Drift (Redline Kings MC Book 6), page 7
As I stalked toward her apartment, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
My stride didn’t slow, but I doubled blinked in surprise when I saw that it was from Jax.
Jax
Get your ass to Alanna’s. Now. 9-1-1
Perfect fucking timing since I was already there. But I just sent back a “got it” and turned my focus back to the situation.
As I ran up the stairs, my boots hit hard enough to echo in the hallway, the metal railing rattling under my grip as I took the steps two at a time. When I reached the second floor, my pulse was a slow, steady hammer behind my ribs.
I didn’t knock. Didn’t even pause. One sharp kick, and the door flew open, slamming into the wall.
Alanna gasped from across the room, and Ethan turned, face pale, his hand hovering in midair where he’d been reaching for her.
“Get. The fuck. Out.” My voice was low. Even. Deadly.
He froze like a deer in headlights, his eyes flicking from me to the swinging front door, then to Alanna. His mouth opened, and he tried to puff himself up. “You-you can’t just break in here—”
As I walked forward, my pace was slow and deliberate, and the air changed. He felt it. Everyone did whenever I was in this state. It was a warning that shit was about to go sideways.
“You don’t want to know what’ll happen if you touch her again,” I growled, my knuckles cracking as I curled my hands into tight fists.
Whatever color he had left drained from his face. He stumbled back, knocking over a chair, his keys clattering to the floor.
For a second, he looked like he wanted to say something—to prove he wasn’t terrified—but the words died before they made it past his lips.
It was a good fucking choice because the silent calm radiating from me was an indication that his life expectancy was dropping. Fast.
He shot Alanna a look full of anger, and something darker, before he bolted.
I slammed the door closed behind him, but it was hanging at an angle from my well-placed kick. So I had to straighten it before it would shut properly. Then I stood there, staring at it as I tried to push the monster back down inside me. I didn’t want Alanna to see the lethal creature lurking beneath the surface, the one who had literally torn men apart. The red in my ledger was always in the name of justice, but would she understand that? Our code of honor was usually seen as being on the wrong side of the law by outsiders.
At that moment, my worst nightmare was that I would face her and see fear on Alanna’s face. I didn’t ever want her to be scared of me.
Finally, when I felt in control, I turned around.
Alanna was shaking. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her hands were trembling. She stared at me with wide eyes, and her breath caught in her throat. I took one step forward, and she did the same. Then another. And another. Until we were only a foot apart. After a beat, I reached for her without thinking, my fingers brushing her wrist before closing around her hand.
“Hey.” My voice came out rougher than I meant. “You’re okay.”
I pulled her against me, holding her hand to my chest while my other arm went around her waist. Her pulse was racing under my fingers, too fast.
She buried her face in my shirt for a minute, taking deep breaths to calm down. Eventually, she shifted back, and I reluctantly let her go, with the exception of her hand. She swallowed hard, her eyes darting behind me for a second. “You—you broke my door.”
“Yeah.” I hadn’t let go of her hand, and I was pleased that she hadn't tried to tug it away. “I’ll buy you another one.”
Her mouth twitched, a half sob, half laugh that didn’t quite make it out.
I took a step closer again, close enough to see the small tremor in her chin. “You’re coming with me.”
“What?” Her eyes widened. “No. I’m not—”
“He’s not done,” I cut in, my voice low but sharp enough to slice through her argument. “You saw it in his eyes.”
Her lips parted, her breath shaking out of her. She looked toward the door like she could still see the shadow he’d left behind.
“He’s not gonna stop. Not until someone makes him.”
“I can’t just leave,” she whispered. “My stuff. My classes—”
“No time,” I grunted, pulling her toward the door. “You need to get safe. Everything else can wait.”
She shook her head, voice breaking. “Chance, this isn’t your job—”
“The fuck it isn’t.” The words came out quiet and lethal. “He showed up at your door. That makes it my job.”
“You’re not my brother, Drift.”
That set something off inside me. I bent over and stuck my face right in front of hers. “You don’t think I fucking know that? And my name is Chance.” Hearing her call me Drift was like sandpaper rubbing against my skin. My eyes raked down her incredible body before they met hers once more. “Trust me, baby. I’m well-fucking-aware of who you are to me. Now get moving.”
I tightened my grip on her hand and pulled again, firmly, though I made sure to keep it gentle. She didn’t resist anyway. Not really.
She sighed. “What if I don’t want to go with you?”
Her protest sounded weak, even to me. But my answer left no room for interpretation.
“You don’t have a choice, Alanna. Not anymore.”
I grabbed her keys and bag off the table, only pausing long enough to shove her laptop and charger inside before handing them to her as we entered the hall. After setting the alarm, I locked up, then we moved down the stairs and out into the night.
When we walked up to my motorcycle, she froze. “I can’t.”
“You’ve already ridden on the back of my bike, Alanna,” I reminded her, exasperated.
“Just that one time. I shouldn’t—”
“You can,” I grunted as I pressed the helmet into her hands. “Now get your ass on my ride.”
