“I needed to leave! I was trying to avoid putting Skull in danger! I don’t want to put anyone in danger!”
“Kind of late for that,” the asshole says, stretching back against the chair he’s sitting in and looking bored.
“I know, that’s why I—”
“The time to worry about that was before you spread your legs for him. Tell me, cupcake, did you even think about the fact that you were signing Skull’s death warrant when you climbed in his bed? Don’t you think you should’ve warned him?”
“No one was supposed to find out! That’s why I was leaving!”
“Well, I guess we’ve seen how great that plan worked.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“Been told that before. I don’t see it myself.”
“So what are we going to do in here until Skull gets back?” I ask when it becomes clear he’s not going to leave.
“Play strip poker?” he asks, holding up cards.
“I don’t think Skull would like that,” I tell him, laughing despite my stress.
“Only if you lose,” he says.
“How about just regular cards?”
“Boring as hell, but whatever,” he says, kicking out the chair across from him. He moves the end table between the chairs and starts dealing.
I glance at the door before joining him.
“No one’s saving you. I don’t have a bitch that leads me around by the dick like Beast, so you’re shit out of luck,” he says, not looking up from dealing. I feel myself flush because I do feel guilty about that.
“Beast deserves better,” I grumble, sorting through the cards.
“No argument here. So does Skull, though.”
“I didn’t sell him out,” I argue.
“No. You just don’t have any faith in him. He can handle the Donahues.”
“You don’t know them like I do. They are dangerous.”
“You don’t have any idea what Skull and our club are like when our hands are forced. If he’s worth giving your pussy to, try having a little faith in him for the other shit, cupcake.”
“I really hate that nickname.”
“I hate playing regular poker. Sometimes you have to deal.”
“Does Beast know she’s hooked on drugs?”
“He does now.”
“I’m sorry,” I say lamely.
“That’s the one thing you shouldn’t be sorry about.”
“You really think Skull can handle what Colin and Matthew will try?”
“I think if he can’t, no one can.”
“That’s not totally reassuring, Latch.”
“It’s just the truth, cupcake.”
“Skull doesn’t have to do this. Maybe if I left, I could stop Colin from—”
“I didn’t see anyone twisting Skull’s arm back at the bus stop.”
“Well, no. But—”
“Then I’d say he chose it. Your job is to have faith in your man.”
“My man? He said he would grow bored with me,” I whisper. The words still have the power to hurt me.
“I don’t see anyone growing bored with you. Now go, will you?”
I swallow at his words. I’m scared. I’m scared to stay and I’m scared to go. I decide to concentrate on the cards since I don’t have any other choices right now. The only thing I’m sure of is, I can’t let Skull get hurt because of me.
“Meeting in order,” I growl as I sit down. I don’t bother with the fucking gavel. I’m not sure I wouldn’t break the son of a bitch right now.
“We’re at war with the Donahues?” Briar asks, getting straight to the point. He was one of the few main patched-in members I didn’t take with me. It was on purpose. He and Pistol are close. I haven’t talked with him much about all the shit, but I don’t have time to deal with fuckers who aren’t behind me.
“Yes.” I sit back and watch everyone’s faces, judging and monitoring their reactions.
“That’s a lot to fucking swallow,” Clutch adds.
It’s a full table tonight. Normally, I only have Church with the officers. However, this will involve everyone. So the patched-in members, with the exception of Latch, are all here.
“Are you with me or against me?” I ask the one question that matters the most.
“You pick a fucked up time to start not one, but possibly two wars,” Briar says. “Have you even spoken to Cade?”
Cade is Pistol’s brother and my biggest worry about the situation. I need Cade’s support right now. I sure as hell don’t need him pissed off and coming at me.
“I’m going to, right after we’re done here.” I divert my attention away from Briar and back to the group as a whole. “Now’s the time to speak up motherfuckers if you have a problem with the way I’m running things. Let me hear it.”