I shook my head. "I've seen the name." I explained to him what had happened at the library, what she'd said and how crazy she'd sounded.
"Her comment about hunting season made me think maybe she knew you. It was too weird not to be related and I am involved with you..."
Logan got up, interlinked his fingers behind his head and walked away stretched out like that for a moment. When he turned and looked at me again his eyes were very serious. "She's an ex-girlfriend. We dated for quite some time but she's crazy and it didn't work out. She didn't agree with what the gang was becoming, what I was becoming. She disappeared off the scene but the day before our first date she came out of nowhere. I think she's causing trouble with the boys somehow."
I nodded. That sounded about right with what I'd seen of her. She was really pretty but looks on the outside meant nothing when you were rotten on the inside.
"When I broke up with her she threatened to take down the Fallen Thorns. I hadn't thought much of it then - she was a woman scorned - but I believe now she might be crazy enough to actually do something."
"Was she the woman who sent you that message?" I asked, thinking back to that night.
Logan nodded. "I was going to explain."
"I know." I understood it now. I really had overreacted, Joanne had been right. Logan had been faithful and honest from the start and I'd been quick to believe the worst of him. I was going to apologize for that at some point. It didn't seem like the time, now. "Will she be able to destroy you?" I asked.
Logan shrugged and it made me think he wasn't entirely convinced it was impossible. If he thought an ex-girlfriend had the ability to do that, she must have been a lot worse than he was letting it come across. "We received a threat at the club a short while ago, saying our time is up. I made the boys go out in pairs or groups and check in with each other to make sure everyone is fine. I've arranged for us to start meeting somewhere else, too, just in case."
"But you think it will still go wrong?"
He didn't nod but he looked at me for long enough that I thought maybe he really was nervous for their safety.
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
"Whatever it takes." He looked at me and his eyes were so dark and ominous for a moment it was scary. I knew he had the ability to do something just as insane. I didn't want him to get into trouble. "There's something I want you to understand," he said and he was so grave I sat up and listened. It wasn't every day Logan looked this serious about something. "We all turned our lives around because living on the wrong side of the law is no life. I won't just do something to screw that up, and definitely not to mess up what we have between us now." He paused for a moment. "But I will do anything, anything if it means keeping my boys safe. They're like my family, my blood, and I'm responsible for each and every one of them. I won't lose a life even if it kills me."
He said that and I believed him. I had goosebumps on my skin. I could feel his passion when he spoke. Some people used the phrase 'even if it kills me' as a metaphor but I knew Logan was serious. If it came down to it he would die for those men. It was noble and honorable and all that is good.
It terrified me.
The fact that May had been at the library made me think she was stalking Logan or me or both. I'd never seen her there before. Of course, when she'd signed up for the computer lab I hadn't really cared about the fact that she was unfamiliar. New people came into town all the time. It got weird when they'd been in town for a very long time and had never set foot in the library until my relationship with Logan had started. Coincidence? Probably not.
"What happens now if I go back to work?" I asked. I didn't want to sound like I was scared out of my mind, but the truth was I was nervous. If she'd threatened to take down the Thorns and I was dating the guy she had such a grudge against, I wasn't sure if I could feel safe. I knew I was probably being a little overboard about this, but it was a fear and I was going to voice it, even if it was just for Logan to tell me I was being silly and I didn't need to worry.
"I would prefer if you didn't go back to work."
My stomach turned when he said that. "Am I in danger?"
He hesitated before he shook his head. Somehow I didn't believe him.
"Do you have any vacation days?"
I nodded, unsure what that had to do with anything. Logan nodded as if confirming something to himself. "I would like you to take them, as many as you have."
He dialed on his phone and held it to his ear, speaking before I could ask him why. I felt like it was more than enough of an answer to my question about being in danger so I did the most logical thing to do in this situation. I trusted him.
I found my own phone and dialed Alicia's number. I wasn't exactly in her good books but maybe a couple of days away from each other wouldn't be a bad thing. I waited for the phone to ring and it rang for so long I thought it would roll over into voicemail. She picked up on one of the very last rings, though.
"I have a uh..." I glanced at Logan. What was I going to say to her? "Family emergency. I need to take a couple of personal days, if that's okay with you."
"This really isn't the best timing, Selena." Her voice was sharp like she was scolding me. I could imagine what her face looked like.
I nodded even though she couldn't see me. "I realize this, and if I could help it I would. These things always happen at the worst of times, don't they?" It was a rhetorical question and I was hoping she would take it and run with it. I wasn't sure how to carry on if she said no. I would have to fight with her and I didn't exactly enjoy conflict.
She sighed. " I suppose they don't. How long do you need?"
I glanced at Logan who was talking into his phone with a very serious tone. "Will a week be too much to ask?"
