Morning arrived like an unwanted visitor before I got the chance to fall back asleep. So I prepared breakfast for Adam and I. Just another silly attempt to keep my mind preoccupied. I even considered tidying up around the house. That was how stir-crazy I had gotten.

Resting was super-duper boring. I needed to be out there searching for the lunatic who killed our baby and my precious fur-babies. Adam would go back to work today while I’d head over to Emmett’s hideout. Not because I forgave him for being a jackass that day at the hospital, but so I could find more dirt on Mrs. Nelson and whoever the witch was. He always let me go over their inventory report and clientele list, so it wouldn’t be too difficult to find out what drugs Mrs. Nelson took.

The only thing that would be hard to figure out was the witch. I hoped she’d make an appearance while I dealt drugs so we could catch her red-handed. If she kept close tabs on me at home, I’m sure she’d follow me down to Hell’s Hollow too.

“I could get used to waking up like this.” Adam wrapped his arms around me from behind as I cooked on the stove, kissing my cheek. “I’m really considering taking more time off like my sergeant suggested. Even more now.”

I turned around and brought my arms around his neck, kissing him. He smelled so good, fresh out of the shower, and his messy black hair was still damp. If only he could come with me to the rebel’s hideout. Emmett would never allow it though. As much as I wanted him to stay with me, I knew I had to let him go. Our town needed him too, and the police task force had the best resources that could find the woman stalking me.

“You have a job to do. I understand, Adam. I’m working on my plan today. Emmett’s got me scheduled to work at the old hair salon in Viper Valley with Alfie and Kaz. I’ll have access to all the clients and their information.”

“You be careful over there.” Adam stroked his fingers through my hair, tucking some behind my ears. “Keep me updated on everything and call if you need anything.”

“I will,” I told him.

“Make sure you take your medication, and don’t go down there unarmed,” Adam warned. “With everything that’s happened… It’s better to be on the side of caution.”

“Yeah, I know. I will and I won’t forget my gun.”

“I’ll stop by to check on you while out on patrol. Maybe we can have lunch together too?” he suggested.

I smiled. “I’d love that.”

I fixed us both plates of pancakes while he brewed a pot of coffee. Mornings like these together were my favorite. I couldn’t wait for the day when it wouldn’t just be the two of us gathered around the dining room table, but our own kids too. If I could have them…

Sighing, I shoveled a forkful of fluffy pancakes in my mouth. We’d create our family together someday. I just had to hold onto hope we would because if not, what else would I fight for?

After breakfast, I went and got dressed, making sure to wear comfy clothes that would keep me warm. The weather had only worsened and got so much colder. Then I headed out with my boyfriend in his truck. The sweet smell of cherries greeted me as I buckled up and fiddled with the radio, settling on popular pop tune.

The neighborhood reminded me of a snow globe. Snow covered the rooftops and lawns while little flurries danced all around. With the weather being so chilly, I wondered if more stray cats would come around. I missed my fur-babies so much. Burying them broke my heart. Adam bought some plastic roses to place on their graves in my backyard. I think he knew how much they meant to me.

Vengeful thoughts played through my mind all the time anymore. I fantasized about killing her to the point it was almost obsessive. My hatred toward my stalker toppled my fear. Every time I woke up, I lived in fear of being shot again or being killed. It didn’t matter where I was. At home. At the hospital. In Adam’s truck. The paranoia never faded. I always had my guard up, and I always would until we caught the bitch. And I didn’t plan to live the rest of my life looking over my shoulder.

Hell’s Hollow had to be the dirtiest place in New Syracuse. It was a dump, with trash thrown all over the streets and a couple homeless people scavenging about for spare change on the curbs. I pitied the poor men and women living out on the snowy streets. The shelter got too crowded for them all. Most of them were addicts too, so a lot of motels turned them away. They didn’t want anyone overdosing in their rooms.

Why Emmett chose such a horrible place to start his gang was beyond me. Helping him clean up the hideout when we first moved there had been the most disgusting thing I’d ever done in my life. Nightmares still haunted me from all the scurrying cockroaches and old trash. The stench had to be the worst part of it all. I actually stepped out to puke once when I found moldy cheese, spoiled milk, and dead rats in one of the rooms.

Adam parked in front of the old auto shop we renovated into the Voiceless Rebels hideout. He frowned, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel. “You sure you wanna do this?”

“I have to.” I unbuckled my safety belt. “I’ll be careful, I promise.”

Adam sighed. “Alright.” He leaned over and kissed me. “Text me whatever you find out about Mrs. Nelson, okay?”

“Don’t worry, I will.”

I folded my shivering arms over my chest after I climbed out of his truck, slamming the door behind me. He stayed there until I made my way inside using the spare key Emmett gave me. We only had three keys that unlocked the door. Mine, Emmett’s and his right-hand, man Alfie’s. We were the ones who Emmett trusted most.

