Chapter 23

(Chapter song ‘My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark’ by Fall Out Boy)

ANNA “I cannot believe this!”

I come out of my house, pushing past border agents as they go in.

“Anna?”

I look to the road and Michael is getting out of his car.

I slowly meet him half way as he crosses my lawn. “Hi, Michael…”

“What’s…going on?” His face fills with confusion as he watches my house being invaded by the Falcon Ridge Border unit.

I turn to my house then back to him. “Some asshole broke into my bedroom and trashed it. Destroyed everything.” I grumble. I’m fucking pissed. I wanted a beautiful weekend with River, but this is what I came home to. My bedroom was ransacked, everything I own broken beyond repair. Whoever did this is going to get his ass handed to him.

“What? Why?” Michael’s brow went up.

“I don’t know. A sick joke? Maybe looking for something because I'm an agent…” I sigh.

“But, you’re not. I don’t get it.” He responds.

“Some of the guys think it might have been retaliation from someone I busted. A rogue maybe. They’re still investigating. I’m sure we’ll catch them.” I rub my forehead as four more agents cross the grass to the house.

He walks up to me and places his hands on my arms. “I’m sure they will. Why don’t you grab some things and stay at my place?”

I look up at him and smile. “That’s sweet, Michael, but…”

I’m interrupted by the growl of an engine pulling in front of Michael’s car. We both turn to the midnight black Camaro.

“River already offered.” I say as I walk away from him.

River gets out and jogs around his car. “Anna?”

He grabs me in a hug. “We'll get the bastards.” He growls as he holds my head and gives me a kiss.

I push back. “I know.”

He places his hand on my cheek. “Are you packed?”

I nod. “Everything’s on my bike and I have two bags on the porch.”

“River.” Michael joins our sides.

“Mike.” He narrows his eyes.

I can already feel the tension rising. I thought we were past this.

Michael scratches his temple. “This is really shitty.”

River crosses his arms. “Yes it is. You wouldn’t know anything about it, would you?”

“River!” I scold.

He puts up a hand to me as Michael scowls. “I’m just asking a question.”

“No. Why would you…” He gets his back up.

River eyes him. “Just seems like a Michael thing to do.”

Michael pushes on him. “You think I’d purposely hurt Anna?”

“Yes.” River says bluntly.

I step between them. “Ok. Enough. River, stand down.” I push on his chest.

“Anna’s a friend. I wouldn’t do something like this.” Michael growls.

“I think your more capable than you want us to believe, Mike.” River puffs his chest out. “We all know you won’t settle for friends.”

“RIVER, ENOUGH!” I yell and get his attention. “Get in the car.” I point behind him to the Camaro.

Michael clenched his jaw. “We both know the only one who would hurt Anna is you.”

“Ugh…Michael, just stop!!” I push him back as he tries to move on River. I whip around. “River! Car!” I flare my eyes at him and give him a warning.

He looks at me then at Michael. “Have a good day.” He pushes past us and walks to my porch. He picks up my bags and walks them back to his car. He glares at Michael as he walks by.

“I don’t trust him, Anna.” Michael says.

“Well, I do. So, trust me.” I glance at him. “Just go home. I’ll call you if we find out anything.”

“Ok.” He closes the gap. “Anything you need, call me. Even if it’s the middle of the night. You need a place to stay, my doors open.”

“I think I’m good, Michael. Don’t worry.” I smile.

“I will always worry about you.” He kisses my forehead. “I’ll see you later.”

He walks back to his car and I watch as both men exchange looks of distrust from their driver doors and both get in.

I cross my arms and shake my head.

“Thank God, they don’t work together.” I mumble and turn back to my house.

****

RIVER “I’m just saying be careful.”

Anna walks into the pack house behind me and I drop the bags on the floor.

“River, you have to stop, ok. Michael didn’t wreck my bedroom. He wouldn’t do that." She says as she places the rest of her stuff on the floor.

I turn to her and place my hands on her cheeks. “I know you think he wouldn’t, but I know guys like that, ok? They can get dangerous.”

“I know Michael, River. He’s not capable of this. No. Now, stop being jealous and help me to my room.” She picks up a bag and puts it on her shoulder.

“I’m not jealous, Anna. Michael is a concern. He’s unstable. You have to see that.” I say as I pick up two bags and lead her to the stairs.

“Look. He’s just worried about me. He spent four years looking out for me. He just wants what’s best for me.” She says to my back as we climb to the second floor.

