He slams me against the wall, his other hand braced beside my head. Close up, the whiskey on his breath stings my nose.
Everything about him right now is danger. “You stole from us, Remika,” he hisses. “You took our cut, and then you tried to take my money.” There’s no question in it, only accusation and a raw sort of hurt.
His shoulders shake like he’s fighting something behind his ribs. For a second, there’s a softness in his eyes that makes my chest seize. I think he’s going to fold. I think he’s going to pull me into him and hide me from everything.
But the club is louder than either of us.
“I can’t just let this slide,” he says. The Enforcer is back in place. Duty slides over whatever might have been between us like a blade. “Axel won’t tolerate it. I won’t tolerate it.”
“Fine,” I almost whisper. “Do your worst.”
He grabs the rope, hauling me closer. Then, I watch in confusion as he unties it, dropping it to the floor. “You will stay here and work off what you owe. But you’re not mine, not anymore. You don’t sleep in my room. You don’t talk to me unless it’s business. I’m gonna talk to Axel, but there’s no guarantee he’ll agree to this, and even if he does and you pay the debt off, it doesn’t mean he’ll forgive and forget.”
“I told you I’d ruin it,” I whisper, swiping a tear that rolls down my cheek. I rub my wrists where the rope dug into my skin. “When you say pay my debt off, do you mean . . .” I pause, glancing up at him through my lashes. “Yah know, like Sasha and the other girls?”
He heads for the door. “You’ll do whatever Axel wants you to do. It ain’t my call.”
“Will it clear my debt quicker?”
He meets my eyes, his jaw back to ticking as he clenches his teeth. “Probably.”
I nod, balling my hands into fists. “Then tell him I’ll do it.”
He gives a stiff nod before leaving, slamming the door hard.
I drop onto the bed and stare after him.Fuck.A part of me was testing the boundaries, seeing if he’d stop me.He didn’t.
We’re really over.
Shadow
I pause outside the room, lean against the wall, and drag a hand over my face. The thought of seeing her with my brothers is a punishment for us both. But maybe that’s what I need to move on.
I find Axel in his office, knock once, and step inside. “She’s in debt,” I tell him. “Says her mum owed a guy, and he’s passed it to her.”
Axel raises an eyebrow. “You believe that?”
I shrug. “Not sure yet.”
“So, what do you want to do?”
“Keep her here. Let her work it off. Bar, kitchen, cleaning, whatever needs doing.”
He studies me. “Whatever?” I nod. “And after?”
“After she pays, she leaves.”
Axel nods slowly, like he’s reading between every word. “You sure about that? You looked pretty gone on her.”
“We’re done,” I say, voice hard. “I don’t do liars or thieves.”
He smirks but doesn’t argue.
When I turn for the door, I see her standing just outside, eyes wide and red from crying. “Did I say you could leave the room?” I snap, anger hitting before I can stop it.
She flinches, lowering her head. “Sorry. I wanted to speak to Axel about how to pay the debt.”
I grab her arm, not hard but enough to make my point, and steer her back into the hall. “You go through me for that. You don’t speak to the President unless I say so. From now on, you stay where I tell you to stay. You are not a part of this club.”