The warmth was wonderful. I kicked off my pink boots and stepped into the lounging area, wrinkling my nose. It reeked of cheese and weed. Only Rylee sat on the couch, munching on a plate of steamy nachos and scrolling through something on her phone. The plasma television played a morning talk show on mute. Booze bottles and fast food wrappers scattered across the coffee table. Of course they didn’t bother to clean up while I was away. Typical.

“Hey,” Rylee greeted me “I’m surprised to see you back here so soon.”

Rylee and I butted heads a lot. I’m sure she enjoyed it while I was away. She didn’t like the way I ran things at the hideout. Countless times I’ve overheard her calling me a “Barbie Bitch” yet she never had the guts to say it to my face.

“I needed something to do to keep my mind off stuff.” I shrugged. “You seen Emmett?”

“I think he’s back in his office with Kaz,” she replied.

I sighed. “Guess I’ll wait out here for him.”

“You good?” Rylee asked.

“Yeah, I’m good.” I took a seat beside her on the couch.

Rylee kept her gaze glued to her phone. “Sorry bout what happened.”

I shrugged. “Nothing to be sorry for. It’s not your fault.”

“You got any idea who did it?” Rylee questioned.

“No, not a clue,” I replied.

“Adam got any new leads?”

“Not yet, but he’s trying,” I admitted.

My heart thumped in my chest. I wiped my sweaty palms on my gray sweatpants. I wasn’t used to lying, but I didn’t want the gang members to realize what I was up to. At first, I considered letting the rebels help find the woman we suspect shot me before another possibility stuck me. One of them could be behind everything.

Rylee could be a bitch, but I doubt she’d do anything like this to me. She’d never betray Emmett and face his wrath. Even in spite of that, I couldn’t rule her out as a suspect though. I knew she had a crush on Adam, although she was currently in an on and off relationship with Alfie. He just wasn’t interested in her. I didn’t know much about Rylee either. She always kept to herself and never spoke about her personal life. She’d never seemed like the jealous type either, but people could be deceptive.

“You think it was a threat for Adam?” Rylee asked.

Rylee’s question took me by surprise. “What makes you say that?”

“Think about it. Who means the world to Adam? You and his family. Chris too,” Rylee replied. “Maybe he pissed off the wrong person and arrested them?”

I considered her theory. “That’s possible. You think it could be someone from the Black Viper’s gang?”

“Probably. They’re fucking nuts.” Rylee stuffed a cheesy chip in her mouth.

“Oh shit. Blondie’s back.”

Charlie, best know as Fatlard, came hobbling into the lounging area with a bowl of macaroni. He had several horrible tattoos on his body but the worst one was the phrase: Thug Life tattooed across his forehead. His pudgy gut jiggled beneath his stained white t-shirt. He scratched at his neck beard before shoveling a spoonful of the cheesy macaroni in his mouth.

“I can’t believe you got knocked up.”

“Shut the hell up.” Rylee glared at him. “Ignore him, Everly. He ain’t worth your time.”

I wasn’t in the mood for that bastard. Hope he choked to death on his macaroni.

“Like, don’t you use birth control?” Fatlard asked.

“Yes. Not like it’s any of your business though,” I snapped.

“Jeez, woman. Calm down. It was just a question. Must be those pregnancy hormones making you act like a bitch.” Fatlard continued to stuff his face, dropping macaroni noodles on his shirt.

I stood up and snatched his bowl of macaroni out of his grubby hands. The noodles soared across the living room, smacking the wall before spilling all over the floor. I had no intentions of cleaning up the mess either. Let them live like pigs.

“The fuck did you do that for?” Fatlard asked, gaping.

I rested a hand on my hip. “You don’t deserve that macaroni. Learn to be more respectful and less like… yourself.”

Fatlard rose from the couch, shaking his head as he headed for the kitchen. “Crazy fucking bitches. Y’all are all nut jobs.”

Rylee snickered. “Serves him right.”

I sighed, rubbing my temples. I already had a migraine.

Emmett finally emerged from his office with Kaz, who seemed flustered. The young artist adjusted his glasses then clasped his hands behind his back.

“How are doing?” Emmett asked, embracing me tightly.

“Better,” I told him.

“Normally, I don’t do such short shifts like this but I don’t want you to overdo yourself. I thought the Wallflower would be a bit too much on ya, since that’s where we get most of our business lately. I’m sure Alfie and Kaz can handle the other clients by themselves too.”

“Alright. Thanks.”

“I’ve been looking into who could’ve shot you that night too. Found a lot of dirt on those fuckhead cops of New Syracuse,” Emmett explained.

I frowned. “Oh yeah? Like what?”

“They’ve been sending more of their own people undercover in the gangs,” Emmett replied. “They end up trying drugs for the first time and soon get addicted. They start playing for both sides. They’ve really hit the Black Vipers gang, apparently. Probably because it’s easier to get involved with them.”

“Seriously?”

My brother nodded. “Be careful who you trust, Everly. Your regular clients might betray you.”

Little did Emmett know, I had my suspicions about some of our clients already and his own crew.