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“Jem!”
He scowls at me. “I don’t give a fuck if Rabbit is tailing you, Kenz. You could get hurt—worse than hurt. The Reapers are serious about this war, which means we have to be careful.”
“But Rabbit—”
“Can’t do shit against guns or whatever else. Quit fighting me on this.”
Rabbit watches the whole thing silently, like a good little prospect. Seen but never heard. He doesn’t offer any support or suggest he is capable of protecting me. Nor does he seem offended by Jem’s lack of enthusiasm towards him taking care of me.
Arse.
“You don’t have anything to add?” I sign at Rabbit, but he just stares at me. I scowl and turn back to my brother. “It’s been three weeks, Jem. Nothing has happened since they declared we’re at war. Why do you think they’re suddenly going to strike us now?”
He tightens his jaw, the last modicum of patience he has wearing down to the wire.
“Prez wants everyone on lockdown. Since you’re a part of this family, that means you too.”
It does, but it also doesn’t answer my query. I’m used to the Club dodging even the most basic questions, as if they think shedding secrets will undo them. But it doesn’t help my temper, which I fully inherited from my mum’s side of the family.
I throw my hands up in the air in a fit of rage.
Then I sign, “This is ridiculous.”
He stares at me, his jaw working, then he says, “Two Reapers were spotted at the edge of town. I don’t want to scare you, but that is the reality we’re looking at. I can’t have you running around Kingsley with those bastards out there, Kenz.”
The Reapers are here? My gaze slides to the landscape, taking in the high-rises that make up the backdrop of Kingsley, and beyond to the skeletal remains of the old collieries that were once the lifeblood of the town as if I expect our enemy to appear. All I see is traffic moving and people getting on with their day.
Even so, a shiver runs up my spine.
On the edge of our territory seems too close to home for comfort.
I also realise now why Jem was so pissed I didn’t answer my phone. For a brief moment, he must have thought something had happened to me.
This tempers my mood a little—but only a little.
“Fine,”I sign, but I can’t help tacking on, “If I lose my job you’d better find me something else, Jem. I mean it.”
His voice softens as he peers down at me. “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of you, no matter what happens.”
I scowl at him. Is that supposed to make me feel better? It doesn’t.
“Am I following you back?”I demand, my mouth pulled into a tight, irritable line.
He watches my hands move before he answers. Like all my family, Jem is proficient in British Sign Language—a lot of the Club is, in fact. Most learnt it when I was young, but the newer members and old ladies have also taken it upon themselves to have lessons. It’s things like this that remind me how lucky I am to have people who genuinely love and care about me.
At least this is what I’m telling myself while trying not to explode at my brother.
“Yeah, stick close to me.”
I nod once and hold my hands out for my keys. He eyes me, then drops them into my open palm. I close my fingers around them and ignore the urge to drive to work instead. Jem genuinely seems worried, which has my own sense of self-preservation mounting. Maybe there is something to be concerned about this time—unlike the other times.
As I start to turn away, Jem grabs my arm, pulling me up short. “I know this is shit, believe me, I know how frustrating this is, Kenzie, but there’s a lot of pressure on the Club to keep everyone safe. Just bear with us while we’re finding our feet with the Reapers, okay? If anything happens to you or the other women, I’d never be able to live with it.”
All fight leaves me at the sincerity in his tone as I realise the pressure he and the other men must be under. He doesn’t need me acting like a brat.
I pocket my keys, so I can sign, “I know.”
He kisses my forehead. “Your safety is paramount, do you understand?”
