Page 13 of Bloodstained Chrome

“No, I don’t want you to beg. I want you to hear what I’m saying. I’m good. You can find someone else to play with tonight.” I hold her gaze for a moment longer. She wants to say more, and I want her to fuck off. Thankfully, she takes the hint and drops her hands from my shoulders before walking away.

I grab my seat again and reach for my drink. Everyone else is having a good time. Even Zavier has come out to sit with Justice and Dane.

I, on the other hand, can’t seem to get out of my head. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Usually, when I feel like this, a good run helps take the edge off. That’s what I want to do right now. I want to run. I want to break free of my mental chains and just get out of here.

With a fire under my ass, I push myself out of my seat and head straight for the door. Before I can get there, Corbin stops me.

“Primal, what’s going on?” He narrows his eyes at me as if he’s trying to read my mind. I’ve never been the most forthcoming guy, but I try my hardest to keep things completely transparent with my club.

“Nothing’s going on. I’m fine. I just don’t want to be here right now.”

“Since when? You usually love attention.”

“Yeah, I know. Not tonight, though. I’m just not feeling it.” I shrug and stuff my hands into my pockets to keep from fidgeting. I’m nearly desperate to get out those doors. The open night air is right there. I can almost taste it.

“You’re not about to do anything stupid, are you?” Corbin asks, head tilted.

“No, I promise you. I just want to run. Nothing stupid.” I have to force myself not to swear. The last thing I want to do is disrespect him.

“All right. If that’s what you need, go for it. Call if you need backup.” He finally steps to the side, and I continue on my way out the door.

Once again, before I even reach the tree line, I’m pulling off my clothes and shifting. I don’t even look around to see if anyone can see me. Everyone who isn’t a member of the club should be safely tucked away inside, not roaming the grounds during parties.

The second my paws touch the dirt, I can feel the weight of whatever is bothering me start to fall away.

Yes, this is exactly what I needed.

I take off at a feverish pace. I’m not focused on anything around me, just the burn in my legs and lungs as I race into the darkness.

I have no set destination. I just keep running in the direction that feels right.

I run and run until I’m forced to slow down because I’ve reached a home.

Fuck.

It’s not just any home. The scent surrounding it calls to me, and I realize I’ve run straight to Sibley’s house, a place I’ve never been before. I didn’t know where it was, but I’ve found her. Or well, my lion has, and he’s refusing to turn back around.

So much for promising I wasn’t about to do anything stupid.

Chapter

Eight

Sibley

Things are starting to get ridiculous.

I’ve kept my distance from everyone else for the past three days. I haven’t gone to check on Arely. I haven’t seen any of the guys from the clubhouse, except for the one time Justice sent a few of them to the shop to check on me. I sent them on their way, saying I’m fine and that nothing is wrong.

It’s such a lie.

I haven’t even spoken to my brother or Orpheus about the vision I had. The other night, Aziz questioned me about it a little, but didn’t pry too much when Primal left me at Dyrk with them, under the assurance that Aziz would see me the rest of the way home.

Over the past three days, I’ve been waiting for something to happen, but it’s been more of the same.

A very real, very intense paranoia that was growing accompanied the painful vision.

There have been a couple of times I could’ve sworn someone was outside my house looking in, but whenever I went to check, there wasn’t anyone there. Not even a hint that anyone had been out there.