“I do, actually. You were heartbroken but not frightened. That’s not all I’ve noticed. You’re not intimidated easily. You worked at the clubhouse as if you were dealing with the boys next door, not hard-core bikers. You didn’t back down from Viper when he tried to convince you to stay at the club. When you left to move to Queen City, you didn’t do it because of the club. I don’t know why you did it, but it wasn’t because you were afraid. Even with Kaden Cross, who Lily gets tongue-tied around, you treat him just like anyone else.”
“What are you getting out at?”
“What I’m getting at is: Why aren’t you?”
“I don’t know. I guess it’s just in my personality. I was raised with the Coleman brothers.”
“That could be it,” he agreed.
Shade might be agreeing with her, but Ginny didn’t believe it.
“Whatever the reason, all the club wants you to know is that The Last Riders have your back. You only came into contact with who’s stalking you because you moved to Queen City after you lost your house because of us. Viper wants you to come back and stay at the club until we find out who it is.”
“I won’t.”
“Why not? You don’t have a job, you don’t have a home, and you have more people who care about you in Treepoint than you do here. What’s to keep you here? The man who wrote this note isn’t going to stop. He’s attacked Zoey twice and not only killed Zoey’s patient but the security guard.”
The blood drained out her face. “Zoey’s been attacked twice? And you didn’t tell me the security guard was dead.”
“Zoey’s fall down the steps wasn’t an accident, nor was the fire alarm being pulled to draw her out of her office. Whoever it is wants you to take center stage without Zoey’s help. She pulls him out the fantasy that you’re only singing to him. Stump texted me when you were getting dressed that the guard died. Come back to Treepoint with us.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Whoever it is, he is willing to try to kill Zoey and two other people. What do you think he would do if I go to stay in a place he can’t get to me?”
Shade didn’t answer her question. He didn’t have to. They both knew the answer to the question.
“There aren’t any children who live in the club, but it wouldn’t take much to find out about the houses surrounding the club. All of you, your wives, the children would be in danger because of me. I’d rather open my front door and let him take me before I’d let him hurt someone else. After I leave the police station, I’ll pack a few things and disappear. I can’t stay here.”
“There could be another option,” Shade suggested.
“I’m open to anything.”
“Kaden is having a concert tonight. You could perform with him. It could draw him out. The Last Riders are here, and those who aren’t are flying in in a couple of hours. We would be in the audience and keep both of you and Kaden covered. Not only that, but Kaden has a security team already in place.”
It just became worse.
“Kaden has huge crowds that attend his concerts. I can’t.”
If she performed in front of that many people, it would increase the chances of her being recognized from when she was a child. She wouldn’t be performing in front of eighty or ninety people; she would be performing in front of thousands.
“Penni said you suffer from stage fright.”
“Yes.” Ginny moved away from the counter, unable to bear him studying her any longer. Wiping the palm of her hands on her jeans, she went to stare out her window. Was he watching her now? “It’s one of the few things I am frightened off,” she said, turning around to face him.
“Bad enough of a fear to keep us from trying to catch the person responsible for trying to kill Zoey?”
Ginny turned to look out the window again. She really didn’t have a choice. She told Shade that she would rather open her front door than let anyone else get hurt. However, if she sang with Kaden, she would be flinging her door open for Allerton.
Ginny raised a hand to the glass window. She was so tired of looking out, keeping a part of herself separated from everyone, hiding Evangeline in that damn box.
What if no one recognized her? She could live a normal life. The Last Riders and Kaden’s security team would think they were protecting her from the stalker, but they would be unknowingly protecting her from a more formidable adversary.
“One of The Last Riders or one of the security guards could be hurt.”
The thought of anyone being hurt because of her was unacceptable. Hammer would tell her not to do it, and then outline all the reasons but ultimately, he would tell her the decision was hers.