JJ didn't slow as he approached the concrete bollards which had been placed across the road to stop access to the Pass, weaving between them and standing up on his pedals as the hill began to rise steeply ahead of us.
I looked back at Chase who gave me a tight smile as he concentrated on peddling up the hill. I had no idea how JJ was managing with me on the back, but the two of them had to bike everywhere and they usually ended up cycling for an hour or more a day, so they were used to it I guessed. I usually took my skateboard if Rick or Fox couldn't pick me up but between the four guys, I often had some form of ride from place to place.
No one came this way anymore and the tarmac was pitted and speckled with lumps of grass and moss that were trying to take over. And I couldn't blame people for avoiding it - the higher we rode up the cliffside, the bigger the drop to our left got and with the howling wind from the incoming storm blowing around us I was starting to get seriously concerned about getting swept right over the edge and tumbling down to the rocks that lined the bay below.
JJ lurched to the left and I stifled a scream as he rode us along the chunk of road which had been left behind by the rockslide, a huge crater carved out of the cliff to our right and an impossible fall promising death way too freaking close for my liking.
My fingernails were gouging crescents into JJ's skin by the time we finally made it to the top of the hill and the first fat drops of rain began to spill from the sky.
JJ swerved off of the old road onto an exposed bluff where the wind threw my hair over my face as we rode across the grass and he didn't stop until we came up on a dilapidated wooden shack.
JJ skidded to a halt and I jumped off of the bike before he dropped it to the grass and tugged me over to the shack, giving the swollen door a kick to get it to open.
"It's not much,” he said apologetically, glancing around at the near empty space which reeked of mildew and had graffiti scrawled over the walls.
There was a stool which looked close to collapsing and a few manky looking blankets in a corner which suggested someone had slept here once, but they didn't look clean and I had no plans to touch them.
"It's fine," I said, turning away from the less than appealing surroundings as the rain began to fall harder against the roof. "At least it's dry, like you said. And you'll be back soon. All of you."
"You know it, pretty girl," JJ promised while Chase lingered by the door, seeming lost for words.
I threw my arms around JJ, crushing him against me as I tried not to cry, fear making me imagine all kinds of horrific things that Luther could have planned for them. But Fox and Maverick wouldn't lead them into a trap. I had to trust that this was okay. I had to trust my boys.
"Stay safe," I breathed as I released him, moving over to pull Chase against me next.
"Trust us, Rogue," he murmured, his hand sliding up my spine and making me shiver.
"I do," I swore, meaning it with all my heart and soul. "Always." I drew back, looking up at him, my fingers twisting into the curls at the nape of his neck and my gaze moving to his mouth for a moment as I was struck with the strongest desire to push up onto my tiptoes and-
"We'd better go, little one." Chase frowned slightly and released me, my skin feeling cold in all the places where he'd been touching me the moment he stepped back.
The two of them headed back out into the rain and I watched them grabbing their bikes with this terrible feeling of foreboding tightening my chest. Like there was something awful coming our way, but there was nothing I could do to stop it.
"Come back to me," I breathed, but they were already riding away, pedalling fast as they raced back down Devil's Pass and out of sight.
I swallowed back a lump in my throat and backed up so that I could close the door, sinking down onto the cold wooden floor and crossing my legs beneath me as I waited for my fate with the rain pounding down on the roof and nothing to keep me company in the dark except my fears.
I pedalled furiously, the rain sweeping over me as thunder crashed above us in the sky. The wind was battering and I had to squint against the rain to see as we sailed down from the cliff, going as fast as we could.
My heart was pounding violently in my chest and I knew it had nothing to do with the storm. It was leaving Rogue up in that shack and fearing what we were heading towards. If Luther knew the truth then we were fucked. That was all I could think. Utterly, inescapably fucked. But Fox always had a plan. He'd know what to do. He'd fix this. I just had to place all of my faith in my friend because I had no ideas myself, no fucking answers.
Chase cycled along at my side and I felt better for the company at least. And though leaving her in that shack made my stomach knot, it was currently the safest place in Sunset Cove for her. It was the best we could do. And we'd go back to her before long. If the worst that happened tonight was that she got cold and a little damp, then that would be a sweet fucking miracle and I was counting on it with all my heart.
The wind eased as we came down off the cliff and rode harder into town, taking the back alleys we knew so well as we weaved our way towards Harlequin House which stood tall and proud down by the beach. We soon reached the gates, soaking wet and gasping for air and the scary looking motherfuckers on watch nodded to us, letting us through. We peddled up the drive and ditched our bikes by the garage, jogging around to the front door and sheltering under the porch.
I pressed the doorbell and looked to Chase, his eyes swirling with fear.
"It'll be alright, man," I promised him and his brows pulled together.
"Will it?" he rasped just as the door yanked open and I came face to face with the tall and imposing form of Fox's father.
"Come in," he growled, jerking his head to beckon us inside and we stepped after him, trailing water into the house, but he didn't say anything about it.
"We're leaving, boys!" he barked and Maverick and Fox appeared in the hall, frowning at us.
Maverick's jaw was ticking furiously, but Fox looked deadly calm. And that meant he had a plan. He nodded to us reassuringly as his dad turned his back on them, heading toward the door that led into the garage. I'd only been here a few times as Fox and Rick preferred to hang out away from home. We'd had a few pool parties when his dad had been out of town, but when Luther was home, none of us wanted to be here because it felt like his eyes were always on us. And as he was a notorious killer, it was kind of a buzz kill.
I padded to Fox's side and gave him a look that said we'd hidden Rogue and he didn't have to worry. He nodded, his features softening a little as we marched through the door and downstairs into the underground garage. The storm was howling now and a chill ran through me as Luther directed us into the back of a large black van. It looked like a murder van if ever I saw one, but what was I gonna do? Say no and run like a frightened lamb back into his house? I mean yeah, that was tempting as shit, but I wasn't gonna abandon my brothers.
I lifted my chin and climbed into the back of it after Fox, sitting on the floor of the van between him and Maverick while Chase sat beside Fox.
Luther looked in at us, his hand gripping the sliding door. "Listen up," he said darkly. "You helped out your friend by covering up Snake Eyes' murder. Fox and Maverick have explained everything. So you don't need to worry." His tone said we definitely needed to worry, but I nodded along with the others. "You've made this decision real easy. And you all wanna be men, don't you?"