Rattle Some Cages (Battle Crows MC 3)

When he and Cannel walked away, leaving me alone with the rest of his family, I had no clue what to say or do.

Literally all of my stuff was sitting in the middle of Price’s very big living room, and all of the Crows were staring at me like I’d just done something wrong.

“What did I do?” I asked carefully, feeling the familiar sense of panic start to set in.

Will, Cannel’s husband, sighed. “How much do you know about Cannel?”

I didn’t know as much as I obviously should have. Which I shared with him.

Will gestured for me to take a seat at the bar that the family was crowded around getting dinner ready, and I followed suit even though I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what he had to say.

“Years ago, before I came along, Cannel was kidnapped out of a grocery store parking lot,” Will started.

I nodded. That was the part I was familiar with.

“Yes.” I waited for him to go on, and he did.

But what he had to say made my heart sink.

“There are a few people and things from that time that cause her to have problems. Apparently, you’re one of those problems,” Will said.

My mouth fell open. “Me?”

I placed my hand on my chest and felt my heart start to pound.

“You remind her of someone from that time. That time when life wasn’t very kind to her,” Tide interjected. “That’s why Price stayed away from you. We just got Cannel back to almost her old self. When she saw you at the beach, though… she had a hard time. And Price made the decision to stay away from you for Cannel’s sake.”

I rubbed the bridge of my nose with my index finger, my mind whirling.

That was a noble reason to stay away.

Who was to say that my mental well-being was more important than Cannel’s? I mean, I’d definitely had a bad few weeks, but I hadn’t been kidnapped. I hadn’t had to deal with being held hostage for a year.

My hurts didn’t have anything on Cannel’s wounds.

Oh, God.

I had to go.

I had to…

“She’ll get over it,” Will said softly. “If Price has chosen you, then Cannel will find a way to get over this.”

But… should she have to?

No.

I stayed silent while I listened to the rest of them talk.

On the outside, I might’ve been quiet, but on the inside, I was dying.

My gaze went to the room where all of my stuff sat in boxes in the middle of the living room.

I didn’t have much.

Even after being at my rental for eight months, I hadn’t collected much.

All of my life was packed into six medium-sized boxes. I moved toward the bedroom, a plan forming in my head.

All of which could easily be moved elsewhere.

“Where are you going?” I heard asked.

I turned to find Tide and Shine looking at me like I’d done something interesting.

I wish I knew what.

“Umm, the bathroom,” I said carefully.

Shine’s eyes took me in, studying my face and hands before his eyes flicked toward Tide’s.

Haggard, who’d been at the stove browning meat for tacos, said, “You spooked her. Give her some time.”

They had.

But what they didn’t understand was, by giving me time, it allowed me to leave.

Luckily, none of them noticed I’d borrowed a vehicle until too late.

• • •

PRICE

“I hope that you understand,” I murmured, hugging my sister tightly.

“I do,” she whispered. “And it was quite selfish of me to ask that of you anyway. Had I been paying attention to you these last few weeks, I would’ve seen that you were miserable.” She winced. “You didn’t actually tell her you stalked her, did you?”

I opened my mouth to tell her that it wasn’t quite stalking but in the end I said, “Maybe.”

She threw her head back and laughed, then reached forward and punched me in the arm.

“You’re absolutely incorrigible,” she said. “Life isn’t a romance novel, Price. Women don’t just think being stalked is cool, then wind up with their stalker when the book ends. You’re going to have to work really hard to get her to stay with you.”

Maybe.

Hopefully not.

The honest truth was, I wanted Sabrina.

I’d wanted her since I’d seen her on that park bench.

Now that she was within my reach? The desire to possess her, make her mine, was almost a constant ache in my chest.

“I’m sure that…” I hesitated when there was a hoot outside from one of my brothers then, “Yo! Anyone seen the girl? I want her to try this sauce since all you fuckers are assholes and won’t taste it.”

I squeezed Cannel just a little bit harder, then let her go and headed for the door.

Cannel followed behind, her amusement at my back making me smile.

That smile dropped off my face when I got into the living room and didn’t see Sabrina anywhere.