Steg let a moment pass before barking out orders. “Lucky, take Gwen back to the club, get the prospects to gather up the women and the kids and anyone else they could use against us. We’re on lockdown.” Lucky nodded and began to walk me towards his bike.
Wait, lockdown? What about my store? This was all happening very quickly, and I didn’t like how I was being passed around like a sack of potatoes. I needed to talk to Cade. He needed to tell me what the fuck was going on.
“I’ve got Gwen.” Cade moved away from Bull who was breathing raggedly and still being held by Brock and Dwayne. Lucky stopped walking and turned us around just in time to see Cade and Steg in a heated stare off. I barely restrained a snort, why did so many alpha stare downs happen when I was around?
“Not having Gwen on the back of someone else’s bike,” Cade declared firmly, eyes locked on me.
Steg regarded him calmly like he did Luke. “Need you here, need to canvas the store see if we missed anything and get rid of our four legged friends. Then we got to find these fuckers and end them. Need your head on straight, so reign it in.”
Cade was as stiff as a rock when Brock clapped him on the shoulder.
“Come on brother, let’s get these bastards, then they won’t be able to get near Gwen again.” He gave me a wink.
Cade looked as if he was having an internal battle before his face turned suddenly blank. “Fine,” he clipped out, glaring at Steg.
“Rosco.” He gestured to a prospect who I didn’t really know.
“Yeah, Cade.” He addressed him respectfully.
“You follow Lucky and Gwen, don’t let them out of your sight. You make sure no one follows and that we have enough boys at the club. You clear?” he ordered, authority in his tone, which kind of turned me on, despite the situation. And despite the fact I was a little pissed, he clearly hadn’t disclosed how serious things had gotten.
Rosco nodded. “Yes sir.”
Cade strode over to me, eyes narrowing at Lucky’s arms on my shoulders. I ducked out of them and into Cade’s, he squeezed me so tight I lost my breath.
“Don’t worry, honey, I’m fine. You go and do whatever you need to do.” I was surprised at how strong my voice sounded. I wasn’t going to betray my true feelings, or interrogate him on the street. It could wait until it was just the two of us.
He stared at me with his face still blank. “Fuck, Gwen, I’m so sorry you got caught up in this shit. Nothing else is going to touch you, I promise. I’m going to kill every last one of those motherfuckers,” he declared roughly.
I gulped, hoping this wasn’t the promise it sounded like. He kissed me hard before nodding to Lucky who gently directed me towards his bike. He handed me a helmet silently without the usual joke I had come to expect.
I got on his bike, putting my arms lightly around his waist before stealing a glance at Cade who was talking with Steg, arms crossed. He gave me a glimpse before disappearing into my store.
“This is bullshit!” Amy exclaimed for about the third time, pacing around the room. “I mean I get that the guys need to do something about the sick fuck that sent the spiders.” She visibly shivered. “But I still don’t know how you could’ve dealt with that G, I fucking hate spiders, those little fuckers have no reason to be on this earth.” She shook her head, trying to find her way back to her point. “But why am I here? I’m not an ‘Old Lady’, thank fuck.” She glanced at me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”
I waved my hand. “Don’t worry I’m starting to wonder what I’ve gotten myself into,” I said truthfully, the events of today starting to hit home.
How stupid was I? Getting myself into another situation that involved a ruthless gang. I didn’t know if I could deal with going back to constantly looking over my shoulder in fear. I wanted my normal, carefree life back. But I loved Cade. Crap. What a twisted web I had managed to get myself into. Pardon the pun. Amy raised an eyebrow at my comment but it didn’t stop her rant.
“I mean I know I’m your best friend, but I’m not involved in the club and I’m certainly not valuable to this club. I am so busting out of this place.” She scrunched her nose in distaste as she cast her eyes around the huge common room littered with beer bottles and the occasional condom wrapper.
I didn’t disagree with her there, this wasn’t the best environment, but we didn’t have much choice, there were armed guards at the gate and a couple of prospects and members standing watch outside. We didn’t have much of chance of escaping, not that I really wanted to at the moment. This rough place was where I felt safest at right now. Fucked up as it was, I trusted these men, knew they would protect me with their lives if necessary. That was one thing I had learned about the club, they were fiercely loyal and once you were in, everyone had your back. The men really were brothers and they had deep love for one another, even with the problems Steg and Cade seemed to have.
We were currently alone, some of the men had called various friends of the club and ordered them to get here and others had gone to pick some of the women up. Amy and I were first to arrive. I had a sneaky feeling Brock had something to do with the prospect who dropped by our house and practically threw her on the back of his bike (Amy’s words).
“Just relax for a second Abrams, you’re going to ruin the soles of those Choo’s with all that pacing,” I stated and she immediately stopped, frowning down at her heels and slumping down next to me on a barstool.