Chapter Twenty-Seven
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
GEMMA
“You won’t even walk a girl to her door?” Bonnie asks, her hand on the SUV door.
I swallow. “Bonnie, if I walk you to that door, I won’t walk away from it, and I don’t think you’re ready.”
Her jaw tightens like she knows I’m right.
“Do you need me to take you to lunch tomorrow to meet your dad?” I ask.
“He’s just meeting me at the cafe on the corner,” she answers. “Will you be far?”
I pause to think of my plans. Still…
“I’m never too far to come back to you.”
I cut the engine on my bike as I think about leaving her yesterday afternoon. We did another hike after leaving the observatory, and every time she laughed, smiled, or teased me, I lost a little more of myself. I don’t think either of us was ready to let go of the other’s company. I often wondered if she was holding on to me as I was her—desperate not to think about the phone call that nearly broke us both the day before.
And more than once, I wanted to tell her the truth.
I think it’s almost over. I think I’m tiring of hiding, even if I love the thrill as much as she does.
Soon .
I’ll tell her soon.
I don’t know if it’s a good idea to tell her before the festival run is over or wait until it would be easier for her to avoid me. I don’t want anything to come between protecting her or the band, or give them any reason not to trust me…
Shit.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out to find Kade’s name across the screen.
“What do you have for me?” I answer through my helmet.
“Where are you?” Kade asks.
“I’m at the address you gave me earlier,” I say, glancing toward the apartment building. “This is where the twins are, right?”
“Yeah. Are you sure you want to take care of this?” he asks.
My eyes narrow. “Reed is my client.”
“Yeah, but this is something Liam could handle,” he argues.
I sigh and toy with my gloves. “Maybe I’m looking for something easy.”
“What if I had something better?”
I perk slightly. “Go on.”
“Rad is messaging Reed again.”
I almost lose my balance. “Why the hell didn’t you lead with that?”
“Eh. Foreplay is important,” he says nonchalantly.
“Ass.”
“I’m joking,” he insists. “Just come by here.”
I glance at the opening door of the complex I’m parked in the garage behind, only to find the two I’m here for exiting. God, these are the guys who think they’re better for Wren than Reed?
Fucking pathetic.
I’m about to make them piss themselves. “Yeah, okay. You have me here, right?”
“Yeah, I have you. Be quick.”
“Got it,” I say to Kade before hanging up.
I’ve already clocked the cameras in the corners and noted the vacant spaces around their car.
Time to get to work.
I get off my bike, push my belt bag over my chest, helmet remaining on my head, and start toward them. I’m counting on them noticing me behind them, counting on their fear to spike so I can see what they’ll do.
The one with longer hair is the first to observe me. He nudges his brother’s side, jerking his chin my way. The second pivots and narrows his brows, obviously unsure of why someone in all black and a biker helmet is following them, then turns back around as if he thinks they should just ignore me.
So cute.
They turn by a car I know isn’t theirs and head up the ramp. I take the opportunity to maneuver through the lot outside of their view, taking my un-extended baton from my bag. When they don’t see me behind them, they appear relieved and even turn back toward their car.
And every step in its direction is faster.
Good boys.
That’s what I like to see.
They’re five cars away from theirs when I appear behind them again, and this time, the color drains from their faces. I swing the baton in my hand so that it extends. The short-haired one bolts, leaving the other in the dust. The second pulls something from his pocket—pepper spray, I realize.
He whips around with it, and I simply stand there as it repels off my visor.
Nice try.
His eyes widen as if he’s realizing mid-stream how fucking dumb of a move he just pulled. The spray drops to the ground. He turns on his heel.
I catch the backs of his knees with my baton.
His legs sweep out from under him. He lands flat on his back, passing out when his head smacks the ground. I grab his leg so I can drag him toward the car his brother is practically flailing toward.
“Ah! Predator! Attacker! I’m being robbed! Help—”
I prop the unconscious one up against the railing in front of the car so I can keep an eye on him as the other leaps into the driver’s seat. I pull the passenger handle before the conscious one can lock the doors, and as I slide into the car, he throws his hands up and begins speaking so quickly and in such a high-pitched voice that it makes my eye twitch.
Oh my god.
Shut up.
I pull my gun out and press the barrel to his forehead.
His lips zip, and I let out a relieved breath.
