Home to Stay (The Long Road Home #2) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,40

The water turned off, and she continued to back away quickly, her feet tripping over each other in her haste to retreat, closing the door behind her.

She looked down the hall, saw no one, and quick-walked silently over the patterned carpet toward the stairs. After passing the elevator, she heard it ding its arrival, and not trusting who might be on the elevator, she raced the last ten feet to push open the stairwell door. Heart pounding, she peeked out to observe a group of the bikers get off the elevator and walk toward the far end of the hall from where she had just come.

Her stomach dropped as she stared in stunned horror as two of the men entered room 203, hearing one of them laugh deeply as he mentioned Griz being busy that night so he wouldn’t be back for a while. Lucy plastered her back against the wall, uncertain her legs would hold her upright. It was Griz’s room. Or one of his friend’s rooms. Paula pawned it off on me just to get me away from her and Griz. I could’ve been in there. I could’ve been in there in the shower or the bed when those men came in. And Paula never thought about that. Or she didn’t care.

Lucy lifted her hand, her fingers fisting as they pressed against her chest, her body beginning to shake. Whether in anger or fear, rage or frustration, she had no idea. Maybe it was all of the emotions swirling inside of her. Uncertain what to do, she jolted into action, racing back down the stairs and into the lobby. More bikers were standing near the reception desk. Not wanting to be seen, she darted around a column behind a large decorative plant in a huge pot. Dropping into a chair behind the thick leaves of the plant, she grabbed a newspaper lying on a nearby table. Staying seated, she peered over the paper and between the fronds of the plant, hoping no one noticed her.

Forcing her heartbeat to slow, she sorted through various scenarios, but none of them were good. Paula knew someone would be in the room. Or Paula knew someone else could get in. Paula planned all along to meet with Griz at the concert. Did Paula know about the drugs and the guns?

Regardless of what Paula did or didn’t know, Lucy was sure of one thing. I can’t wait on her to show up in the morning. I’ve got to get out of here!

The lobby finally cleared as some of the bikers headed to the elevator and others called out goodbyes and left through the front door. Reaching into her bag with a still-shaking hand, she pulled out her phone.

12

Reading in bed, John felt restless. Lucy had been on his mind all day. He hoped she’d had a good time at the festival and had battled the desire to send her a text to tell her that. Slamming his book closed, he leaned his head back against the headboard. She might be with someone she met. Or maybe the trip wasn’t just for her and Paula. He hated the images of her dancing with someone else. Being held by someone else. Being—

His phone vibrated on his nightstand and his brow furrowed at who would be calling so late. Glancing at the caller ID, his fingers squeezed his phone as he read Lucy’s name. “Lucy?”

“John?”

He heard the tremor in her voice as she said his name, and his heart began to pound. Sitting up straight, he swung his legs over the side of the bed. “Lucy? What’s wrong? What’s happening?”

“I don’t know what to do. I’m so sorry to call, but you’re the person I thought of when…”

Her words tapered off, managing to send his heartbeat skyrocketing. Standing, he held the phone between his shoulder and ear, jerking his jeans up his legs. “Just tell me. What the hell is happening?”

“It started fine, everything with Paula was great. But she lied to me. By this evening, she’d met up with that biker that she’d been sitting with at the bar the other night—”

“Goddamnit!” She grew quiet, and he hated that his curse had probably scared her. Calming his voice, he prodded, “Keep going, please.”

“We were going to come back tonight, but she wants to spend the night with him. She told me she had a hotel room for us, which makes me wonder if she ever planned on us coming back tonight. Anyway, she said since