Beth rides on the back of my bike all the way to the compound. I’m so pissed at her, I’m afraid of what I’d say right now. I need to calm down, but I don’t see that happening. We pull into the garage at the compound. The boys are as silent as I am. This fucking shit is going to be bad. There’s not a fucking thing I can do to stop it. I’m not giving up Beth. Hell, even if I delivered her back to Colin at this point, there’d still be war. Anything less would make me a weak motherfucker and I’m sure Colin feels the same.

Beth climbs off first and I follow. She’s wringing her hands, betraying her nerves. I can’t feel sorry for her. She should have fucking told me this shit from the get-go. I’m not sure it would have changed anything, but she knew what kind of fucking secret she was hiding. She might be young and inexperienced, but she’s not stupid.

No. Instead, she made me the fucking last to know.

“Torch, increase all the security around the compound. Then, you call Church. If they wear a motherfucking Blaze cut, they are there. No exceptions. I also want Pistol’s brother on the phone. It’s time to batten down the hatches, motherfuckers. Nothing in or out unless I clear it.”

“Got it, Boss.”

I grab Beth by the arm and look at her. “Who’s the motherfucker that helped you get out of here?”

“Skull…”

“Names, Beth,” I warn her, at the end of my rope.

“I promised I wouldn’t—”

“I think you’ve kept enough fucking secrets from me. Give me the names. Now.”

“Marker.”

“Torch, chain his ass up,” I order over my shoulder. “Who else?”

“Skull, I think this is something we should discuss in private,” she pleads, her face pale.

“The time to discuss shit with me privately would have been before everything went to hell. Now you just fucking tell me. One more time, Beth. Who the fuck helped get you out of here?”

“The bathroom window was unlocked, really. I mean, I could have just got out on my own.”

She looks down at her hands as she answers. She looks nervously over at Beast. It clicks into place.

“Beast?” I ask. Beth looks up, stricken with fear.

“No, Skull! It wasn’t Beast! He even stopped me in the hall to make sure I was alright! I lied to him, I swear! He’d never betray you.”

“Beast?” I prompt again, ignoring Beth. My hand is so tight on her upper arm that I know it will cause a bruise. That’s good. She needs to remember the fucking stunt she pulled today. She needs to remember what happens when she keeps secrets from me.

“Yeah, Boss?”

“Your old lady. Was she around when Beth escaped?”

“Jan?” Beast asks and then I see it hit him in the face. His old lady is a bitch and, I’m pretty sure, a fucking coke-head. I’m tired of seeing my man keep blinders on his eyes.

“Fuck, Boss…”

“Beast,” Beth tries to interject. Beast gives her a fucking look that most men would shrink from, then turns away from her.

“You lock your old lady down. Got me, Beast?”

“I’ll get it taken care of, Boss.”

“Get moving, boys. I know the Donahues aren’t going to wait until we’re ready to attack.”

Everyone moves out, leaving me and Beth alone.

“Skull, please, just let me explain,” she begs.

I ignore her, throw her over my shoulder, then walk her through the club and back to my room without stopping to acknowledge anyone else.

I throw her on the bed. “Skull,” she says as she bounces on the mattress.

“What the fuck were you thinking, Beth? How could you not tell me that Colin and Matthew were your fucking family? Or that Colin wants to stick his fucking dick in you? Don’t you think that’s something I need to know?”

“No. I mean, you said you’d grow tired of me. I thought I’d be long gone before—”

“Were you always planning on fucking leaving?”

She flushes guiltily and betrayal dropkicks me. Fuck.

“Skull, it wasn’t because of you. I just knew I couldn’t stay here because of Colin. I had to leave.”

“So you were planning on leaving me today regardless? You weren’t even going to fucking tell me?”

“You’re the one who said you’d grow tired of me! Remember? What are you getting so upset about?”

“When were you leaving me, Beth? When?”

“Tomorrow. I couldn’t stay knowing Colin might take it out on you.”

“And you weren’t going to tell me. Right, Beth? Be fucking honest for once, since it appears you haven’t been from the beginning. You weren’t going to tell me a fucking thing. You were just going to disappear.”

“Yes.”

“You’re locked in this fucking room. You manage to get some other bitch to help you, I’ll make you sorry and I’ll kill the motherfucker who helped you. Do not test me, Beth.”

“Skull, if you just let me go—”

“I’m not fucking letting you go. Don’t you get it yet, Beth? You’re mine. I’ve claimed your lying ass and I’m keeping it. You’re never getting away.”

“You can’t just keep me here like a prisoner!”

“The fuck I can’t. Just watch me, querida. Just fucking watch me,” I growl and slam the door.

I stomp back out to the club. It’s been deserted by all except Latch. Before he can make it to the room where we have Church, I stop him.

“Latch, you’re on duty with Beth. You go in that fucking room. You do not let her so much as take one step off the bed. She doesn’t go to the fucking bathroom, she doesn’t fucking do anything but breathe. You got me?”

“Got it.”

“Good. I’ll be back after Church. Sabre can catch you up.”

He acknowledges the command and heads back to my room. I take a deep breath. When that doesn’t calm me down, I plant my fist through the fucking wall. The sheetrock caves with the force of my hit and the pain hurts like a son of a bitch. I don’t feel one bit better either. She was going to fucking leave me and I never would have known. Colin would have gotten his hands on her and destroyed her. I slam my fist into the wall again, ignoring my bruised and bloodied knuckles. I feel like I could pound the fucking wall for days and I’d still be pissed off.

I can’t, though. I have to figure out how I can keep my men from dying, all while keeping Beth safe. This is war. Once I get that settled, then I’ll deal with Beth. I just don’t know what the fuck to do with her.