Her lips curled into an adorable pout until she seemed to realize what she was doing and flattened them. She wasn’t moving fast enough for me, so I snatched the helmet and put it on her head.
As I attached the chin strap, she opened her mouth, most likely to argue again, but she stopped when she met my eyes. Whatever she saw there—whatever dark thing I was holding back—made her swallow her words.
She climbed on behind me, her hands finding my waist, tentative at first, then tighter when the engine roared to life.
The ride to the compound was short, but it was long enough for me to accept one truth.
No one else would ever ride behind me on this bike.
The spot belonged to Alanna and always would.
11
ALANNA
The only time I’d been at the Redline Kings compound, the clubhouse was strung with white lights and filled with laughter and champagne. Now, the space was stripped back to its usual state, looking more like what I’d expected from a motorcycle club with its brown leather couches and chairs and flat-screen televisions.
The rumble of conversation dimmed as we stepped inside. Eyes turned our way—some curious, others concerned. A few of the guys I recognized from the wedding nodded or murmured hello.
“Glad to see you again, Alanna.” Rev lifted his drink in greeting from his seat near the pool table. “Didn’t think we’d see the maid of honor back this soon, with your brother still off playing newlywed and all.”
The teasing warmth in his voice made the tension in my shoulders ease a little. “Yeah, I didn’t expect to be here either.”
Chance stayed close, his hand firm at the small of my back as he steered me through the room.
“Hey, Alanna.” Edge leaned against the long bar built from reclaimed lumber, arms crossed. His gaze flicked from me to Drift and back again. “You good?”
“Getting there,” I replied, managing a shaky smile.
“Good.” His gaze shifted to Chance. “My brother’s waiting for you two in his office.”
“Headed there now,” Chance confirmed.
I probably should’ve felt self-conscious under the attention, but mostly I felt…anchored. Every step deeper into the clubhouse took me farther from the echo of Ethan’s voice.
A few more familiar faces offered quick smiles or quiet heys, but no one pushed for details as Chance led me past the long bar and down a hall I hadn’t explored during the wedding. The low hum of conversation faded behind us, replaced by the steady thump of my pulse.
I swallowed hard. “They’re all being really nice.”
“They know who you are.” His voice was gravel and warmth all tangled together. “You’re family here, baby.”
That word landed deep. Family.
It wasn’t one I’d heard much lately without it being followed by disappointment or judgment.
Before I could say anything, we stopped outside a closed door. A deep rumble carried through it, followed by a voice I recognized from years of listening in on my brother’s calls.
Chance knocked once, then opened the door and guided me inside.
Kane sat behind a massive desk, glancing up from the laptop in front of him. Calm and steady—that was my first impression. The second was the quiet power that filled the room without him moving a muscle.
He leaned back, assessing me with the same careful look he probably gave every man who walked through his door. Then his mouth curved into a faint smile.
“Good to see you again, Alanna. Sorry we didn’t get much time to talk at the wedding. I almost didn’t recognize you.” A faint grin tugged at his mouth. “Last time we saw each other, you had knobby knees and a mouth full of braces.”
Despite everything, a startled laugh escaped me. “That was at least a few years ago. I’ve changed a lot since then.”
“Guess so,” he agreed, the corners of his mouth twitching. “Not so little anymore.”
I couldn’t stop the warmth that crept up my neck. If only Chance would notice that.
Kane gestured toward the chair opposite his desk. “Have a seat. You look like you could use a minute.”
“Thanks.” My legs didn’t stop trembling until I sank onto the chair.
He studied me for another heartbeat, then asked, “Still keeping your brother out of trouble?”
That was the same thing he’d said to me at the wedding reception—right before Jaxton had shot back that keeping him out of trouble was a full-time job. The memory pulled a smile from me despite the knot of tension still coiled tight in my stomach. “I try.”
“Sure you do,” Jaxton rumbled from the computer. Kane shifted his laptop so I could see the screen, and my brother’s expression was all sharp edges and fury until his gaze landed on me. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I whispered. “I’m good.”
“You hurt?”
I shook my head.
“Did he touch you?”
I shook my head quickly. “Not like that.”
Relief flashed across his features, but only for a second before the anger returned. “You want to tell me what the hell is going on? And why I’m only hearing about it now?”
The edge in his tone made me shrink back in my chair, but Chance’s hand settled on my shoulder—a steady weight that grounded me more than it probably should have, given everything between us.
Kane lifted a hand in quiet warning. “Easy, Jax. She’s safe now.”
Jaxton blew out a harsh breath, rubbing a hand over his face. “Doesn’t mean I’m not pissed.”
I swallowed hard, bracing myself to explain everything I’d been too stubborn to tell him before tonight.
I laced my fingers together in my lap, willing myself to stay calm. “It was just a misunderstanding. A classmate who got a little too pushy about our project timeline. I think it’s all—”
Chance’s voice cut through mine like a blade. “Bullshit.”
My head snapped toward him. His voice was low and controlled, but every word vibrated with fury. “It wasn’t a misunderstanding. He’s been harassing her for a while now. A fuck ton of calls and texts, and he showed up uninvited to her apartment tonight when she didn’t give him the address. Grabbed her wrist.”
