Out of the Ashes (28 page)

“Wow, looks like half the club is out there,” Lexie remarked in amazement as we left the store.

“Maybe they like vintage shopping here too,” I answered, not missing the way Zane nearly leapt off his bike when he spotted as. “Who knows,” I added, trying not to seem nervous, “maybe there’s a shop called ‘Alpha Style’ around the corner.”

Zane made it to us and he quickly ran his gaze along us both, as if he was checking for something. His face relaxed a tad when he seemed satisfied. I say a tad, because he still looked ready to blow.

“Zane,” Lexie greeted enthusiastically. “Fancy seeing you here. You coming to the movies?” she asked with a hopeful tone. I don’t know if she ignored the scary look on his face and the lineup of bikers at the curb or just didn’t notice it. My girl was observant, so I knew it wasn’t the latter.

“Come to make sure you and your mom got home okay, Lex,” he told her quietly.

I jerked slightly at this and Lexie’s face turned blank. She knew what was going on. I didn’t. “We weren’t going home--” I started to argue.

Zane silenced me with a look. “Car. Now, Mia,” he ordered quietly.

Something in his tone, his look had me complying without another protest. Something that told me Zane and half the club would not come hurtling to another town in order to escort me home if it wasn’t important. Wasn’t dangerous. Lexie’s safety was tantamount to me at this moment. I’d get to the bottom of this when we were home. The look I gave Zane hopefully communicated this.

The whole drive home we were trailed by bikes. It felt kind of weird, like we had some sort of royal escort. Then I remembered the other bikers. It went from weird to downright scary. I didn’t let Lexie think this was the case. I acted like having a motorcycle club escort us home from a shopping trip was something that happened every day. She played along, joking and talking about her various purchases. But her eyes flickered behind us every now and then. When we made it to the sign welcoming us to Amber, most of the bikes veered off. Except one. One that followed us the entire way home. Another bike was parked outside our house when I pulled up which had Killian leaning against it, his shades watching the car’s journey.

Lexie leapt out of the car to run over to him.

“Don’t worry!” I yelled to her back. “Your humble slave will carry your considerable purchases inside.”

She waved a hand. “Thanks, Mom,” she called distractedly.

I shook my head as I got out of the car and prepared to get the bags. Tattooed hands snatched them before I could even understand what happened. Stormy eyes met mine. “House. Now,” he barked.

I jumped at his harsh tone.

“Mom!” Lexie yelled, interrupting the stare off I was about to commence.

“Yeah, doll?” I called back, ripping my eyes away from Zane.

“Is it okay if Kill and I go to the movies?” she asked, her eyes flickering to Zane a moment.

I chewed my lip. Things had obviously been serious, considering the escort we got home. I assumed whatever was going on was in Hope, and Lexie would be okay going to the movies in the late afternoon. If she wasn’t, things would seriously have to change with Zane and I.

“Sure,” I told her and Zane’s form stiffened. I ignored this. I moved away from him to make my way over to the couple.

Killian’s face seemed to be as hard as Zane’s, although his eyes softened looking at Lexie. It was a look which exceeded his seventeen years. “Hey Killian,” I greeted him warmly.

“Mia,” he nodded. I guessed that counted as a warm greeting.

“You both know my rule about motorcycles,” I said firmly. I threw my keys in Killian’s direction. He caught them with one hand. “Therefore you may take Betty. Lexie only has her learners permit and I do not trust her not to crash it. Her mad skills in most things are yet to translate into knowing how to control what we call a motor vehicle,” I told him seriously.

“Hey!” Lexie started to protest.

I silenced her with a knowing look.

“Be careful,” I warned him, my eyes reminding him of my murder threat. He nodded tightly.

He pushed off his bike and grabbed Lexie’s hand. “Let’s go, Freckles,” he told her softly. “You can tell me all about your struggles with the complex process of driving on the way,” he teased lightly.

Lexie gave me a scowl and I blew her a kiss before she turned her back. I made my way back to a tense Zane, who watched my car reverse in the driveway.

“Killian looks funny driving Betty,” I commented, tilting my head. “I’m surprised my car doesn’t like, eject such a masculine being out of a such a girly car.”

My joke didn’t defuse any tension. Zane grabbed my elbow roughly and dragged me into the house.