“What… what do you want?” he eventually asks, tears rolling down his cheeks.
I wipe one of them away with the tip of the gun. “Shh… It isn’t that serious. Stop blubbering,” I say, stroking his face. “I just want to talk.”
“I haven’t done anything—My brother used to cheat on his college exams. That’s it. That’s all—”
“You think this is about cheating on your college exams?” I ask, huffing. “Don’t make me laugh. Colleges can’t afford me.”
“I don’t know! I haven’t done anything!”
I take the gun away from his head and point it at his brother. “Are you sure?”
“Wait—no—No, I swear that’s it!”
It’s easy to slip my knife from the bag around my chest, and when I sit the tip beneath his chin, he chokes on a sob.
“ We haven’t done anything —”
“Wren Kelly,” I say, tilting my head.
He shuts up in the midst of his mewling, and thank fuck for the helmet on my head so he can’t see the smug look on my face.
“Wr—Wren?” he manages.
“Don’t say her name like some love-drunk teenager,” I snap.
His lips press together like he’s terrified to speak, and I go on, flicking away another tear from his cheek with my blade.
“I will say this once: she’s not your business. Neither is Reed Matthews. She does not belong to you. You do not need to save her. She is perfectly happy and safe where she is. She does not even know you exist, and she never will. If either of their names come from you or your brother’s mouths ever again, I will not be this nice. Do you understand me?”
He gulps and nods.
“Speak,” I demand.
He flinches hard and shrinks into the seat. “Y-yes. Yes, I understand. Please don’t hurt me.”
“You will not make any more videos about them or contact Wren’s beloved sister either,” I go on. “They are all dead as far as you are concerned.”
“O-okay. Okay ,” he manages.
I almost feel bad for him.
It’s clearly his first time being in this situation.
My head tilts as I peer his feeble figure over. “Do you know what happens if I have to tell you twice?” I ask, slowly dragging the dull side of the knife down his cheek.
“I die?” he squeaks.
“I start with body parts,” I say.
His eyes widen, and for a few moments, we remain silent. I want him to sit with this fear, memorize it as his life flashes behind his eyes. I want him to feel the tip of this blade and be so terrified of it coming in contact with the rest of his body that the mere sight of Wren Kelly makes him want to vomit.
His lips are curving downward, another spiral beginning. I jerk forward, and he screams, tucking his head underneath his hands.
That’ll do.
I pull the knife away, making sure to leave a cut on his jaw behind, and exit the vehicle.
“It was not a pleasure doing business with you,” I say.
“Wait—” He lunges at the door before I can shut it. “My brother… is he okay?”
“Ice on the backs of his legs and some ibuprofen. He’ll be fine,” I tell him before pivoting on my heel to walk away.
I’m tucking my gun away when I feel my phone vibrating. Knife still in hand, I tuck it under my arm so I can press the answer button, then send the call to my helmet.
My heart skips a little at the picture Bonnie added as her contact photo yesterday.
“Hey,” I say as I lean on my bike. “Do you already miss me?”
Bonnie’s laughter makes my knees weak. “I mean, I might,” she says.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“I was wondering what time we’re leaving tomorrow,” she replies.
“Whenever you want,” I say. “I can be there at sunrise.”
“What about before sunrise?” she asks. “What if we watched it come up while driving south?”
I chuckle, stomach twisting. “If that’s what you want.”
“Yeah, that’s what I want,” she says. “Where are you?”
“Running errands… How was lunch with your dad?”
I glance a few rows over to where I left the twins, making sure they’re both still there, and didn’t follow me to my bike. And when I can see them, I start walking my bike toward the exit.
“It was nice,” she says. “Anyway, I… We got back, and I was bored out of my fucking mind, so I thought I’d see what you were doing.”
You don’t want to know what I’m doing.
“If the guys heard you saying this, they’d tell you to move your shit already,” I tell her.
“Yeah, yeah. Maybe that’s what I can do this afternoon. Start packing,” she says.
“I think that sounds like a great plan,” I say, reaching the exit.
“Yeah… If you get done with your errands, you could come over and help me,” she goes on.
God, that’s cute.
“We’ll see,” I say. “I’ll text you later.”
“What if I need you before later?” she asks.
I can’t help my chuckle. “Then you text me.”
