“Everything he already told you before he checked out. Jimmy fucked up, got himself into some shit so deep he couldn't dig himself out in time.” He took a long toke on his pipe and blew smoke at the floor before answering. “You'd better believe I tried to save him. Did all I could. It ain't easy to wrestle a gun away from a man once he jacks it. Your old man jerked the gun out of my hands and had it waving around like a damned lunatic before I could talk him down. There wasn't any stopping him when he put it to his head and pulled the trigger.”#p#分页标题#e#
I winced. The fact that I hadn't actually seen it happen was the only thing that saved my sanity.
Now, I imagined everything Dust said, and it tore my heart to pieces. I pinched my eyes shut, fighting back the latest in the endless stream of tears I'd dealt with over the last few days.
His face softened when my eyes opened. His fingers touched my chin, and he tipped my face up, giving my jaw a tense squeeze before he let go. Those ash gray eyes bored into my soul.
“Make your daddy proud. This week's been hell on you. Would've twisted anybody in knots, especially a woman who's not used to shoveling this sorta horseshit day in and day out. Let me tell you, no matter how much that blackness inside you keeps trying to stop your heart, it doesn't have to.” He paused, almost like he was remembering words someone else had told him a long time ago.
“Live your life, Cora Chase. This club'll keep you safe so you get a second chance, in time. We can't bring your old man back to life, but fuck if I'm gonna let anything happen to you. You're too damned beautiful for this world. Too young. There's a thousand ways you kick this world right in the fucking sack. Nothing in your past, present, or motherfucking future needs to stop you from doing that.”
A hot tear rolled down my cheek. I ripped myself away from him and turned my back, hiding my pain from this stranger.
He sounded disturbingly like my father. So much like all those pep talks daddy had waiting for me after mom died young, a rare tumor in the head taking her life.
“Go with God, girl,” Dust growled. “A little divine grace and some help from hell on wheels is all you need. I'll leave you to rest up. Firefly'll drive you down to the Ruby Heel tomorrow. Skin's woman will help you get trained in.”
“No. No!” I sputtered, facing him. “I need to know what happened. Why did daddy die? What kind of trouble was he in?”
Dust's face darkened. “That's club business. All you need to know is he died scared. Terrified for himself, and for you. Jimmy cashed in a favor, and it's my job to keep you safe. That's exactly what I'm gonna do, Cora. Details ain't important unless they're all that's between you and some fucker trying to do you harm.”
“No? And what if they're the only reason I listen to anything you say?”
His eyes had that scary as hell glint before, but now they turned into deadly stars.
“Little girl, you don't have a choice. I'm keeping you safe if I gotta order my boys to get some rope, a gag, and a funnel to keep you fed. I'll strap you down myself if it keeps you out of trouble. You can either take the only chance I'm dropping into your lap to make something of yourself while you're our guest – or I'll treat you like the VIP you are.”
He stopped, pulled the pipe out of his mouth. I just glared at him, even though I was going to pieces inside, trying to stop myself from looking away, afraid.
“This club's run protection rackets before. We've never botched one. It's our way or the fucking highway when it comes to keeping you safe.” He smoothed a hand through his hair. “I'm gonna give you some time alone to think, to figure this shit out, before it gets you tied up. Literally. I will protect you, Cora, even from yourself. You press me, you won't like what I gotta do to make it happen.”
Dust walked out before I could catch him. I wanted to break down the door and go after him, but making a scene out there in the open clubhouse wouldn't do me any good.
Hold on. Just hold the hell on.
Sooner or later, somebody will slip up, and this will all make sense.#p#分页标题#e#
These assholes weren't giving me any choice. Much less an explanation.
I wouldn't let go. I had to find out what happened, what kind of danger I was actually in. My hands formed tight, angry fists.
I swore I'd never forget. I'd do what I had to do. I'd work for answers in between pretending I'd settled into some kind of normalcy here.
No, it wouldn't bring my father back to life, but I had to know why he'd died. It couldn't have been for nothing.
Hero would never show up in his obituary.
If villain didn't fit there instead, then at least I could let him rest in peace, and bury some of the pain eating at my heart.