Chapter-49

In the weeks that followed, Rook's visits to the bar became more frequent, and each time he walked in, the atmosphere seemed to shift. The customers liked him—his rough charm and easy smile were a refreshing change from the tension that often accompanied the Mob's elite.

As I watched them interact, I felt a pang of something I hadn't felt in a long time—jealousy. It wasn't that I wanted Rook for myself; it was more the way he looked at me, with a genuine concern that seemed to have vanished from Lucien's eyes. Our stolen moments together had begun to feel less like a romantic escape and more like a dance with the devil, each step bringing me closer to the fire.

The bar remained packed well into the night, with Rook's laughter ringing out above the clinking of glasses and the murmur of conversations. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol and the faint hint of leather from his jacket. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia for simpler times, when the biggest decision of the day was what to order for lunch.

Finally, as the last customer stumbled out, I locked the doors and turned to face him. "You know having you around again means a lot to me, right?" I said.

Rook looked up, his eyes meeting mine, and nodded. "I know."

His words lingered in my mind, and I wondered if he really did know. I loved Jess and Tannin, but there was just something about the life at the compound that had brought a comfort that my life now didn’t. With Rook pitching in to help Jess and myself to clean up, the rhythm of our movements fell into the familiar sync we’d had at the biker bar. When the last glass was polished and the chairs were stacked, we called it a night and I headed home, my thoughts racing with the implications of Rook’s relationship with Lucien.

The next morning, the apartment was quiet except for the sizzle of eggs in the pan as Brian prepared breakfast. He looked up as I entered the kitchen. "You okay?" he asked, sliding a plate across the counter.

I nodded, taking a bite of the eggs. "Yeah, just a lot on my mind."

"Love'll do that to you," he said, his tone laden with experience. We talked about his job, the usual office politics, and his recent breakup. It was comforting, a slice of normalcy in a world that had gone sideways.

But even as we laughed and joked, I couldn't shake the feeling that the walls were closing in. My heart felt torn between the thrill of danger and the warmth of my past. It would be so easy to just go home. As the thought whispered through my mind, I realized the compound really was my home; that I never had actually settled into my new life. I knew I had to make a choice, but the fear of what might be with Lucien, held me back.

The day passed with household chores, but solidarity. Brian had gone to work, leaving me rambling around the apartment alone and too much time to think.  When nightime arrived, I was thankful to head to the bar. But as the hours ticked by and the usual time of Rook's arrival came and went, my stomach began to churn. He'd never missed a night without letting me know. The jukebox played a sad tune, and I couldn't help but feel it was a reflection of the evening's mood. I checked my phone again, but there was no message, no call. Just the cold, silent screen.

Jess, noticing my distraction, leaned over the bar. "You expecting him tonight?" He wiped the counter with a damp cloth, his eyes searching mine for an answer.

"Yeah," I said, trying to keep the worry out of my voice. "But maybe he's got something else going on."

Jess nodded, but I could see the curiosity in her eyes. We both knew Rook's life wasn't just about us and the bar. He was a biker and had responsibility to that lifestyle.

The bar was quieter than usual, the absence of his boisterous laughter leaving an empty space that no amount of music or chatter could fill. Customers came and went, but the conversations felt forced, as if everyone was aware of the missing piece of our puzzle.

As the night grew later and the shadows grew longer, my thoughts grew darker. What if something had happened to him? What if he'd gotten into trouble? Or worse, what if he'd decided he'd had enough of me and my mess of a life?

The tension in me was an anxious cloud, swirling around in a rioting dance, and I knew Jess felt it too. He kept glancing over at me, his movements slower, his smile forced. "You want to talk about it?" He asked, his voice low.

I shook my head, trying to shrug it off. "Nah, I'm sure he's fine." But the words sounded hollow, even to me.

The night dragged on, each minute feeling like an eternity. The last customer left, and I locked the doors, the finality of the click echoing through the empty room. Jess gave me a sympathetic look as we started to clean up.

When we finished, he patted me on the shoulder. "I'm sure he'll turn up," he murmured, trying to reassure me. But his eyes said he wasn't as confident as he sounded.

The drive home was silent, the neon lights of the city casting an eerie glow on the pavement as I passed under them. After arriving home, I stepped into the apartment, the quiet within its walls made me feel even more lonely. With a sigh, I threw my jacket onto the chair and collapsed onto the couch, my mind racing with questions and fears.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I jumped up, hoping it was Rook. But the screen just read: "Unknown Number." I took a deep breath and answered, bracing myself for the worst. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Rook. I'm sorry I couldn't make it tonight." His voice was strained, and I could hear the rumble of a motor in the background.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, trying to keep the worry from seeping into my tone.

"Yeah, just had some club business. It's nothing to worry about." His words didn't match the urgency in his voice.

I leaned back against the couch cushions. "What's going on?"

Rook sighed heavily. "It's complicated, and I can't get into it right now. But I had to make a choice, and I chose you."

The words sent a shiver down my spine, but I tried to keep my voice steady. "What choice?"

"Between the club and... well, you."

The gravity of his words hit me like a ton of bricks. "What does that mean?"

"It means that I might have to step back for a bit. Keep a lower profile."

Panic gripped me. "Does this have to do with Lucien?"

"In a way. But I'm not getting into that right now," he replied.

My heart raced as I thought about what that could mean. "Alright, but will you be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Rook assured me, though the terseness in his voice didn't sound like he meant it.

The silence between us grew heavy, filled with unspoken words and the distant throb of his engine. I bit my lip, torn between the need to know and the fear of what he might say. "What do you need me to do?"

"Nothing. Just keep your head down and stay safe." His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. "If anything happens... you know what to do."

I nodded, though he couldn't see it.

Rook sighed again, the sound of his bike growing quieter. "I gotta go, kiddo. We'll talk soon."

The line went dead, and I stared at my phone, the weight of his words pressing down on me. It was clear he was involved in something dangerous.