There’s a pause, and I can almost hear her smiling as she says, “Bye, Gem.”
“Goodbye, Bonnie.”
I end the call with a heavy sigh, head hanging as I will my heart to slow the fuck down.
BONNIE
Have you found anything?
It’s been barely twenty minutes since I got off the phone with her, and in those twenty minutes, she’s already decided to turn to her stalker for answers. I never anticipated that it would hurt like this—that I would feel betrayed by my own mask, my own doings.
Something.
Are you okay?
No.
I’m scared.
Fuck.
I clench my jaw, staring at the word that strikes another level of fear inside me.
Scared…
I want to tell my security team.
But I need to know if I should. If you’re taking care of it, I won’t.
Not yet.
Nausea quakes my insides at her messages. It rocks me on my feet, and I have to lean against the wall to keep my balance. Staring at the phone, I want to tell her she should, though I know—as her stalker—that wouldn’t seem like something I’d tell her to do.
I have you, rockstar.
Give me time.
I’m going back to the studio tomorrow.
Radio Eleven is next week.
I’ll find them regardless of where you are.
No one touches you except me.
I don’t bother knocking on Kade’s door when I reach it.
“Where is he?” I ask, storming into the apartment.
“Afternoon,” Kade says.
“Kade, please,” I almost beg.
I stalk over to Kade’s computer setup, my gaze immediately going to the corner showing one of the cameras in Bonnie’s apartment. She’s sitting in the middle of her bed, staring at her phone like she’s thinking about responding.
I just want to hold her and tell her I’ll make it all okay.
“Has anyone else called her?” I ask him.
“No. She’s just been going through her things today,” he replies. He clicks over to one of Reed’s social media accounts where I can clearly see Rad’s username across the top of the screen.
TheRealDrummer85
Come hang, man.
I miss you.
You don’t need the rest of them to come see a friend.
There’s a photo attached between the messages, and I can clearly see a couple of women in the back on a stage with poles and neon lights surrounding them.
“He’s trying to get Reed to a strip club?” I ask. “Fucking idiot. What’s the name?”
“It’s more like a rave. Amateur Night tonight. Reed is doing a good job blowing him off,” Kade replies. “He’s only replied once, more interested in planning a day for him and Bonnie tomorrow.”
“Cute. Where’s Rad?” I ask because I can’t get the phone call from the other night out of my head.
“What are the chances that you’ll sit this one out?” he asks.
“Zero,” I answer. I hand him my phone. “Just put it in the GPS.”
Kade sighs heavily as he takes my phone and enters the name and address of the club into it. “Keep this on. Do not disappear,” he says as he turns it around.
I put my hand on it to get it back, but Kade tugs on it once to get my attention.
“Please don’t do anything stupid,” he says.
I stare at him for a beat, Bonnie’s texts racing through my mind.
I’m scared.
“Do you know what she just texted me?” I say softly.
Kade’s jaw twitches. “What?”
“Bonnie texted me. Her stalker. She texted her stalker and said she was scared,” I say, and I watch Kade’s shoulders drop. “She said she was scared, and it’s my fault.”
“It’s not your fault,” he says.
“It’s my fault that I didn’t take care of all of them that night,” I say.
“You took care of her ,” he argues.
“I should have taken care of them, too. If I’d done that, she wouldn’t be in danger. They wouldn’t be calling her. Rad wouldn’t be calling her—”
“You don’t know for certain that it’s him.”
“ Of course, I know it’s him! ” I snap, tears burning the back of my nose. “Of course, it’s fucking him . He was there. He. Was. There. He had her wings in his hand and his dick—” I stop talking mid-sentence, the memory pelting on my brain. Rad’s laugh repeats itself over and over and over , the sound of his head hitting the sink, the garbled cry of his friend when I cut his throat, Bonnie’s mumbling pleas…
My fingers crease in my hips. I force a breath into my lungs. And I close my eyes to push the memory out before it’s too late.
“I’m not going to kill him,” I say as I grab my helmet. “Not tonight. But I am going to scare him just like he scared her. You can have my back or not. I’ll gladly spend the night in jail if it means maybe he learns a fucking lesson.”
Kade sighs and turns back to his computer. “I’ll lock out the cameras outside. Please make good choices.”
I’ll make the ones she needs.