Chapter 6
BEX
Iwoke up tired, which wasn’t a surprise since I’d barely slept.
Between worrying about the situation I’d stumbled into and anticipation of not just seeing Cipher’s home but actually staying there, I’d tossed and turned all night.
By the time sunshine started to filter through the curtains, I finally gave up and dragged myself out of bed.
A quick shower helped wake me up more, but I knew I was still going to need some of the coffee I smelled as soon as I opened my bedroom door.
When I got downstairs, Cipher was at the dining table again, fully dressed in dark jeans and a black T-shirt under his cut.
Other than the change of clothes, he looked like he’d remained in that spot all night, which had butterflies swarming in my belly again.
Same as when I found him down here last night.
A half-empty mug sat near his hand, and he spoke quietly into his phone while scrolling through something on a tablet. He glanced up when my foot hit the bottom step, and his dark gaze tracked me the rest of the way into the room.
“You’re up early.”
“So are you.” He ended the call without explanation and set the phone down. “Coffee’s fresh.”
“Thanks.” I padded into the kitchen and headed straight to the cabinet for a mug. Before I could reach it, he was already there, snagging one from the shelf and pouring a cup for me. Then he added cream and sugar, and I wondered how the heck he knew how I took my coffee.
But I forgot what I’d been about to ask when his hand settled at my waist to steer me a step farther from the window. The heat from his palm sent a jolt of awareness straight through me.
I sipped the coffee to buy myself a moment to clear my head.
“Ghost and two others are on the perimeter.” He dropped his arm to his side but stayed close enough that I could feel the heat from his big, muscular body. “Your father is finishing a call with the department. Once you’re packed, we move.”
I blinked at him over the rim of the mug. “I would recommend not rushing me until I’ve had my morning fix of caffeine.”
“Sorry, baby. Need to get moving soon. Someone put a tracker on your car. Until I know who, you don’t stay somewhere they can reach you.”
A knock sounded at the front door while I tried to wrap my head around Cipher calling me “baby.” He’d done it a few times now, but it still made butterflies erupt in my belly.
Luckily, he didn’t notice when I used my hand to fan myself because he was too busy putting himself between me and the entryway.
After he checked the camera feed on his phone, he turned toward me and brushed his hand down my arm. “Back in a minute. Stay here.”
Then he strode through the living room to open the door just wide enough to speak to whoever stood on the porch. I only caught the low rumble of his voice and a short reply before he shut it again. He returned to the table to grab his mug and lifted it before slugging it back.
“Drink your coffee so you can pack what you need. We leave as soon as you’re ready.”
That was enough motivation for me to get moving. I carried my coffee upstairs and set it on the dresser while I pulled out a duffel and a tote. Clothes and toiletries were easy. The harder part was deciding which pieces of my life were worth bringing when I didn’t know how long I’d be gone.
I narrowed it down to the framed photo of my mom from my nightstand, the paperback I was rereading, and the delicate gold bracelet she’d left me. Everything else could stay.
By the time everything was packed, I could hear low voices downstairs. I found them standing near the front door. The muscle jumping in my dad’s jaw let me know he was trying not to raise his voice, while Cipher looked completely unbothered.
Dad’s eyes landed on me, then on the bags in my hands. Something painful flickered across his face before he locked it down. “I hate that it’s come to this.”
I dropped my bags at the bottom of the steps. “Staying here just makes you a target too.”
“I’d like that a fuck of a lot more than you being one.” He looked at Cipher, his lips pressing into a flat line. “You bring her back in one piece. If anything happens to my daughter while she’s under your roof, there won’t be a hole deep enough for you to hide in.”
Cipher met my father’s stare without blinking. “I protect what’s mine.”
The words stole the air from my lungs, but they seemed to be exactly what Dad needed, even though he didn’t look happy about it. He nodded, and Cipher bent to pick up both of my bags to carry them outside.
Before following him, I gave my dad a big hug. “Love you.”
“Love you too, kiddo.” He brushed a kiss against the top of my head. “I’m trusting Cipher with your life, but I expect you to put the skills I’ve drilled into you to good use if needed.”
He’d made sure I knew how to defend myself and handle a variety of firearms since they were in the house growing up. “I will, Dad.”
We followed Cipher out to a black SUV parked in front of the porch. When he opened the rear hatch, I stopped short because two of my suitcases and a sealed cardboard box were already stacked in the back. Someone had packed for a much longer stay than I’d planned for.
Cipher loaded my bags beside them, closed the hatch, and turned to look at me. “Ready?”
I stared at the extra luggage for a moment before deciding not to bring it up since I was looking forward to being in Cipher’s home.
He opened the passenger door for me and waited until I was settled before closing it. Then he rounded the hood to climb in the other side.
“Gotta stop by the clubhouse first,” he explained as he put the vehicle in drive and headed toward the road.
The ride out to the Black Crowns compound was quiet. He kept one hand on the wheel and the other resting on the console between us, close enough that his fingers brushed my thigh every time he made a left turn.
I was already familiar with the route, having driven it a couple of times since Jacqueline had gotten involved with Stryker, trying to make up for lost time while she was holed up at the farm and it was too dangerous for me to visit.
The difference this time made me a little nervous. I wasn’t coming out here as a guest of the president’s old lady. I was being moved under Cipher’s roof because I was the one in a dangerous situation.
When we reached the main gate, the brother on duty gave Cipher a nod before waving us through.
We parked near the clubhouse, and he came around to open my door again.
As soon as my feet hit the ground, his hand settled at the small of my back, guiding me toward the front door.
“Need to get you added to our system so you have gate authorization, emergency access, and every brother guarding the back country surrounding my home knows your face.”
It sounded like he’d thought of everything. “Okay.”
Inside, a few brothers were scattered around the couches and pool table. Conversations dipped for a moment when we walked in, but nobody seemed surprised to see me with Cipher.
His thumb traced a slow circle against my lower back, sending a shiver up my spine. I leaned into his touch, only straightening when I spotted my best friend across the room.
She gave me a knowing look before wrapping me in a tight hug. “Hey.”
“Hey yourself,” I murmured, squeezing her back.
When she pulled away, her gaze darted to Cipher’s hand still resting at my lower back, then to my face. The corner of her mouth tipped up, but she didn’t call me out in front of him.
Linking her arm through mine, she urged, “Come on. You look like you need food.”
“I’ll be close.” Cipher’s hand fell away from my back. “But you’re safe here.”
The quiet promise followed me as Jacqueline steered me across the main room and through the swinging door into the kitchen. Mara and Dot were already there, Black Crowns old ladies who had welcomed Jacqueline with open arms.
Mara was scrambling eggs, and Dot was pulling plates down from a cabinet. As soon as they saw me, both women stopped what they were doing.
Dot crossed the room to pull me in for a quick hug. “We heard what happened with the tracker.”
“Sit.” Mara pointed at a chair. “You’re eating before anyone asks you another question.”
My stomach growled, and I suddenly realized how hungry I was. Which was a good thing, since a plate piled with eggs, toast, and fresh fruit quickly appeared in front of me, along with a glass of orange juice.
Jacqueline took the chair beside me while Mara and Dot hovered, peppering me with soft questions about whether I’d slept and if I needed anything from the store. I hadn’t been fussed after like this since my mom passed, and I appreciated their genuine concern.
I was still in danger, but at least I wasn’t facing it alone.