Brick Brick (Knights Corruption MC - Next Generation, #4) - S. Nelson Page 0,77
other two across the clubhouse. Maddie clutched onto Linc’s hand, sharing worried glances with him with every step.
I decided to follow them.
If Prez didn’t want me around for whatever conversation they were gonna have, he’d certainly let me know. They stopped just inside the doorway to Chambers, which was odd given women weren’t typically allowed inside the meeting room. But I supposed there was to be an exception for extenuating circumstances, this time being one of them.
Ryder had stayed behind in this room after everyone else filed out, continually pacing, but when he saw us crowd the entrance, he made a beeline straight for us. Several hard lines etched into his forehead, as well as around his eyes and if I wasn’t mistaken, I thought I saw a few more gray hairs sprout out around his temples.
“What’s goin’ on?” he asked, standing so close to Marek, our leader had to step to the side. His question caught the attention of Stone, Tripp, and Kaden, who’d been not five feet away from the door, filing into the room with us, just as curious to find out more information.
Prez didn’t answer; instead, he turned his full attention to Maddie. God love her, she shrunk under his focus, and although he’d been nothing but accommodating and kind to her, she continued to fold into herself, especially now that she was surrounded by all of us. We could be rather intimidating in our own right, but side by side was another thing altogether. I smiled at her when she looked my way, her eyes springing between her man, me, Ryder, then finally landing back on Marek.
“Maddie,” he started. “I need to ask you a few things about your time with the Reapers, okay?” His question wasn’t a question at all but more of a formality.
“Okay.” Her timid voice made me want to wrap her in my arms to comfort her, but I didn’t think Linc would take too kindly to that, his expression already one of apprehension.
“Did they ever take you anywhere outside their club? Any place you can remember?”
“Sometimes they took me with them to the fights.” She looked up at Linc and they shared a coded look between them. “But other than that, they kept me at the club. I don’t remember where it is, though. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about that. We know exactly where their clubhouse is.” Marek briefly looked upward toward the ceiling. Then he snapped his eyes back to Linc’s woman. “Did any of them ever mention going to a specific place?” Maddie began shaking her head. “Like a meeting place or someone’s house or anything like that?”
Mid headshake, she stopped to chew on her bottom lip, the cogs of her mind seeming to work overtime. And when we all thought she didn’t have anything else to say, her mouth opened, a thin line of concentration appearing on her face.
“I remember Pike telling me one time that he had to go with one of the other guys to the farm. He didn’t want to go that day because Griller…” Maddie looked at Linc before focusing her eyes on the ground. “Pike wanted to be there with me to help, if he could.”
Linc looked like he was ready to blow, I believed at the reminder of her being with them, but also at the mention of their prospect.
“The farm?” Ryder asked. “What is that? Where was it?”
“I don’t know. He never said. But I remember he left right around noon and was back before the sun went down.” Maddie’s shoulders met her ears, a strained smile curving the corners of her mouth. “If that helps any.”
“It might,” Marek responded, looking at Ryder as he mumbled something to himself before walking away from the group. “You can take her back to the room if you want.”
Linc nodded, steering Maddie away from us. I was tempted to comfort him because of the conversation, but I needed to preserve all my emotional strength for myself.
My gut told me I was gonna need it.
35
A bottle of water and a half-eaten sandwich were tossed inside the door before it was closed again. I didn’t have an appetite, but I did need the drink. My throat was raw, and even though the thought crossed my mind the water might be laced with something, I crawled across the room, the hard floor digging into my knees, and took several gulps from it anyway. I passed the bottle to Braylen afterward and she took a few tentative sips.