Somewhere Between the Depths

Chapter Seventeen

Nora 

The sign for Variety comes into view and I can't help but smile. I'm home. It's approaching dusk, but I have the top down on my Jeep and my hair is blowing in the wind as I sing along horribly to the radio. I ended up staying an extra day in New York to help Lydia get settled into her new apartment and see some of the sights with her. We had a blast together and have been talking on the phone almost my entire drive home. The song on the radio ends and I laugh at myself, glancing down at the gas gauge, I decide to stop for a slushie while I pump gas, just because I can. 

A few sleek bikes are parked outside the station, the markings on the side are those of the Royal Bloods MC. Silas would be pissed if I stopped here, but they don't know me, so I pull up to the furthest pump and forgo the slushie. I quickly swipe my credit card and decide to only put in a few dollars instead of filling the tank. I keep my eye on the bikes and the bikers that must be inside the station while I send a few risqué texts to Silas. I smile to myself as I hit send on a steamy shot I took getting out of the shower this morning. 

The click of boots on gravel catch my attention and I snap my head up in time to see three huge bikers standing a foot away from my car. They all wear Royal Blood cuts, and while usually the presence of the leather is comforting to me, these three bastards have my spine straightening. I warily flick my gaze between the three of them, but it's obvious the one in the middle is the leader. He's handsome with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes, but there's nothing handsome about the grin he's giving me. It's too friendly and doesn't meet his eyes. 

"Evening, Nora." 

My blood chills, my heartrate kicking up speed. The one in the center steps forward and I tense, replacing the gas nozzle and slipping my hands into my back pockets. My brass knuckles slip over my fingers easily, and I brace myself. 

"Can I help you?" I ask, widening my stance slightly, prepared in case they rush me. 

"You're such a beautiful girl, Nora. I can see how you were able to bed a VP so easily. Perhaps you'd like to bed a real one?" 

He moves closer, his cut flashing in the light over the pump. He's the VP of the royals... He's the one who stabbed Silas. 

"I don't think we've formally met." He smirks.

"Not interested. I know trash when I see it." I set my jaw, gripping the brass knuckles tightly. 

He laughs out loud, looking down to send a text on his phone before those eyes meet mine again. Only now, the pleasant mask he had before is gone, his expression is unhinged, wild. 

"You should probably head on home to Gran, Nora. I hear things are heating up at the farmhouse." His smile hosts something dark, something evil and my heart explodes. 

I glance between the three of them again, diving into the driver's seat of my car and skidding out of the parking lot. I'm barely two miles down the road when I dial Silas. 

"Hey baby, you back in town?" 

"Silas! The royals... Meet me at Grans!" 

I'm not making any sense, but my heart is beating so loud I can barely hear anything over the thunderous pumping. I end the call, throwing the phone into the passenger seat as I press the gas to the floorboard. I'm breaking fifteen different traffic laws as I weave through in town traffic before hitting the highway to Gran's, but I don't give a damn. I press even harder on the gas, willing the miles to go by faster. 

                                                                     #

Silas 

I was out the door of Axle Grease and gunning my bike out of the parking lot before Nora could end our call. Fucking Sloane! I was going to kill that bastard once and for all. If he so much as touched a hair on Nora's head, I would drag his death out for days. I'd make him suffer for even laying an eye on her. I hit the stretch of highway leading to Annie's house, pushing my bike even harder, glancing over my shoulder, I catch sight of Matty and Enzo following close behind and just behind them is Nora's Jeep flying toward us with her flashers on. 

The thick smell of smoke hits us about two miles from Annie's and my heart sinks into my stomach. No. Please no. I barrel down the dirt lane, skidding to a halt at the end of the drive. The side of the house is engulfed in flames and they're quickly spreading from the first floor up to the second. Nora's brakes squeal behind us as she throws her door open, racing for the front door. I intercept her, snatching an arm around her waist as we go tumbling to the dirt. 

"GRAN!"

Her ear-piercing screams are lost in the dull roar of the fire, and I twist, barking at Enzo to call 911. I'm trembling, chills wracking down my spine despite the intense heat. My head is filled with my mother's screams, and I have to flex my hand a few times to remind myself that the blisters are long gone. That I'm not back there in that house, listening to my parents die. I was just a kid then, I couldn't help, but I can now. 

"No, no, no. Silas, let me go! LET ME GO!" 

Nora thrashes in my arms, and that's when another scream rings out of the house. One that belongs to Annie. I whirl, getting to my feet and dragging Nora up with me. I shove her into Matty's arms. 

"Don't let her go, Matty! I fucking mean it!" I snap, placing a chaste kiss on her lips before throwing my cut off and barreling up the steps. 

"SILAS NO!" Nora thrashes even harder, almost causing Matty to lose his grip. 

I barrel up the steps, reaching for the doorknob but its locked. Fuck! I slam my boot into the wood, once, twice until it finally splinters. I shove my way past the broken wood, charging inside when something explodes in the kitchen, sending me slamming into the wall. I hiss, jumping for the stairs and climbing as quickly as I can. 

"ANNIE!" I yell, stopping on the second-floor landing. 

The flames are crawling quickly toward the top of the stairs, and I remove my shirt to tie around my face. 

"Here! I'm in here!" 

Pounding on attic door catches my attention and I rush for it, snatching the chain connected to the door, I yank but it doesn't budge. I grab it with both hands, using all of my weight to snatch the door open. It finally opens with a groan, and I see Annie kneeling in the attic, staring down at me. She's covered in sweat and shaking uncontrollably. 

"I got you. I got you." 

I reach for her, pulling her gently into my arms. But it isn't Annie's face I see. It's my mother's. I can smell her perfume and see the robe she always wore at night. I have to blink the image away a few times before Annie's face finally focuses. 

"Are you alright?" I ask, smoothing her hair and checking her over. 

"You saved my life, Silas." She whimpers, wrapping her slender arms around my neck. 

My eyes burn as I hold her to me, kissing her temple, and slowly walking her toward the stairs. A crash sounds behind us, the roof groaning as it starts to give way. Flames spread over the ceiling above us, and I apologize to Gran before hoisting her over my shoulder.  We're halfway down the stairs, the open front door in sight when the ceiling crashes down around us.