Hellion (Southern Rebels MC)

“Jesus.” Crew shook his head. “Noah has no idea what he’s in for.”

I parked the old pickup behind the house and Crew glanced at me curiously. I shrugged. “Old habit.”

He dipped his head in acknowledgement and grabbed the tire, hoisting it on his shoulder and gesturing me forward. Once we got to the RV trailer, he eyed the tires, pointing to the back right. “That one?”

“Yep.” I nodded to the door. “I’m going to let Nico know I’m back. You gonna want some iced tea when you’re finished?”

He nodded absently, already focused on the task at hand. I opened the door and it took me a second to realize I hadn’t locked it.

I stared at the door, stunned.

I couldn’t remember a single time I’d ever not locked the door. It was something Mom had drilled into me from the moment I was old enough to understand.

“You okay?” Crew’s question knocked me out of my stupor and I nodded automatically.

I glanced at him and he was staring at me in concern so I forced a smile. “Yes. I’m fine. Just lost in thought.” It made me wonder how long I’d stood there for Crew to bother to say something.

I brought myself inside to find Nico’s head bobbing gently. He’d fallen asleep watching Animal Planet and I stroked the soft feathers of his back to wake him.

“Not sleeping,” he croaked, shaking his wings out.

“Of course you weren’t,” I crooned softly. “You were just resting your eyes.”

“Cracker,” he asked hopefully.

“It’s not dinner time,” I told Nice. “I came back with Crew so he could change the tire.” Nico looked so crestfallen I dug around until I found a pack of goldfish shaped crackers and tossed them to him.

He waved his wings, his feet grooving along the back of the cushion as he enjoyed his treat. I poured two glasses of tea, my mind still stuck on the fact that I hadn’t locked the door.

“Do you like it here, Nico?”

“Nico happy, Cadence happy.”

“I didn’t lock the door,” I admitted aloud, waiting for something to happen, maybe lightening to strike me down. Nothing happened though. “I never even thought about it.”

“Safe,” Nico squawked. “Safe here.”

“We are, aren’t we?” I propped my hip against the counter. “It’s weird. This is the safest I’ve ever felt.”

“Home,” Nico crooned.

“We are home.” The words unlocked something inside me, a realization of what I’d missed and longed for over the years. It wasn’t the desire to stay in one place but the need to feel safe, to belong, that had eluded me for so long.

“All done,” Crew announced, poking his head in the door.

“That was quick.”

“It’s not my first time,” Crew replied, taking the cold glass from me as he shut the door. “Don’t want to let the cold air out.”

I laughed. “Your momma teach you that?”

“No, Sloan,” he answered with a shake of his head. “That woman has issue with leaving doors open. Any door.”

“I can’t blame her. If it’s not the cold air, it’s letting the flies in.”

“Or mosquitoes,” Crew added with a nod. He drained the tea from his glass and I reached for the pitcher to pour him another glass. “You expecting company?”

“No, why?” I turned around in time to see four black SUVs turning into the driveway. Fear turned my blood to ice. “We have to get out. Nico, go!” I flipped the latch on the window, leaving it wide open. “Now, Nico,” I ordered. “Hide.” He flew through the window, disappearing in a flash.

I shoved the tea in the fridge, and took the two glasses with me. “Follow me.”

“What the hell?” Crew trailed after me, his gaze still on the window. “There has to be a dozen guys out there.”

“They will kill us. Hold this.” I thrust the glasses in his hands, then lifted the bed. “Get in.”

“What?” He stared at the narrow space under the bed. “I’m not going to fit in there.”

“Get in unless you have some plan to get past a dozen men with guns,” I informed him and he clambered inside, scrunching to the side as I crawled in after him.

“You have to fucking be kidding me,” he muttered as I pulled the bed back down over us. “What’s going to stop them from looking in here?”

I switched on the flashlight I kept stored inside the bed and slide the deadbolt I’d installed, making it impossible to lift the bed frame.

“Now, I’m scared,” Crew murmured, his face covered in shadows. “You prepared for this.”

“Not well enough,” I grunted, elbowing him as I tried to reach for the emergency kit I’d stowed in the small area. “I didn’t anticipate sharing my space with a giant.” Something dug into my hip and I wiggled until I’d fished the phone out of my pocket. I almost cried when I realized I’d forgotten to charge it. “Do you have your phone?”