Page 49

“Oh, shit. You’re in deep, aren’t ya, brother?”

“I said, shut up.”

He’s quiet for a moment before looking at me and nodding. “You know? I can see it. I mean, at least she’s not a stripper, right?”

“Jesus, will y’all let the stripper thing go? It happened one time.”

He laughs, shaking his head. “Yeah, it only happened once but you were dumb enough to think she was “the one”. Thank fucking God, you got out of that shit storm, right?”

“Yeah, well, at least I don’t avoid any chance of developing feelings by only sleeping with a girl once,” I snap, giving him a pointed look and he shakes his head.

“Hey, I’ll own my shit. You try getting left at the altar and see how badly you want to jump back in again, asshole.”

I’m about to fire off another comeback when the front door to Camilla’s house opens and her bastard husband walks out. Camilla and her daughter, Riley, walk out behind him and Camilla’s eyes flick in our direction for a split second before she focuses back on her husband and forces a smile to her face.

“What the fuck?” I whisper when Riley peeks out from behind her mother and I see the cast on her arm. “She have that last week?”

“No,” Kodiak replies, his voice deadly as he stares at the family kissing goodbye in front of their house. Henry, Camilla’s husband, gets into his car and drives away, passing us without even a second glance and as soon as he’s out of sight, Camilla ushers Riley back inside. Kodiak turns to me. “Let’s give it a couple minutes. Make sure he doesn’t come back.”

I nod in agreement, checking the rearview mirror but the road is clear. “Where we takin’ ‘em? Emma’s?”

“Yeah. Blaze figured the girl would be less scared there.”

My gaze slides to the house. “Whatever, man, anything’s gotta be better than how scared she is in that house.”

“Heard that,” Kodiak says, nodding his head. It’s been a long time since I felt that same fear but it’s something I’ll never forget.

After a few more minutes, he pulls away from the curb and drives up to the house slowly before parking on the street in front of it. Not having backup to follow the husband is making us kind of jumpy as we spill out of the truck and walk up the front steps. Kodiak scans the street as I knock and we both step back so she can open the door.

The relief on her face when Camilla sees us standing here is instant. “We’re almost ready to go.”

Kodiak nods, his features softening as he smiles at her. “Take your time and make sure you get everything, Darlin’. We won’t be coming back.”

She nods and as she disappears inside the house, we both turn to face the street so we can watch for any trouble. Camilla first came to us a few months ago, wanting to know her options if she left her husband. It took a lot of work, but we eventually got out of her that the asshole wasn’t hurting her but their daughter, Riley. And then she dropped off the map. We couldn’t find her and the pre-paid phone we gave her was dumped in a trash can near the clubhouse. I think most of us thought the worst but then she contacted us last week and said she was ready to leave and I, for one, was relieved.

The ones we can’t save or the ones that come to us to ask questions but never follow through, they haunt me and I’m always wondering what happened to them. Maybe it’s because I know what the reality looks like. I remember the sound of my mom getting knocked around by whatever piece of shit she was dating at the time and it’s all I can see in my head when these women come to us for help. My phone buzzes and I yank it out, keeping one eye on the road as I read Carly’s text.

Carly:

I suppose I might be able to squeeze

you in.

Me:

That’s good, Princess.

Less likely to just show up on

your doorstep that way.

The screen door creaks behind us and I turn around as Kodiak keeps an eye on the road. Riley tentatively steps out and peeks up at me without meeting my eyes. Smiling, I crouch down in front of her and hold out my hand.

“Hi, you must be Riley.”

She regards me for a moment before slowly extending her hand and shaking mine. “Hi.”

Camilla comes out and I stand up, offering her a warm smile. “All ready?”