Page 21 of Secrets

"To find someone who will take this more seriously because you clearly don't want to believe me."

His hand grabs her arm and whips her around so fast she nearly loses her balance. "Where?"

"To talk to Dax. He should at least check it out."

"The hell you are."

"Excuse me?"

Releasing her, she loses her footing and hits the wall. "He's already a loose cannon. If you tell him you believe you saw the ghost of his dead wife, he's going to fly off the fucking cliff. Dani is dead. She died in a house fire, and you and he need to accept it and move on."

"What about the woman I saw, then?" Kara asks, rubbing her arm where it hit the wall. "She's clearly in trouble. She put her hand up to the window when she saw me. Say it isn't Dani and just looks like her. She still needs help."

Shrugging, he steps backwards towards the fridge. "It doesn't matter because it's not our problem. Things have calmed down with the Kingsmen since Hannah ran over what's his name, so there's no reason to create an unnecessary problem."

Kara gapes at him. How can this man act like it's no big deal to have a woman chained to a basement? If it was her, and he believed she was dead, would he be so flip? Forcing himself and others to just accept and leave her in a dirty basement living on God only knows what to survive?

Her best friend is alive. She knows it, and she knows where she is right now. In a basement on Elm Street. But her boyfriend thinks she's crazy and trying to ruin their relationship. So much so he won't allow her to talk to Dax.

"You're just going to let a woman suffer and possibly die?"

"It's not our problem, Kara. That woman is not part of our club, and she sure as shit ain't Dani."

Tears sting at her eyes, but she refuses to let them fall. He already thinks she's weak enough as it is. Instead, she standsthere, staring at this man she loves and thought she knew like a total stranger while she tries to decide what she's going to do.

"I know you want it to be Dani, Kara," Chance says, walking over and pulling her into his arms. "I know you believe it's her, but it's not. I don't want you to get yourself worked up and regress back to where we were before. When things weren't going well between us."

"When things weren't going well between us?" she asks, her eyes staring at the wall next to them.

"We weren't connecting. We were just coexisting while you coped with the tragedy. I miss my old lady. I miss my baby, and I finally got you back. The last thing I want to do is lose you to this grief all over again. It was hard enough to deal with and stick around before."

His words feel like a hammer to her heart. If she falls back into that grief all over again, he won't stick around? That's exactly what his tone says. She'll lose him if she pushes this. He'll find someone else to warm his bed, but she knows what she saw. Who she saw. No matter what she says or does, he won't believe her. But worse, he won't let her tell Dax. Dani's part of the club, and as an old lady, Kara needs to do whatever she needs to in order to save her friend. Even if it costs her everything.

Chance tilts her chin up and kisses her, and she decides to figure out a plan after letting him ravage her. As angry and disappointed as she is, her body betrays her as she feels the slickness between her legs as they move into the bedroom. Knowing he may never forgive her for what she has to do, she decides to make love to him like it's the last time. There's a good chance it may just be the last time, but she has to do something. And he's made it clear he won't be here if she does.

Chapter Nine

Summerville

Colt

Colt pulls into the gas station to grab something to drink on his way home after a run with the Summerville crew. They aren't quite who he's used to, but it's not a bad thing. He's slowly learning everyone, and for the most part, he likes them. Especially Venom. The man reminds him so much of Psycho it's uncanny. He should probably keep Lex away from him or else they'll have yet another stray to add to the roster.

He's glad Snake and Mac offered to take care of the little problem they encountered on their way home. If not, he'd have had to because he's one of the newest in the charter, which would mean coming home even later to his sexy ass wife. He should have maybe offered to help, to learn about their process.Where they bury the bodies and what their method is. He'll figure it out eventually, he supposes.

Commotion from around the building gets his attention, and Colt walks to see what it is. Confused, he stares for a few moments before realizing Dax stands up against three very large men. The President wasn't on the run Colt just came back from, but he knows this can't be good. Dax seems like he's been out looking for trouble lately.

Slapping his own face, Dax gets in one of theirs. "Hit me! Come on, hit me!"

"What the fuck are you doing?" Colt asks, sprinting over to the group and pulling Dax back. "Pres?"

"You better get this crazy fucker away from us," one of the men shouts.

"He's about to get his ass handed to him," another says as he cracks his knuckles.

Glaring at them, Colt shakes his head. "Touch him, and you'll die where you fucking stand."

They start to close the small space between them, and Colt makes it a point to show off the piece he carries in the holster under his kutte. They all back away, flipping him the bird, and taking off.

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