Chapter 25 Laura
TWENTY-FIVE
LAURA
My skin pebbled with nerves and excitement.
The lights in the room were bright and centered on the stage as I watched from behind the curtain. Callie, Wes, Natty and Giles were seated in the back row, and Killian was at a table right in front of the stage.
Natty and Callie had called in the girls’ night promise, and when Killian had found out, he was too excited to hear me sing to let me back out of it.
Tonight, I wore a pair of denim jeans that flared over my cowboy boots and a small, cropped tank lay underneath my property patch.
It was my first time wearing it in public, and while I was nervous, I was also excited.
Callie wore hers, and with Giles, Wes and Killian all in theirs, our little group certainly changed the vibe of the room.
Jack was in the back smiling at me, encouraging me to continue.
When the announcer mentioned my stage name, I nearly died of embarrassment. Especially when Killian’s head tipped back in laughter. Shit, should have thought about that part.
Oh well.
I walked out, and Killian stood to clap, smiling so wide that I nearly started crying.
I’d never had people who loved me like this before. Never a core group of friends, or people who would show up to something like this on my behalf.
With that in mind, my fingers moved over the keys, and I played “Stand by Me,” singing with my lips spread into a smile as I closed my eyes.
The song erupted and came from my chest like a sacrifice, my lungs burning and my insides shaking as I continued to the next song. David Buckley’s “Hallelujah,” and finally one of the newer songs from Jessie Murph.
By the end, the crowd was a riot, all on their feet, clapping and cheering. Killian jumped on the stage, and I was pulled into his arms with his lips at my ear.
“You were fucking incredible, Daisy. I’m so proud of you. My heart nearly stopped when you started singing ‘Hallelujah.’”
Mine did too. He was in my head as I pulled the darkness out of those hidden parts of my soul and left it all in the song.
Natty and Callie were there next, waiting for us as I exited the stage.
We were all on a high. We did two rounds of drinks, tipping extra for my favorite bartender, before we finally scaled those metal steps and exited into the cold November night.
Since there was only street parking, we had to walk down a block to get to our trucks. Giles and Natty rode with us, but Wes and Callie had brought their own vehicle.
The stringed lights from the front of The Hollow aided us against the dark night but once we cleared the yard, we had to navigate with only a few streetlights overhead.
I was tucked under Killian’s arm listening as Giles prattled on about how dumb he felt, not knowing about The Hollow’s existence when all the sudden, there was glass shattering on the road next to us.
It seemed to come out of nowhere. We faltered, our eyes darting down to the road, trying to make sense of the broken bottle, and then up.
Where had it come from?
We were standing in a particularly dark patch of street, seeing as the furthest street light wasn’t even on. Killian hesitantly continued forward, pulling me with him when suddenly there was another bottle that shattered directly in front of us.
I stepped back right as Killian roared, “Giles, Wes, get them in the center.”
I was being pushed into the middle of the street with Callie and Natty as the men surrounded us, facing every direction, each one with a weapon pulled and pointed in the directions they each faced.
The shattering stopped, but peering through the men around us, I saw an orange flicker from the direction of where the bottles came.
“Are those…” I whispered, still unsure if I was seeing what I was seeing.
Another glass bottle flew through the air, this one on fire.
“Fuck!” Killian yelled right as it landed near us. The glass sprayed so close, it hit my jeans.
“Get them in the truck, now!” Wes screamed, and Giles moved.
The torches being held down the road began multiplying and moving. As did the number of glass bottles being thrown at us.
We all piled into Callie’s rig, Giles taking the driver’s seat.
“Keys are in my purse, just hit the start button!” she yelled, hanging onto the handlebar above her head.
“Everyone down. If they lob something at the car, I don’t want you to get hit.”
We did as we were told, but I stole one last glance at Killian through the window. He was aiming his firearm straight ahead, while backing up toward his truck before Giles had us turned in the opposite direction and heading to safety.
There was a wildness in Giles’s eyes as he continued to check his rearview mirror. I held Callie’s hand, and she held Natty’s. We were still ducked down low in the seats when all the sudden the sound of another car revving its engine was right next to us.
Natty screamed as they veered the nose of their car directly next to where she was sitting.
“Shit,” Giles yelled.
“Hold on, girls.” He pulled the car to the side by tilting the steering wheel, forcing the one trying to hit us off the road.
It seemed to work at first, but then someone was driving up next to us on the opposite side where I was sitting. My heart hammered in my chest as I watched the driver, who was wearing a wolf mask, jerk the wheel so their car hit ours.
My eyes slammed shut right as a familiar truck hit that car from behind, forcing it off the road.
I sat up and turned, seeing it was Killian’s truck. His headlights made it difficult to make anything out, but I could see Wes was in the passenger seat.
Relief sailed through me as they took the spot next to us on the highway, so no one else could.
We drove like that, all of us breathing heavy while Giles continued to flick his gaze from the rear-view mirror to the road.
The sound of a motorcycle broke the silence. We watched a singular headlight appear on the opposite side of our car, navigating down the middle turn lane. The bike kept pace, so it was directly next to Natty’s door.
I looked over, but couldn’t make out the rider. Not until he pulled ahead a tiny bit and the back of his leather jacket revealed his affiliation.
Death Raider.
The back didn’t reveal his name, but I knew it was Silas.
Natty became motionless when she caught sight of him.
She released a shuddery breath when ten more Death Raiders came up behind him, all taking up that middle lane.
They rode with us all the way back to the club and then continued past the property when both of our vehicles had made it safely through the gates.
“Daisy, pack a bag, you’re sleeping in the main house tonight.”
Killian’s first words to me in what felt like hours had my frozen limbs moving. When we’d arrived, we huddled inside the main room of the club, ensuring everyone was safe. Killian had a cut on his face, and Wes had one on his arm, but otherwise, there were no casualties.
“Where will you be?” I asked, tugging on the edge of his leather cut. His arm was around me, but his gaze was distant.
When he didn’t reply, Natty let out a scoff before standing from the couch she was on.
“They’re all going to die tonight.”
My head snapped over to where she was standing, so did Callie’s.
Natty’s somber expression didn’t change as she continued, “He will kill every single one of them. I’m assuming Wes and Killian will go too. The attack on their women can’t go unpunished.”
No one said anything. I watched my friend, knowing she was speaking of Silas, but still unsure why she wasn’t saying his name.
“Callie, Laura, you can sleep in my room tonight,” she finished before walking up the stairs.
Killian pressed a kiss against my temple and then took my hand, guiding me back to the apartment.
Before we walked out, I saw Callie and Wes in an argument.
I was almost positive she didn’t want him to go, and I didn’t blame her.
I didn’t want Killian to either, but I also knew it would go against his nature not to.
“Will you promise me that you’ll be careful?” I asked as I packed my things.
He ran a hand through his hair, clearly feeling agitated.
“Killian.”
He still didn’t respond.
“Promise me.”
“Only if you promise me not to go to The Hollow again, and you can’t wear your cut in public anymore.”
I nearly laughed because the idea of finally having his name on my back, and now having to give it up was ludicrous. “Then you don’t wear yours anymore.”
“I’m serious, Daisy.”
“I’m serious, Killian. I will if you do.”
He shook his head. “I don’t have time for this. Get your shit, and go over to the main house.”
With that, he walked out and slammed the door shut.