Page 86 of Vapor

“Shit. Is she…” Vapor’s gaze slides to me before his attention returns to Ice.

“Yeah.”

“Fuck!”

Sirens pierce the night. A firetruck turns onto the street, forcing onlookers to scatter onto the sidewalk. The men get to work, putting out the fire burning inside the house.

“Is there anything in the clubhouse we should get rid of before the cops get here?” Ice asks.

“No. Fang’s got his laptop.” He jerks his head toward the group of patched members huddled together.“The other shit’s at the warehouse or the shop.”

“I’ll call Tank. Make sure he sweeps the garage for bombs.”

“Good. Who’s at the warehouse?” Vapor asks.

“Shouldn’t be anyone there, but let’s send Bones and Diablo to check it out. If someone’s trying to take out the club, they’ll go after our other shit too.”

“My father,” I whisper.

“He sent this text a few minutes ago.” Vapor hands his phone to Ice.

“Fuck.”

“I should have texted you guys immediately.”

“Wouldn’t have mattered. By the time we saw it and got everyone moving, the bomb would have gone off already. That text wasn’t a warning. It was an admission of guilt.”

“Yeah.”

“We need a place to regroup. Somewhere to hole up for the night.” Ice waves Fang over.“Can you find a hotel with enough rooms for everyone?”

“On it.” Fang sits on the curb, tapping away on his phone.

Turning toward the destruction, I still can’t believe this is real. The clubhouse is still standing, but barely. The shattered windows gape open like the mouths of the damned, and the charred walls bear witness to the devastation that has befallen us. The lingering smell of smoke is heavy in the air, like the ghostly remnants of a funeral pyre.

My father’s control is inescapable. His poisonous influence reaches every corner of my life, and now it’s seeped into my sanctuary. I know he will never, ever stop coming for me. My decision not to marry Broussard almost cost us everything. Someone died because of me. If I continue to refuse to get married, how many more people will lose their lives?

“Babe, we’ll get through this,” Vapor whispers, his breath warm against my ear.“We’ll figure it out together.”

There’s nothing to figure out. I can’t keep him, or anyone associated with him, safe as long as I’m ensnared in my father’s web. There’s only one way to make him stop. I know exactly what I need to do. Every fiber of my being yearns for freedom, yet the chains that bind me seem unbreakable.

As I wrestle with the conflicting emotions swirling within me, a hurricane of love and fear, desire and despair threatens to consume me. The only way to keep Vapor safe is to give up my freedom.

“I can’t stay with you,” I say softly.“Promise me you’ll stay safe and keep your distance until I find a way out of this mess.”

“No. I’m not letting you out of my sight. Your father has proven he will go to any length to terrorize you. It’s my job to protect you. Not the other way around.”

“But—”

“Stop.” He pulls me tight against his chest.“You’re not going anywhere. You’re mine, Blue. And I don’t care what I must do to keep you. If you still care about me, I’m not letting you go.”

“I love you, Vapor. I always will, but my father’s going to kill you for taking me away from him. If something happens to you, I’ll never forgive myself.”

“Nothing’s going to happen to me.” His gaze narrows and darkness creeps into his eyes.“But your father will have to pay for this.”

In the past, I might have considered vengeance, but what will it cost us? Marrying Broussard disgusts me. However, it could be the only safe option. I can’t let my father kill the man I really love. To protect him, I don’t think I have a choice. I’m going to have to leave him.

Hours later, after Vapor and Fang make sure all the men and women associated with the NOLA chapter are safely tucked inside their hotel rooms, I lay on top of the comforter staring up at the ceiling. Vapor’s sleeping beside me, oblivious to the terrible decision I’m about to make. I just don’t see any other option.

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