Chapter Thirty-Five
Sadie
The tension in Luna’s living room is so tight that I half expect it to become a sentient object intent on strangling everyone within reach.
I naturally reach out for James, not caring if he’s had the opportunity to tell anyone about us.
Thankfully, he accepts my hand and even pulls me closer so my back is flush against his chest. A few people give us curious looks, but no one dares comment on something as trivial as who their vice president is currently fucking.
I’ve been on edge since Ev got that call earlier, and it’s only gotten worse since learning what's going on. It’s not even the knowledge that Bowie threatened me, because that’s not surprising. It’s the news about Shiloh.
How do I help James with this? Or June and Theo? This isn’t something I can fix. I’m so out of my depth I’m sure I’ll drown. But even hinting at uncertainty wouldn’t help, so I’ll fall back on the most reliable method I have.
Fake confidence and pray it’ll eventually become real.
Except it doesn’t feel as unnatural as it used to.
“Everyone is still alive,” James says, voice flat.
“You were gone less than ten minutes. Give it time,” Luna says.
Theo glares in her direction, but there’s not much heat in the look. She’s giving him a tiny taste of normalcy with the joke, something that I’m sure he doesn’t even realize he needs.
“Ev and Rose?” June asks.
“Still downstairs. Ace is with Ev.”
She frowns, and I shrug as best I can with James’s arm around me. He keeps it there, thumb lightly rubbing my shoulder, as he asks, “What did I miss?”
“We’re going to call the other chapters,” Theo says. “And any available nomads.”
“There are more Saints chapters?” I ask.
“Three,” James answers. “Las Vegas, Albuquerque, and Salt Lake City.”
“Why haven’t you called them yet?” The question leaves my lips before I can stop it. The honest answer probably has a lot to do with pride and wanting to prove they can handle their own shit, and no one will admit to that.
“It wasn’t necessary yet,” Theo says. Except then he looks briefly at June, and I realize the actual reason has more to do with his desire to protect her.
Until now, the core reason for this conflict with the South Five had to do with June killing that Fiver.
Bringing in other chapters would’ve meant more people learning about her.
Maybe they could have after Matthew was killed, but people still would’ve had questions about what started this.
Now, though, it’s about much more. Most of my knowledge about outlaw motorcycle clubs may come from TV, but I imagine learning a gang was responsible for killing the president’s daughter would be reason enough for every chapter to descend on this city like the eleventh plague.
“If they all come, we won’t be as outnumbered,” Raph says.
“The problem is, as soon as the first chapter arrives, news will spread fast. By end of day, every Fiver and cop in the city will know we’ve called in reinforcements. The cops will focus all their attention on us,” James says.
I notice June tenses slightly, and Theo presses a quick kiss to the top of her head.
The door opens then, and Ace strides in.
I barely saw him earlier when he approached Evelyn, so now is the first time I really get a look at him.
My first thought is, he’s what they mean when they say the devil is beautiful.
He’s one of the most attractive men I’ve ever seen in real life. A lethal type of beauty.
He pauses, eyes sweeping over the whole room. His gaze slows as he studies me, then stops on June. Theo pulls her closer even as she holds Ace’s gaze with a fierce determination.
Then he nods and turns to James. “I’ll take care of the cops. I have plenty of favors I can call in.”
“You have favors with the cops?” Luna asks.
“I have favors with everyone who matters.”
“You don’t have any with me,” she says.
He doesn’t reply, instead lifts an eyebrow, as if letting his previous words do the speaking.
Luna doesn’t appear the least bit offended. “Yeah, total bad boy FBI vibes.”
“We still need a plan to draw out Bowie,” Raph says.
“Killing him won’t be enough,” Valor says. “We need to weaken the Fivers enough that they won’t be able to retaliate.”
“Interrupting drug shipments will help,” Luna says. “Did you get any helpful information out of those two Fivers you caught?”
Theo nods. “Some. They’re expanding into the skin trade. Funneling money into their strip clubs and using Romancers to bring in more girls.”
“Of course, they are,” Luna mutters.
“Wait, Romancers?” I speak up, causing everyone to turn my way.
“They’re like pimps,” Luna explains. “They lure women in with their charm, then convince them to work for him. By the time they realize it was a trap, it’s too late.”
