Page 197 of Savage Hearts

I didn’t know what to say to that. Since the beginning of my captivity, the brothers had been using my fear of them to keep me in line, hadn’t they?

Before I could respond to that, Killian and Maverick climbed into the car. I didn’t know why it took them so long to get in, and at this point, I wasn’t curious enough to ask.

I peered out the window as the car took off, not really taking in the scenery, while the brothers talked business.

Perhaps, if I was smart, I would pay more attention to them when they talked like this, maybe even use the information against them given the chance, but it was already established that I was downright stupid when it came to the brothers.

I dropped my head back at the depressing thought and felt all three sets of eyes turn my way.

Goose bumps rose over my skin in awareness, but I kept my gaze on the passing scenery.

Soon, the brothers went back to talking andmostlyleft me alone.

Silas grabbed my hand halfway into the drive, and I probably shouldn’t have let him—or, at the very least, put up a fight.

I didn’t.

His shoulders relaxed, and his thumb played with the skin on the back of my hand for the rest of the drive… soothing me.

I didn’t know why my heart did a little flip when the car finally pulled up to an almost empty parking lot, save for a few cars parked near what looked like a nightclub.

I glanced at Maverick, but he only gave me a soft look back.

A soft look I wasn’t used to receiving from him. Killian opened the door.

He got out first, then Maverick, before Silas turned to me.

“Come on, angel.”

“What are we doing here?” I asked.

“We have some business to take care of here first, and then we thought you would like it if we took you out for a while.”

My eyebrows jumped in surprise. “You mean we’re not spending the entire day here?”

Silas laughed and chucked my chin affectionately with his knuckles. “No. Of course not. I’m sure spending the entire day here would be boring.”

For me, he meant. I doubted they would be bored.

“Where?” I asked, trying to push away the small strumming beneath my skin that felt suspiciously like excitement. Fuck me, but I was not excited to be spending the entire day with the brothers. I refused to believe it.

He tapped the tip of my nose with his pointer finger. “That’s a surprise.”

Surprise?

Silas got out of the car before I could say anything, then crouched and held out one hand. “Angel?”

I didn’t know why I hesitated before I took his hand. Was I afraid of him? I didn’t think so. He waited patiently for me. Slowly, I placed my hand in his and let him gently help me out of the car, where both Maverick and Killian stood waiting for us. Maverick nodded once and took the lead, heading toward the door, Silas and I followed with Killian behind us.

If I didn’t know any better, I would have said they’d rehearsed this, putting me in the safest possible position with them.

The club was nearly empty except for a handful of people moving about it, getting ready for it to open later tonight. The workers nodded respectfully to the brothers, but none were brave enough to approach.

I realized they respected the brothers almost as much as they feared them. None of them would meet our eyes.

I looked sideways at Silas, taking in his profile. He must have felt my eyes on him because he turned suddenly, and the hard look in his eyes magically disappeared, replaced by something confounding and soft.

I blinked and looked at the floor. He squeezed my hand, but I didn’t look back up at him again.

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