13
pushed myself away from the wall as Stella and Chris exited my room. I felt my heart sink at the look on their faces, it was grim. I had sent everyone else away and waited alone.
“She’s asleep,” Stella said.
“How bad is it?” I asked her.
“She was beaten rather harshly, I found a lot of bruises all over, some cuts and…” she said.
“And?” I pushed her.
“She has bruising between her legs,” she said and looked down, “I’ll come by and check on her again tomorrow.”
I just nodded my head as I looked towards my room. I heard Chris talking to Stella as they walked down the hall and I vaguely heard the front door. I stood frozen on that spot for a few more minutes before entering my room.
I pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down. She looked small and frail and I felt that familiar anger rising up in me.
“What the hell happened to you Rylee?” I asked in a whisper.
Her eyes remained closed and her breathing was even. At some point during the night I fell asleep in the chair as I watched her and my eyes opened as she turned on her side and winced slightly. I could see sunlight in the dimly lit room where the curtains hadn’t been shut properly.
“You really came for me?” Rylee asked in a soft voice and I sat up straight in the chair.
“Of course,” I said as my eyes found hers.
“Thank you,” she said.
“What the hell happened?” I asked her.
“It’s all a blur,” she said and looked away.
“Chris left some clothes for you in the bathroom,” I said and checked my watch as I stood up, “you have about an hour before breakfast.”
I grabbed my own clothes from the cupboard and closed the door behind me. I stood in the hallway and heard the click as she locked the door. It didn’t really surprise me but I had to wonder if she really didn’t remember anything or if she just didn’t want to tell me.
“Don’t you knock?” Jax asked as I opened his bedroom door and headed to his bathroom.
“Why? Are you hiding my sister in here?” I asked him.
“No, I don’t feel like dying today,” he said.
“Good,” I said and slammed the bathroom door closed.
We all gathered in the dining room and ate breakfast but Rylee never joined us. I sent Chris up with a tray and forced myself to give her space and time. Two hours later she opened my bedroom door and walked past my office. She paused at the doorway and I looked up.
“I just wanted to say thank you for everything,” Rylee said and I stood up.
“Why does it sound like you’re leaving?” I asked her.
“I’ve imposed too long already,” she said.
“Rylee, you can stay here as long as you want,” I said.
“How did this happen?” she asked pointing to the mark on her neck.
“Last year we completed the ceremony without realizing,” I said.
“How?” she asked me.
“I broke your virginity and you bit me,” I said to her and that familiar blush creeped over her cheeks.
“We were sixteen then, I don’t understand,” she said.
“We had sex again after my birthday and in that moment we accepted each other, even if we didn’t say it out loud, our actions were acceptance, so the mark started showing on your birthday,” I said.
“So that’s it? We’re bonded for life now?” she asked me.
“Yes we are,” I said.
“It would’ve been nice to have a heads up about this,” she said.
“I didn’t know until last night when Chris mentioned that she saw you’d been marked and then Baz confirmed it was mine,” I said to her.
“I don’t know what to do now,” she said as she looked down again.
“Why don’t you want to tell me what happened last night? How the hell did you end up in the forest?” I asked her.
“Why do you care?” she asked me suddenly.
“Of course I care Rylee, we’re bonded and I cared even before that,” I said to her.
Rylee’s phone pinged and I saw tears in her eyes as she read that message. She didn’t reply and put her phone back in her pocket.
“Let me help you Rylee,” I said to her but she shook her head.
“You can’t help me,” she said and stood up. I sighed as she left my office and five minutes later Jax popped his head in.
“There’s a problem at The Drake,” he said.
“What problem?” I asked him.
“One of the humans from last night’s fight was just found dead in the basement,” he said and I closed my eyes.
“That’s just fucking great,” I said and stood up.
Rylee was in the living room with Chris and Hannah and she sat with a pillow against her chest. Hannah smiled when she saw me and I motioned to Rev and Preston to join us.
“We’re going to The Drake quickly,” I said.
“I’m taking Hannah for her haircut in an hour,” Chris said and I nodded.
“Take Jay and Thomas with you,” I said as we headed out of the door.
We drove to The Drake in silence and found Andre waiting for us in the alleyway. I was irritated and this was the last thing we needed. A dead body in our nightclub basement.
“Talk to me,” I said to him.
“We found him this morning when we started moving stock upstairs. I remembered his face from last night, he won against another human, fifteen grand, money’s not with him, his head’s all smashed in at the back,” Andre said.
“Shit,” I said as we made our way down to the basement.
I knelt next to his body and glanced at his lifeless eyes. His wallet lay on his chest and I opened it. Grant Salvadore. I didn’t know him and the blood under his head had congealed.
“We need to get rid of all this and dump him somewhere,” I said.
“We were thinking of taking him outside of the town borders, wait for nightfall,” Andre said.
“Yeah do that, where’s the footage of the cameras that leads down here?” I asked.
“Robin’s checking them now,” he said.
“I want to know who has the guts to kill a human in my club and leave his body here,” I said.
“Yes Sire,” Andre said.
I made my way back upstairs where the guys were waiting for me and Becca motioned me over to the bar. I sat down on a barstool and turned when I heard yelling at the delivery entrance door.
“Let me in!” a man yelled and Rev followed me as I walked towards him.
“What’s the problem here?” I asked.
“I’m looking for my brother,” the man said as he eyed me up and down.
“And you’re looking for him here?” I asked.
“He had a fight here last night, I dropped him off but he never came home,” he said.
“Still doesn’t explain why you’re looking for him here,” I said calmly.
“His phone shows he’s still here, Grant Salvadore, now where is he?” he asked angrily.
“Sorry I don’t recognize the name and there was no fight here last night,” I said.
“And who the hell are you?” he asked me.
“Lucas Grey now I suggest you leave because your brother’s not here,” I said to him and turned back towards the bar.
Clark and Andre pushed him out of the door and closed it in his face. Becca had placed a cup of coffee on the bar counter along with paperwork. I gave her a blank look as I sat down again but she only smiled at me.
“You need to sign those,” she said and handed me a pen.
We spent a further three hours at the club, going over stock sheets, signing order papers and watching the cleanup crew as they started working in the basement. After double checking everything we stopped at Gino’s restaurant.
“Lucas, long time no see,” Gino said as he gave me a tight hug.
“Hi Gino, how are things here?” I asked him.
“Good, good. No problems anymore,” he said in his thick Italian accent.
“I’m glad to hear that. Make sure to call us if anyone gives you any problems,” I said to him.
Preston was ordering pizza at the counter and I spoke to Gino while we waited. As far as Gino knew, we were a gang offering protection to most of the business in Upper Aurora and once people knew we had a claim there they weren’t bothered anymore. We didn’t ask money for this protection, it was more like our duty to protect these people as they fell under my territory.
“I see you get tattoo,” Gino said pointing to my neck where part of Baz’s wing was visible.
“Every gang leader needs one,” I said and he laughed.
Preston got his pizza and we said our goodbyes to Gino and headed home. I drove and glanced at Preston in the backseat threatening him if he ate in my car. Spring was arriving and I could see the evidence of it everywhere.
“Something’s not right,” Baz said in my head.
“With what?” I asked him.
“I don’t know, I feel empty,” he said and retreated to the back of my mind.
I sped up as we drove faster through the streets and Jax just gave me this look as he put his safety belt on. I was out of the car as soon as I parked and threw the front door wide open. I could feel what Baz felt now. That empty feeling in the pit of my stomach mixed with dread. Chris and Hannah looked at with big eyes from the living room.
“Where is she?” I yelled.
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