He was winning his fourth hand in a row when he looked up to see Shade was no longer seated at the table.
“What are you doing?” King asked his son-in-law when he saw him gathering his things.
“I’m going back.”
“Why?” King looked down at his watch. “It’s after midnight.”
“I know what time it is. The storm is getting worse, and Lily is afraid of storms.”
“She’s with Evie and Beth; she’ll be okay. We’re heading back in the morning, so there’s no need to hike back a mile to the truck in this storm. Call her if you’re worried,” Cash advised, throwing two poker chips into the pile in front of him.
King didn’t say anything, seeing Shade’s concern for Lily. Instead, he crushed his cigar into the ashtray and got to his feet.
“What are you doing?” Shade paused putting on his jacket.
“Going with you.” King put on his boots then his jacket.
“There’s no need for you to leave.”
“We’re going back in a few hours anyway; might as well go now.”
Shade didn’t argue further as King reached to open the door after grabbing one of the flashlights.
“Wait a minute. Let me get my things; I’m going, too,” Razer said, getting up from the table and gathering his things.
“Fuck, if you guys go, then I have to go. Winter will throw it up to me that you came running back to your women, and I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“You pussy-whipped bastards are ruining all the fun,” Cash said, getting to his feet.
As they gathered their things, King didn’t know if it was the wisest decision to leave the safety of the cabin during a raging thunderstorm, but Shade’s tension-filled face had King anxious to leave.
Cash locked the door behind them as a loud burst of thunder sounded from directly above.
King had no trouble keeping up with most of the men as they traveled through the forest; however, Shade traveled at a fast pace that was hard for any of them to match. He was waiting for them when they finally reached their vehicles. As soon as King, Cash, Rider, and Viper closed the truck door, he peeled out of the parking lot, leaving the rest to the other truck.
“Fuck, what’s the hurry, Shade?” Cash asked from the backseat.
“The girls aren’t answering their phones.”
Chapter 28
Evie rolled over in her bed then sat up; she thought she had heard a noise. Thinking it was just the thunder, she was about to lay back down when she thought she heard a noise again. She looked at her bedside clock and saw the illuminated numbers were missing. Fuck, the power must have gone out.
Getting up, she was putting on her housecoat when she saw her door was opening.
“Beth, what are…?”
“Shh…” Her frantic whisper had Evie snapping her mouth closed as she ran to her friend in the dark. “There are people trying to break in the front and back doors.”
“Let’s go to Lily’s room and call the police. We can barricade ourselves in until the police get here. You got your phone?”
“No, I left it downstairs.” Beth clutched her stomach, moaning.
“Beth!”
“Evie, get your phone. I’ll go to Lily’s room.” As Beth went back out the door, Evie ran to her bedside table, picking up her phone. However, when she ran out of her bedroom, there was a masked man in the hallway coming toward her. He raised the gun in his hand, pointing it at her, and out of reflex, Evie threw her cell phone at his head. Frantically, she ran into the room she had given Lily, barely managing to shut the door.
“Help me!” Evie screamed as she battled the intruder trying to open the door.
“Move,” Lily said.
Evie had no choice, the door swung open and when it did, Lily brought the bedside lamp down on the intruder’s head. Evie pushed him backward as he fell, knocking him back into the hallway. Lily and Evie then both slammed the door shut, locking it quickly.
“Help me slide the dresser in front of the door,” Evie said, moving to the side of the dresser and beginning to push it toward the door. Lily quickly helped, sliding the heavy furniture until they finally managed to get it in front of the door.
“Evie!” Beth moaned.
She ran to Beth who was sitting on the floor by the bed, panting.
“My babies are coming.”
“Relax, Beth.”
“Don’t tell me to relax! There are burglars outside the door, and my babies are coming early.”
“Lily, where’s your phone?”
“I’m looking. It was on the dresser.” Evie saw Lily searching the floor for the phone while she examined Beth.
The sound of a gunshot striking the door drew screams from each of them.