Page 59 of Lost Soul

“So she’s a hacker ‘ay?” a voice comes from the deck next door, and Squealer hangs over the wooden rails that divide our balconies. I wasn’t surprised that he already knew, word spreads around this club faster than Mel spreads her legs.

“Yep,” I nod, taking a swig from the bottle then hold it out to him.

“Skid filled us all in, says she’s under club protection now.” He downs a mouthful before he hands it back over.

“She is, and she’s off limits,” I warn him straight off before he gets any ideas, and the fucker smirks back at me. “I fucking mean it Squeal.”

The way he rolls his eyes tells me he’s clear, though I’m sure there will be times when he’ll require a reminder.

“Having her could be a real bonus for the club.” He relights a joint, taking a toke before passing it over to me, and I take a long slow draw of it.

“That’s why she’s here,” I tell him, tipping back my head and blowing out the smoke, giving it back.

“Whatever ya need to tell yourself, brother,” he sniggers, then shakes his head and pushes himself off the railings. He disappears back into the cabin he shares with his twin, Screwy. I don’t let the fact that he’s called me out on my shit piss me off. This is Squealer, he’s always pissing people off. Besides, he’s only saying what everyone was probably thinking, Maddy would have been better off staying with Carly and Skid, they have a spare room. But I want her close to me. Something inside me seems to want to cling to her, and the way she’d kissed me back earlier gave me a stupid glimmer of hope that I might be able to actually have her.

I just have to be selfish enough to take her.

Today’s events have proven that there’s no tolerance for selfishness, I won’t let Maddy become another victim of it. I can’t have her, not the way I want her anyway. It’s gonna be torture having her so close, but there is no way I’m gonna let her be looked after by anyone else. Hell no, Maddy Summers is mine to protect. Even if that means protecting her from her biggest threat of all.

Me.

I wake up with a sore head and an emptiness in my heart. I get out of bed and head to the kitchen, then search through the cupboards for aspirin and something to eat. We’re never well stocked. I usually have breakfast up at the lodge with Hayley, and Troj gets fed at whatever cabin he ended up in down at the sanctuary.

I manage to find some cereals and some milk, which thankfully I check before pouring on top because it smells like rotten ass. I heave and chuck it straight in the trash. When the bathroom door opens I look up, Maddy steps out wearing just a towel tucked around her chest. Her hair still dripping wet as she rubs at it with a hand towel.

“Hi,” she says shyly, tiptoeing back into her room with an awkward smile. I’m still trying to calm down my cock when my phone vibrates in my pocket.

“Church in a half an hour,” Prez’s voice cracks down the phone before he hangs up. I tuck my cell back inside my pocket and continue searching for something edible. When the door knocks, I could not be more relieved to see Carly standing on the doorstep with two steaming plates. “Bacon and eggs for two,” she says, moving around me to step inside and lay the plates on the table. “So how was her first night?” she asks, rustling her way through the kitchen draws until she finds the one that contains knives and forks.

“Good, I think. She just got out of the shower.”

“Cool, Skid just got the call from Prez, church is in half an hour. You send her round to me when you leave, she shouldn’t be alone after all she’s been through.” I nod in agreement. “I’ll leave you to it. See you later,” she says making her way out the door.

“Hey,” I call after her. “Thanks. For breakfast, and for everything else, she’s gonna need a friend,” I tell her when she turned back around.

“Everyone needs a friend, Jessie.” Carly smiles sadly before she leaves. Minutes later my bedroom door opens and Maddy steps out wearing one of the summer dresses I’d packed from her wardrobe.

Okay, I’d lied, her mom never packed her stuff. I did. But I had promised her mom that I would never tell Maddy about the barely a fuckin’ live state me and Troj had found her in last night. She’d heard from the Bastards that a girl had been killed along with six other club members, and naturally she’d assumed it was Maddy. Marilyn Summers had downed a heavy dose of pills, then finished them off with a bottle of vodka. Lucky for her we found her and managed to get her to the hospital in time.

It was me who had told her to get fuck out of town as fast as possible. The Bastards were a threat, their numbers had built since we had thinned their herd a few years ago and their sister Charter was only a few days ride away.

I need for them to believe Maddy and her mom are long gone, so when retaliation comes for us, they won’t be able to get it through her. Nyx had rung early hours this morning and told me she’d managed to discharge herself from hospital, they were on their way to our sister Charter in Cannonville.

Nyx would be shattered. Me and Troj had left him at the hospital to watch over her and give my instructions when she came round. Apparently, she’d been so relieved that her daughter was safe, she was prepared to do anything to keep it that way. A wise choice on her part because she didn’t really have the choice anyway. I’d set her up with some cash, and Nyx would make sure she got safely to Utah. In time, I’d come up with a plan for the two of them to be together again safely.

“Morning.” I gesture with my head for Maddy to sit opposite me, where the plate of eggs and bacon wait for her.

“Wow, this looks fantastic,” she says, trying her best to be cheery as she shoves a fork full of eggs into her mouth.

“Wish I could take the cred, darlin’. Carly dropped them by. She wants you to call in when you’re done,” I tell her, and she nods eagerly, her mouth full of food.

“So what do you need me to do today?” she asks after she’s swallowed. She seems eager for a distraction, I know how that feels.

“We’re gonna need you to bury Chop's records again, I get that the damage has already been done, but anything you can do to slow the feds down will be appreciated.”

“You mean Tobias Saunders.” She winks at me playfully, making my cock jump to life.

“Call him what you want, darlin’, you need to lose him back wherever you found him from. Your laptop should be in the bag. Getting Chop back will be a real start in getting Prez trusting you.”

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