The air in the room grew heavy.
“He what?” Jaxton’s jaw ticked once on the screen. “You said he didn’t touch you.”
I swallowed hard. “He didn’t hurt me. It just—”
Chance cut me another look, sharp enough to silence me. He reached out, tracing a finger over the faint bruise on my wrist. The contact sent a shiver through me. “No ‘just’ about it. He dared to lay his hands on you.”
Kane leaned back slowly, folding his arms. “You mentioned texts. How bad are we talking?”
Chance didn’t hesitate. “Obsessive. Possessive. He’s watching her, or at least trying to. The guy’s spiraling.”
That was when I noticed the way both Kane and Jaxton were looking at him. Like they’d just realized something important.
I finally caught on to the implication of what he’d just told them. “I didn’t show those messages to you.”
Jaxton narrowed his eyes. “How exactly do you know what they said?”
Chance didn’t flinch. “Doesn’t matter right now. What matters is he’s stepping it up.”
A long silence stretched between the three men, taut and dangerous. Then my brother exhaled slowly, his expression hardening into something all business.
“Fine. We’ll handle the kid.” He leaned closer to the camera, his eyes hard. “But we’re not done talking about this, Drift.”
“Didn’t think we were,” Chance muttered.
My brother’s tone gentled for me. “Get some rest, Alanna. I’ll call in the morning.”
“Okay,” I whispered.
“Talk soon, Drift,” Jaxton warned.
Chance didn’t respond—just stood there with his eyes locked on the screen until Jaxton disconnected the video call.
That was when it hit me…whatever line he’d crossed to protect me tonight, he wasn’t planning to step back from it. I just didn’t know if I was reading too much into it.
Kane’s voice broke the silence first. “You’ve had enough for one night. Get some rest, Alanna. There’s a spare room you can use.”
I nodded, my throat too tight for words.
Chance started to move beside me, but Kane’s gaze cut to him—one sharp look that said more than any words could. I didn’t understand the meaning behind it, but whatever message passed between them made Chance nod.
“Come on,” he finally murmured, his tone softer now. “I’ll show you where it is.”
He led me down a narrow hallway lined with closed doors. When we reached the last one, he opened it and stepped aside for me to enter. “You’re safe here. No one gets through that door without going through me first. And they’d have a hell of a time getting this far with my brothers in the clubhouse.”
I managed a small smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “Thank you.”
He hesitated like he wanted to say more, but instead, he just nodded and turned away, his footsteps fading down the hall.
I stood there for a moment, the silence pressing in before I closed the door and leaned back against it, squeezing my eyes shut. I wished Chance hadn’t left me alone. Or had at least given me a sign that he wanted to stay.
Opening my eyes again, I took in the room. It was furnished simply—just a neatly made bed, a dresser, a bedside table, and a small lamp casting warm light across the dark wood floors. It should’ve felt impersonal, but instead, the space felt like safety. As if it still held the echo of the man who’d just left.
I crawled under the blanket, exhaustion creeping in even though my mind refused to slow. Every time I closed my eyes, I heard Ethan’s voice. Saw the fury in Chance’s. Felt the weight of everything that had changed tonight.
The clubhouse was quiet now, but I could still hear the faint rumble of bikes outside. And I didn’t feel quite so alone.
12
DRIFT
The clubhouse was silent except for the hum of the air-conditioning and the soft clink of a spoon in someone’s coffee cup in the kitchen.
I sat on one of the couches in the lounge with a mug of black coffee cooling between my palms. My eyes were fixed on the hallway that led to the guest rooms—more specifically, the one Alanna was behind.
I hadn’t slept. Didn’t bother trying.
I’d spent the night sprawled here, not far from her door, listening. Not for trouble, not exactly. Just…listening. As if I’d be able to hear the sound of her quiet breathing on the other side of her thick wooden door.
Now, the only thing I felt was the buzz of electricity under my skin. It wasn’t nerves. It was the same tension I got before a race—the kind that built in my gut and stayed coiled until the flag dropped.
The burn barrel outside still threw the faint scent of smoke through an open window. Leather and coffee floated in the air. The smells, the sounds, all of it was familiar. And still, everything felt off.
The front door opened and shut with a low thud. Kane’s boots crossed the room, his shadow sliding over the walls. I was surprised to see he looked rested, which meant he’d slept. Not a common occurrence with a one-year-old at home.
He stopped beside the couch, his green eyes cutting toward me. “You look like shit.”
I took a sip of my coffee and gave a short nod. “No argument here.”
His mouth twitched. “Get Alanna and meet me in my office.”
I didn’t move yet. “Something I should know first?”
“Yeah,” he confirmed. “Jax has news. But you’ll want to hear it for yourself.”
That was all I needed. I stood and set my mug on the low coffee table. “Gimme five.”
The hallway was dim, with only sunlight creeping through the windows of the rooms that had open doors. My steps made no sound on the worn floorboards, my walk silent as a ghost. When I stopped outside her door, I didn’t hesitate and knocked once. “Alanna.”
