Page 76 of Bolt's Flame
I didn’t want to hide anymore.
The thought of Drago—of someone else coming after me, trying to use me—made my blood run cold. But it also made me angry. I’d been through enough. I wasn’t going to let fear control me anymore.
Bolt caught my eye as he walked over, his face was still tense from everything that had just happened. He reached out, his hand brushing my arm. “Sure you’re okay?”
I nodded, but there was something more I needed to say. “Bolt, I don’t want to keep hiding.”
His brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I mean... I don’t want to sit on the sidelines anymore,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “I don’t want to keep running and being afraid. If Drago’s coming for me, I want to help.”
He stared at me for a moment, his jaw tight, like he wasn’t sure what to say. Then he shook his head. “Fiona, this is dangerous. We won’t put you in the middle of this.”
“I’m already in the middle of it,” I said, my voice firmer than I felt. “Whether I like it or not, they’re after me. I’m not going to keep being a victim, Bolt. I’m done hiding.”
He exhaled sharply, his hand moving to my shoulder, squeezing gently. “You’re not a victim, Fiona. Not anymore. But I’m not gonna let you walk into the middle of a club war.”
I looked up at him, the weight of feeling helpless pressing down on me. “Then teach me to shoot a gun. Teach me how to fight. How to defend myself. I don’t want to rely on anyone else. I need to know I can protect myself.”
Bolt stared at me for a long moment, his expression conflicted. Finally, he nodded. “Alright. I’ll teach you. But until this is over, your pretty ass is going to be guarded at the clubhouse.”
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
THE CLUB WASbuzzing with activity, every manfocused and ready. Weapons were cleaned, bikes were prepped, and everyone knew exactly what was coming. Drago had been waiting in the shadows for too long, and now we were going to bring the fight to him.
Devil stood at the front of the room, his eyes hard as he looked over his club brothers. “We hit the foundry at first light before they wake up. Mystic, you take point. Bolt, you’re with me.”
I nodded, my jaw tight. There was no room for mistakes. We had one shot at taking Drago down, and I wasn’t going to let anything—or anyone—get in our way.
“Chain and Thunder will scout the perimeter,” Devil continued. “We get in, and we take these bastards down.”
The room was silent, every man ready for what was coming. This wasn’t just about territory and power. They’d come after our own, and that wasn’t something we could let slide. My eyes found Spinner, who had healed from his beating and his cold eyes said he wanted revenge. The foundry was going to be a battleground, and by the time we were done, Drago wouldn’t be able to crawl out of the wreckage.
I leaned against the bar, watching as Thunder and Chain went over the plan with Devil one last time. The guys were sharp, focused. They knew what needed to be done.
But no matter how hard I tried to focus on the mission, my mind kept drifting to her.
She was across the room, her face pale but set with determination as she talked to Brenda. She was trying to stay strong, trying to push through the fear. But I could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands clenched the chain around her neck.
She was still scared.
And hell, I didn’t blame her.
I pushed off the bar and made my way over to her. The second she saw me, something in her eyes softened, but the worry was still there.
“Hey,” I said quietly, taking her hands in mine to stop her fidgeting. “You’re thinkin’ way too hard.”
She let out a shaky breath and nodded, but it wasn’t convincing. “I know. But I won’t lie, Bolt... I’m scared, not for me but for you.”
I reached out, my hand resting on her shoulder, pulling her in close. “It’s okay to be scared, Fiona, but nothing will happen to me, I promise.”
She leaned into me, her body trembling slightly. “What if something goes wrong? What if—”
“Nothing’s gonna go wrong,” I said, cutting her off. “You hear me?”
She looked up at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I don’t want to lose you. I couldn’t survive it.”
Her words hit me harder than I expected. I’d been so focused on keeping her safe, on protecting her from everything, that I hadn’t thought about what she might be feeling.