Chapter 70
-Hailey-
I walked out of the bathroom and back to my post by the chapel doors.
I wasn’t supposed to be out here pacing holes in the floor like a stray dog waiting for its master I felt like I might unravel.
I pressed my ear to the door, hoping to catch snippets of the conversation inside. But it was quiet.
–
but if I didn’t stay close,
Then, like a thunderclap, the roar of engines ripped through the silence. I jumped back from the door as my pulse spiked.
The sound was deafening, vibrating through the walls and floor turned and bolted for the main room with my slamming against the concrete.
boots
The scene that greeted me was chaos. Club members were filing out the door, their cuts heavy with weapons. Guns, knives, chains…. they were armed for war.
My stomach dropped as I scanned the room looking for Logan, but I couldn’t see him in the crowd.
Abby was standing by the bar with Scarlett, Kayla and Ruby. Their expressions were grim.
I rushed over to them. My breath was coming in short, panicked gasps. “What’s going on?” I demanded.
Scarlett glanced to me. “The Russians,” she said simply.
“What about them?” I pressed, my voice rising.
She hesitated, then sighed. “Monty said they’re shipping something into the city tonight. The club’s going to intercept it.”
My stomach twisted. “What is it?”
“They don’t know,” she murmured, watching the last few men file out the door.
My feet were carrying me to the door before I knew what was happening. I couldn’t just stand around doing nothing… I had to find Logan before he left.
got there just in time to watch the entire club ride out of the lot and disappear into the night.
My hands clenched into fists at my sides, and I stormed back over to the bar. “I can’t believe he just-”
“Hailey,” Scarlett cut me off softly. “He’s not doing this to avoid you…. You know how this works. When the call goes out, they go. No questions.”
I stared at her, my chest heaving. It felt like the floor was falling out from under me. “But he didn’t even say goodbye.”
“He asked about you,” Ruby cut in. “He was looking for you. He looked… hurt. Like, emotionally.”
“They’ll be fine,” Kayla said, resting a hand on my arm. “They always are.”
I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe Ruby, that Logan tried to say goodbye to me before he left. But the knot in my stomach was only getting tighter.
I turned back to Scarlett. “What if something happens?”
Her eyes were soft now, and she reached out and squeezed my hand. “All we can do is wait and see. There’s no point in worrying about it now.”
Wait and see. The words echoed in my head, hollow and heavy. Thated them. Hated the helplessness that came with them.
It was eerily quiet now. Ruby walked to the jukebox and turned the music up loud. Scarlett went back behind the bar and started pouring shots for all of us.
Abby appeared next to me and pulled me into a hug. “He’ll be fine, Hails.”
I grabbed the shot Scarlett handed me and threw it back. The tequila burned its way through my chest, but it didn’t dull anything.
The music blared louder – a classic rock song Ruby had picked watched as she grabbed Kayla’s hand, pulling her onto the makeshift dance floor in the middle of the room.
It still felt too big, too empty in here without the club members filling it with their rough laughter and loud voices.
Ruby grabbed my hand and yanked me toward the dance floor, where Kayla was still swaying to the music. “Come on, Hailey,” she said, her grin wide and forced. “Dance with us. You’re not gonna sit here and brood all night.”
I shook my head, but Abby gave me a little shove from behind. “Go,” she said gently. “You’re not helping anyone by spiraling.”
Reluctantly, I grabbed the bottle of tequila off the bar and let Ruby pull me. The music was loud enough to drown out my thoughts, and it almost let me forget why we were all here.
Almost.
Ruby twirled Kayla around, laughing loud, and Scarlett joined us too. Abby lingered by the bar, sipping her drink and watching us with a smile.
“Abby,” I called, waving her over. “Get over here. If I have to dance, so do you!”
Abby rolled her eyes, but she set her glass down and joined us. Ruby grabbed her hands and spun her around, and soon Abby was laughing too.
I watched them, and my heart ached with a strange mix of relief and longing. It was odd to see my sister in this setting… my two worlds were colliding. But it was comforting, in a way.
It felt good to laugh, even if it was just a distraction. But every time I glanced at the door, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Logan was out there somewhere, and I didn’t know if he was okay.
Eventually, I slipped back to the bar with my bottle of tequila. Abby followed me, collapsing onto the stool next to mine as we watched them dance.
“You okay?” she asked, nudging me with her elbow..
“Not really,” I murmured. “This whole thing’s shitty timing, you know?”
She nodded, grabbing the bottle from me and taking a swig.
“So,” Ruby said, her voice cutting through the music as she danced her way back to the bar. She was grinning, and her black hair bounced with every step. “Abby, you gonna tell us what’s going on with you and River?”
I almost choked on my swig of tequila as I looked at Abby. Her cheeks were turning pink, and she stammered, “What? There’s nothing going on-”
“Oh, please,” Ruby said, laughing. “Don’t play coy. You two were flirting so hard earlier.”
My eyes went wide, and I made a face at her. “Wait, what? Abby River?”
Chapter 70
Scarlett was back, leaning in. “Yeah. You were practically glowing when he walked you inside.”
Abby groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Can we not talk about this?”
“No way,” Ruby said, grinning. “This is way more interesting than sitting here worrying about the guys. Come on, spill.”
Abby sighed. “Fine. He’s… nice. And funny. And maybe I flirted a little. Happy?”
“Abby,” I started, but my voice cracked. I cleared my throat and tried again. “Are you serious? River?”
She glared at me, and her cheeks were turning red again. “Don’t start, Hailey. It’s nothing. Just… I don’t know. He’s nice, okay? And I’m not exactly in the best headspace right now either
I nodded, understanding more than I wanted to admit. “Yeah. I get that.”
Ruby leaned in, grinning again. “Nice, huh? I saw the way he was looking at you. Like a hungry wolf staring at a chihuahua.”
“Oh my god,” Abby muttered, dragging a hand through her hair. You’re all assholes.”
The laughter died in my throat when the rumble of engines echoed through the clubhouse. I froze, and my heart was pounding as I turned toward the door.
The music seemed too loud now, grating on my nerves.
The door swung open, and the first few men walked in. Their faces were grim. Their cuts were smeared with dirt and what looked like… blood.
My stomach dropped as I scanned the crowd frantically, searching for Logan.
Then I saw him.
He was limping, with his arms slung over River and Link’s shoulders. His face was pale, his jaw clenched tight against what had to be pain.
His curls were matted with sweat, and his t–shirt was tied tight around his left thigh.
His jeans were stained red.
My vision tunneled.
“Logan.”
I barely heard my own voice over the sound of my heart breaking.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
