“Don’t kill her.”
“Why not?” Jackson rasps, his words thick, his eyes frantic.
“One, because you fucking love her. Two, because we can use her to find out what Hogan is up to. Three, because I’ve seen the man in action, I’ve seen him kill in cold blood, and I can’t imagine what her life was like growing up with him. You kill her, you’ll regret it forever.”
I close my eyes, waiting for Jackson to shoot me. When I feel his gun lower, my body slumps with relief. I might not die today, but I’ve lost the man I love. The pain in my heart is beyond anything I’ve ever felt. It burns. It hurts so badly. I open my eyes, and see Jackson panting with rage, his eyes...oh god, his eyes are glistening. I fucking broke him. I. Fucking. Broke. Him.
“She’s got your baby inside her, you kill her, you’re killing your kid and we all know you ain’t gonna live with that,” Spike says gently.
“Who’s to say it’s my kid,” he growls.
“It is,” I whisper. “I might have lied, but I was never with anyone else!”
He doesn’t even acknowledge me.
“Get her out of my fuckin’ house, I want her gone. You take her. Cade can take her. I don’t fuckin’ care. Just get her away from me.”
“Jackson, please,” I whisper.
“Shut the fuck up,” he roars. “I never want to see your fucking lying face again.”
“We need to go on lockdown,” Spike says. “She has to stay.”
“Y-y-y-you can’t go on lockdown here,” I say.
Spike turns to me. “Why not?”
“Hogan...he set it all up. He knows you found the junkie. He knows you know he’s alive. He had it planned all along. He knows you’ll come back and put your club on lockdown, and he’s waiting for it. He’s got an attack planned, one so big you won’t escape. He’s got double your men, and weapons you can’t even begin to imagine. He’ll kill you all if you stay.”
Spike nods. “You know I want to fuckin’ break you for betraying this club, but I know what that man is like, so you have my sympathy for now. I don’t trust you, none of us do right now, but if you’re tellin’ the truth, you’re savin’ the club. If you’re lyin’, we will kill you.”
“I wouldn’t hurt anyone,” I say, my voice broken. “I never wanted this. I never wanted to be involved. He gave me no choice, but I lied to him. I gave him the wrong information to lead him away while I figured out what to do.”
Spike nods, turning to Jackson. “Put your hate aside, we need to find a safe location.”
Jackson is refusing to look at me. “The hills. There’s a warehouse. It’s secret, we can keep it surrounded and have watchers on at all times.”
“We ride now.”
“No, we can’t ride,” Jackson says, his voice empty. “We ride, they find us. We have to go subtly.”
“Any suggestions?” Spike says.
“The truck. We make out like we’re goin’ into lockdown because I have no doubt Hogan has people watching us. We leave the bikes out front, we close all the windows and we make it like everyone is inside. We get the big truck, and we shove every fucker into the back and drive out the back road. Someone might see, but they shouldn’t get suspicious.”
“Right, it’s a plan. Serenity, turn around,” Spike says.
“W-w-what?”
“I’m checkin’ you for wires.”
I close my eyes, and tears leak out as I lift my arms and turn. Spike walks up, pressing his hands all over me. I feel so ashamed, so sick to my stomach.
“She’s clean.”
“Cuff her,” Jackson orders.
I turn shaking my head. “Please, don’t.”
“Cuff her,” he says again, not meeting my gaze. “Now.”
I stretch my hands out, and I see Muff walking over with cuffs. He gives me a sympathetic look, before snapping them on.
“Sorry Serenity.”
“Fuck you, Muff,” I bark.
He looks shocked. “What?”
“I said fuck you,” I scream and then turn to them all. “Fuck you all! I never hurt a single one of you. I was always nice. Always kind. I fucked up, but what would you do when the only family you have is being threatened? He would have killed a child! A child! What did you want me to do? You think I’m proud to be the daughter of such a pig? You think I don’t want to kill myself often because of my father? Do you think he hasn’t made sure I know what he is, with numerous beatings? You don’t know. None of you know. I did what I had to, and even then I lied to protect you bunch of fucking assholes, and when it came down to it, not one of you wants to help,” I turn to Muff, shaking. “You fucked me, you fucking asshole. You saw a side to me no one has ever seen. I let you take a level of innocence from me. You shared me with Jackson and you still stood there holding that gun to my head. Fuck you all!”
Muff looks hurt. “Serenity...”
“Go to fucking hell.”
“Enough,” Jackson growls. “You speak to my men like that again, I’ll fuckin’ tie you up and lock you down until you’re fuckin’ insane.”
I glare at him. “Go ahead, Jackson. It won’t matter to me.”
I’m so hurt. My entire body is rattling with pain. Spike takes my shoulder and gently leads me inside.