“Do you feel like he would be doing wrong by Lana?”

I watch as she bites her lip contemplating my question.

“I don’t feel like he would be doing her wrong. If Lana was here to see him acting the way he is right now? She’d kick his ass. I want him to find love again when he’s ready.”

I peer into the binoculars and spot James picking at his butt. “Look at James,” I squeal.

“Oh man, I hope Berry has him washing his hands before dinner.” Winter laughs.

“It’s fantastic! Thank you for getting me outta bed and bringing me up here.”

“Anytime.”

“Are you nervous about more Russians showing up? Shit, you’re a Russian, but you know what I mean right?”

“Storm, it’s cool. I know what ya meant. Yes, I’m nervous as shit. I don’t see why my uncle wants me dead. I don’t have any ties to the east anymore. I want nothing to do with that shit. But I’m more nervous about meeting my mom for the first time.” She says as starts chewing on her lip again.

“It’ll be fine. She had her reasons right?” I ask while turning to look out towards the other road, stopping and refocusing on one man. “Winter…,” I croak, reaching behind me trying to grab her arm. “Winter. That’s the guy.”

“What guy?”

“Oh my god. What’s he doing here?” I cry, my palms beginning to sweat, my hair on my arms sticking straight up.

“Storm, who are you talking about?”

I don’t look away from him. I can’t. Something tells me not too. He’s just standing next to a car, talking on a cell phone. Oblivious to the fact I’m up here. Which in this case is a good thing.

“He’s the guy that took me from my college campus. I’m sure of it.” I swing back around to Winter, and cringe because my movements were too fast. “He’s the f**ker that took me. Why is he here?”

“Don’t f**king move. Keep an eye on him. I mean it Storm, don’t move.” She jumps up, taking off inside the building. I want to tell her I ain’t f**kin moving. That f**king bastard kidnapped me and sold me to a human trafficker. Why the f**k would I move?

I avert my eyes from the sick f**k when I hear shouting coming from the compound. I look down to see Pyro and Sniper following Winter outside of the gates. Oh shit!

My binoculars follow her movements, and I notice Sniper and Pyro trailing a little behind her. What the hell are they doing? The sicko doesn’t even see her coming. I watch her draw her gun as she walks up behind him. When he feels the gun on the back of his head, he drops his phone. She starts walking him back over to Sniper and Pyro, leading him into the compound.

No, no, no, no, no! Don’t bring him in here.

They lead him through the gates and into the old clubhouse, and seconds later my phone rings, and I jump. I drop the spyware and dig my phone outta my pocket.

“Hello.”

“Get down here Storm.” And she hangs up.

I gulp, stand, and make my way down to the clubhouse. The entire time my body is shaking. I know I’m moving slow because I was just in a car accident a few days ago, but I know I’m also moving extra slow because I don’t know what she wants me to do. Knowing Winter, she’s going to make me face my demons. I’m definitely not ready to face my damn demons right now. Why is this place always so damn busy with shit?

When I walk outta the new building, and start making my way across the parking lot, Sniper greets me at the old clubhouse door.

“This the f**ker that kidnapped Piper too?” He growls, his knife spinning around in his hand.

“I dunno Sniper. I don’t know. We don’t talk about that shit.”

We don’t. We’ve moved on. What’s there to talk about?

“ZZ’s on his way back.”

“I thought you guys were dealing with the Russians.”

“We are. He’s on his way back.” He says, opening the door for me.

That was clipped. But my feet don’t wanna move. Hell no they don’t. I don’t wanna go in there. Why do I need to go in there? I’m mentally and physically exhausted. Now I just want my bed.

“Storm, you gotta move those feet darlin.” Pyro chuckles behind me. When I don’t move, he leans down and whispers into my ear, “Ain’t nothin gonna happen to you.” I still don’t move. Pyro’s arms come up around me, and he’s holding a gun. “You see this small lever here?” I nod yes. “Flick that if you want the gun to work. Easy enough?” What? And then I understand as his arms move and the gun is shoved into my back pocket.

I don’t know if it’s knowing the gun’s in my back pocket or if I trust him not to let anything happen to me, but I start moving. When I round the corner, I halt, memories swirling through my brain all at once.

“You’re too pretty to be sitting out here by yourself.” I look up from my laptop to find the geekiest, but sexiest man I’ve ever seen staring straight at me as he takes a seat on the quad bench next to me. I smile at him; I can’t help it. “You don’t need to be pretty and to be sittin with someone to work on your thesis outside,” I quip at the handsome stranger.

He chuckles. “I know this is straight forward, but would you like to go grab some coffee or one of those fancy lattes with me?”

I look around, hesitant to give him my reply.

“Look, we can go around the corner to the college café. Totally your territory.”