She hesitated for long enough for me to wonder if she was going to tell me I was out of my mind asking so much. I'd never taken any leave, I was sure I had a lot more than a week to my name, but all in one go a week was quite a lot.
"Sure. Do what you need to do. But when you come back I expect a change."
I nodded again. She still couldn't see me. "Of course. Thank you, Alicia."
She hung up without saying goodbye. I looked at my phone and then at Logan who had already finished up his conversation.
"And?"
He looked very serious, more serious than I'd ever seen him before. It was thrilling to see him this in charge of everything, and at the same time it was nerve wrecking because I knew there was a reason for it. And there had been a situation like this at least once before if he knew how to handle himself with this much calm. He wasn't freaking out at all.
"I got a week."
He smiled and pulled me closer, kissing me on the head. "That's my girl." Usually when men said that to me it irritated me. It always felt condescending. The way Logan said it made me feel like he was impressed with me, and I guess the words rang true. I was his girl, wasn't I?
"What are we doing about these tires?" I asked. A bike didn't exactly have a spare, and even if it did a spare tire only catered for one wheel at a time. Two was pushing it, and seeing that two was all we had...
"Saul will be here in about five minutes."
Saul. The guy Logan was so close with. He'd been at the Girls and Boys Club, I knew, but I hadn't formally met any of them. I was suddenly a little nervous. I was about to meet one of the most important people in Logan's life. What if he didn't like me? What if his opinion mattered?
It wasn't five minutes before a car turned onto the concrete square where we were. It had a trailer behind him with another bike. Picking us up apparently wasn't enough; it had to be in style.
One of the bikers from the Boys and Girls Club hopped off and he and Logan shook hands.
"Thanks for pulling through."
"No sweat, man."
He looked at me, nodding. "Saul."
"Selena."
He nodded again. Either he knew, or he assumed so. He looked at the bike and whistled through his teeth. "M
ay?" He asked it like he was sure of the answer.
Logan didn't answer but it was pretty decided between them. Logan turned to me. "I want you to go with Saul. He'll make sure you get home safe. I want you to pack a bag for a week and wait for my call. I'm taking you away for a little while."
"Where are we going?"
He smiled and a little bit of the usual Logan showed through all the tension and seriousness. "It's a surprise."
I tried to smile but I was starting to get nervous. Talking about gang violence, or even writing it, wasn't nearly as intense as living it. I was a writer. I lived vicariously through my characters. As much fun as this adventure was, real life was scary.
"I'll take good care of her," Saul said, looking at Logan with eyes that made a promise without him having to say anything.
"I know you will."
Saul took a step back and Logan closed in, wrapping me up in his arms and kissing me properly. When he let me go I was dizzy. "I'll call you soon, okay? Be safe."
Logan and Saul unloaded the bike and then Logan set off to take care of business. Saul got into the car and I got into the passenger side.
Chapter 18
Logan
This wasn't what I'd imagined for a romantic night with Selena. It felt like every time I planned to do something with Selena that was just for us and all romantic, May stepped in and managed to mess it up. I was really starting to get irritated with that bitch.
The problem was that it was a lot more than just my relationship that she was threatening. The sign up at the library where Selena worked - fine - that could be seen as her keeping track of my relationship. But slashing my tires? May knew how important my bike was to me and she knew my bike, as the leader of the Thorns, didn't just signify that I was a biker but that I was a leader. It was my pride and joy. Her little act tonight - and I was pretty damn sure it had been her - was a challenge, a threat, to my men and my club, as well. And I would not stand for that.
I trusted Saul to deliver Selena safely home. He was the one man I trusted with everything I had and I knew he would never in his life let something happen to her. I felt calm about her safety, but I was glad she'd been able to get some time off.
Getting away with her wouldn't only help me relax with May around, but I couldn't wait to have her all to myself without any interference. I knew exactly where I was going to take her, too.
I drove on the bike Saul had brought me. I was headed to the clubhouse. The bike felt foreign underneath my seat. A bike was so much more personal to me than a car; it was the difference between a hooker and a girlfriend, almost. I didn't feel comfortable riding another bike, but it was the quickest way to get to the boys and I needed to make sure they were safe.
Before I'd left Selena with Saul I'd sent out a group broadcast that the guys all needed to head to the clubhouse. It was dangerous having them all together like that, I knew, but I mentioned it and I needed to speak to them. They would watch their backs and look out for each other until I arrived. They were good men, noble men, and the one thing we'd all retained from our criminal days was the habit of sticking together.
When I pulled into the club parking lot it looked like they were all present. The lot was full of bikes but it was quiet inside where usually there was music and laughter and conversation. My stomach turned and I took a deep breath to try to calm myself. The biggest thing I had to show now was courage and calm. In times of hardship the leader couldn't panic in front of his men. I would do that behind closed doors if it came down to it.
