I can hardly breathe.

Knowing there are drugs on my bus makes me want to vomit every time I think about it. Not talking to Maverick makes it even worse. He’s stopped calling. I’ve tried to call twice, but each call is rejected. I know he’s angry at me, he has every right to be. We had an amazing night in that cabin and then I both ignored, and rejected, his protection in one sitting. It’s not a wonder he doesn’t have anything to say to me.

I keep reminding myself that we’re headed home in a few days. The tour is over, and I can go and see him. I’m sure he’ll let me talk to him. He won’t just disappear, right? That thought has my heart clenching. I hope I haven’t screwed this up for good. If something happens to our friendship, or relationship, or whatever the hell it is, before I get the chance to try and explain things, I’ll never forgive myself.

Or Treyton.

I haven’t heard from him. He put the drugs in a day ago, and I’ve been hovering around the bus, paranoid, ever since. It’s a long drive home to Denver, and we’re stopping tonight for the last time before making the final stretch home. Everyone is tired of the bus, so Susan booked a hotel. I don’t want to leave the bus, I don’t want to let it out of my sight for a single second, but if I demand to stay when I’ve never done that before, they’ll get extremely suspicious, and it’ll draw more attention to the situation.

So, I have to keep calm, and try and figure out a way to, at the very least, stay close to it. I can’t eat, or drink, and I’m constantly nervous. Amalie is home safe, which I’m happy about. She text me, telling me she didn’t blame me at all, and I can go and visit her when I get home. I don’t know if I feel better, or worse. I just don’t feel anything but panic and fear right now. I just want this to be done, to get home, and hopefully get the protection needed for when I tell the biker club about Treyton.

I will tell them.

When everyone I know and love is safe.

“Knock knock.”

I look up from the bed in my bus to see Susan walking in, phone in hand. She studies me, narrowing her eyes. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just thinking of a song. Susan, you don’t mind if I stay on the bus tonight, do you? I want to finish up these songs, and I seem to be able to concentrate better here.”

She narrows her eyes. “The hotel will be more comfortable.”

Don’t argue. Play it cool. She will get suspicious.

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” I shrug. “I just wanted some alone time.”

“Are you still upset about Amalie?”

I nod. “Yeah, it’s scary thinking something like that can happen to someone so easily. With no reason.”

But there is a reason.

I’m the reason.

My heart clenches in pain.

“Yes, it’s a dangerous world. Look, you can stay here. I’ll see if the security guards on duty tonight are okay with spending another night in the caravan. If so, they can keep an eye on you.”

I nod, feeling a tiny bit of relief. “That would be great. I’ll only leave to grab some dinner, and then I’ll lock the doors and stay in for the night.”

She nods. “Give me a call if you need anything, I’ll let security know. Please do keep your doors locked, your phone on you, and call if anything at all happens.”

I nod. “I’ll be okay. Thanks, Susan.”

She closes the door and I listen as everyone packs up and leaves for the night. When the bus door closes, I drop my head into my hands and exhale. I’m trembling, nervous energy getting the better of me. I just need this to be done. I wish Maverick was here. I wish I could talk to him, to tell him what’s happening, but I’m risking too many lives doing that. Until we’re in a location where I can be assured of their safety, I have to keep this to myself.

One more night.

At least I’m on the bus tonight, and I can make sure nobody comes close. My luck would have it that someone would break in and steal it all. I could only imagine how that would go down. I know one thing for sure, Treyton would kill me, without hesitation. I’m not risking that.

One more day.

I do a few hours work, and try to call Maverick a few more times - he doesn’t answer. I send off a few text messages - he doesn’t answer. My heart feels like it’s going to explode out of my chest, but there’s nothing I can do about it. We’ll be home tomorrow, I have to keep reminding myself of that. We’ll get home, and I’ll explain everything, and it’ll be okay...right? What if he hates me? Worse, what if the entire club thinks I’ve betrayed them?

Am I putting my life at risk?

My nerves are replaced with fear.

Dammit.

I need to switch my brain off for a minute. I need to eat, or I’ll get sick.

I push off the bed and stretch, then I throw a coat on and walk out of the bus. Security is standing just outside the door. A tall, dark man smiles at me when I come down the steps. He’s the first one to actually look like he might be worth having a conversation with. “Hi,” I smile. “I’m wanting to get some dinner. Is that okay?”

