Page 78 of When You Stayed
Or was the warning in my gut right, and my father wasn’t the one calling the shots at all anymore.
Despite what Ford argued with my dad, he pulled up in front of my house and parked behind Dad’s bike. My mother was already near the front door, pushing her fingers into my father’s hair, while the two of them talked.
She looked worried.
“Are we going into lockdown?” I glanced back at the gate near the entrance to our drive, and saw a few Stone Riders parking there as sentries.
Ford glanced up at the sky, but his sunglasses were on, so I couldn’t see the way the sun hit the hazel. “Yeah, Rose, we are.”
My stomach dropped as my mind went back to a time when I was nine, and my father was kneeling in front of me telling me I had to pack a bag, that we were headed into the clubhouse and we’d have to stay there until it was safe again.
Ford’s hand gently cupped my face as he turned it away from thedirection of the club, “You’re with me. No matter what, you’re with me, which means you’re safe.”
I tried to let that take root in my heart even as my hand wound around his. He slid off his bike, helping me get off as well. My legs felt shaky as I stood in front of my childhood home. I already knew my father wouldn’t allow Ford to come in, and that’s what made me feel nervous.
Squeezing his hand, I walked toward the house and Ford paused at our front porch. “I need to tell you something.”
“Royce!” Taryn burst through the door, ignoring Ford and our parents. She looked different. Her blue eyes were wide, her mouth was tense. She was panicked and frenzied.
I released Ford’s hand and went to her. “What’s wrong?”
“I need to talk to you.” Her anxious gaze bounced between Ford and me.
“What about?” I asked, confused at her insistence.
“Uh, just something, but it’s really important.” She shifted, and that’s when Nova made her way outside. Her dark hair was braided to the side, her blue eyes striking as always.
“Hey, Nova.” I waved. She glanced at Ford, then back at me.
“Can we talk in private, Royce?”
Ford dipped his chin, but I caught his smile. “Don’t think I can do private during a lockdown, Rose.”
Nova folded her arms over her chest. “Are you suddenly Royce’s keeper?”
His laugh slid against my neck as he stepped closer, then pressed a kiss to my hairline. “I’ve always been her keeper, Nova. Now, it’s just not as frowned upon because she’s aware of it.”
Heat swarmed my chest as I processed that he’d been keeping tabs on me far longer than I ever realized. The memory of skimming my fingers over each of his tattoos seared my mind as I smiled at him.
“So that’s super cute, but this is girl talk, and it’s private.” Taryn’s eyes flicked over to Nova then quickly back to me, and I knew she was trying to tell me something. I knew my sister well enough to know when something was important, and whatever this was needed to be kept private.
I squeezed Ford’s hand and faced him. “Come find me later?”
He considered me, then glanced at Nova and Taryn. He seemed to be struggling with his decision, but he leaned in close and rasped, “Keep your phone on you. Keep a weapon on you. Don’t go with anyone, anywhere for any reason. The second you’re done, text me. Understand?”
I nodded, but it was cut off by his kiss. “I’ll be back.”
He turned back to his bike, and while it started, I followed my sister inside.
Mom was packing one of her cloth grocery bags with food, which meant she was planning on staying over at the club. I wanted to resist the idea with everything inside me. Not because I hated the club, but I hated this feeling of fear that gripped my heart and swelled in my stomach. I hated the memory of being stuck in that club, and pretending the sky wasn’t about to fall. The memory of watching my father ride off into the dead of night, unsure if we’d ever see him again snapped back like a painful flash.
I ignored how tight my chest felt, and followed Nova and Taryn upstairs.
Once we entered Taryn’s room, she secured the door. I perched against Taryn’s desk while my sister took the chair that was off to the side, and Nova sank onto my sister’s mattress.
“So you and Ford?” Nova raised her eyebrow at me.
I nodded.
