Stripping Callum (Last Hangman MC Book 6)(54)

“I’m okay,” I say softly, not believing my own words.

“You don’t look it.”

“I’ll be okay.” I hold her close to me, and she lets me.

Sirens soon resonate through the night as we wait. I know it’s pointless for us to leave right now. It’ll just make it seem suspicious.

Firefighters, paramedics, and cops swarm the place as we hold onto each other, still in shock.

“Why doesn’t it surprise me that you’re involved in this?” Agent Tanner says. He and I have a long history of hate-hate relationship. He was in charge when Alina and Billy were killed, and he didn’t do anything. He’s been a nuisance in the club’s life ever since I joined them, and I can’t see him helping us with the matter at hand.

“This isn’t about me. It’s about her.” I glare at him and help Bella up.

“What happened?” he asks us.

“We were coming out of the club and walking toward her car when it blew up,” I say.

“It just blew up?” He looks between the two of us suspiciously.

“Yes,” Bella says lacing her fingers with mine. “I had just gotten around to picking up the few things that could be saved from my place. Everything was in the car. I have nothing now,” she says, breaking down.

“Shit. Wait, what happened to her place?” Tanner asks. I wrap my arms around her and hold her close to me.

“Someone broke in last week and trashed the place. Her roommate didn’t want to involve the cops for some reason. Me and a few guys looked through the place and nothing of value was missing. The money they get from tips was still where it was. We figured it was linked to what happened fourteen years ago,” I say through gritted teeth and I can see the realization dawn on his face that it was indeed someone who was after me or Alina that killed them and not just some inexplicable incident.

“Do you have any idea of who it could be?”

“That’s your job, no?” I scoff.

“Callum…”

“We thought for a moment that it could be the Satan’s Inferno, but they disappeared.” I shrug.

“Disappeared, huh?” he asks.

“Yes, disappeared.”

“Alright, anything else happened since they mysteriously disappeared?”

“Yes, her place got trashed. Other than that, I’m not sure.” I look at her and she shakes her head.

“Alright. Do you have a beef with anyone?” he questions me, and I chuckle humourlessly.

“You should know better than anyone else that I have a few people who want me dead.”

“I know. Anyone in particular?”

“No, not that I know of.” I sigh.

“A patrol car will go to your place and do a sweep of the area. I f*cked up fourteen years ago. I won’t this time.” He pats my shoulder and walks to the car as the firefighters put the fire out.

“What happened fourteen years ago?” Bella asks me.

“Not now, we should get out of here.” She sighs and nods. We walk to my bike, and she gets on it quietly. There are no words that need to be spoken right now. We’re both shaken by what just happened.

This wasn’t an accident. Someone blew up her car on purpose because of me. I don’t know who and I don’t know why, but I intend to find out who wants to kill her and make them pay for all the hurt they’ve put her through.





Annabella

We’ve been at Callum’s for half an hour now. The cops came over and did a sweep of the place and told us it was safe but to keep the alarm activated and that a patrol car would canvass the street and at Suzie’s as well. I can’t even begin to imagine how this must feel for Callum. Badass biker who does illegal shit has the protection from the cops. It’s pretty funny, but something else happened in Callum when it all went down. He’s hiding something. I don’t want to press him to tell me what is going on, but I need to know. If not for me, for him. He looks like he could do with talking to someone.

He’s sitting in the chair while I’m on the couch. He’s resting his elbows on his knees, looking at the ground. This is quite unsettling to see Callum in such a state. You can usually feel his presence in the room, but it’s like he left his own body. It’s just a shell of the Callum I know, and it’s more frightening than when he is pissed off.

As I was about to ask him if he’s okay, he gets up and leaves the living room. I don’t know if he sensed that I was going to talk or not, but this is quite frustrating. I want to follow him and check on him, but I’m sure he’d rather be on his own for a moment. It still makes me wonder what happened for him to react in such a way.

I take the opportunity that he left the room to call Suzie, and she answers on the first ring.

“Are you alright? The cops showed up and told us what happened,” she says frantically.

“Yes, just shaken up, but I’ll be alright. I can’t say the same for Callum, though.” I blow out a breath.

“What’s wrong? Did he get hurt?”

“Physically, no, but something shifted in him after the explosion. I don’t know what exactly as he’s not talking to me.”

“Maybe he realized he could have lost you.”

“Maybe, I don’t know. We didn’t get to talk before it happened, and we haven’t been alone much since then. Although we’ve been in his living room for a bit, he still hasn’t said a word to me.”