Page 73 of Sparrow
Still, I see the panic flash through Taryn’s eyes and wonder if I know everything there is to know. Because we were both targeted and then we both ended up in Wood.
And that seems like an awfully big coincidence.
I shove the rest of the fry into my mouth, trying to distract myself, but before that has a chance to work, there’s movement at the door of the cafe and someone pushes roughly into the diner. Another guy follows him, and then another, and soon there are ten of them standing around, looking like they’re about to rob the place.
They’re bikers, I can see that much. But they’re not Oaks. They’re not wearing the casual flannels and scruffy leather jackets of Mars and his gang.
They’re wearing all black, half of it leather and half of it denim. And that marks them as Iron Saints.
The men who own the compound where Mars and Orion found me.
And just like that, I stop feeling safe and start remembering all the times I’ve spotted them around town, standing and staring at me like I’m some sort of movie star. I remember them looking up at my bedroom window from the street and Mars and Orion arguing when they don’t think I can hear them.
Discussing whether they should go to the sheriff about the Saints or not.
We all knew they’d notice at some point that the girl they thought they had in hand had suddenly moved to Mars’ house, and I don’t know about my men but somewhere in the back of my head I’ve spent the last week wondering when the hell they’re going to do something about their lost cargo.
Me.
The first guy’s eyes swing suddenly to me and grow cold, and I think that the time has come.
“I think we better go,” I say quietly.
Taryn swings her eyes from me to the bikers and back, and she grows very still. “Arden, is there something you’re not telling me?’
There are a lot of things I’m not telling her, and now is not the time to start. I want to get the fuck out of here and get home before those guys decide I look small enough to grab.
But I’m not the one who pushes out of my seat and stands to her full height.
“You girls go out the back entrance,” Sammy says. “Leave these guys to me.”
“Sammy!” I hiss, grabbing at her hand. I’ve heard the stories about this same club trying to grab her mere months ago, and missing out on it, and she’s not exactly big enough to be safe from grabbing hands.
She throws me off, though, and gives me a quick smile. “Don’t worry, Arden. I’m related to the sheriff.”
“Bear isn’t sheriff anymore!” Taryn hisses, also grabbing at her.
Sammy laughs. “That doesn’t change the fact that he’s the #2 in this town, Taryn, and you know it. Don’t worry. Nothing’s gonna happen to me.”
And without any warning whatsoever, she starts walking toward the gang at the front of the cafe... and my heart starts beating wrong.
Then it starts hammering.
And the world around me starts to go dark.
Taryn, bless her, is looking at me when I sway, and reaches out to grab me. “God, your heart,” she mutters. “Right, Sammy’s on her own. I’m getting you back to Mars and Orion. Let’s go.”
We’re halfway home when the guy starts talking to us. I’m walking under my own power and feeling a bit better, and I’m thinking I can make it back to the house without Taryn’s help. She’s still with me because she’s a pit bull when it comes to protecting the people she loves, though, and the minute he steps out in front of us, I’m glad I have an ally.
He’s tall and stringy, like he grew too fast and didn’t build enough muscle to keep up, but he’s got a mean look in his eye and has a switchblade in his hands. He flips it around casually, like it’s just a toy, but I can’t stop staring at the silver gleam of it.
“Hey, girls,” he says, sounding pleasant and boring. “Nice day, ain’t it?”
“It was a lot nicer when we were on our own,” Taryn says sharply. “Get lost.”
He pretends to be hurt by this. “What do you mean? I’m just being nice. Where do you two stay? I’m new here.”
We try to push past him but he puts an arm out and grabs my wrist, yanking me toward him until I’m flush against his chest. And now he looks like he’s done being nice.