A nagging feeling that I’ve heard this before fills my mind, but I can’t remember from where. The conversation continues, but I don’t hear anything as I struggle to pull the memory free. It’s like attempting to figure out the name of a song when all you can remember is two seconds of instrumentals.
Then it hits me, and I barely manage to keep in my gasp.
But James must feel a change in my body, because he leans down and quietly asks, “Are you okay?”
I just nod, not wanting to give voice to my realization, and the resulting idea, quite yet. After all, the chance that it would work is slim.
Slim but not zero.
I smile, meeting June’s eyes as I whisper quiet enough for only James to hear, “I might have a way to catch more flies.”
~
An hour later, there’s still not an obvious end to the meeting. Since there’s no chance James will let me out of his sight tonight, I text Benny, asking him to pick up Soot for me. His reply is instantaneous, asking if I need him to watch Soot tonight.
I should probably say yes, but the idea of sleeping without him fills me with dread. Even with James next to me, I know I’ll need the comfort only Soot can provide.
James is now standing by Theo, and I’m sitting with June on the two unbroken kitchen bar stools. Not wanting to interrupt the conversation, I lean toward my best friend and ask in a quiet whisper, “Think we’re sleeping at the Adonises’ tonight?”
“Definitely,” she says. “They’re not letting us out of sight.”
“Theo isn’t allergic to dogs is he?”
She smirks, shaking her head. Then, even quieter, she whispers, “6811.” At my questioning look she says, “The code to their house.”
“I love you so much.”
She just winks before returning her attention to the room at large. I text Benny directions for what to grab from my house and tell him to take Soot to Theo’s. Then I open our girls’ group chat to read the unread texts from Evelyn and Rose.
ROSIE POSIE
Where the hell did you two go?
Jk. The cute gay one told me you’re upstairs with the officers.
Fancy pants girls with their fancy pants officer boyfriends.
MADAM EV
Rose, you can’t call people ‘the gay one.’
ROSIE POSIE
Shall I remind you that I, too, am gay?
At least I called him cute.
Also where the hell are you, Ev?
MADAM EV
Coming back. I think we’re staying here tonight.
ROSIE POSIE
What? Why? This place is gross and full of boys.
MADAM EV
Just to be extra safe. Don’t worry, apparently the apartment above the garage belongs to two girls. We’ll sleep there.
ROSIE POSIE
Sleepover with Luna?! I’m okay with that.
Wait… safe from what? Should I call Vanessa?
MADAM EV
If you want, but she’ll be fine.
ROSIE POSIE
And we won’t be? What’s going on? Where are you? Why are you in the know but I’m not?
I feel left out
You guys hate me
*Squidward Alone Gif*
MADAM EV
I’m coming back to the house. I’ll explain.
ROSIE POSIE
This is fucked, guys.
Rose’s last text was sent nearly half an hour after Evelyn’s. Since I have no idea what Evelyn told her, attempting to read tone and meaning into Rose’s text is a pointless endeavor that I nonetheless attempt anyway. Is she mad? Scared? Worried?
Over the years, I’ve wanted desperately for June to trust me enough to share all aspects of her life.
Then, when the Saints were brought in, my desire to help and be involved only grew.
I never once wondered how that would affect our two other best friends, beyond the obvious worry about Ev and June’s strained relationship.
Before I can reply, June distracts me by saying, “Sadie and I know her. We’ll get in contact with her.”
Confused, I look up and try to appear like I know exactly what we’re talking about by nodding.
“Who is she?” Raph asks.
“It doesn’t matter,” June instantly says. “We’ll talk to her.”
“Why can’t we know who she is?”
“Because you don’t have to.”
“But—”
“No, Raph,” June bites out. “If she wanted you to know who she is, she would tell you. Now drop it.”
He holds his hands up, palms out in surrender. Luna laughs and pats him on the back in commiseration. I notice Ace has his eyes trained on June in an oddly intense way, and my back straightens, like I need to be on alert.
Leaning closer to June, I whisper, “What’s going on?”
“They need Maple’s help.”
“Ah, okay.” Nodding, I lean back. Maple is probably the most secretive person I know. She’s probably already cursing us for getting her as involved as we have.
The meeting drags for another hour. I start planning how to slip out without anyone noticing, when Theo says they’ll continue in the morning.
“Yeah, and maybe not in my half-destroyed living room?” Luna suggests.
