ROXIE
All hell breaks loose.
“What the fuck do you mean?”
I wince at my brother’s words. When I called him a few minutes ago, he asked if he could call me back because he was busy, but I told him no. Shuffle proceeded to argue with me, telling me that whatever it was I needed to talk about could wait. He wouldn’t let me get a word in, so I blurted ‘Saint’s dead’, and that shut him up… for a second.
Tears blur my vision, and I wipe them away with the sleeve of the hoodie Ember gave me to wear. “I mean, he’s gone, Ry. Screamer and I found him on the side of the road. He, um…” I swallow past the lump in my throat. “He wrecked, I guess, and died.”
“You and Screamer?”
“That’s what you’re focusing on?” I demand, my nerves rattling and anger spiking. “I just told you that one of your club brothers is dead, and you wanna bark in my ear about who was with me when I found him?”
“Where are you now? Still at the scene? I’m gonna come meet you.”
“No, Ryan, I’m not there,” I say. “I, um… I’m at the Soulless Kings’ clubhouse.”
“You can’t be serious,” he seethes.
“I can, and I am. I guess Crow’s wife is law enforcement. Screamer is filling her in now, as well as his club.”
He says nothing for a minute, and I curl up on the bed. Ember told me this is Screamer’s room, and the clothes I’m wearing are his. They’re huge on me, but in them, I feel comforted, safe.
“You need to come home, now,” my brother orders. “We’ll discuss this when you get here.”
“I’m not a fucking child,” I snap. “And I’m not coming home.”
“You’ll either come home on your own, or I’ll come there and drag your ass out.”
I know I should tell him everything and explain to him why leaving here is dangerous. If I opened up to him, he’d back off rather than yell at me. But when I open my mouth to speak, nothing comes out. The last hour is wreaking havoc on my nerves and emotions, and I’m tired. So goddamn tired.
“Roxie?” His voice comes through the line, and I go rigid. “Get your ass home.”
“Ya know what,Shuffle?” I sneer his road name in an effort to let him know how I feel about him treating me like one of his club members who he can order around. Passive aggressive? Yes. Do I give a shit? Not at all. “Fuck off.”
I disconnect the call and turn my cell off. There’s enough going on right now without having to deal with his misogynistic and overbearing attitude.
A knock on the door has me sitting up. “Come in.”
Ember steps into the room, and she’s carrying a tray. “I brought you something to eat and drink.”
“Thanks, but I’m not hungry.”
“Well, I’ll leave it here in case you change your mind.” She sets it on the nightstand and retreats to the door. “Let me know if I can do anything else, okay?”
“I will.”
Once I’m alone again, exhaustion tugs at my eyelids. I must doze off because the next thing I know, I’m startled by the sound of shouting.
Jumping off the bed, I rush to the door and open it a crack. Straining to hear what’s going on, I tense when I hear a voice I recognize. I race into the common area, and freeze when I see my brother, Bear, Blush, and Creep trying to push past several Soulless Kings’ members.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I hiss after closing the distance between us.
Shuffle glares at me. “I told you I was coming.”
“Jesus, you can’t do this!” I shout, throwing my hands in the air. “Go home.”
“You heard her,” Ember says calmly from her position next to a man wearing an SKMC cut. “You need to leave.”
