Page 100 of 12 Months of Mayhem

Her words stung, mostly because they hit too close to home. I didn’t respond, keeping my eyes fixed on the road as we finally pulled into the outskirts of the small city of Kingston.

I could have thrown up.

Shay sighed, her tone softening. “Look, I know you want to prove something. To yourself, to your dad, maybe to the whole damn club… that you can have a life outside of all this. And I get it, I really do. But you don’t have to settle to do that. You don’t have to pick someone just because he’s the exact opposite of what everyone expects.”

“Who says I’m settling?” I challenged, though even I wasn’t sure I believed it.

Shay gave me a knowing look. “I do. Because I’ve known you since forever, Calli. And I know when you’re excited about something or someone. And I haven’t seen that look in your eyes once when it comes to Adrian.”

I sighed, the weight of her words pressing down on me. “Maybe I’m just tired,” I muttered, deflecting as best I could.

“Or maybe,” Shay said, leaning back in her seat with a smirk. “You are finally realizing that you’re not meant to be some banker’s girlfriend. You’re meant to be someone’s old lady.”

I snorted, shaking my head. “Yeah, right. And who’s that supposed to be? Whip? Rafe? To be an old lady, I have to have an old man, and the boys in the club either raised me or I helped raise them.”

Shay burst out laughing, the sound filling the cab. “Okay, you have a point there.”

“Exactly,” I said, grinning despite myself. “It’s not like I have a line of eligible bikers waiting for me to pick one.”

“Maybe not,” Shay said, her laughter fading into a smile. “But don’t count yourself out yet, Calli. You’re not meant to settle. And deep down, I think you already know that.”

The rest of the drive passed in comfortable silence, but Shay’s words lingered, swirling in my mind as we followed the train of bikes ahead of us through the city streets until we pulled up beside an open, empty lot.

It had been two long days of travel, and the sun was setting quickly, dramatically cooling the hot air, and even though Scorch didn’t start for another two days, the streets were already bustling with people of all kinds.

“All right, you girls, go and get set up at your place before it gets too dark. It’s just a few blocks away. You know where to go?” Dad ordered after the boys had hauled everything they needed out of the back of the SUV.

“Like the back of my hand,” I told him with a smile.

He nodded and tapped the roof, leaning in and giving Shay a quick kiss that made me pull a face. “Come back when you’re done, and you can help set up before it gets too late.”

“Yes, sir,” Shay said with a grin, and I quickly cut my dad off.

“Nope, don’t answer that. I don’t want to hear it!” I sang, already pulling away, Shay’s laughter floating in the air as I lectured her almost all the way to our Airbnb about public displays of affection and—

“Do you see that?” she asked suddenly, her voice sharp with concern. The SUV headlights illuminated the dark, empty road ahead as we cruised slowly through the streets of Kingston. Streets I really did know like the back of my hand.

Shay sat up straighter in her seat, and I squinted into the distance. A figure was staggering along the side of the road, barely visible in the dim glow of our headlights.

“Pull over,” Shay urged, already unbuckling her seatbelt.

“Shay…” I warned, opening the middle console beside me and taking hold of the small handgun inside. “Just take it easy.”

I slowed the SUV and eased it to the shoulder. The guy looked like he could barely stand, let alone walk. His movements were uncoordinated, his head lolling to one side as though it was too heavy to hold up.

Shay was out of the car before I even had it in park, making me curse under my breath. She was like this, though, her job as a nurse made her so conscious of people who needed help, and she was so determined to always give it to them, no matter the danger.

“Hey!” she called out, jogging toward him. “Are you okay?”

The man turned his head in her direction, but his knees buckled. Shay caught him just in time, lowering him gently to sit on the ground.

I jumped out and ran over, the cool night air biting against my skin.

“Calli, grab the flashlight,” Shay ordered, her tone calm but commanding. I dashed back to the SUV and returned with the small emergency flashlight we kept in the glove compartment.

Shay clicked it on and shined it in his face, gently tilting his chin up. He was a lot younger than I thought, his skin was pale and clammy, and beads of sweat glistened on his forehead despite the chill in the air.

“Sir, can you hear me?” she asked, tapping his cheek lightly.

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