His hold on her hurt—a kind of hurt she needed. Over time, she'd come to learn that while he controlled every aspect of his life, when it came to her, his passionate outburst showed a crack in his armor.
Underbrush rustled behind Keenan. Grace tensed, staring up into his eyes.
Movement behind him caught her attention. She shrank, trying to hide behind Keenan's large body.
He squeezed her neck, reassuring her, before letting her go and turning around. She quickly grabbed onto the back of his vest and plastered herself against him. While she trusted him to protect her—he'd already proven he could—she wasn't going to allow another man to hurt her.
A man stepped into the clearing. "Where are they?"
"They're gone. You knew they blew up the cave," said Keenan.
"Are you hiding them?" Another man's deep voice sent shivers down Grace's spine.
"My loyalty to them ended with the switch." Keenan's hand skimmed her hip as she stood behind him. "You're both supposed to stay up at the cabin."
Grace trembled hearing about the place where Keenan kidnapped her. Were these men friends with Keenan or his enemies?
"Fuck that." A huge man with dark hair and beard stepped into view. His gaze dropped to Grace. "Get rid of her."
"She's not going anywhere." Keenan's body seemed to broaden. "Four made it out alive until he attacked Grace, and I killed him."
The man's dark gaze narrowed. "If he made it out, then the others are alive, too."
"We don't know that."
The man moved to the mountain base and picked up a large boulder, tossing it to the side as if it weighed nothing. Grace reeled back in shock as the vibration from the rock landing went through her legs. That wasn't normal.
There was no way a grown man could lift a rock the size of her spare tire on her Jeep. No matter how many oversized muscles he carried on his body.
"You need to wait for the others until they're able to help. We will discover what was inside at the time of the blast." Keenan shifted to his left, keeping her away from the man.
The other guy walked closer, putting Keenan and her in the middle. He glared while running his gaze from her toes up to her eyes before zeroing in on Keenan.
Keenan's arm came up, pointing to his right. "Back off, Speeder."
"Where's your ride?" Speeder stepped forward, his hands spread out from his sides. "I'm leaving."
"You can't. Not yet. You're not finished." Keenan pushed Grace to his other side.
She plastered herself against him, caught between two dangers. All she wanted to do was go back to the house. She'd put the padlock on the door and turn the key herself.
"I need to find Laurel."
"She's safe. Bonnie's safe, too," said Keenan.
The other man turned, growling, and lunged for Keenan. Grace whimpered, burying her head under his armpit, sensing the pain that was coming her way.
"Stop, Trip." Keenan lifted Grace and pushed her away.
She scrambled out of the man's path, backing up toward the trees as both men named Trip and Speeder surrounded Keenan. Wanting to yell for help, she clamped her mouth shut. There was no one else around to help them, and she was afraid of drawing their attention to her.
"Both women are fine. I've made sure they stay safe," said Keenan.
Speeder grabbed his head. "Laurel's one of us."
"What the fuck are you saying."
"She's going through the switch." Speeder growled, doubling in on himself as if wounded. "I need to get to her."
"Jesus Christ." Keenan paced. "You're sure?"
Speeder raised his gaze. "On my life, brother."
Keenan's head tipped back, and he gazed at the sky. Something major was happening. Something Grace failed to understand. She wanted to go to Keenan. But the other men near him kept her away and prepared to run.
Keenan snapped out of his frustration and grabbed Speeder. "Do you know about Trina?"
Speeder's face contorted. "What about her?"
"She knows about the cave. The controller."
Speeder shook his head, stumbling back. "No. That can't be right."
"Your daughter contacted me. She was looking for him after coming up here and finding the tunnel gone. I sent her back to stay with Bonnie and the boys."
"Is Trina involved?" Trip joined the other men.
"No...no, I don't think so." Speeder shook his head, grabbing his skull. "Fuck, why can't I remember?"
"You will," muttered Keenan. "It'll all come back to you."
Trip grabbed Keenan by the front of his vest. "If they're part of this shitshow, I need to get to Bonnie. She's not one of us. They could hurt her."
Keenan pushed Trip away. "I'll go back and bring Laurel and Trina to the cabin and check on Bonnie and the boys. But she and the boys can't come to you."
"I'll go with you." Trip stepped around Keenan.
Keenan grabbed him, stopping him. Grace pressed against the limbs of the tree, trying to disappear from their view as the men became more agitated.
"If you go to town, you'll put everyone's life in danger. Everyone is sequestered in the clubhouse. Prez is taking care of himself." Keenan shook Trip. "That's an order from Prez. As you're the acting V.P., he needs you."
Trip's granite facial expression hardened even more before Keenan shoved him away and stepped backward toward Grace. Her body, poised to run, jumped with adrenaline.
"First, check on Bonnie, Zach, and Kenny." Trip stayed, ready to fight to get his way.
"I'll get Laurel and Trina, check on Bonnie and the boys, and then meet you at the cabin. You both need to get the fuck out of here." Keenan turned and gathered Grace, tucking her against his side. Walking away from them, she kept glancing over her shoulder.
Scrambling onto the motorcycle, she held on to Keenan, wishing he'd go faster down the mountain. She never wanted to leave the safety of the house again.
Those men were dangerous. No one needed to tell her they could easily snap her in half.
She couldn't tell if they were the men Keenan had mentioned were trying to kill him or not. Though, he acted as if he knew them. The fact they hadn't worn leather vests warned her Keenan hadn't trusted them either.
At the house, she got off without him asking and hurried toward the garage. Standing by the back door, she wanted to rip the key out of his hand and open the lock herself.
Once inside the house, Keenan overlooked putting the lock on the inside of the door. She hugged her middle.
"Can you lock us in?" she whispered, scared that the men would follow.
"I need to leave for a few hours." He framed her face with his hands. "Will you be okay?"
"No." She slid her hands around him, holding him tight. "Don't leave me. Please?"
"I have to."
"They could kill you." Knowing he was going back to them.
"They could, but they won't."
"You don't know that."
He inhaled deeply and smoothed her hair away from her face. "I have to do this."
"I don't understand." She trembled, unable to stop the fear wrapping around her.