Murphy
Move.
Get out.
Run.
My heart pounds with fury as Heidi and I hustle through the woods to the garage.
“Do you want to stop at the house?” I ask Heidi.
“Nope.”
Glad we’re on the same page. We’d be like sitting ducks there. Waiting for Rock and Marcel to show up and demand forgiveness.
Fuck both of them.
The old truck that I loaned to Grinder is in the clubhouse parking lot. He’s nowhere in sight though.
Good.
No one needs to witness our family meltdown.
Our family betrayal.
Hell, maybe Grinder knows too. Everyone in the fuckin’ world seems to know except us.
Our truck’s unlocked. Heidi flings the back door open and quickly buckles Alexa into her car seat.
“Momma!” Alexa’s ear-piercing wails tear at my heart and push my anger even higher.
“Murphy!” Rock snaps. Behind me, leaves crunch and twigs crack under the weight of his quick steps and heavy boots.
Fuck this.I need to get out of here. Now. Before I do something that will feel good in the moment but bring misery later.
“Get in,” I say to Heidi in a low voice.
A sob catches in her throat. I hold open her door. As she climbs in the cab, her eyes briefly meet mine. “Please, let’s get out of here,” she whispers.
Her anguished voice and tear-streaked cheeks further ignite my fury. “Don’t worry. We’re going,” I promise her.
Once she’s tucked inside, I slam the door shut and hurry to the driver’s side.
Rock catches up to me, grabbing my arm. He attempts to yank me around to face him, but I center my weight and hold firm like a mountain.
A mountain of pure rage.
“Murphy, stop!” he orders. Rock’s presidential voice. He expects to me to obey. Any other time I would.
Not today.
“Don’t,” I seethe.
“Let’s go inside and talk.” He gestures toward the clubhouse.
“No.”
“Murphy, I’m—”