Page 91 of Ethan's Sky

I stomp my foot on the inseam of his. His face drops to where I’m still standing on his foot, and with my other hand, I strike. My fist connecting with his jaw. His hands fly to his face.

“You fucking bitch! Spider’s going to kill you!”

I shove Jayde’s arm to get her moving. She drops the bag of food. Arthur is on our heels. Shoving her to the floor, I move her behind the podium near the diner’s entry. The sounds of chairs scaping, and women screaming fill the diner, as people duck under tables and shots are being fired behind us.

“Go!” Jayde’s frozen for a split second, not sure who’s shooting or which way to go. The motorcycles are getting louder. I grab Jayde’s arm, dragging her to feet, shoving her out the front door.

I hear Patsy shouting for someone to call an ambulance as the door closes behind us.

I don’t look back, keeping ahold of Jayde. The stomping of boots comes from behind us, then Arthur grabs me by my wrist, my bag hits the ground, and I find myself pulled into a loose headlock.

“You bitch!”

I yell for Jayde. “Go! Get to the car!”

I manage to get my hands between my throat and Arthur’s arm. His other hand trying to lock his choke hold. I let my weight drop like a rag doll taking Arthur with me. He loosens his hold with our fall. With my elbow, I punch him in the groin twice. His hold loosens even more allowing me to get free. He’s trying to get to his feet when his face meets my knee. He topples on his ass and before he can right himself, I pick up my bag, and take off for Jayde’s purple mustang.

Never again.

“Start the car! Let’s go!” I crank the door open and fall into the passenger’s seat, slamming the door behind me.

“Go! Go! Go!” Jayde hits the gas, squealing the tires as we go. We pull out of the drive past the front entrance, where a line of bikes is pulling into the lot. One breaks off formation following Jayde’s car.

“Keep driving! Don’t stop until I tell you!” Jayde’s only response is to nod. She’s probably going into shock. She’s driving purely by muscle memory. Her eyes scan the road, but she’s not seeing anything. She’s on autopilot.

I hate leaving Austin behind, not knowing if it was him or the other guy who was hurt. But I trust the Kings can handle their own shit. I need to focus on Jayde and getting us out of here.

20

ETHAN

An eerie feeling settles over me as I walk into church. Right away I feel it. Something’s wrong. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is, but I know I don’t like it. Everyone seems to be glaring at one another until I take my seat, then all eyes are on me.

Everyone’s here except Eli and Walker. Gabe, Ghost, Caleb, and Mack who are huddled at the front of the room stop talking in hushed voices and turn their eyes on me, glaring. Cash is scowling at me with clenched fists. Hawk and Xander are doing something on their computers, comparing information it looks like. Even they stop to look at me as if waiting for me to say something. Jameson, Jake, and Declan are all watching me closely, though they seem more on guard, ready to intervene should need be.

What the fuck is going on?

I take my seat, nodding, waiting for someone to tell me what the hell is going on.

Gabe calls the meeting to order, pointing to Mack who gets right into it.

“This disc arrived at Garrison Security yesterday via currier. It’s addressed to Gabe, Ghost, and Ethan. It’s from George.”

“What is it?” I’m more than curious and somewhat hopeful I’ll find answers, only now I don’t know what answers I really want anymore. After talking to Kieran, I don’t know if I want Skyler to be guilty or if I’m hoping she’s not. I know I need to talk to her, hear her side of what happened when she left.Whyshe left. But if I’m honest with myself, I don’t know that it truly matters anymore.

“Hawk.” Gabe hands the disc over, and Hawk does his keyboard voodoo and the tv on the wall comes to life. There’s a thumb nail file that says, “Skyfall Protocol.”

Hawk waves the curser over the thumbnail and a video of George starts to play on the screen. It’s so surreal to see him there in his flannel shirt and jeans, talking.

“If you’re watching this, I didn’t make it out and Skyler has hopefully found her way back home. I don’t know what y’all will think about me when you find out what I’ve done, but I hope you’ll understand I had no choice. I’ve never gone against the Kings. I would never betray our friendship or the loyalty you’ve shown my family. But please understand, these men, they threatened my baby girl and I’ll do anything I have to in order to protect her. Even make a deal with the Vincenzo Parisi.

“I’m not sure how I’m going to tell her I’m never going to see her again.” He sniffles, then clears his throat. “She’s all I have left in this world that matters, Ghost. Skyler’s going to be your responsibility now. You do as you promised Elizabeth and me, and you take good care of her. See to it she lives a long, happy life.”

George clears his throat again then curses under his breath.

“You make sure whoever she marries is worthy of her kind of love. She’s a lot like her Mama. She’ll put him first and think of herself last. I lost her Mama because she put my feelings first and kept the truth from me, not wanting me to know she was sick so I wouldn’t worry. Damn foolish woman,” he scoffs, then smiles. “But she was the best damn thing to happen to me, and Skyler is the best part of both of us. She’s going to be heartbroken. Oh, she’ll play tough. Hide her tears. Tell everyone she’s okay. But I know my girl. She’s going to be broken inside, believing this is all her fault. I’m trusting you to make sure she knows she’s not to blame.”

He takes a few more deep breaths.

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