Page 12 of Finish Line
“Can I help you? Are you lost?” he asks.
I don’t respond.
He knocks again. “Ma’am . . . are you okay in there?”
I still don’t respond.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watch him pull his phone out of his pocket and make a call.
“Hey, Prez. Sorry if I woke you.”
Shit! He called Bull. My heart starts pounding and I begin to hyperventilate. What do I do?
I’m shaking in my seat, completely zoned out. A tapping on the window startles me.
“Goddess, it’s me. Unlock the door.” It’s Bull. Is that worry I hear in his voice? No, I’m probably imagining it.
I manage to unlock the doors and the driver’s door flies open. Bull’s arm reaches across my lap and unbuckles my seatbelt. Another strong arm slides behind my back as he gently pulls me out of the car. My shoulder hits his chest and he wraps both arms around me as we fall to the ground.
The flood gates open as I sob into his shirt. I shake even more in his arms. Bull tightens his hold and slowly rocks us back and forth. He mutters something, I’m assuming to the other guy, because I’m still crying so hard, I don’t hear his words.
Bull stands with me still in his arms and starts walking. I bury my face in his shirt to both hide my face and muffle my sobs.
Chapter Ten
Bull
I’m lying in bed with my table lamp still on, because I can’t sleep. Between wanting Athena here with me and thinking about Shadow’s homecoming, my mind is running a hundred miles an hour.
My phone buzzes and rattles against the side table. Prospect Pete flashes across the screen. He’s on gate duty tonight, so I can’t not answer it.
“Yeah?” I answer.
“Hey, Prez. Sorry if I woke you,” he starts. “There’s some woman out here. She won’t roll her window down or even talk. I think she’s having a panic attack.”
I let out a heavy sigh. “I’ll be right there.”
What kind of fuckin’ woman is comin’ to the clubhouse this late on a fuckin’ Sunday night? I roll out of bed, grab my shirt off the chair and toss it on. Whoever it is, is lucky I wasn’t already asleep. I grab a pair of socks to slip them and my shoes on as I head out the door.
When I walk through the side gate by the watch tower, my steps falter and my heart skips a beat.
That’s Athena’s car. I remember seein’ it this morning at Rusty’s. I’m at her door in seconds.
I tap on the window, making her jump. “Goddess, it’s me. Unlock the door,” I say calmly. Inside, I’m panicking. What could have happened for her to drive out here so late at night? Without so much as a text or call even.
I rest my hand on the door handle and as soon as I hear the locks click, I fling the door open. Her whole body is shaking and her face is pale. I quickly get her unbuckled before crouching down and carefully removing her from the car.
As I wrap my arms around her and pull her against my chest, I lose my balance and fall to the ground with her in my lap. As if on cue, she starts crying and shaking uncontrollably. I hold her a little tighter, hoping to comfort her even just a little. Rocking her, I turn my head to Prospect Pete.
“Move her car to the cage parking and hang onto the keys. I’ll get them from you tomorrow,” I tell him.
I cradle Athena in my arms before standing to walk us inside. She turns her head into my chest, still sobbing. My heart aches seeing her like this. So broken. I need to know what or who did this to her. Anger boils inside me, but I push it down and focus on her.
Once we’re in my room, I try to lay her on my bed, but she wraps her arms around my neck in a death grip.
“Okay, okay. I won’t put you down,” I whisper against the top of her head. I try to quickly think of something that could help her calm down, that could ease a panic attack. Then it hits me.
“Hey, Goddess, we’re gonna get in the shower. Fully clothed,” I tell her. “I think the water will help.”
