4. Mai

Ijerked awake to someone banging on my door. For a moment, I was back in Cocrane, Seth drawing his foot back to kick me in my ribs again. I took short, shallow breaths, the panic coursing through me.

Safe, I was safe here.

I looked around at my old apartment, the familiar scents settling me. Seth had never been here, so there was nothing to remind me of him. My eyes focused on a dent in the wall, made when Jem tried to do a 360 jump on his skateboard off the couch and instead rammed into the wall.

The door slammed open. I tried to get up, but my knee buckled, and I collapsed onto the floor.

Fuck!

Sofia marched into the room and stood over me. "I always thought you'd come groveling back and apologize for the way you just upped and skedaddled out of my life, but this is taking it a bit far, Mai."

I glared up at her. "You're hilarious. Now help me the fuck up, would you?"

As she bent down to pull me up, I noticed Jase coming into the apartment with a box full of food. He switched the box to one hand, then shut the door.

"How did you get in, anyway?" I asked Sofia.

"Dude, you think you're the only one who knows that lock jigging trick on the door? I'm pretty sure Jem has refused to get it fixed all these years, just in case you came back."

I groaned in pain as Sofia tried to place me as gently as possible down on the couch.

She crouched down in front of me and looked me straight in the eyes. "You gonna tell me who we're killing?"

And that was why I loved Sofia. It didn't matter that four years had passed since I'd last seen her or that I hadn't been in touch since then. She had my back, no matter what.

"He's not relevant. I escaped, and I have no intention of ever seeing that motherfucker again."

She stared at me for a beat, then nodded. "Okay, but you just say the word, Mai, and I'll bring the shovel."

God, I'd missed her. My eyes started to well up, and I looked away before I embarrassed both of us.

"So," Sofia said, as she stood up and glanced around my apartment, "this is still the same shitpit."

"Yeah, I guess Jem moved out and didn't look back."

Sofia shook her head. "No, Jem moved out, and he and Ryan threatened the Pack with instant death if anyone touched this place. They wanted it to be just like you left it in case you ever came back. Man, they are gonna blow when they find out you're here."

"That's not going to happen," I said, breathing through my mouth and wishing the pain would fuck off already.

"Mai, you're delusional. Ryan has been looking for you for years. He'll find out you're here sooner or later. You need to prepare yourself; you can't run from him. Not again."

I scoffed, "Wanna bet?"

"Jase told me your plan. Stay off the radar, right? Heal up, then ship out again. That's a dumb-ass plan, and you know it."

"Really? Seems like you and Jase just brought me enough food to last a month. I have everything I need right here; I don't need to leave the apartment. No one but you two know I'm here. As long as neither of you snitch, they'll be none the wiser, and I can clear out in a couple of weeks."

"Brilliant plan. Except you forgot one thing, Mai," a deep voice said from the doorway.

I turned, and all the breath left my body. Ryan was here.