Never Kiss an Outlaw(21)

I closed my eyes, feeling the devilish energy seeping out of me, leaving me totally drained. “Honestly, that's what happened. The things those girls said, the way they treated me, letting everything roll off their shoulders.”

“Trig won't be working no more, darlin',” Firefly rumbled.

Meg looked at him, surprised, and so did I.

“Club needs bitches it can rely on to shake their tits and asses. We don't need loose cannons.”

“Um, excuse me, do you know how hard it is to find girls who test clean in this town?” I'd never heard Meg sound so sour.

“Yeah, doll, as a matter of fact, I do. No, I didn't get an education about manpower in my daddy's business, and I don't know how to crunch numbers like Skin. But I do know any crew's downright fucked with the wrong people – including this one.” He spoke like he'd just launched a billion dollar startup.

I wanted to laugh at his arrogance. Like he knew anything about business?

“Dust'll hear about this shit sooner or later, and I know he'll agree with me. You think this girl went off like a grenade because the stripper bitch looked at her wrong? Fuck that! She had a good reason.”

“Firefly, I'm sure she's telling the truth. I know who started it. But losing Trig is going to hurt us. We're stretched thin as it is.”

“Let me make it up to you,” I said, standing. “Look, I don't know this business, this world, the way either one of you do. But I'm not giving up, guys. Not after today. I'm going to do my job right. These girls respect toughness. They won't get away with pushing me around anymore. I won't let them drag themselves out a minute late unless there's a damned good excuse. Give me another chance. I'll make them make this club rich!”#p#分页标题#e#

“Well, I'll have to talk to Dust,” Meg said, staring at the ground before she looked at me. “If it's up to me, I'll give you another chance. Once, I had to adapt to this world, too. Growing pains are the norm, not the exception.”

She pulled her leather jacket tight, the one with PROPERTY OF SKIN patched on the backside, like it insulated her from some ugliness she'd lived a long time ago.

“Prez'll leave her be,” Firefly said. “Let me talk to him. We'll trump this whole fuckin' incident up to nothing but a skank with a screw loose. I believe in Cora. She's a smart girl.”

I blinked. No way. Had I heard him right?

He couldn't really be...complimenting me?

He looked at me then, a reassuring smile shining in his ice blue eyes. “Also believe she'll come around and learn to behave herself.”

Asshole. I bit my lip, only giving him a pass because he was on my side tonight.

“Whatever. Just...get her home until I can sort out the chaos,” Meg said, frustration overwhelming her. “Ugh. And to think I left daddy's company for this,” she muttered to herself.

Firefly stepped up to me and stuck out his big hand. “Walk with me, babe. We'll make sure you're safe from a concussion or some shit, and then I've got a surprise for you. Something that oughta go far to take the edge off that stick up your ass.”

“Okay! You're really pressing your luck,” I said, taking his hand reluctantly.

More surprises were exactly what I didn't need today. But if it was half as thoughtful as the wine the other night, then maybe he'd prove me wrong.

I caught myself as we headed for his bike, shaking my head. What the hell was happening here?

Firefly shouldn't be rattling around in my head when I'd just survived the fight with a stripper. I'd narrowly avoided losing my job, my only chance to stockpile some cash for the life I wanted after all this.

Every muscle I had tensed up, and I realized with horror what was happening.

The big, arrogant, bossy bastard was kicking his way into my heart, one day at a time. God help me.



We went by the clubhouse for half an hour. An older woman, Laynie, checked me over while Firefly stood outside the bathroom.

She took my pulse, pressed several points, and asked me to rate the pain. If I hadn't known any better, I'd have sworn she was a nurse or a doctor at one time.

But why would someone like that be working for this club?

Money goes a long way. I reminded myself. Money is probably what got daddy killed.

Thankfully, she didn't say much. I needed the peace and quiet.

When it was all over, she turned me out with a clean bill of health. Firefly grabbed my hand again as soon as I stepped out.

“Ow! Just because she says nothing's broken doesn't mean I don't have some scrapes and bruises.”

He loosened his grip. “Whatever. They can't be half as bad as the damage growing on your soul. I'm fixing to undo a little of that tonight.”

“What are you talking about?'