Precarious

“I really didn’t think she cared, Krypt. Her reaction makes no sense. She sees him with women all the time and . . .”

“And to her, those women are nobodies. Just ass that’s spread around; she knows they mean nothing, Ash. With you, being someone she loves and trusts, and knowing it could mean something . . .”

“God, I’m such a fool.”

“It isn’t your fault; part of this is on her. Her and Maddox have danced around this for years.”

“It doesn’t mean I don’t feel like a monster.”

He grunts and holds me tighter. “It’ll be fine, babe. They’ll sort it out.”

I hope he’s right.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Maddox disappears for hours. When he returns, he hasn’t had any luck finding Santana. I know that she’s probably with Alec but I’m not sure it’s the right thing for me to tell him about that right now. He might be all Santana has, if I give that away, I’ll never be able to fix the friendship that was forming between us.

“You check everywhere?” Krypt asks, following Maddox into his office when he returns.

He’s wild, his hands are shaking and he’s frantic.

“Of course I fuckin’ did,” he booms. “She’s in danger bein’ out there, do you think I just glanced around?”

“Calm down,” Krypt growls. “Ain’t no reason to take this shit out on me.”

“If you didn’t bring that,” Maddox swings his eyes to me, “woman into my club, it never would have happened.”

“Hey,” I bark before Krypt can speak. “You made the choice to shove your cock into my mouth, Maddox. Don’t you dare blame him because you fucked up.”

Maddox glares at me, but then sighs and runs his hands through his hair. “I don’t fuckin’ know where she is. It’s not safe for her out there, she could be in trouble and I can’t find her.”

“Maybe I should try calling her, or looking for her,” I offer.

“No,” Krypt says. “Not goin’ to happen. You ain’t safe either.”

“She’s out there, alone and hurt,” I protest. “I’m not going to just stand here and do nothing.”

“I said no,” Krypt growls at me.

Stubborn biker.

“I’m goin’ to round up the boys and get them onto it, too,” Maddox says, his voice strained.

His phone rings in his pocket, and he pulls it out so quickly my eyes widen. He doesn’t look at the number; he just presses it to his ear.

“Santana?”

He listens to whoever is on the other line, and I watch the color drain from his face. Oh god, no. Has Howard’s club got her? Has something terrible happened? I take hold of Krypt’s hand and squeeze as I watch Maddox stare like he’s just seen a ghost.

“Where?”

He nods and hangs up the phone.

“Maddox?” Krypt says, his voice low.

Maddox turns to face us fully, his skin is pale and his fists are clenched. “Santana is in the hospital.”

I gasp and my hand presses to my mouth. What happened? Oh god. I don’t know if I can handle hearing whatever it is he’s going to say next.

“What happened?” Krypt manages.

“Someone found her,” Maddox says, his voice lower and more broken than I’ve ever heard it. “She’s been shot.”

MADDOX

Secrets and lies have a way of destroying people.

I hold a big secret, bigger than her, bigger than me.

Seeing her lying in that hospital bed makes me realize I can’t keep it in forever.

Soon she will find out what I’ve kept from her.

She will hate me for it.

She will leave my life.

Maybe she’ll believe I was protecting her, maybe she won’t.

All I know is I can’t allow anything to happen to her, without her knowing what I know. What I’ve known since the day I saved her life.

Her sister, who she’s believed is dead for five years, now...isn’t.

Her sister is very much alive.

The truth will come out – and it will destroy everything.

THE END