I looked at Cora. Her eyes were on the floor; sad, hurt, and angry as all hell.
Goddamn, I wanted to hold her. Not because my cock was telling me to for once.
Bad enough those assholes had driven her old man to blow his brains out. Worse that they'd sent somebody to turn her old home upside down, put holes through the walls and windows like a fucking dive.
“Prez is talking to Red Beard tomorrow,” Skin continued. “He's mad as shit. Wants to know why our club isn't helping theirs track down the shit they say they're owed – including Jimmy's pretty little daughter.”
She couldn't take it. Cora broke, covered her face, and walked away.
“She was standing right next to us, you fuck.” My fists tensed hard at my sides. Didn't give a shit how dead they were from the workout a couple hours ago. Damn if they wouldn't have loved to bounce off Skinny boy's face just then.
“I know,” he whispered. “Had to get her away because it's better she hears the rest of it coming from you, rather than me.”
“What? Why's that? Brother, why you gotta be so fucking cryptic all the damned time?”
He smiled. “Cora needs one of our boys posted to her full time as long as the Torches are searching high and low. Prez's orders. Can't have her slipping outta sight, into a trap.”
Oh, fuck. Fuck me with a screwdriver.
Asshole didn't even say it, but I read it loud and clear, felt it hit me right between my damned eyes. “Me.”
“You got it.” Skin nodded, scratching the stubble on his cheek. “Shit, don't look so fucking glum, brother. It's not like he's asking you to do anything more than up the time you're already spending with her, hauling her ass around.”
“You're telling me this is a twenty-four hour op? When the fuck am I supposed to make sure the club's secure? I'm still the Enforcer. If we've got a snake closing in around us, then we've gotta have the guns and guys ready to make sure we don't get bit.”#p#分页标题#e#
“We'll up security here at the Heel, too. You can leave her alone when she's working. But Prez says on the road, in the bed, outside the fucking bathroom – you stay on her.” He looked at me, the trademark scar on his cheek catching the light. “Good thing the club pitched in to get her that nice place. It'll be a whole lot bigger for the two of you than your room at the clubhouse would've been.”
“Fuck this. I'll talk to Dust myself,” I growled, reaching for my burner phone.
“Go ahead. He'll tell you the same shit I just did. Then he'll wonder why the fuck you're wasting his time asking twice.” Skin reached for my shoulder, slapped a brotherly hand on it, and risked me breaking his goddamned wrist. “Easy, brother. Just treat her right. All this'll blow over before you know it, and you'll be right back to fucking nameless whores who call you 'Fireball.'”
Enough bullshit.
I threw his hand off me and walked toward the exit, stuffing my phone back into my pocket. My shit-eating arrogant brother was right. Didn't doubt for a second what he passed along from Dust was truth.
I had to find Cora. She wasn't taking this shit any better than me – especially after what I'd started laying on her before Skinny boy showed up.
My hand slammed into the dented metal fire escape leading outside. Cold mountain air hit me in the face. I looked left, right, and finally found her by the dumpster, sitting on a cracked wooden post.
“You shouldn't be out here alone,” I growled, coming to a stop behind her.
“And you should learn to mind your own business, Firefly.” She slowly looked at me with her lips all twisted.
“Firefly,” she snorted, shaking her head. “What the hell kind of name is that for a biker, anyway?”
She squealed when I reached down, swept her up, and pressed her into the wall. “Got it early on in this club, the night I took the prospect patch. We had twenty fucking Deads in a ten foot grave, except all the fucks were still breathing. They'd come to fuck us into line, assuming they didn't kill every one of us first. Thought they were smart motherfuckers for taking the Prez's ma, Laynie, holding her for ransom, having their way with her before we got her back. None of 'em had any brains left after I poured gasoline all over their evil asses and threw the match. All the brothers thought I enjoyed the screams almost as much as the Prez. My face glowed like the devil, listening to those assholes screaming, heading straight for hell...”
“You're all monsters,” she whispered, the smart ass look on her face completely obliterated.
“Yeah, well, you're about to be seeing a lot more of this monster.” I thumped my chest, waiting 'til her big blue eyes swirled with curiosity. “Much as I wanted to turn you over to the prospects, Prez says that ain't an option. You heard what Skin said – you've got bigger devils than us looking for you. Long as they're on your ass, I stay closer.”