Something lights up on the floor as I walk toward the wardrobe, knowing that he’ll have unpacked properly even for a weekend stay, and I can steal one of his shirts to wear.
I grab my phone, which must have slid off the bed sometime between me showing Theo the gossip that was all over Facebook and him pushing inside me once more.
I’ve got a stream of notifications, some from people I haven’t spoken to since the day I walked out of Lovell. The sight of them makes my stomach twist painfully.
There’s no way this is anything good.
No fucking way.
My hand trembles as I hold my phone before me, willing myself to unlock it and find out what’s happened.
I knew this was going to be bad. The second I saw that Luis had been killed, dread lodged itself so deep inside me that I had no doubt it was about to complicate my life further.
“Oh God,” I sob quietly as I think about Dad and Cruz. “Please, please, please,” I beg. If they went after this stupid prick because of me and they ended up hurt or worse… No, just no.
Blowing out a slow, calming breath, I swipe the screen and open the first notification. I don’t even take the time to see who it’s from. I just need to know what’s hiding inside and how this newest revelation is going to change my life.
The second I read the headline of the article, my heart jumps into my throat.
“Theo,” I call, my voice coated in panic as I try to get my head around what I’m reading.
“What’s wrong?” he asks not two seconds later as he comes rushing out of the bathroom. “Emmie?” he breathes in concern when he gets a look at the expression on my face.
“It was my pops.” Confusion pulls at his brows for a beat. “He… he killed Luis.”
Theo’s lips part to respond, but no words come out. Instead, he shakes his head and moves closer, lifting my hand that’s still clutching my phone to read the news article I was reading.
“Weapon found at the scene believed to belong to MC President Charles Ramsey. Manhunt is in progress to find… Fuck,” he breathes as the article goes on.
“None of this makes any fucking sense, Theo,” I confess, throwing my phone back on the bed. I don’t need to read any of the other messages, I’m pretty sure I know exactly what they’re going to say.
“I know, babe,” he says softly, pulling me into his arms and holding me against him.
Pressing my face into the crook of his neck, I focus on the steady beat of his heart.
“Do you know what happened to Ram after you left?” Theo asks softly, and I shake my head.
“No, Dad didn’t offer any details. And mostly, I was happy to live in ignorant bliss. “Dad told me he wasn’t an issue and—“
“Didn’t he also tell you that about the Wolves?”
“Yeah, but—“ I blow out a breath instead of arguing about something I have no clue about.
“When your dad and Cruz turned up at my door after you left, they were covered in blood. Whose was it?”
I frown, remembering them turning back up at the house, looking the same.
My initial reaction was that it was all Theo’s, but the second I found out it wasn’t, I didn’t want to know, although I had my suspicions.
“Honestly, I assumed it belonged to either Pops or Luis or a few of his guys. Dad and Cruz assured me that things had been dealt with, so I tried to push it aside.”
He nods, looking down at me with sympathetic eyes.
“We should probably get back.” His hand cups my cheek and he stares down at me intensely.
“What?” I ask, reading something in his depths that I don’t think I’m going to like.
“I swear to you, Em. I don’t know anything.”
I nod. “I believe you,” I tell him honestly. “Please, tell me what you’re thinking.”
“I think… I think we should get back. Assuming anything isn’t helping anyone.”
My heart thrashes in my chest as I stare up at him, the heat of his hands on my face keeping me grounded.
“You don’t think it was him?”
“I think there are a lot of possibilities. But…” He blows out a long breath. “The most obvious thing to believe is that he’s retaliating after Luis took you. To the outside world, that would seem realistic. But—”
“We’re not the outside world,” I mutter, starting to predict where he’s going.
“Why would he suddenly feel the need to protect you? He sold you. He was more than happy to hand you over, so why would he—”
“Be suddenly coming to my rescue,” I finish. “You’re right, we need to get home.”
Taking a step back, I give him little choice but to release me as I continue toward his wardrobe for something to cover up with while ideas I don’t really want to think about flicker through my mind.
But two faces keep popping up, and I’d put money on all of this having something to do with them.
Stella, Seb, Calli, and Xander are all sitting around on the sofas when we walk through the living area of the girls’ suite only a few minutes later.
They take one look at me wearing only Theo’s shirt and smiles appear on all their faces.
“Yes, bro,” Seb shouts, holding his hand up for Theo to high-five. “Man, don’t leave me fucking hanging.”
With a roll of his eyes, Theo concedes and claps his hand against his friend’s.
“You two are fucking idiots,” Stella snaps.
“Oh, like you are any better. The second you’re alone, you’ll be comparing notes about our dick size,” Seb announces.
“Theo’s is bigger,” I blurt, much to his horror.
Pushing to stand, Seb’s hands drop to his waistband. “You’re only saying that because you haven’t properly compared.” He just rips the button open when Stella drags him back to the sofa.
“You’re an asshole,” she hisses. “Leave them alone.”
He pouts, but it doesn’t stop him from taunting Theo.
“But look how happy he is,” Seb teases.
“Right, well. We’re out of here. You’re gonna have to sort out your own way home,” Theo barks.
“You’re ditching us for a girl?” Seb asks, his brows shooting up in faux shock.
“No. I’m ditching you for my wife. I’m sure you’ll figure it out. You two haven’t christened Nico’s car yet so—”
“Oh no. They’re not going at it if I’ve gotta be in the back with them,” Calli pipes up, looking thoroughly horrified by the thought alone.
“Sorry, baby C. Not our fault that you’re not the only one who didn’t get laid last night.”
“She’s right, you know. You are an arsehole,” Calli hisses, her eyes narrowing in anger at Seb.
“You can ride on the back of my bike,” Xander offers.
Theo’s grip on my hand tightens.
“Xander’s solid. If she wants to, he’ll take good care of her,” I tell him.
He doesn’t say anything, or give her permission, not that she needs it. Calli is her own woman and can make her own decisions. Although something tells me that she’ll choose Xander’s bike just to piss the guys off. If I didn’t have issues of my own right now, I’d be actively encouraging it.