Breathe (Colorado Mountain #4)(151)

Chace looked through the crowd but the room was so packed, standing room only, he couldn’t see who she was motioning to.

“No one?” Cesar called into his microphone.

When no one moved or even raised their hand, Jim-Billy shouted out, “Vote it, Moreno.”

Cesar looked to his left then right then at Mary. “You’ve had your meeting, Mary, the Council will now vote. All in favor of Carnal Library’s closure, say aye.”

Mary’s hand shot up and she shouted, “Aye!”

None of the other council members moved. Mary glared at the one at her side then she glared at the one at the opposite end.

They avoided her gaze and kept their mouths shut.

Likely, they’d murmured remarks of alliance just to shut her up. Or maybe they didn’t expect the force of the opposition. Whatever reason, she expected their votes to swing her way and they were not.

“Nays?” Cesar asked and the other three council members cried, “Nay!”

“Right the ef on!” Bubba shouted from the back.

Cesar brought down his gavel then announced, “The Carnal Library will not close.”

Another cheer roared through the crowd.

“Comments and feedback about the catalogue held at the library should not be directed to the Town Council but to the Library Board, which, thank God, I’m not a member of,” Cesar finished over the noise. “Thank you for your attendance this evening. Enjoy the rest of it.”

He barely got out the last word when Chace heard Silas shout, “Faye, sweetheart, you got Malachi?”

Chace felt his neck begin to prickle as Faye looked around and called back, “No, Dad. Thought he was with you.”

“That was awesome!” Lexie showed at the end of their bench, dragging Ty with her and Chace distractedly noticed that only Lexie Walker could be heavily pregnant and still wear a stylish, skintight dress, high-heeled boots and look stunningly beautiful.

“It was,” Faye replied but she sounded distracted too.

“Serious as f**k, Nina’s the shit,” Ty muttered. “Bitch never backs down from a fight.”

“Don’t let Nina hear you calling her a bitch,” Lexie advised.

“No f**kin’ way,” Ty replied, grinning down at his wife. “She’s got verbal claws so sharp, she’d shred me.”

“Uh… have you two seen Malachi?” Faye asked them, she and Chace were both standing, looking around. Faye was craning her neck and speaking. “He came in with Mom and Dad. Blond boy? You know, the one Mom and Dad are looking after.”

“Saw him,” Lexie answered. “Don’t see him now. And by the way, he’s super cute.”

“Yo Keaton!” He heard his name called and turned to see Wings, one of the local bikers, fighting the crowds leaving or standing around and talking to get to Chace.

“Excuse me,” Chace muttered, grabbing Faye’s hand and moving her out into the aisle when Ty and Lexie moved out of the way. The second they were there, Wings made it to him.

“Little kid slipped this to me and took off,” he said to Chace and that prickle on his neck started biting. “Thought I’d wait until the end, you know, what with this bein’ a big deal for Faye and all.”

Chace took the note that had his name printed on the outside in Malachi’s writing and opened it, Faye crowding him close and he could feel her tension.

It said in Malachi’s handwriting,

She’s here. It’s safe to do it now.

I’ll be at the shed.

Silas and Sondra pushed through, Silas announcing, “Our lil’ bugger took off. Can’t find him anywhere. I’ll go to the restroom –”

“Note, Silas,” Chace stated tersely, lifting up the note, Silas took it but Chace was looking around. He found Deck at the back, chatting up a blonde and he whistled. The second the sound pierced the air, Deck’s neck twisted and Chace got his eyes. Chace jerked up his chin. Deck did too, coming his way.

“What? I don’t get it. What’s safe?” Silas asked, heavy concern threading his tone.

“Everything all right?” Ty asked.

“Who is she?” Faye whispered and her tone, a tone he understood because he felt its cold crawling through his system, made Chace look down at her.

Before he could speak, he heard Deck say, “Yo. What?”

Chace looked at Deck and told him, “Something’s going down with Malachi. At the shed.”

“I’m on it,” Deck stated immediately, turning to move the other way.

“I’m going too,” Faye put in. Chace looked down at her and opened his mouth but she got there before him, squaring her shoulders. He knew by that and the worried look in her eye, he was f**ked. “I’m going too,” she repeated firmly.

“All right, baby,” he muttered.

“Mary Eglund is a serious pain in the ass,” Krys announced, making it to their huddle, Bubba following in her wake and Chace saw Tate, Lauren and Jonas also hitting their group.

“Something’s going down with the kid,” Ty told Tate.

“What kid?” Max asked from behind them, Nina, he and their kids had moved up the center aisle and were down the bench from them.

“We need to go, Chace,” Faye whispered, grabbing his hand and holding it tight. “We need to go, go, go.”