Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
AYDA
Deeks had grumbled under his breath all the way back to The Hut.
Autumn sat up front with him—a calming presence when he was agitated like this.
I knew that a lot of his heightened emotions came from the memories of what had happened the last time Autumn and I had been that close to a Nav, and I couldn’t blame him for reacting that way. They weren’t my idea of fun either.
I wasn’t sure what this meant for Libby after seeing her with Rosie. All I’d managed to obtain had been that Rosie had been snuggled up to a Nav, and she’d looked more than comfortable.
Talk about a shitstorm.
We’d been halfway between Waco and Babylon when I’d noticed the flash of chrome behind us.
From the flicker of Deeks’ eyes in the rearview, he’d noticed it, too.
I’d felt the subtle shift in our speed, the growing tension in his shoulders and his glances at both Autumn and I as he assessed how much he could do to save us if the shit hit the fan.
We were being followed.
Whoever Rosie had been with, he hadn’t been there alone.
I guess the thought should have occurred to me the moment we’d seen them together in the cafe, but I’d been too shocked by what was going on in front of me to really think about anything but the implications that her association with the Navs had.
I’d also been stupid enough to not take in my surroundings outside of Deeks, Autumn, and the van.
From the appearance of the bike tailing us about three cars back, I had to assume that this guy had been paying attention and, he’d not only noticed us but recognized us, too.
I wasn’t scared like I probably should have been. I knew Deeks would never let him get close to the van, and as we passed into the Babylon border, I could have kissed him for it.
The moment we pulled into the yard of The Hut, I was on my feet and yanking the door of the van open, forcing a bark of surprise from Deeks as the vehicle came to a stop, and I slipped out at a dead run, hefting the door closed in my momentum.
The Hut was pretty much empty when I entered, blinking away the dots caused by the bright light from the sunny day.
There were a few of the girls lounging around sleepily, and Tate was behind the bar, a beer halfway to his mouth and his wide eyes on me.
I glanced around, noting the door to the war room was closed.
I barreled toward it, not even bothering to announce myself as I pushed into the sanctity of the room.
The moment the door was out of the way, all eyes were on me. This wasn’t normally my style of entry to any room, and the moment I met Drew’s eyes, the words formed without a cohesive thought about the reaction they would get.
“Navs were in Waco. One of them followed us back,” I breathed out, hand on my stomach as I tried to suck in air.
Drew’s eyes landed on my stomach, the small V of worry forming between his brows before he finally looked up at my face.
He was out of his chair in a second, the sharp scrape of the heavy wood against the floor making me wince.
“Fuck, are you okay?” he ground out as he came closer, his hands finding the tops of my arms.
“Winded.” I took a breath and spared a glance at the other guys who were in varying states of shock—some half out of their seats as they waited for more intel.
“We were heading to another store when I glanced in a coffee shop and saw one of them—a Nav—in there cozying up with Rosie Sullivan. Remember… that Hound Whore I told you about? But I didn’t think to look closer and see if the Nav had backup.
We just headed straight back to tell you. That’s when we caught him on our tail.”
Drew glanced up at the men, each of them focused on him—awaiting his instruction. I didn’t know what passed between them all, but between one blink and the next, Drew’s jaw had tensed and he’d given a curt nod that made Slater, Kenny, and Moose move while the others stayed in place.
The three men marched past me, making their way through the bar to the yard.
“Ayda?” Drew said my name softly, drawing my attention back to him. “I’m gonna need you to take a deep breath for me, okay, darlin’?”
The sound of his voice helped my brain catch up with the rest of me.
I’d been so determined to get in here and tell them what was going on that everything else had been pushed to the side, including basic bodily functions.
I drew in a long breath through my nose, held it for a second and released again, calming my panting breaths enough to find a normal pattern.
Hiding my grimace, I met Drew’s eyes and nodded with more confidence.
“I’m good.”