He nods. “Sure, I’ll drive you. Where do you want to go?”

I shrug. “I’m not really fussed. I just wanted to get out and get something to eat.”

He waves a hand towards the car. “Let’s go then.”

We head off towards town, finding somewhere easy to get some dinner. I choose a take-away Mexican place and order some food, and then we sit and wait. I learn about the security guard. His name is Keenan, and he is married with two kids. He’s been in security all his life, and he loves his job. The scariest thing he’s ever witnessed was someone holding a gun to the woman’s head he was protecting. He said somehow, he managed to get her out of there, without getting her killed. He told me it’s the closest he’s ever come to losing someone on the job.

By the time our food has arrived, I’m feeling a whole lot better. It was good having the distraction, even if it was only for an hour. When we get back to the bus, it’s dark out, but I know before we even get out of the car, that something is wrong. I don’t know what it is, a feeling, a sense, just something. But I feel it right in my gut. I reach over to Keenan and say, “Something doesn’t feel right.”

He stares at the bus, pulls out his gun, and tells me in a stern voice, “Stay in the car.”

I nod, watching with wide eyes as he climbs out of the car and locks it, before walking towards the bus. My eyes dart around the perimeter, seeing if anyone is waiting, hiding, lurking, but I can’t see anyone. Keenan comes back to the car about ten minutes later, tapping on my window. I wind it down.

“The bus has been broken into. I can’t keep you here, it’s unsafe.”

My blood runs cold.

What?

The bus has been broken into?

What?

My fingers tremble as I reach for my phone. I don’t know who it is I’m planning on calling. All I know is that someone must have been waiting for me to go, so they could get their hands on those drugs. And if it wasn’t Trey...who the hell was it? The thought of Treyton finding out what happened, makes my skin crawl. I’m not safe.

Do I tell him?

I unlock the car and climb out.

“You shouldn’t be out of the car, Scarlett,” Keenan says, falling in step beside me.

“I’m just looking. I want to make sure nothing has been stolen.”

“It seems to be only the storage compartment that was busted open.”

My heart is in my throat as I step around the side of the bus. The compartment is wide open, and it looks damaged, like it’s taken a lot of effort to get into it. The bags are gone. There isn’t one single trace of them in the now empty space. My heart beats so wildly for a second, I can’t breathe. My head spins, and I wonder what the hell I’m going to do?

Do I tell Treyton and risk my life?

Do I let him think the drugs are still in there until I’m home where it’s safe?

Do I call Maverick and tell him everything?

A tear slips down my cheek, and Keenan steps close. “You’re safe. I’ll take you to the hotel. Nobody will hurt you, Scarlett.”

I don’t say anything, I just let him lead me back to the car. He spends the entire drive over to the hotel calling people. I briefly hear the phone call to Susan, so at least she knows. When we arrive at the hotel, she’s waiting out front with extra security. I climb out and am rushed inside and up into a hotel room. When the area has been checked, and they’re happy that I’m safe and alone, they leave the room. Susan turns to me.

“Were you there when the bus was broken into?”

I shake my head. “No. Keenan took me to get some food. Whoever done it must have done it when I was gone.”

“What were they looking for?” she asks me, narrowing her eyes, “do you know?”

I shake my head. “No. I honestly don’t. I swear, Susan.”

I’m a liar.

A horrible, disgusting liar.

“Do you know if anything was stolen?”

I shake my head again. “We didn’t hang around long enough to find out. Keenan wanted to get me out of there, just in case anyone was hanging around.”

“And you’re sure you don’t know what this might be about?”

“No,” I tell her, my voice confident even though inside I feel like I’m about to have a full-blown panic attack.

“Okay. Get some rest. We’ll see what we can find out. I’ll keep you updated.”

I nod, and she leaves the room. When she’s gone, my knees start to shake and I lower myself to the floor, and put my head in my hands. I stay like that for a good long while, just trying to gather myself. Then, I decide to try and call Maverick. This time, his phone doesn’t even ring, it goes straight to voicemail.

I start to cry.

Dammit.

What am I going to do?

If I tell Treyton, I’ll be dead tonight.

I think my only option is to pretend like nothing has happened, and the second we roll into Denver, I’ll go straight to the club and get their help.

I really don’t know what other option I have right now?

What have I done?