Page 18 of Cipher

I blinked at him over the rim of the mug. “I would recommend not rushing me until I’ve had my morning fix of caffeine.”

“Sorry, baby. Need to get moving soon. Someone put a tracker on your car. Until I know who, you don’t stay somewhere they can reach you.”

A knock sounded at the front door while I tried to wrap my head around Cipher calling me “baby.” He’d done it a few times now, but it still made butterflies erupt in my belly. Luckily, he didn’t notice when I used my hand to fan myself because he was too busy putting himself between me and the entryway.

After he checked the camera feed on his phone, he turned toward me and brushed his hand down my arm. “Back in a minute. Stay here.”

Then he strode through the living room to open the door just wide enough to speak to whoever stood on the porch. I only caught the low rumble of his voice and a short reply before he shut it again. He returned to the table to grab his mug and lifted it before slugging it back.

“Drink your coffee so you can pack what you need. We leave as soon as you’re ready.”

That was enough motivation for me to get moving. I carried my coffee upstairs and set it on the dresser while I pulled out a duffel and a tote. Clothes and toiletries were easy. The harder part was deciding which pieces of my life were worth bringing when I didn’t know how long I’d be gone.

I narrowed it down to the framed photo of my mom from my nightstand, the paperback I was rereading, and the delicate gold bracelet she’d left me. Everything else could stay.

By the time everything was packed, I could hear low voices downstairs. I found them standing near the front door. The muscle jumping in my dad’s jaw let me know he was trying not to raise his voice, while Cipher looked completely unbothered.

Dad’s eyes landed on me, then on the bags in my hands. Something painful flickered across his face before he locked it down. “I hate that it’s come to this.”

I dropped my bags at the bottom of the steps. “Staying here just makes you a target too.”

“I’d like that a fuck of a lot more than you being one.” He looked at Cipher, his lips pressing into a flat line. “You bring her back in one piece. If anything happens to my daughter while she’s under your roof, there won’t be a hole deep enough for you to hide in.”

Cipher met my father’s stare without blinking. “I protect what’s mine.”

The words stole the air from my lungs, but they seemed to be exactly what Dad needed, even though he didn’t look happy about it. He nodded, and Cipher bent to pick up both of my bags to carry them outside.

Before following him, I gave my dad a big hug. “Love you.”

“Love you too, kiddo.” He brushed a kiss against the top of my head. “I’m trusting Cipher with your life, but I expect you to put the skills I’ve drilled into you to good use if needed.”

He’d made sure I knew how to defend myself and handle a variety of firearms since they were in the house growing up. “I will, Dad.”

We followed Cipher out to a black SUV parked in front of the porch. When he opened the rear hatch, I stopped short because two of my suitcases and a sealed cardboard box were already stacked in the back. Someone had packed for a much longer stay than I’d planned for.

Cipher loaded my bags beside them, closed the hatch, and turned to look at me. “Ready?”

I stared at the extra luggage for a moment before deciding not to bring it up since I was looking forward to being in Cipher’s home.

He opened the passenger door for me and waited until I was settled before closing it. Then he rounded the hood to climb in the other side.

“Gotta stop by the clubhouse first,” he explained as he put the vehicle in drive and headed toward the road.

The ride out to the Black Crowns compound was quiet. He kept one hand on the wheel and the other resting on the console between us, close enough that his fingers brushed my thigh every time he made a left turn.

I was already familiar with the route, having driven it a couple of times since Jacqueline had gotten involved with Stryker, trying to make up for lost time while she was holed up at the farm and it was too dangerous for me to visit.

The difference this time made me a little nervous. I wasn’t coming out here as a guest of the president’s old lady. I was being moved under Cipher’s roof because I was the one in a dangerous situation.

When we reached the main gate, the brother on duty gave Cipher a nod before waving us through.

We parked near the clubhouse, and he came around to open my door again. As soon as my feet hit the ground, his hand settled at the small of my back, guiding me toward the front door. “Need to get you added to our system so you have gate authorization, emergency access, and every brother guarding the back country surrounding my home knows your face.”

It sounded like he’d thought of everything. “Okay.”

Inside, a few brothers were scattered around the couches and pool table. Conversations dipped for a moment when we walked in, but nobody seemed surprised to see me with Cipher.

His thumb traced a slow circle against my lower back, sending a shiver up my spine. I leaned into his touch, only straightening when I spotted my best friend across the room.