Page 27 of Brood

Chapter Twenty-Two

“You let that itty-bitty girl get the jump on you?” Roman laughs at Show, who is sporting a very big shiner. One that nearly takes up the whole left side of his face. When I woke this morning I knew something was off, checking my phone only confirmed the pit growing in my stomach.

“Not like she swung at me, this is from her car door. Hit me in the damn face when she backed out of the lot,” he grumbles, wincing when he brings his fingers to the purple skin on his cheek. “Sorry, Brood,” he apologizes, looking almost defeated for letting me down. “I should have pulled her ass out of the car, tossed her over my shoulder till you got here.”

“She wanted to leave, so she’s gone.” I shrug, telling myself that her leaving isn’t a big deal. “Let’s get to work. Them trucks ain’t gonna fix themselves,” I order, bypassing everyone in the common room to head to the shop, passing the room where we hold church on the way. If she wants to take off and not accept the club’s help, even after she fucking accepted it in the first place, I’m not going to chase her down.

“You don’t want to go after her?” Roman asks as I start walking to the back door leading through the garage. It’s still early, she couldn’t have gotten far, maybe Idaho border by now. I push away the thought and shake my head at Roman.

“She made her decision.” I wave him off as I go. Only the fucker doesn’t stop.

“She say anything last night? I mean it seemed like she was goin' to stay, she could be—”

I spin around, getting face to face with my VP. “You so worried go after her yourself! She said she would let us help. Turns out it was all bullshit. She doesn’t want to stay, I ain’t gonna make her.” He backs off this time, holding his hands up in surrender and letting me cool down. It doesn’t do much good, I need to fucking destroy something right now. My feet move on their own, away from Roman and Show. I need a minute alone before I lose my shit in front of everyone. Slamming the door shut to my newly acquired office, I pace back and forth in the small space, clenching and unclenching my fists. Ready to send them pounding into the first thing that comes through the door.

The way Jordyn acted last night ought have tipped me off. I should have known she would make a run for it. It’s not like she is a prisoner here, I can’t make her stay, any more than I can make the rain stop. But then in the back of my mind, there is the possibility that she is in trouble. No, not a possibility, a certainty. If she isn’t here safe with me, she is in danger. There is no telling who she could cross paths with, as soon as they find out how much money is being offered for her they will turn her over without a second thought. Not to mention what might happen if they find out what she is carrying in her backpack. That damn backpack. I have the keys to her car, so she must have had herself a spare stashed away in the bag or in her car. Another failure on my part.

“Pres!” Heavy pounding comes from outside my door. Through the wood, I can tell Roman is out there. Taking in a deep breath, I fling the door open.

He’s standing there with a phone to his ear. “Wiz found her.” That’s all he needs to say before I’m ready to go and bring her back. Whether she wants to or not. Letting her fend for herself isn’t an option I want to settle on.

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