“Hey!” I protested, ripping my arm out of his grasp. “Careful with the merchandise, buddy!” I rubbed my arm slightly.

Zane dropped the bags at his feet and stalked towards me. I backed into the closed door without even knowing until he had me boxed in.

“Would you like to tell me,” he began on a quiet tone, “what the fuck you were doing in Hope?”

I took a breath and moved my eyes to meet his, unsure of what made him so furious. “Shopping,” I told him honestly.

“Shopping?” he repeated quietly.

I nodded. “Evidence is right there, officer.” I nodded to the bags.

He slammed his open palm against the door and I jumped at the explosion of anger. It was only clothes. Jeez.

“Is everything a fuckin’ joke with you, Mia?” he half yelled.

I didn’t answer because I think that was a rhetorical question.

“You need to tell me exactly what happened with Logan,” he demanded.

I quickly recounted the interaction with the other biker that had Zane all riled, hopefully to get an explanation as to the origin of such rage.

He was silent for a moment when I finished, his frame scarily still. He seemed to be holding himself back from doing something.

I swallowed my fear. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. “Those guys, they’re not your friends, are they?” I asked the question I already knew the answer to.

Zane didn’t speak, only shook his head slightly.

“Me and Lexie,” I began slowly, my face draining. “We’re not in danger, are we?” I asked in slight horror over the fact I had just sent me daughter off to the movies.

Zane stepped back, right out of my space. His eyes stayed locked on mine. “No,” he promised, his voice firm. “Not anymore,” he added roughly.

My stomach sank at something behind those words.

I stayed with my back against the door. “What does that mean?” I asked slowly, even though I thought I knew the answer. And the hurt sliced through me already.

“Means we’re done,” he said flatly, without emotion. With dead eyes.

I flinched slightly from the pain from those three words. I stepped forward, not toward him, but toward the sofa. My legs were in danger of giving out. I chided myself for being so weak. For letting a man worm his way into my heart once more. Giving him the power to affect me so deeply. To hurt me.

“You promised,” I half whispered, sinking down on the sofa. I lifted my head meeting his eyes. “You promised,” I repeated, this time, louder, stronger. “That you were certain. That you wouldn’t hurt Lexie—hurt me.”

Something moved in Zane’s eyes as I said that, but his face stayed blank. He stood there watching me. “That’s what I’m doing,” he finally said, “keeping my promise.”

And with that, he walked out the door.

Bull stormed into the clubhouse, striding through the bar and crashing through the closed doors to church.

“Want to tell me how the
fuck
that happened?” he roared at Cade while the rest of his brothers stared at him.

His best friend and president regarded him coolly for a moment. “Sit down...” he began.

“I will not fuckin’ sit down and calmly discuss this shit. We are going to storm their fuckin’ clubhouse. Now,” he demanded. There were a couple of nods from around the table.

Cade ignored this. “You know we can’t do that shit. Gotta play this smart,” he said evenly.

Bull walked over to the head of the table and slammed his fist down. “Walked right up to my woman, her fuckin’
kid
, threatened them in broad fuckin’ daylight,” he hissed at his friend. “That was Gwen and Belle, would you be playin’ this smart?”

Cade’s face hardened. “I’d be acting the exact same way you were, brother,” he said quietly. “I’d hope my club would talk me down. Make me see such a move could be more dangerous in the long run.”

Bull and Cade stared at each other for a long moment, Bull struggling to keep himself together. “Broad fuckin’ daylight,” he repeated and Cade’s eyes hardened.

His brother knew exactly what he was talking about. He wasn’t having anything else he cared about snatched away from him. Which was why he righted his colossal fucking mistake with Mia an hour ago. Should never have gotten close. Made her his. That put her in danger.

“They’ve got eyes on us,” he declared once he had himself in some form of control, once he battled the demons down to their cage. “Knew who Mia was,” he continued in a hard voice, taking his place at the table.

There was a multitude of hard looks with this declaration and the air turned dangerous.

“They’re going to be dealt with,” Cade declared. “When Old Ladies get involved, any form of mercy goes out the window.”

There was a chorus of agreements at this.

Cade’s eyes flared. “We deal with these fuckers. Tonight.”

At this Bull grinned.