“Agreed, and I’ll be more careful.”
“What’s your next move?”
I chew on the inside of my mouth. I’ve been giving this some thought, and I think this is the only game play. “I’m going to call Theo and ask for a meet.”
CHAPTER 4
Harlow
I PULL INTO the small parking lot at the front entrance of Prestwick Forest the following morning, and although I’m twenty minutes earlier than the scheduled meet, Theo is already there.
He climbs out of his SUV and hurries to my side, yanking my door open and pulling me into his arms. “Oh, thank fuck.” He buries his head in my hair, squeezing me so tight I can scarcely breathe.
“Struggling to breathe here,” I say, attempting to wriggle out of his iron-grip embrace.
He lets me go, scanning me from head to toe. “We’ve been so worried. I thought I’d have to physically chain Saint and Caz to the wall to stop them from going after Knight. They were up all night coming up with creative ways to torture and kill the asshole.” He runs his hands through his long, dirty-blond hair. It’s untied, swaying loose around the nape of his neck.
“I think we’ve got more pressing problems than Darrow Knight,” I coolly reply. “And I took care of him myself.”
Theo pulls me into his arms again, and I think this might be even easier than I imagined. He hugs me tight, and I want to believe it’s genuine, but I don’t trust any of them with good reason. Still, I let him embrace me because I’ve a new role to play.
“We thought as much, but we weren’t sure,” he says, letting me go. I take a step back, needing a little distance. “Saint was getting ready to head to the hospital and beat the truth out of Knight when you called. Whatever your revenge plan is, it better be good.”
I knew the guys would want to retaliate against Darrow, so I’ve had to get creative again. “You doubt me?”
“Never.” His hazel eyes glisten with emotion.
“Where are the others?”
“Waiting for you.” He eyes the decrepit truck I drove here. “I assume you want to ditch that?”
I nod.
“Get in my car.”
I climb into the passenger seat of his SUV, watching as he removes a can of gasoline from the trunk, pours it over the old Chevy, and sets it on fire.
“We’ll dispose of the charred remains later so there’s no way it can be traced back to you,” he says, getting in and starting the engine.
“Thanks.” I stare out the window, contemplating the next few minutes.
“Lo.” His voice is soft.
I turn my head to face him. “What?”
He eyes the bruise at my temple and the scratches on my cheek. “Did he hurt you?”
“Did he cut me, use a blowtorch on my skin, or stub cigarettes out on me? Is that what you mean?” It’s a deliberate reminder of what his beloved Sainthood has done to me in the past. He winces, and I take pity on him. “No, Theo. He didn’t hurt me. He never got the chance.”
I watch with interest as Theo drives us around the outside of the forest for a few miles before stopping at the side of the road in front of thick shrubbery. He jumps out, and my eyes almost bug out of my head when he appears to part some shrubbery with his hands. I lean forward, straining against my seat belt as I inspect the strange sight. “Holy shit,” I murmur to myself when I realize part of the shrubbery is actually a gate disguised to blend into the scenery. He slides back the hidden entrance to reveal a dirt road, bordered by the dark forest on both sides. I stare at him with my jaw hanging open as he drives the SUV through the small gap. His lips twitch at my reaction as he puts the car in neutral and climbs out to close the concealed gate behind us.
“What the hell is this?” I ask when he’s back behind the wheel.
“I’m taking you to our place.”
“It’s like I’ve walked into a Bond or Bourne movie,” I supply, as he drives the SUV forward over uneven terrain.
“Our privacy is important to us.” He glances at me, and his hazel eyes dive into mine.
“What?” I’m instantly on guard.
“I thought you’d be angry.”
I swivel in my seat to stare at him. “Why on Earth would you think I’m not?”
“You’re calm.”
“Haven’t you ever heard the saying ‘the calm before the storm’? Because that’s a pretty apt depiction of what it looks like inside my head right now.” I swirl a hand around myself. “Don’t let this exterior fool you. I’m a fucking tornado waiting to happen.”
“That’s fair, but you should know Galen did this on his own. We had no clue.”
“Of course, you’d say that,” I scoff. “I’ve been around you all long enough to know what Saint says is law. Galen wouldn’t risk going against him.”
A pained look washes over Theo’s face. “We knew you’d think that, but it’s not true.”
“I’ll reserve judgment till we meet the others. I want Saint to look me in the eye and tell me he hasn’t betrayed me.”
The dirt track widens a few meters ahead, eventually bringing us to an open clearing housing a massive wooden barn. It’s freshly painted, and the windows look new. The door is open, and Saint and Caz emerge from the inside, stopping alongside Caz’s Eclipse as they wait for Theo to park.
A messy ball of emotion clogs my throat as I lock eyes with Saint through the glass. He’s wearing a fierce expression, holding himself stiffly, with his muscular, inked arms folded across his impressive chest. He’s not giving much away, but that’s not unusual. Caz runs his hands repeatedly through his dark hair, his tongue toying with his lip ring in an obvious tell.
“Lo.” Theo kills the engine and turns to me. “I know you’re pissed, and it has shaken your trust in us, but please hear us out. We’ve been going crazy worrying about you.”
“I’m making no promise, Theo.” I open the door and step out as Caz jogs toward me.
“Lo.” He bundles me into a hug, lifting me up in his strong arms. “Thank fuck.” He places my feet on the ground, clasping my head in his hands. “You’re injured. I’ll kill that motherfucking ass—”
“He didn’t touch me.” I cut across him, stepping back despite how much I crave his closeness. “I got the scratches when Parker threw me to the ground, and the bruise happened when I was in Darrow’s trunk.”
“Princess.” Saint’s deep tone reaches a hand inside me, but I swat it away.
I turn around, eyeing him warily. He stares at me, his gaze roaming the length of my body, and tension bleeds into the air. It hasn’t escaped my notice that Galen is nowhere to be seen. They are right to keep him from me, because they’ll have a hard time stopping me from killing him with my bare hands. “What?” I ask, planting my hands on my hips. “Cat got your tongue?”
His lips kick up at the corners, and it pisses me off. “Don’t fucking smirk at me.” I close the gap between us, poking my finger in his chest. Anger rampages through me. “Not after the shit you pulled.”