If this isn’t club-related, and Grinder’s in some sort of trouble the club doesn’t know about, I don’t want to be the one who rats him out to one of the club’s officers.
Besides, Rock could’ve sent him to get me to give up information about Grinder.
“Serena?” he prompts.
Nope, definitely not telling him.
“I’d rather wait and talk to Grinder first.” I use the most stubborn tone I can come up with.
“Yeah, okay. Go ahead and close your eyes. Rest. I’ll wake you when we get to the clubhouse.”
He gave up awfully fast. I peer over at him and swear the corner of his mouth twitches, like he’s trying not to smile.
The truck rolls to a stop at a red light. Teller sits forward, squints, and peers up at the sky. “Damn it. Looks like another storm’s coming.”
I close my eyes.
Those who know the storm, dread the calm before it.
If tonight was the calm, what the hell’s coming next?
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Grinder
“Where the fuck are they?”
“Calm down, Gray,” Rock warns. “They should be here in a few minutes.”
“If you tell me to calm down one more motherfucking time,” I snap.
“Easy,” Wrath adds.
“Fuck off.” I pace alongside the clubhouse and return to the front steps. “This has to be Big Chief. I knew that motherfucker wouldn’t quietly slink away.”
“We’ll handle it,” Rock assures me.
“We haven’t even been together that long and this shit happens? I can’t do this to her. How’d they even know she exists?”
“I don’t know, brother.” He rests his hand on my shoulder. “We’re going to take care of it.”
Finally, headlights slice through the darkness. A truck, high off the ground, slowly winds up the driveway. The three of us walk to the front of the clubhouse to meet it.
Teller stops right in front of the porch steps.
I yank the passenger side handle, swinging the door wide. Serena’s asleep in the front seat, her head at an awkward angle.
“We need to wake her up,” Teller says, jumping down on the other side. He walks around the front of the truck to stand by my side. “Paramedics said she shouldn’t sleep for too long. She’s probably got a concussion.”
I’m going to start murdering people any second now.
Bumping him out of the way, I push into the open space and touch Serena’s hand. Two fingers are wrapped in thick white gauze.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know.” Teller runs his fingers through his hair. His mouth curves to the side. “She said she wanted to talk to you first. Wouldn’t tell me a damn thing.”
My chest squeezes so tight. How can she have something so awful happen and still be worried about protecting me?
I lean in and unhook her seat belt. “Hey, buttercup. Time to wake. You’re at the clubhouse,” I whisper. “You’re safe now.”
She moans, then gasps. “Gray?”
“I’m here.”
She curls her arms around my neck, and I slowly lift her out of the truck.
“You need help, G?” Wrath asks.
“I got her.”
Everyone backs off but they follow us into the clubhouse.
I set her down inside. She wobbles on her feet and squints at the bright lights.
Rock flicks a few switches and twists a dial, turning the lights down. “I didn’t call everyone to the table yet, since I wasn’t sure what we’re dealing with. But Z’s on his way.”
“Rooster’s upstairs,” Teller says. “You want me to grab him?”
“Not yet.” Rock keeps his eyes on me. “I think you, Wrath, Z, and me need to sit down first.”
Teller nods and runs his hand over the back of his neck. “I gotta run back to Empire and pick Charlotte up from her office. Take me about an hour.”
“That’ll give us some time,” Rock says.
Teller glances my way. “You want me to have Charlotte drive Serena’s car up here?”
“No,” Rock cuts in. “I don’t want you two separated right now.” His gaze lands on Serena. “Not until we understand what’s happening. Ask Stash to go with you and drive her car. That all right with you Serena?”
She slowly turns in my arms and pulls her keys out of her pocket. “Sure.” She focuses on Teller for a second. “Thank you for coming to get me.”
“No problem.” He grabs the keys. Rock wraps his arm around Teller’s shoulders and speaks to him too quietly for me to hear. After a few minutes, Teller leaves.
“Gray,” Serena whispers urgently. “I need to talk to you. Alone. Please.”
Holding onto her arms, I pull away and look her over. “What happened? Where are you hurt?” Rage explodes in my chest when I notice the red marks on her face.
She gingerly touches her scalp. “I hit my head when he pushed me.” She sways to the side a little.
“Come on, let’s sit down.” I curl my arm around her and lead her over to one of the couches in the back corner.
I drape her over my lap and secure my arms around her. “Tell me what happened.”