Flock

“Ease up, Dom.” The guy Sean informally introduced as Andre says, moving in. His expression puts me on edge. These men are dangerous, and as I survey the faces of most of the onlookers, I see amusement. They’re clearly desensitized by what’s playing out in front of them, which instills some fear in me. I’ve never bore witness to this type of raw violence. Not only that but by a man who less than an hour ago was lighting my body on fire with tender touches.

Though a little fearful, a foreign but carnal desire begins to course through me as I watch him destroy his opponent. Dominic delivers one last punch and the guy goes down, landing limp at his feet.

Dom steps away, his power rolling like a tidal wave over the crowd as he addresses everyone within feet of where he stands. “Happy to fucking address any objections.”

Andre jerks his head and two of the guys behind him lift what’s left of the guy on the ground.

Dominic’s livid gaze follows him. “You do that again, you’re out,” he barks as the guy spits out a mouthful of blood. Dom’s hand is dripping with it, and I push through the crowd to get to him as Sean speaks up.

“Ease up, man,” he mutters just as I reach them.

“Fuck him,” Dominic snaps, his rage-filled posture challenging everyone within feet of him.

“You’ve made your point,” Sean takes his place by his side.

Dominic looks over to where Tallahassee stands, surveying the damage to his car. “You all right, man?”

He nods as I reach Dominic, lifting his hand to inspect it. He jerks away from my touch, turning on a dime and rears back, fist drawn. He drops it once he sees my face, which drains of all blood when I witness up close, the rage in his eyes.

“I’m good,” he snaps, jerking away from me and I back away, right into Sean’s chest just as he hooks a hand around my waist. “Let him cool off, baby.”

I nod as Sean pulls me to his side and glance over his tense frame, sca

My gaze flits back to where Dominic stands, his chest heaving, his eyes frighteningly feral before he stalks out of sight.

“He’s good,” Sean assures before he whisks me into his car and in seconds, we’re back on the dark road, the eerie quiet a stark contrast to the party we just left. If I hadn’t have been there, I would have thought I’d imagined it.

“You’re pissed,” he speaks up as tension grows in the cabin. I am angry, but these men make it impossible to rationalize a functional line of hard limits and remain sane while doing it. But in choosing my battles, this one I’m not backing down from. I’m done with all the mystery.

“First of all, you left me at a party where I hardly knew anyone.”

“I knew enough people to know you were safe, safer than you are locked up all alone in your house.”

“Whatever. Second, you went racing—racing—in the middle of the mountains at night.”

He grins. “Sorry, Mom.”

“It’s fucking dangerous and stupid. Look what just happened.”

“I love that you care.”

“Don’t smile at me all sexy.”

His grin only grows as he checks his rearview.

“Third, what the hell is all this?”

He expels a breath.

“And don’t you dare tell me it was a party, or you can lose my number.”

He flicks his gaze on me, and it’s unforgiving. I’ve just pissed him off. Good.

“What is this, Sean?”

“It’s your explanation.”

I focus on the beam of the headlights as I sift through my thoughts.

The phone rule, his dealbreaker. The secrecy. The omissions and half-truths. The subtle hints he’s been giving me since the day we met. This is what he’s been hiding, and I still have more questions than answers. It’s not enough.

“Then explain.”

“I just did.”

“You have to know how infuriating this is.”

“Trust me, I do.”

“Yet, you won’t give me anything.”

He glances my way. “Let me guess, you asked around tonight and got no answers.”

“How did you know that?”

“Because that’s how it is.”

“So that’s what this is…like a secret society? Like the masons or some shit?”

He doesn’t answer.

“Take me home.”

He chuckles. “I am.”

“And then lose my number.”

His smile disappears as his fingers tighten on the top of the wheel. “If that’s what you want.”

“I want the fucking truth!”

“You’re getting it,” he says calmly, “you just don’t like what I’m telling you.”

“Because it makes no sense!”

“It makes perfect sense.”

A minute or two of silence follows before he finally speaks up.

“Can you keep a secret?”

“Of course.”

“Too quick to answer,” he snaps. “I mean really keep a secret. Can you think of secrets that you’ll take to your grave, that you’ve never confided in anyone, ever?”

“I have a few, yeah.”

“And how do you go about doing that?”

“By never talking about it. Or thinking about it. Acting like it never happened.”

“Exactly, I can’t give you specifics on a history that doesn’t exist. I can’t give you rules and details or dates about things that never fucking happened.”

“So, all of those people back there?”

“Can keep a secret. Nothing about that party, and no one in attendance can tell you who was there or what went down because it never happened.” He goes quiet for long minutes and I know it’s because he’s trying to find his words. He darts his gaze my way. “Masons have walls, out here, it’s tree lines. So, when you asked me what tonight was. I told you the truth. It was a fucking party. When you asked what we do, the answer is nothing.”

“Unless I’m in on the secret. And even then, nothing ever happened?”

My answer is silence, but I’m starting to think that silence may be admission.

“So why even show this to me? Why not leave me clueless like the rest of the world?”

“Because you’re with me.” Simple. To the point. And if I want to be with him, I have to be willing to be in on his future secrets. He chances another quick look at me. “It’s going to be your decision.”

“And what if I don’t want to be in on it?”

“No choice tonight,” he says, gu

“You’re kidding. You’re going to pull over, right?”

“No can do, baby, they aren’t impounding my shit for thirty days.”

Oh, Fuck. Oh, Fuck. Oh, Fuck. Oh, Fuck.

A phone rings in his pocket, and when he pulls it out, I don’t recognize it. He answers without looking my way. “Yep, someone must have called in… I figured. Better break it up. I’ll take this one.” Sean floors it and my eyes go wide. I turn and see the lights are falling farther behind us, he’s losing them, but every muscle in my body is screaming with warning.

“We’re ru

I sink in my seat as Sean completely ignores me, his concentration solely on the road.

“Sean, this isn’t fucking fu

Calmly, he says to me. “One more time, Cecelia. Can. You. Keep. A. Secret?”

Terrified, I search myself for the answer. “Yes.”

He slows, downshifting and yanks the wheel and I scream, slamming my eyes shut as we veer sideways onto a gravel road. When I open them, I fully expect to catch a glimpse of my imminent death, but I can’t see anything because Sean cut his headlights and we’re now ru