“He specifically told you to come in here?”
She nods. “He said you guys would help me…”
My heart beat pounds in my ears as I stare down at her, my mind trying to catch up. Why would her kidnapper bring her here? Unless… it’s him.
“He told me to give you,” she whispers, pointing to Blaze. “A message.”
Blaze runs a hand over his face as he nods. “What was the message?”
“I am just getting started.”
My stomach drops like a rock and I clench my jaw as Blaze’s gaze snaps to mine, the look in his eyes as grave as I feel. “Call everyone in and their families, too.”
I nod. “I need to go get Piper.”
“I’ll call everyone,” Tate says, jumping up with determination on her face. “You go get your wife.”
“Thanks,” I whisper as I turn and run out to the parking lot with every worst case scenario playing through my head. I pull my phone out of my pocket and dial Piper’s number as Veronica’s warning runs through my head again.
I am just getting started.
What does that even mean?
How does this end?
With all of us dead?
With our club destroyed?
“Wyatt?” she answers and I release a breath I didn’t realize I was holding as I reach my bike and swing my leg over the seat.
“Baby… I need you to go home and I’ll meet you there.”
She scoffs. “That’s all you have to say to me today?”
“No, Pip. We have a hell of a lot to talk about but shit is going down at the club and I need to get you to safety so can we table it for just a little bit?”
Silence greets me as I start my bike and my heart hammers in my chest. I mentally urge her to agree with the plan. Not that it will stop me from getting her and bringing her back here to keep her safe but I’d rather not apologize for another thing. Finally, she sighs. “Okay, Wyatt. I’m leaving now and I’ll see you at the house.”
“Thank you, baby,” I say as I back out of my parking spot. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, Wyatt,” she replies but I don’t miss the tears in her voice and I know this is nowhere near fixed for us but with the threat looming closer, everything is clear for me. Nothing is more important than my wife and our child and I’ll do whatever it takes to live up to the promise I made her in my parents’ driveway.
I won’t let anything come between us anymore.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Piper
My hands shake, gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turn white, as I pull up in front of the house and stare at Wyatt’s bike in the driveway. I don’t know what to think. Yesterday, he was telling me that he will be signing the divorce papers in the morning and then when he calls me today, he tells me he loves me and needs to get me to safety. I’ve got whiplash from his ever-changing moods and I don’t know how much longer I can do this. Pressing my hand to my belly, I remember the ultrasound picture we saw of our baby yesterday and shake my head.
I can’t believe that was only twenty-four hours ago.
Whatever happens, we are bringing a baby into this world and if he doesn’t want this anymore, doesn’t want me, we have to find a way to raise this little one together. Pain blooms in my chest and tears sting my eyes as I think about the possibility of being a single mother after I thought I was getting everything I’ve ever wanted and a sob bubbles out of me. I clamp my hand over my mouth and lean my head back as the tears start slipping down my cheeks and my chest shakes. I love him so much that I can’t even explain it, can’t find the words to describe the feeling I get whenever I see his face, and I don’t know how I’m going to survive losing him a second time.
Opening my eyes and looking up at the house, I meet Wyatt’s eyes as he stands in the doorway and gasp, my heart climbing into my throat. I wipe the tears from my cheeks and turn the car off but I can’t force myself to get out. After a second, he starts walking down the stairs toward me and my heart races out of control.
Oh, God, what is he going to say?
Does he still think I’m cheating on him?
Is he leaving me?
When he reaches my door, he opens it and holds his hand out to me with a nervous smile on his face. His eyes are full of fear and uncertainty and it doesn’t do anything to calm my emotions. My stomach tightens painfully as I slip my hand into his and step out of the car. Pulling me into his arms, he looks down at me, our gazes locked together as my heart feels like it’s going to explode in my chest and my stomach flips. Each breath punches out of my chest, matching him and slowly, he lowers his face to mine and gently claims my lips. A sob shoots through me as I melt into him, swallowed up by our kiss and his firm touch holds me together when all I feel like doing is falling apart.
I can’t lose him.
The mean, hateful words he hurled at me yesterday echo through my mind and I pull back, shoving him away from me as I shake my head and take steps back. “Stop, Wyatt.”
“Baby,” he breathes, reaching for me and I shake my head again. As much as I want to fall back into his arms and believe him when he tells me that everything will be okay, I can’t. Not anymore. These issues between us are bigger than either of us realized. He sighs, running his hand through his hair as he glances down the street. “Let’s go inside.”
I nod and ignore his outstretched hand as I pass by him to go into the house. It’s not that I want to be cruel or hurt him back but I know if I let him touch me again, our connection will overwhelm me and demand that I give into him. I can’t do that this time. As I step into the living room, memories of the last few weeks in this house flood my mind and a few more tears slip down my cheeks. The morning we went over to his parents’ house pops into my mind and I remember his promise to always follow me anytime I run and as I turn back to face him, I know I have to do the same.
I won’t give in.
I won’t just forgive.
But I will fight for my man and I will fight for our love.
Wyatt runs his hand through his hair and peeks up at me, his nerves painted across his handsome face. “I don’t know what to say…”
“Why don’t you start with whether or not you’re still planning on signing the divorce papers today?” My heart skips a beat as I wait for his answer and I cross my arms over my chest, struggling to take a full breath as he looks up at me. Until last night, I didn’t even know he still had those and it kills me to think that he kept them as an insurance policy. He wanted an out from the very beginning. After what feels like an eternity, he turns and walks down the hallway to the bedroom as my heart sinks. When he comes back, he has the papers in his hand and my lip wobbles as my world crashes down around me. Stopping right in front of me, he holds his hand out to me. “Come with me.”
Maybe I’m a masochist or on some level, I assume that I deserve to watch him sign our lives away but I slip my hand into his, savoring the feeling because I know this will be the last time, and let him lead me into the kitchen. We stop in front of the sink and I scowl as he digs a lighter out of his pocket and holds the flame to the corner of the papers.
“Oh,” I whisper, a sob overwhelming me as I grip the counter and watch him drop the burning papers into the sink before he turns to me and cups my face between his hands.