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Some of my concern is doused as Logan steps into the room a moment later with Jem on his heels. Both my brothers look unharmed, although neither man looks happy. Jem’s mouth is pulled into a tight line and Logan’s eyes are narrowed, his jaw locked solid.
A look passes between Jem and Piper. I see the ripple of concern followed by the hungry look that makes me shudder. Then he inclines his head before he moves over to Derek, but Logan’s gaze seeks Beth out like a heat seeking missile. He ignores everything going on around him but her. His eyes track her even as he moves towards her. Then as soon as he’s close enough, he pulls her into his arms, his fingers tangling in her hair.
“Are you okay?” he asks her, his voice soft, filled with anguish at the thought she might not be.
Beth nods. “I’m fine.”
I don’t miss how my brother’s hand moves to her stomach, nor do I miss the way he closes his eyes as if the weight of the world has just lifted off his shoulders. He kisses her gently, his hands moving from her belly to cup her face, then his eyes go over her head to me and Sofia.
“You girls okay?”
“Yeah, we’re peachy. Nothing like having guns waved in your face to really wake you up,” Sofia grumbles.
Logan’s jaw tenses, and before he can lose his shit, I sign, “We’re fine, Lo.”
He studies me for a moment, trying to ascertain the truth in my words. Then he nods and returns his attention back to his wife.
“We’re all fine,” Beth assures him. “Go and do whatever you need to.”
His eyes travel over her face before he presses his lips to hers. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He raises his head to take in the rest of the table and narrows his eyes. “No one leaves the clubhouse until we get this shit sorted.”
Jamie groans, flopping back into her chair dramatically. “Really? You guys are putting a serious dampener on my social life. I hope you know that.”
“You can’t have a social life if you’re dead,” Logan tells her, earning a groan from Beth. She buries her head in his chest, holding the edge of his kutte in her fingers.
“Tact, honey. Let’s work on that, okay?”
“I don’t have time for tact right now. My job is to keep everyone safe, so no one leaves until I say.”
He gives Beth a final glance and then as if it physically pains him to do it, he tears himself away and strides over to Derek.
“Your man really needs to work on his people skills,” Jamie complains.
“Lo has a tough job, J. He has to make sure we all stay breathing. Don’t give him shit.”
It makes me feel warm hearing Beth stick up for my brother—even if I don’t like the fact we have to stay here.
“If we’re going to be stuck here,” Piper says, “maybe we should find something useful to do.”
“Fuck that. Let’s just open the bar up,” Jamie fires back from her slouched position.
“Getting drunk is always your answer.” Paige rolls her eyes at her. “Do you have any plans that don’t start and end with booze?”
“Girl, all the best plans start and end with booze.”
“Church, now!”
We all glance up at Derek’s hollered instruction. It’s not meant for us, but the men of the Club who file out of the room. Weed glances back at Chloe, saying so much in that look, before disappearing through the doors.
My stomach clenches.
This is what war looks like. Counting survivors, missing those we love, and the men putting themselves in the line of fire to keep the rest of us safe.
I hate it.
