“No! You didn’t. Is he awake and talking?” My body tenses not knowing if she’s about to totally shatter me.

“Yeah. He’s his stubborn ass self. Look, you need to get your shit and get home.”

“When’s the service?” I know I’m being rude, but I don’t give a damn. How dare she not tell me?

“End of the week they’re thinking. But it’s more. All the guys got shot at. They’re not talking about it only to say that someone is gunning for them. We’re on lockdown and that includes you.”

“No. I can’t. I have my life here. I’ll come to the services, but I’m not doing lockdown.” I will hold my ground on this one. I mean nothing to any of them except Harlow. I will not subject myself to a lockdown or to be in a confined space with all of them.

“You don’t have a fucking choice. Buzz is on his way up there now to help you with your shit and follow you back since I know you won’t leave your car. Start packing and plan on staying for a while.”

“No. I’m not coming Harlow. Like I said, I’ll be there for Diamond, but I will not do a lockdown.” I argue.

Harlow screams in the phone, forcing me to pull the phone away from my ear. “Fuck you! Yes, you will! You’re part of this fucking family and so help me God if I have to leave here right now to come and drag your ass here, I fucking will. My head’s in a lot of different places right now Casey and I will not be worrying about your fucking ass! Pack and be ready when Buzz gets there!”

While Harlow definitely has a temper, she’s never really gone off on me like this before. And even though I’m still pissed at her, the desperation in her voice has me tap down my hurt and all the swirling emotions plaguing me. She is scared shitless and has no control over anything. This is her way of getting some control, even if it is bossing me around. I know what I have to do even if I don’t want to.

“I’ve gotta talk to my professors. I’ll try for two weeks, after that I can’t promise anything.”

“Thank you.” She blew out an exasperated breath into the phone. “I’m sorry.” She whispers. I’m not sure if it’s about her blow up or not calling about G.T., but I’m not ready to forgive yet.

“I know, but you should have called me as soon as it happened.” I’m not stupid and know I have no claim to G.T., but Harlow knows better. I decide to change the subject. “Pops move up?”

“Yeah.”

“G.T.?”

“Nothing’s official there yet.” She knew exactly what I was asking. I want to know if G.T. moved to VP. When Bam was alive, he used to tell me that one day Pops and G.T. would run Ravage. He’d always say ‘that’ll be the day.’ I never understood those words. That is, until today.

“I’ll need a day or so to get everything together.”

“Buzz should be there in about thirty minutes.” I sigh in defeat.

“Okay… I love you Low.”

Surprisingly, sniffles come from the other end of the line, “Love you too. Get home.”

“I’ll be there soon.” With that, we end the call.

Turning, Bella is at my side. “What was that?”

I pull the chairs up to the table, since they seemed to have moved across the room, motioning for her to come and sit. I explain what is going on and the tears leak from my eyes.

“So you’re leaving?” She asks reaching out and squeezing my hand, the lone reassurance helpful.

“For a while.”

“What the hell is a lockdown?” She asks quirking her eye. I haven’t really given her the Biker 101 yet.

“Exactly that. All the brothers and their families go to the clubhouse and that is where they stay for however long the President says. Normally it’s ‘till everything is safe.”

“Can you leave at all?”

“Sure. When a brother or a Prospect is with you. You just can’t go alone.” Bella may or may not know that she is providing a wonderful distraction from all the grief I feel in my heart by asking all these questions.

“So let me get this right… You get to be locked up indefinitely with all of those hunks of hotness?”

“Pretty much.” I shrug. “Not that any of that matters.” I look down sheepishly.

“Can I come? Seriously, those pictures on your phone… damn girl.” If I were in a better mood, I’d probably laugh at that, but I’m not so I didn’t.

“No.”

“Are you going to be okay?”

“No.” I answer honestly. I will have to tell them about Mia and I’m scared to death. This is much sooner than I ever thought, but I will not be able to hold myself together the whole time I’m there. I’m barely doing it here.

“Why you? Your dad’s gone. How does that work?”

“I’m the daughter of a very well respected brother. Harlow says I’m considered family. They protect their family.”

“Damn. What happens on lockdown?”

“Well, aren’t you a vat of questions.” I grumble.

“Girl, we haven’t really talked in weeks and if this gets you to talk, I’ll ask everything I can possibly think of.”

I give her a short smile. “I’ll answer, but I’ve gotta get packed and call my professors. Considering I’ve already missed so much, I have no clue how that will go. Oh… Buzz is on his way here. You’ll be foaming at the mouth for him.”

I explain to her about lockdowns and procedures, which are pretty cut and dry.

“Tell me more about Harlow.” She questions as I throw my stuff in bags. I’d already called my professors who stated that as long as I kept up to date on the work, I’d be fine. They even offered to let me watch the lectures through Skype, which I thought was pretty cool. There is no need for me to call my boss. After I had lost Mia, I stopped going and quit without telling him. I’m sure my boss is pissed. I just don’t care.

“Harlow. Let’s see. She goes by Princess in the club.”

“Yeah, you said that. Why?”

“She’s always been the club Princess, the Vice President’s daughter and all. She’s been called that since she was young, but what really earned her the title of Princess is she’s the furthest thing from it.” I keep packing as I talk and Bella sits on the bed listening. “She’s a badass bitch and thank God she’s my friend, if not I’d be scared shitless of her.”

“Why?” She asks grabbing the shirt I just placed on the bed and folds it for me.

“She’s a fighter. And I’m not talking those girly fights where hair gets pulled and women scream. Oh no. Harlow can fight. As in she gets in the boxing ring with the brothers and goes blow for blow with them. It’s actually how she became an ol’ lady. Fought her man. It was a tie.”

“She actually fought her man?”

Grabbing my phone, I pull up a picture of Harlow with Cruz and Cooper. My heart gives a small ache, but I push it away. I hold it up to Bella, “this is Harlow and her ol’ man. The one she fought.”

“Holy fucking shit! Are you kidding me? No way.” Her head shakes in disbelief.

“Yeah. Seriously.”

“She’s not that big and well… He’s a monster. And a hot one to boot!”

“Yeah. But believe it. She’s something else.”

A very loud banging comes from the front door shaking the walls. “Damn Buzz.” I say moving to the door, Bella hot on my heels.

“What? You didn’t think I’d miss this did you?” Rolling my eyes we head to the door, just about reaching it when the pounding commences for the second time.

Looking in the peep hole, a very handsome Buzz stands before me looking either very agitated or angry, I can’t tell which.

Before I open the door, Bella grabs my arm and I turn to her. “You gonna be okay?” she asks.

“I don’t know. It won’t be easy, but I don’t have much choice.” I give her a small smile and turn to the door.

“You can do this.” She reassures me. I reach down and grab her hand, squeezing it.

I turn and swing the door open, “Damn. You knocked shit off my walls.” I bark.

He doesn’t answer instead he wraps his arms around me tight and begins to squeeze the living shit out of me, burying my face in his chest to the point where I cannot breathe. “Miss me, Buzz?” I mumble.