get what he wanted, but his words had hit their target all the same.
"And when that happens, Isabelle," he told me darkly. "You know where to find me."
. . .
It wasn't until Caleb ushered me inside the clubhouse, with Skyler right on our heels, that I finally felt myself relax a little more. At least now the heaviness Agent Asshole had set on my shoulders felt a little lighter, even if I still had some sorting out to do. Once we were alone in Caleb's dorm, then I could release some of this pent-up frustration. Until then, I had to keep up the appearance that everything was fine.
Marcus was already seated at a table near the bar and gestured with his head for us to get closer as Lexie and Becca took a seat across from him. For probably the tenth time today, a cold shiver crawled down my spine and I forced myself to fall into the empty seat next to Lexie in spite of my urge to cut and run.
Marcus was watching all three of us with sober, weary eyes and while there was no suspicion on the surface, there was only one reason why we were all currently seated at this table. And even though Caleb moved to stand protectively behind my chair, I felt totally and completely alone.
"First of all, ladies," Marcus began gruffly and took a swig from the beer bottle in his hand just for good measure. "I have to apologize for everything you must've went through today at the precinct. These ATF assholes think they have something here in our town and even though we all know they don't, they seem to be pretty persistent, don't you think?"
He grinned back at us, like he actually expected us to see the humor in the situation and I could only stare back as Agent Jordan's last words to me replayed in my head.
"Now, nobody here actually believes that any of you ladies had anything to say to those pricks and you don't need to tell me what they said, 'cuz I've got a pretty good idea," Marcus told us carefully and I sensed some serious manipulation was headed our way. "But it's been awhile since any old ladies have been brought in the way you were today. I just wanted to make sure that you all understand our policies about loyalty and discretion. You're family and I know none of you would ever do anything that could jeopardize your family."
Both Lexie and Becca nodded quickly and I immediately followed suit, not wanting to look even slightly suspicious by hesitating. Marcus's dark eyes appraised the three of us for a moment, taking plenty of time to study each of our expressions before moving on to the next one as he nonchalantly slicked a hand over his salt and pepper ponytail. It felt like he was readying himself to strike, like a coiled snake, and waiting for one of us to give ourselves away. This wasn't simply a friendly conversation or even a sincere apology. This was a thinly-veiled threat.
Marcus nodded his dismissal of us, emptying his beer bottle as he leaned back in his chair. Someone to his left handed him another frosty beer and I watched uneasily as Caleb's club president lounged around like he hadn't just not-so-discreetly threatened me and my two best friends three seconds earlier.
Like it was just any regular old day. Business as usual at the Horsemen clubhouse.
Marcus had always carried an air of superiority and I'd always understood it was necessary, given his position in the club, but today was the first time I saw the violence and danger in him as well. The possibility that, should the need arise, he wouldn't hesitate to act on the threats he'd just made.
I squeezed my eyes shut again and jumped a little when Caleb's hands ghosted over the top of my shoulders.
"We're gonna sit down for church quick to go over all this shit," he murmured in my ear. "Why don't you go lie down in my dorm? Rest a little bit until I'm done?"
"I'm fine," I snapped at him. I didn't mean to let my frustration bleed into hostility, but that was the only emotion I could come up with right now that made any sense to me.
Caleb
"And when that happens, Isabelle," he told me darkly. "You know where to find me."
. . .
It wasn't until Caleb ushered me inside the clubhouse, with Skyler right on our heels, that I finally felt myself relax a little more. At least now the heaviness Agent Asshole had set on my shoulders felt a little lighter, even if I still had some sorting out to do. Once we were alone in Caleb's dorm, then I could release some of this pent-up frustration. Until then, I had to keep up the appearance that everything was fine.
Marcus was already seated at a table near the bar and gestured with his head for us to get closer as Lexie and Becca took a seat across from him. For probably the tenth time today, a cold shiver crawled down my spine and I forced myself to fall into the empty seat next to Lexie in spite of my urge to cut and run.
Marcus was watching all three of us with sober, weary eyes and while there was no suspicion on the surface, there was only one reason why we were all currently seated at this table. And even though Caleb moved to stand protectively behind my chair, I felt totally and completely alone.
"First of all, ladies," Marcus began gruffly and took a swig from the beer bottle in his hand just for good measure. "I have to apologize for everything you must've went through today at the precinct. These ATF assholes think they have something here in our town and even though we all know they don't, they seem to be pretty persistent, don't you think?"
He grinned back at us, like he actually expected us to see the humor in the situation and I could only stare back as Agent Jordan's last words to me replayed in my head.
"Now, nobody here actually believes that any of you ladies had anything to say to those pricks and you don't need to tell me what they said, 'cuz I've got a pretty good idea," Marcus told us carefully and I sensed some serious manipulation was headed our way. "But it's been awhile since any old ladies have been brought in the way you were today. I just wanted to make sure that you all understand our policies about loyalty and discretion. You're family and I know none of you would ever do anything that could jeopardize your family."
Both Lexie and Becca nodded quickly and I immediately followed suit, not wanting to look even slightly suspicious by hesitating. Marcus's dark eyes appraised the three of us for a moment, taking plenty of time to study each of our expressions before moving on to the next one as he nonchalantly slicked a hand over his salt and pepper ponytail. It felt like he was readying himself to strike, like a coiled snake, and waiting for one of us to give ourselves away. This wasn't simply a friendly conversation or even a sincere apology. This was a thinly-veiled threat.
Marcus nodded his dismissal of us, emptying his beer bottle as he leaned back in his chair. Someone to his left handed him another frosty beer and I watched uneasily as Caleb's club president lounged around like he hadn't just not-so-discreetly threatened me and my two best friends three seconds earlier.
Like it was just any regular old day. Business as usual at the Horsemen clubhouse.
Marcus had always carried an air of superiority and I'd always understood it was necessary, given his position in the club, but today was the first time I saw the violence and danger in him as well. The possibility that, should the need arise, he wouldn't hesitate to act on the threats he'd just made.
I squeezed my eyes shut again and jumped a little when Caleb's hands ghosted over the top of my shoulders.
"We're gonna sit down for church quick to go over all this shit," he murmured in my ear. "Why don't you go lie down in my dorm? Rest a little bit until I'm done?"
"I'm fine," I snapped at him. I didn't mean to let my frustration bleed into hostility, but that was the only emotion I could come up with right now that made any sense to me.
Caleb
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