Chapter 4
Four
Dime
I don't think I've ever been so pissed off in my entire life. When I walked into the hospital room and saw Allison falling apart, it's as if I fell apart too. The last few years have been rough, but she's been the one to keep me grounded when it felt like everything else was chaos around me.
Which is why I'm standing in the doorway to my bedroom, watching her sleep.
A few hours ago we brought her home, and I helped her get the personal stuff that Dani left situated. Then she'd fallen in between my sheets, and promptly went to sleep.
She looks peaceful now, her dark hair fanned out against my pillow, her face relaxed in a way it hasn't been since I picked her up from the hospital. The bruise on her temple has darkened, and every time I see it, I want to put my fist through a wall. Or better yet, through Logan's face.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I step away from the door, pulling it closed most of the way. Devil's name flashes across the screen.
"Yeah," I answer, keeping my voice low.
"I'm outside. Need to talk to you about something."
I glance back at the bedroom door. "Give me a minute."
Devil's already sitting on my couch when I let him in, which means he used the spare key I gave him years ago. That's the thing about being in an MC, privacy is a suggestion, not a guarantee. But I trust Devil with my life, and more importantly, I trust him with Allison's.
"She sleeping?" he asks, nodding toward the hallway.
"Yeah. Finally."
He runs a hand over his face, and I can see the tension in his shoulders. Whatever he's got to tell me, it's not good. "We looked into Logan's family like you asked."
I sit down in the chair across from him, every muscle in my body going tight. "And?"
"At first, we thought the kid was just using.
That's what Keegan had suggested, and I thought maybe he was right.
He's a teenager ya know? Experimentation is expected, and I figured maybe he got his hands on some bad shit.
" Devil leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"But we dug deeper. His family's got connections we didn't see at first."
"What kind of connections?" My stomach is dropping as I wait to hear what he's going to say.
"The Rebels."
The name hits me like a punch to the gut. The Rebels have been a thorn in our side for the better part of a year, pushing their fentanyl-laced weed into our territory, trying to muscle in on what's ours. We've been working to shut them down, but they're slippery fuckers.
"You're telling me Logan's family is involved with them?"
Devil nods, his expression grim. "More than involved. We think they're suppliers. The kid probably got into his family's stash, didn't know what the fuck he was taking."
I stand up, needing to move, needing to do something with the rage that's building in my chest. "So he brought that shit to school, used it before going into Allison's classroom, and traumatized her because his family is dealing for the Rebels?"
"That's what it looks like."
"Fuck." I pace to the window, staring out at the street. "Does she know any of this?"
"I doubt it. She's a teacher, man. She's used to kids being dumb, but we all know that drug use in Laurel Springs High has increased.
I don't think she's naive, so more than likely she knows some of the shit that's going down.
But she thinks the best of everyone. She probably thinks the kid made a stupid mistake. "
"It was a stupid mistake, but not the one she thinks." I turn back to face him. "What's the play here?"
"We keep digging, find out how deep this goes. If Logan's family is definitely supplying to the Rebels, we need to know who else they're connected to, how much product they're moving." He pauses. "And we need to make sure Allison stays safe. If they think she saw something, or knows something?"
"She doesn't," I cut him off. "She was helping a kid who was in trouble. That's all."
"I know that. You know that. But they might not know that."
The bedroom door opens, and both of us go silent. Allison appears in the hallway, wearing one of my t-shirts that hangs to mid-thigh. Her hair is messy, and she's rubbing her eyes like she just woke up, but she's still the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
"Hey," she says softly, her voice still rough. "I didn't know you had company."
Devil stands, giving her a small smile. "Just stopped by to check on you. How you feeling?"
"Like I got hit by a truck." She attempts a smile, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "But I'm okay."
"Good. That's good." He glances at me, then back at her. "I'm gonna head out, let you rest. You need anything, you call, yeah?"
"Thanks, Devil."
He claps me on the shoulder as he passes. "We'll talk later," he says under his breath.
I nod, walking him to the door and locking it behind him. When I turn around, Allison is standing in the middle of my living room, her arms wrapped around herself.
"What were you two talking about?" she asks.
"Logan."
Her face goes pale, and I immediately regret being so blunt. "Oh."
I cross to her, pulling her into my arms because I can't stand the distance between us. She melts against me, her head resting on my chest, and I can feel her heartbeat through the thin fabric of the shirt.
"What about Logan?" she asks, her voice muffled against my skin.
"Nothing you need to worry about right now."
She pulls back, looking up at me with those eyes that see too much. "Dime."
"I mean it, baby. You need to rest, you need to feel better. Then we'll talk about it."
I can see the argument forming on her lips, can see the stubborn set of her jaw that tells me she wants to push. But then she deflates, the exhaustion winning out over her curiosity.
"Okay," she whispers.
I lead her back to the bedroom, pulling back the covers so she can slide in. But when I start to step away, her hand catches mine.
"Stay with me?"
It's not really a question, and even if it was, there's only one answer I could give. I kick off my boots and climb in beside her, pulling her back against my chest. She fits perfectly there, like she was made to be in my arms.
"I've got you," I murmur against her hair. "I promise, I've got you."
Her breathing evens out within minutes, her body relaxing as sleep takes her under again. But I stay awake, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing.
Logan's family is tied to the Rebels. The Rebels are pushing poison into our town, into our schools, where kids like Logan can get their hands on it. And Allison, my Allison, is caught in the middle of it all because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I tighten my arm around her, feeling the steady rise and fall of her chest. She's been through enough shit in her life, I don't know all of it yet, but I know enough to understand that she's survived things that would break most people. And now this.
But she's not alone anymore. She's got me, she's got the club, and I'll be damned if I let anything else happen to her.
My phone buzzes again, and I carefully reach for it without disturbing her. It's a text from Devil.
DE: Meeting tomorrow. 10 AM. We're handling this.
I type back a quick response.
DI: I'll be there.
Then I set the phone down and close my eyes, letting myself drift. Allison shifts in her sleep, making a small sound, and I press a kiss to the top of her head.
Whatever comes next, whatever we have to do to keep her safe and shut down the Rebels, I'm ready. Because this woman in my arms? She's worth going to war for.
And that's exactly what I'm prepared to do.