“What is it?” I ask, starting to freak out. He levels me with a hard stare and shakes his head.
“Club business,” I say with a nod. Being with Grady, or more correctly, being associated with the club, has a few obvious disadvantages, and this is one of them. Not knowing certain things and being embroiled in the middle of something that’s obviously dangerous scares the shit out of me most of the time, but I try not to think about it. I was in danger well before I fell for Grady, so it’s not like I can even blame my relationship with him for this. No, this is somebody else’s doing.
“Of course it is. This is ridiculous,” Mindy says. “I’m tired of the club messing up my life.” She’s moved past scared, and now she’s getting mad. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything about the club. I know how she feels about them, but I had thought that maybe spending some time at Nic’s house she’d lighten up a little. From what Grady says, the club got wrapped up in this stuff because they were trying to make something right for someone who needed it. I have to believe that, despite everything my uncle and father would want me to believe about Forsaken, they must not be that bad. I only wish Mindy could see Grady the way I do—loving and protective. Maybe then she would have a little faith that the club isn’t awful, they just do things a little differently.
“I’ll be in the hallway. You two stay put,” Tall says. He pulls his phone back out of his pocket, puts it to his ear, and draws his gun up in front of him. With his phone tucked between his cheek and his shoulder, he slowly opens the door, steps through the frame, and then shuts it behind him.
“The guys will be here any minute,” I say to Mindy. “Then we’ll be safe.”
Mindy just shakes her head and gives me a disapproving glare. “Who are you? I mean, really? What happened to getting your life on track and making this your fresh start?”
Every muscle in my body tenses up, my temper rises, and I fold my arms over my chest. How dare she say that shit to me? “Who am I? I’m the idiot who spent two years cleaning up after your messes. I’m the moron who thought she could pull you out of your own filth, that’s who I am.”
“Great, so now it comes out,” she says. Her mouth forms a pout, and tears well in her eyes. “I knew you would throw that in my face eventually. I just knew it. Go ahead, Holly. Tell me how I ruined your life!”
“You didn’t ruin it,” I snap. Even angry, I can’t bring myself to say the things that are flying through my brain. “I made my choice. I stayed when I didn’t have to, I know that. But do me a favor and just get off my back, okay? I don’t tell you how you fucked up at every turn, do I?”
“No,” she bites back. “I don’t need your reminders. I feel it every single day. I’m a fucking junkie. My feet are so tore up that I can’t even wear sandals anymore. I have tracks in places you can’t even imagine sticking a needle. So no, Holly. I don’t need your judgment or your reminders.”
“Mindy,” I whisper in a plea. A tear falls down my cheek, unable to stay in any longer. This has been coming for years, but I’d hoped to continue to avoid it for a little longer. The old Mindy curses, but the new Mindy says silly things like wackadoodle and silly goose. The harsh words that fly out of her mouth scare me. They’re one big red flag that the old Mindy isn’t so deeply buried as I thought she was. “I’m so sorry.”
“Please just drop it,” she whispers and folds in on herself.
Time feels like it drags on and I start to worry for Tall. He hasn’t returned yet, and even though I have no idea if it’s been two minutes or twenty, I’m far too restless to stay in here like a sitting duck. Mindy says nothing as I grab the brick and creep to the door. Slowly, I open it and take a step out. Tall rounds the corner in that moment and shakes his head.
“Get back in the office. What the hell are you doing?”
“I was worried about you!” I defend myself and take a step back.
“Don’t worry about me,” he orders. A shadow casts on the wall at the end of the hallway and a strange man enters. He’s of average height, but his face is all sucked in and his eyes are wild. He raises a gun at the back of Tall’s head. I scream out at the loud bang. Dark red liquid coats my face and clothes as Tall’s eyes go blank and his body drops to the floor. Blood pools at the back of his head and he’s so still. I close my eyes to try to ignore what I’ve seen.
Chapter 27