“The Spiders saw you two,” Asher said. He stopped pacing long enough to watch us.
“Of course they did,” I replied. “I was on stage.”
“No, the two who were loading Candy. You’re witnesses to a probable crime.” His gaze cut to Jake.
“Fuck,” Jake replied, runninga hand through his hair. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
“What?” I asked, turning toward Dylan, but her expression mirrored my confusion.
“Shit!” Jake stood, throwing his head back.
“What?” I repeated. “Will you please tell me what the hell is going on?”
“No witnesses against the Spiders have ever made it to court,” Asher said, glancing from me to Dylan. “Something always happens to them.”
“By something,you mean death, don’t you?” Dylan asked, the color draining from her face. “They die before they can take the stand.”
He nodded. “For the most part. Some disappear and never resurface.”
“Well, we just need to be extra careful,” I said. “We can work from here for a while. It’s not like anyone knows our real name.”
“Radar, Addison,” Jake said. “They will find out your real name.”
“Regardless.”I glared at my brother. “You had no right to tell Dad anything, Ash.”
Asher shrugged, which just pissed me off, but I’d deal with my brother later. I had a bigger issue with Jake. “Let’s go talk.”
I led him back to my bedroom and closed the door behind us.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“For which part?”
“The stripping part. Believe me when I say, that was not planned, and the only reason I wenton that stage was so Dylan didn’t have to.”
“We’ll loop back to you taking your clothes off and showing your body to degenerates in a minute.”
“Okay.” I waved a finger at him. “This tone, the one that makes me think I’m talking to my dad, is not working for me.”
He sighed, dragging his hands down his face. “I’m pissed, Addison, and I’m trying not to tie you to the fucking bed until you stopdoing this shit.”
Him tying me to the bed had promise, but instead of acknowledging that fact, I crossed my arms and forced down a shiver. “You mean, my job?”
“The job that might get you killed.”
“Jake, I—”
“Wait,” he interrupted. “I realize it’s not fair for me to try to put limitations on what you choose to do in your life.”
I relaxed, my guardedness leaving me. “Thank you.”
“That beingsaid, I can’t...” He cleared his throat, “I can’t worry about you jumping in and out of dangerous situations.”
“Then don’t, honey. Dylan and I have everything under control.”
He shook his head. “That’s not what I mean.”
I frowned, confused. “Well, what do you mean?”
