“I just got home and the door is open. Something doesn’t feel right. I mean, it could be nothing; maybe I left the door open?”
But I know I didn’t.
“Are you safe?” he barks into the phone, and I can hear movement around him.
“Yeah, I’m in the lot, so I’m in clear view of the main road,” I say, shuffling my feet.
“Good girl,” he croons. “I’m on my way.”
“Thanks, Rake.”
“Oh, and, Anna?”
“Yeah?”
“You should have fuckin’ called me when you finished class.”
He hangs up, leaving me cringing at the phone.
I sit on the curb, lifting my head when I hear the sound of rumbling motorcycles about ten minutes later. I can just imagine the lecture I’m going to get from Rake, about how all of this could be avoided if I just lived at the clubhouse like he wanted. Resigned to my fate, I stand as Rake and Arrow approach, both wearing identical scowls on their faces. Arrow lifts his hands to me as he walks up but drops them at the last second. Rake pulls me into his arms as Arrow watches, staring at my face. He looks like he wants to touch me badly but can’t because of my brother’s presence. I know the feeling, because I want to be in his arms too.
“You okay?” he asks me, our eyes connected. I nod.
“I’ll go in and check it out,” he says, giving me a gentle look before he walks in the direction of my apartment. Rake and I follow behind and watch as he disappears inside my apartment.
“Fuckin’ hell, Anna, you’d be safe if you weren’t so stubborn and just stayed where you belong.”
“Don’t start, Rake,” I mumble, staring at the door, waiting for Arrow to reappear. When he does, he’s empty-handed.
“Place is a wreck,” he says. “Doesn’t look like anything is missing though. Lock’s broken.”
Probably because I had nothing of value to steal. Luckily Lana wasn’t over, since she has a key and drops by whenever she feels like it. A key I actually gave her, unlike my brother.
Arrow removes his leather jacket and places it over my shoulders. “You look freezing, Anna.”
I sigh. “It’s been a long day.”
“I can see that. Come on, I’ll help you clean up the place,” Arrow says, leading me inside with an arm around my shoulder.
Sweet, so fucking sweet.
“Thanks,” I sniff, walking into my home. Arrow removes his arm as we step into my kitchen and I take in the disaster that is my apartment.
“Fuck! Shouldn’t I call the cops?” I ask.
“No cops,” Rake says. “Unless you want one of us to get arrested.”
I roll my eyes. “You guys can leave then, you haven’t done shit. I’ll call the cops.”
“They aren’t going to do anything, Anna,” Arrow says. “Let us handle it. Don’t worry, all right?”
Sighing, I turn around to see Arrow and Rake having a silent conversation I’m obviously not meant to hear. Or in this case, see.
“What?” I demand. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing,” they both say at the same time, trying to look innocent.
And failing.
I point my finger. “Don’t fuck around, tell me what’s going on.”
I’m ignored.
“Call in the women to help,” Arrow tells Rake. “It will be quicker, and Anna looks exhausted. She doesn’t need to be doing this shit.”
Rake grins. “Shall I call Jill?”
I grit my teeth together. Why is that woman’s name still being said?
“Fuck Jill,” Arrow replies. “I was thinking more along the lines of Faye and Jess.”
“Oh,” Rake replies, deflated. “The old ladies.”
We really don’t have the time for this. I step into my living room, to see the place trashed. Everything is turned upside down, though I can’t come up with one reason why someone would do this. I clearly have nothing of value; they can see that. Tying my hair up in a messy bun, I quickly step into my room and change into some dry clothes, then start to arrange the place. Faye and Jess drop by, along with Tracker and even Allie. I appreciate the help. It takes two hours before everything is back in place. Arrow opted to help me put my room back together, and I literally cringe when he starts snooping through my drawers.
“Arrow, can you stop?” I ask, scowling at him as he opens my panty drawer.
“Just making sure everything is in working order.”
I don’t even know what to reply to that.
“You know you’re coming back to the clubhouse tonight, don’t you?” he says casually, pulling out a pink thong and stretching it between his fingers.
“No, I’m not. Everything is fine now. I can stay here. And I can see you still haven’t spoken to Rake.”
Rake walks in just after I say those words. “We’ll get this sorted out, then Arrow and I are going out later tonight.”
“Going out where?” I ask. “And I’m not moving back to the clubhouse full-time, but I’ll stay there until whatever this is is sorted out.”
“Fine. For now, that works.”
“Where are you going out?” I ask again.
Rake grins. “Strip club, having a couple of drinks.”
The look I send Arrow is judge, jury, and executioner.
He flashes me an apologetic look and mouths the word later.