“Good. That’s good. Now, can you tell me where Deeks is?” he asked, and I knew he was trying to control his anger at me for being there alone.
“He was still trying to park when I jumped out of the van,” I said sheepishly. “He’s probably on his way in now.”
I didn’t want him to be upset with Deeks who had been pretty amazing, considering the white knuckle ride we’d just made back here in record time without being pulled over by a State Trooper or Nav.
Drew stepped back, his eyes widening. “You did what out of the what now? Because I know I didn’t just hear you say you jumped out of a moving van.”
“Moving was an extreme exaggeration. It was more of a smooth rolling stop really.” I put my hand on his chest and ignored the other half dozen sets of eyes trained on me. “I landed on both feet just fine,” I whispered.
I watched as he stepped back from me, dropping one hand to his hip while he pushed his other fist to his mouth and tried to keep whatever he had to say inside him.
His eyes were sure to set fire to me he was glaring that intensely until he finally let his eyelids drop for just a moment before he looked back up at Jedd who was still standing over his seat at the table.
“So help me God, this woman will be the death of me,” he mumbled behind his fist.
I didn’t want to antagonize the situation more than I’d already done, but I also didn’t appreciate the kid gloves returning. I wasn’t made of glass.
“I’m fine. I knew what I was doing, and I wasn’t at risk. I saw a risk in Waco and I made my way back here. I did everything you asked of me.”
His gaze drifted down to my stomach, nostrils flaring before he let out a sigh and refused to make eye contact.
“Fine.” Drew looked back at Jedd and was just about to open his mouth to say something when Kenny’s voice rang out through The Hut.
“Pres! Get out here!” he called.
“Shit,” Jedd groaned.
In the blink of an eye, the rest of them were moving through The Hut with urgency.
I stayed where I was, waiting for Drew to make the first move.
I didn’t want to hide this time. I didn’t want to stand behind Drew and peek out to see the threat like I had done during his first confrontation with Chester Cortez, but I also wasn’t going to put him in a situation that could make matter worse.
“Give me a gun, just don’t make me stay in here,” I whispered.
He stared at me, his jaw ticking and anger rising. Kenny’s voice called out to him again, and Drew shook his head before he began to move in the same direction as the men.
“I’d never ask you to stay if you didn’t want to, but you can find a gun yourself, Ayda.
If that’s what you want to do out there, fine, but don’t ask me to put one in your hand and plant you and my baby into the middle of a fight now.
It isn’t just about you and me anymore. It’s about that child.
The last thing I want is our baby standing in the midst of this, but it’s your body and your mind.
Do whatever your gut is telling you to do.
I’d never ask anything else of you. How can I now?
This is so far beyond my realm of expertise, I haven’t got a fucking clue anymore. ”
“No gun then,” I said as agreeably as I could, my hands palm up as I sensed his disapproval.
I’d thought it was a fair compromise. Something that would set his mind at ease, not agitate him further.
With the tension already rising, it was a stupid inclination.
“I don’t want to be in any kind of fight.
Not with this baby inside of me. I promise you.
I will leave long before any of that even becomes a concern.
If something should happen—if that asshole out there tries to start something, all I ask is that you look after yourself, okay?
I will be long gone protecting the two of us. ”
I put my hand on my stomach so he would understand.
“I haven’t died yet, have I?” He managed to smirk, despite his irritation.
“Keep up the good work. We need you.” I let my eyes flicker to the yard and back again.
“Pres!” Kenny called, just as Deeks came stumbling toward the war room.
“I gotta go,” Drew said quietly.
I nodded my head in the direction of the door and gave him a small smile, reassuring him. We had no idea what was waiting for us out there, but I’d meant every word of my promise. The first sign of real trouble and I would flee.
Drew gave me one last lingering look before tugging his cut down and heading to the door.
I followed him, stopping just as the light ate him up and chased the last of the darkness from my vision. I was outside, but only just, my back against the wall next to the door, ready to make an escape should it be necessary.