“Sorry, Lu,” Theo says. “Kip will come fix it tomorrow.”
Kip doesn’t argue. In fact, the look on his face suggests he won’t be arguing with Theo about anything for a while.
He heads out first, followed by Raph, Valor, and Daryus. When it’s just the five of us left, I tug Luna to me for a hug. “I hear you’re having guests tonight.”
“Yeah, Rose texted me earlier. I guess you two won’t be sticking around for the sleepover?”
I glance back at James, who glares at Luna before grabbing my arms and pulling me to him. I laugh, patting his forearm. “He’s practicing his possessive book boyfriend abilities.”
“Soon, he’ll be growling,” June adds.
“Oh, trust me, he already does. It’s very Geralt of him.”
She tilts her head as if thinking hard. “He seems more like a Roy Kent growler.”
Clapping my hands, I jump and point at her before shouting, “Yes! Oh, my god, that’s who it is. How did I not think of that?”
“What is happening?” Theo mutters.
“Just ignore it,” James replies.
With a laugh, June and I exchange goodbyes with Luna before following the guys back downstairs. As we near the bottom, I spot Ace once again talking to Evelyn. Leaning closer to June, I mutter, “Speaking of a Roy Kent…”
“Yeah, what’s his issue?” she asks.
With no answer to that, I jump the last few steps and head over to Ev.
She seems on edge, which isn’t surprising, but then she hugs us both and tells us to be safe, adding that she’ll see us tomorrow.
The lack of argument about our sleeping arrangements tonight—and the reasons for them—are surprising.
“I’m staying at the clubhouse tonight,” Ace announces. From the look James and Theo share, that’s also surprising news.
The house’s front door flies open and Rose shouts, “There you guys are!” Running over, she skids to a stop next to Evelyn, crossing her arms. “When were you guys going to tell me about the dangerous gang attempting to run your boyfriends out of town?”
I intentionally avoid looking at June. While that’s not the whole truth, it’s enough of it not to argue with.
“We didn’t even know it was as big of a deal as it is until tonight,” June says, stretching the truth to near breaking point.
“Don’t worry, we’re dealing with it,” Theo says. “You guys staying here is just a precaution.”
“How long will this precaution last?”
“Hopefully not long.”
“Hopefully,” Rose repeats, rolling her eyes. “Ev, I feel like you’ve earned the right to say, ‘Told you so.’”
I wince, but Evelyn just shakes her head. Without looking at Ace, who is standing barely an inch behind her, she walks forward, heading for the garage apartment. “Come on, Rose!” she shouts back.
Rose gives both of us hugs, says, “Love you,” then races after Evelyn.
“Want to explain that?” Theo asks Ace.
He just grunts before disappearing into the house.
June and I look at each other before giggling. Neither of us has to say it to hear what we’re thinking.
James grabs my hand, pulling me to his bike. He hands me a giant helmet and says, “I don't have one for you yet, so you can wear this.”
Eyeing the bike, I bite my lip.
“Do you want to walk?” he asks, noticing my hesitation. “The house is less than a mile away.”
Lifting my shoulders, I accept the helmet and shake my head. “It’ll be fun.”
He smirks and climbs on the bike, patting the seat behind him. I slide on and hold his middle as tight as I can.
The short ride doesn’t give me enough time to decide if it was fun. I think, with time, I could learn to enjoy the adrenaline that lingers after climbing off the bike. And I probably should if I intend to date James for the foreseeable future.
“Those thirty seconds were the best I’ve ever spent on a bike,” James says, draping an arm over my shoulders. My cheeks burn and my stomach erupts with the pleasant flapping of wings.
When I was with Carson, I thought the flutter I felt in my stomach was butterflies.
But whatever sensation he caused was uncomfortable compared to what I feel with James.
The nerves men have always given me were wasps parading as butterflies.
They were subtle warnings. Threats to behave perfectly right if I wanted to keep the man causing them.
Only now do I realize how soft the wings could be. I didn’t know it should feel magical, like the butterflies were teaching me how to fly. Like they’ve always lived inside of me and were simply waiting to feel safe enough to emerge from their cocoons and finally be admired.
We’re a few steps away from the front porch when Theo opens the door and steps inside.
A second later, he shouts, “Why the fuck is there a horse in my house?”