the cigarette from my hand, he brings it to his own lips and inhales.
“I’m sorry I got us in this mess,” I say to him.
“Guess I’ll get my own cigarette,” Spike mutters to himself as Cade steps closer to me.
“I ain’t goin’ to let anything happen to you, do you hear me?”
“We’ll destroy this entire fuckin’ world before anyone lays a hand on you, precious,” Spike agrees. “And if they do, they’ll come to wish they didn’t.”
Of that, I have no doubt.
That doesn’t mean I’m not terrified.
“IT WORKED,” CIARA RUSHES into the bar where I’m working with Serenity, her eyes wide. “Wesley’s sister got in contact with him and told him Janine wanted to return the money, that bad people were after her and she wanted nothing to do with it. The absolute moron took the bait. I guess he’s not as smart as we thought.”
I could almost cry with relief, but at the same time, that means the plan is going ahead.
Staring at the glass in my hand, I peer over to where Skye is in a playpen with Ava, the two of them playing with toys. If something happens to me, she is going to have no one. She is going to start her life with trauma, and that is the last thing I ever wanted for her. Ciara walks around the bar, taking the glass from my hand. “Listen to me, if anyone so much as tries to take you away from us, I will hunt them down and tie them up and do so many awful things to them they’ll be begging me to end it.”
A croaky laugh escapes my throat. “I have no doubt.”
“Seriously, though. We will make sure you’re okay,” she promises me. “You know those guys will have a plan for everything. You’re going to come home alive.”
I nod, taking a deep breath.
“It’s just ...” I look to Skye. “If something happens to me ...”
“That isn’t going to happen,” Serenity promises, taking my hand. “But let me promise you that no matter what happens in this lifetime, that little girl will never be without love, a home and family.”
I pull her and Ciara in for a hug, wrapping my arms around them both.