When I walked into the club everyone looked at me. They were all there, from what I could see. They looked grim, unsure, just as nervous as I felt. I put my hands on my hips and looked at the floor for a moment, not sure what to say.
"May slashed my tires tonight," I said, staring with facts. There was no point messing around before getting down to businesses. A murmur rippled through the group. They understood just as I did what it meant. The door opened and everyone froze, but it was Saul. We made eye contact and he nodded. Selena was home safe.
"I have news," one of the boys said. "She was seen meeting with Tank."
I raised my eyebrows. Tank was the head of a club we used to be rivals with and sine we'd turned a new page they'd seen us as pussies.
"She also met with Don," someone else said.
"And I heard she set up a meeting with the Greek." The last was from Saul.
I frowned. They were all heads of very big gangs, rival gangs. This was not good.
"They sound like they're planning on making a move."
They all nodded in agreement. This really wasn't good. I thought for a moment. First priority was to get my family safe. Now that included Selena.
"I want you guys to start meeting at the Restaurant from now on," I said. "I got that one after May so she won't have tabs on it the way she has on this one and the other clubs might not either. Still, watch your backs."
I turned to Saul. "I'm putting you in charge of everything until I'm back."
He nodded and pounded his chest twice with his fist. It made a deep sound. I turned back to my men. "I'm leaving for a couple of days. May has taken it a step too far and I'm going to lay low, take care of someone, but I will be in touch and the moment something happens, I'm here."
They muttered amongst themselves but I didn't care what they thought. I knew I was a good leader and I knew I would never let anything happen to them. And while I was gone I knew Saul wouldn't let anything happen either. That was all that mattered.
I clapped Saul on the shoulder and walked out of the club. I took out my phone before I got on my bike and dialed Selena's number.
I made sure she was okay and that she knew I was coming and drove to her apartment. This was where I was supposed to pick her up the first time. I parked my bike close to the building and climbed the stairs up to the third floor. There were only two doors and hers opened just as I lifted my fist to knock.
"I heard your bike," she said. She was out of breath like she'd been packing in hurry.
"Are you ready to go?"
She nodded and stepped aside so I could walk into the apartment. It was neat and tidy and so much like her, I would have known it was her place even if she wasn't in it. It suited her perfectly. It was so different from my place, which was stark and lifeless with dark colors and clothes on the floor. Mine was a real bachelor pad. Hers was homey.
She disappeared into the bedroom and brought out a bag. I took it from her.
"I'm nervous," she said.
"Don't be. I'll make sure nothing happens to you. She's just a bitch from my past. Every break up has a psycho ex."
"I've never had one slash my tires."
That was true. I shrugged. "Worse things have happened."
Selena pulled a face. "That wasn't exactly what I needed to hear right now."
I shook my head, feeling silly. "Come on, let's get out of here."
I managed to get her bag onto my bike before I drove to the rental company where I was picking up a car. I wasn't going to drive a hundred miles out of town on a bike that wasn't my own in the middle of the night. When I got there the car was ready for me. I knew enough people that could make something like this happen.
"We just need to stop at my place so I can grab some things and then we'll hit the road."
I left the bike with the guy who promised to return it to the club where it belonged. We drove the short distance to my apartment and Selena waited in the lounge for me while I went into the bedroom and threw clothes into a bag. Jeans, muscle shirts, T-shirts, a jacket. Shoes. I wasn't sure what else. Whatever I forgot I could buy in the nearest town. When I came out of the bedroom Selena was looking at the only photo I had of Elijah. It was against the wall with a black frame, the color of mourning.
She looked at me and in her eyes I could see the condolences even though she didn't say anything. I was glad she didn't. I walked to her and without a word I kissed her. I pulled her in for a hug and locked up. When we h
ad everything packed in the car and drove out of town it was well past midnight.
"You should get some sleep," I said. "There's a long drive ahead of us."
Selena protested, telling me she wanted to stay awake with me, but her routine was a day one. I was up most nights and I was used to a lack of sleep. By the time the sky colored with the promise of dawn she was asleep next to me. There was something peaceful about her sleeping. She looked younger and even more innocent than when she was awake. It was magical that she was here with me, and as the sun rose, casting it orange rays on her face, I wished we could run away and never come back.
The cabin was in the middle of nowhere, in wild country with rolling hills and trees everywhere. A big lake lay in the middle of the basin like the water just never drained there. A cabin was built in the edge of the lake that I used for a safe house now and then. It was private, this part of the forest belonging to the land on which the cabin was built, which meant it belonged to me. It was peaceful. It was quiet. It was exactly what we needed.
Hard Ride: A Motorcycle Club Romance (The Fallen Thorns MC) (Whiskey Bad Boys Book 2) Page 14