“No. He wants you for himself. Face it, Anna. He’s not safe.” I walk to a guest room and open the door.

“River, please. Just stop. I can take care of myself. I don’t need you being a bodyguard. Please, knock it off.” She’s irritated, but I know I’m right.

Michael makes my stomach twist. There’s something really off and I need to make sure he can’t get to Anna. I know we agreed to be friends, but I can’t trust him as far as I can throw him.

My gut tells me he trashed Anna’s room out of revenge. I won’t ignore it no matter how much Anna wants me to.

I put her bags down and take her bag from her. “Ok. Let’s stop talking about him and focus on us.” I smile.

She eyes me. “I can do that.” She gives a little smirk.

I clap my hands together. “Alright. Your bathrooms there. Your closets there. I’ll show you around and then we can do whatever you want.” I point out the doors in the room and place my hands on my hips with a big grin on my face.

She slides her arms around my waist. “Thank you.” She smiles.

I gently move her hair off her forehead. “You’re welcome, baby girl. As long as your safe. That’s all that matters.” I whisper.

“You’re really something, aren’t you?” She smiles up at me.

I tick my head with a smirk. “I try.” I chuckle.

She pulls me down to her lips and I part her lips with my tongue. I show her she can trust me. Trust my judgment.

I deepen the kiss, break it quick and pull her shirt off and kiss down her neck. She lets out a little moan and runs her slender fingers into my hair.

I love this skin. I can’t get enough of enough of it. As I cup her breasts, I nip at her collar bone.

My hand travels to her jeans and I pop the button.

My phone buzzes in my pocket. Nope, I’m ignoring it. I move to her lips and devour her when my phone switches from text to phone call.

I growl on her lips as I pull it out and look at the screen. It’s Zeke.

I break the kiss and answer. “This better be good.” I say as I stroke Anna’s bottom lip with my thumb.

“Riv. Emergency meeting. Now.” He says.

“About what?” I stitch my brow together.

“Don’t know. They want all team leaders in now.” He sounds concerned.

“On my way.” I hang up and meet Anna’s eyes.

“I have to go. There’s an emergency meeting.” I kiss her. “I will definitely be finishing this when I get back.” I smirk.

She smiles and puts her shirt back on. “Don’t be too long.” She taps my chest.

I lean to her lips. “Oh, don’t worry. I only get two days with you. I’m not letting the unit ruin it.” I bruise her lips and leave her breathless when I leave the room.

I’ll be pissed if this is anything other than the fucking world ending.

****

MICHAEL I park a few blocks down and waited for Anna and River to leave. As much as I believe these agents are dicks, they’re good investigators and Anna can’t know it was me who trashed her room.

From the bushes, I watch an agent carry evidence bags to a car and put them in the trunk.

Perfect.

He walks back to the scene and I make my move.

I walk to the car and test the doors when the agent is out of sight. I open the passenger door, push the trunk release and move fast to the trunk.

I pick up the bags and look through them. Boot prints, finger prints, fibers. Shit.

I take a look around and shove the bags in my pants. I close the trunk as quietly as I can and wipe the trunk down with my jacket sleeve. Then I wipe the door handles and the trunk release with my shirt. I make sure there’s nothing to find then head back to my car.

I drive out to the woods in between Falcon Ridge and White Rock.

I enter the treeline and fume at River’s accusations. Ok. He’s right. Fucking guy doesn’t get it. It wasn’t Anna I was mad at. It was him. The thought of him even looking her way pisses me off to no end. When his scent confirmed he was in her bed, my mind couldn’t take it. I was erasing him. I was destroying him. In my mind, I wanted him out of her bed and out of her life.

Yeah, it backfired. Now, she’s at his fucking pack house. I won't go to jail for this. I have to fix it. I have to find a way to make Anna mine forever. I can’t do that locked up.

Once I hiked in far enough, I threw the evidence bags on the ground, flicked my zippo lighter and dropped it. The bags and all the evidence against me went up in flames.

“I love you, Anna. No one’s getting in the way of that.” I mumble as the red orange heat fills my eyes.

I watch the growing fire. The plastic melted. The plaster cast of my boot print cracked and burned. Fibers destroyed. My innocence restored.

I turn around and stuff my hands in my pockets.

I don’t know what Anna’s doing to me, but I know she’s the cure. She can quiet the storm brewing inside me. Only her. It’s only ever been her.

I pull my hands out and crack my knuckles as I walk through the brush. River won’t win.

I’ll walk through the fires of hell before I let him win.

That’s a fucking promise.