Chapter Seven #2
“I’m not running from anything,” I said, and it was the biggest lie I’d told all day.
Zeus studied me for a long moment. Then he sat back in his chair and sighed. “Alright,” he said. “Let’s say I believe you. Let’s say you’re here because of a bad breakup and nothing else. That still leaves us with a problem.”
“What problem?”
“You’ve been gone four years, Alex. Four years without checking in. Without letting us know where you were. And now you’re back, and you’re jumpy as hell, looking over your shoulder like you expect someone to come through that door any second.”
“I’m not.”
“You are,” he interrupted. “Poseidon sees it. I see it. We all see it. So either you’re lying about why you’re here, or you’re telling the truth and someone’s looking for you. Either way, it’s a problem.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but he held up a hand.
“I’m not asking you to explain,” he said. “Not right now. But I am going to make sure that whatever trouble you’ve brought with you doesn’t land on this club. We’ve got enough shit to deal with without adding your drama to the mix.”
“I didn’t bring any trouble.”
“Then you won’t mind if we keep an eye on you.”
His words hit like a punch to the gut.
No. No, no, no. “What does that mean?” I asked, my voice tight.
Zeus turned to look at someone behind me. “Abyss. Get in here.”
The door opened, and a prospect walked in. He was young, maybe twenty-two or twenty-three. Tall, lean, with dark hair and a nervous energy that screamed new blood. He wore a prospect cut, the back patch marking him as property of the Gods of Mayhem but not yet a full member.
“Abyss,” Zeus said, “this is Alex, Poseidon’s sister. For the foreseeable future, you’re going to be her shadow. Wherever she goes, you go. Whatever she does, you’re there. You keep her safe, and you report back to me if anything seems off. Understood?”
The prospect nodded quickly. “Yes, Prez.”
I stared at Zeus, fury rising in my chest like a tidal wave.
“You’re assigning me a babysitter?” I said, my voice dangerously low.
“I’m assigning you protection,” Zeus corrected. “If someone’s looking for you, and I think someone is, then you need someone watching your back.”
“I don’t need protection. I need—”
“You need to do what you’re told,” he said, his voice hardening. “This isn’t a negotiation, Alexandra. This is how it’s going to be. Abyss goes with you. Everywhere. Until I’m satisfied that you’re not bringing heat down on this club.”
“This is bullshit,” I snapped, standing up so fast my chair scraped against the floor. “You can’t just—”
“I can,” Zeus calmly replied. “And I am. You’re under this club’s protection now, whether you like it or not. That means you follow our rules.”
I looked at Oscar, desperate for him to say something, to argue, to tell Zeus this was too much. But he just stood there, his expression unreadable.
Traitor.
“How long?” I asked through gritted teeth.
“As long as it takes.” Zeus smirked.
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only one you’re getting.”
I wanted to scream. Wanted to flip the table and tell them all to go fuck themselves.
Wanted to walk out of this room and never look back.
But I couldn’t. Because walking out meant losing Oscar’s protection.
Meant being on my own with no backup and no resources.
And it meant possibly missing the meet with BrotherDocs tonight.
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“Fine,” I said, the word tasting like poison. “Whatever.”
“Good.” Zeus stood, signaling the end of the meeting. “Abyss, you start now. Don’t let her out of your sight.”
The prospect nodded eagerly, like he had just been given the most important assignment of his life. I wanted to punch him. Instead, I turned and walked out of the room, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. Oscar followed me into the hallway, catching my arm before I could make it to the exit.
“Alex—”
“Don’t,” I said, jerking my arm away. “Don’t you dare try to justify this.”
“Zeus is trying to protect you.”
“Zeus is trying to control me. There’s a difference.”
“He’s doing what’s best for the club.”
“And what about what’s best for me?” I demanded, my voice rising. “Did anyone in that room stop to think about that? Or am I just another problem you need to manage?”
Oscar’s jaw tightened. “You’re my sister. I’m always thinking about what’s best for you.”
“Then tell Zeus to call off his dog.”
“I can’t do that.”
“You mean you won’t.”
“Alex.”
“Forget it,” I said, turning away. “I’ll deal with it myself.”
I pushed through the gathering room and headed back upstairs. Behind me, I could hear footsteps—Abyss, no doubt, already starting his new job as my personal shadow.
This is a nightmare.
The meet was tonight. Eleven PM. And now I had a prospect glued to my side, reporting back to Zeus about every move I made. There was no way I could make it to that gas station without him following. No way I could get my new identity and disappear.
Zeus had just destroyed my only chance at freedom.
And the worst part?
He knew it.
This wasn’t about protection. This was about control. About making sure I stayed exactly where he could see me until he figured out what I was hiding.
Twenty-four hours ago, I had a plan. Now I had nothing.
Nothing except a prospect babysitter, a brother who wouldn’t stand up for me, and a meeting I refused to miss.
I was trapped.
And somewhere out there, whoever owned that seventy-five million dollars was getting closer.