“Please, Rev.”

“Dammit, Alex. I don’t care what he threatened you with. You have to tell us!” Rev shouted.

“He wants his son’s cut—the one Deacon took after he killed him. He’s to call me in a few days, and I have to bring it to him. If I do this, he will leave me and Willow alone. But I can’t involve any of the Raiders, or people will get hurt.”

Rev and Bishop exchanged a glance. “It’s here, isn’t it?” I asked. When they didn’t respond, I said, “Please.”

Taking my hand, Rev pulled me out of my chair. He walked me down to the end of the room. On the left-hand side of the door was a closet. Surprisingly, he didn’t reach for a key to unlock it. Instead, he opened it. When I glanced inside, I gasped. Sitting on the middle shelf was a leather cut emblazoned with Nazi symbols. I reached out to take it, but Rev held me back. “You don’t take it now. When Sigel calls you about the meeting, then you’ll get it.”

Although I was frustrated, I didn’t let my emotions betray me. “Okay. It’s probably better keeping it here anyway.”

“We’ll expect to be involved. Even if we have to hang back when it comes to you turning it over, we’ll still have your back.”

I smiled. “Thank you. I appreciate that. I didn’t want to have to do this on my own.”

Rev and Bishop seemed relieved with my response. Slinging his arm across my shoulder, Bishop said, “Why don’t you let me buy you some dinner?”

“That’s awfully sweet of you, but I need to go home in a little while to get some more clothes and check on things.”

Rev’s brows drew together in worry. “We can send Archer or Crazy Ace there.”

I laughed. “As tempting as it sounds to have the prospects pick out my clothes and raid my underwear drawer, I need to do this myself. Maybe even sleep in my own bed.”

Bishop glanced between me and Rev. “You really think that’s a good idea after what happened with Sigel today?”

“He won’t do anything to me until he gets the cut.”

“She’s right,” Rev replied.

“I still don’t like the idea of you anywhere outside the compound,” Bishop said.

I patted his shoulder. “Thanks for being overprotective.”

He winked. “Anytime, babe.”

Rev pressed the knife into the palm of my hand. “Just in case.”

“Thank you.”

Bishop whistled at Archer, who immediately came over. “I want you to go home with Alex. Keep your eyes and ears open for anything.”

“You got it.”

As we started to the door, I glanced over at Archer. “Aren’t you tired of babysitting me?”

He grinned. “You’re pretty easy compared to some of the really fucked-up things that prospects are usually forced to do.”

“That’s good to know.”

“Besides, I like being with you.”

“You do?”

He nodded. “Yeah, you remind me of my little sister.”

Playfully punching him in the arm, I said, “Hey now, last time I checked, I was the one older than you.”

“Yeah, but you guys act the same.”

“I get it now.” When Archer started to the clubhouse door, I stopped him. “Can you give me ten minutes? I need to get some of my clothes together to do laundry.”

“Sure. Take as long as you need.”

A moment passed between us, and Archer nodded in acknowledgment. I then made my way down the hall to Deacon’s room. When I slipped inside, I went to the closet to grab my bag. After dumping everything out onto the closet floor, I brought the bag over to the bed. I took out my makeup bag and pulled out a small pair of scissors from it.

After cutting part of the bottom lining of my bag, I left the plastic flap half on. I threw a few shirts and pants inside before heading out into the hallway. When I got to the main room, I found it empty. Walking over to the boardroom door, I opened it. I knew Archer had ensured that it would be unlocked.

The room was plunged in darkness, and Rev and Bishop were no longer there. Glancing over my shoulder, I slipped inside. I hurried over to the closet. I tossed out my clothes, then threw open the closet door. Rev and Bishop were far too trusting, because the cut still sat on the shelf. I grabbed it and stuffed it under the loose flap of my bag. I put the clothes back on top of it and then zipped it up. I shut the closet door fast and then raced out of the room. Thankfully, no one was there to see me.

I tried easing my frantic breaths as I headed outside to meet Archer. He was waiting for me by his bike. “Ready?” he asked, his brows rising.

I nodded. “Yeah. I got everything.”

“Good.” He slid across the seat of his motorcycle while I picked up the helmet that had pretty much become my own. After I put it on, I climbed on behind him. As my arms slid around his waist, I once again had to fight to keep my emotions in check. While each time it seemed to get a little easier being on the back of a bike, it didn’t dull the pain of losing Deacon.

Later, as we pulled into my driveway, I couldn’t help the tightening in my chest at the sight of the house that had once been my happy home. After my attack, I didn’t think it would ever feel happy again. That, coupled with losing Deacon, made me seriously consider putting it on the market.

When I started up the walk, I realized that Archer wasn’t beside me. Turning around, I cocked my brows at him. “Aren’t you coming in?”

He shook his head. “Gonna do a walk around. Then I’ll probably stay out here on the porch.”

“You don’t mean you’re going to sleep in one of the chairs?”

“I won’t be sleeping.”

“But I have a perfectly good couch inside, not to mention a guest bedroom.”

“Alex, when your protection is put on my shoulders, I take it very seriously. I ain’t gonna be caught sleeping if Sigel decides to strike.”

Realizing I wasn’t going to break his resolve, I nodded. “All right, then. But it’s looked like it was going to storm all day. If it does, you’re coming inside. I won’t have you struck by lightning.”

He laughed. “Whatever.”

“And thank you. For today. For everything.”

As the unspoken hung heavy between us, he nodded. “You’re welcome.”

Turning around, I headed back up the walk. After unlocking the door, I purposely refused to look to my left. With my emotions already going haywire, I couldn’t even acknowledge the kitchen or what had happened there. Regardless of the fact I tried to escape them, the memories of that horrible night rocketed through my mind, causing me to gasp.