12
Brooks
I stretchedmy shoulders and leaned back in my chair, crossing my ankles. Gunfire cracked through the air, one round after another in a succession of echoing shots. One of the things I’d missed most after going blind was shooting a gun. There was more to it than pulling a trigger—it was the jolt you got from every bullet fired and the power in your palms. That kind of thing was also why so many idiots went crazy and killed innocent people. The strength they felt with a gun in their hands urged them on to unimaginable atrocities, but if you asked me, it was cowardice. Having a gun when no one else did wasn’t a fair fight.
“You want in on this, Boss?” Ford asked, startling me out of my thoughts. I took a deep breath and smiled, waving my hand at him.
“I’m fine.”
I imagined him shrugging. I didn’t know what Ford looked like, other than what Levi had told me when I’d asked him, but I was sure Levi’s description held true. The few times Ford had slapped me on the shoulder, I’d gotten a feel of his size, and he was as big as my assistant had said.
“He’s big, stacked with muscles, with short dark hair, blue eyes, and a dimple in his chin. It’s a thirsty boy’s dream. But the man looks like he’d rather suck a lemon than get into bed with anyone.”
I’d laughed at that because as I’d gotten to know Ford, I’d realized how true it was. He didn’t do relationships. Fucking? Sure. But that was as far as it went with him. The one time I asked him why he didn’t date, he’d simply said, “Relationships are bullshit.” Which made it no surprise that he hadn’t asked me about Darcy. Levi was another story, though. It’d been two days since we’d dropped Darcy off at the Courtesan, and Levi hadn’t stopped asking questions.
Levi’s foot had been tapping since we came out to the gun range. It was driving me crazy, and his overshadowing presence reminded me of my mom when I was a kid, after I’d had a seizure. I didn’t need a caretaker.
“Will you stop that?” I finally barked.
Lemonade whined from where she lay at my side, and I slipped my hand down to her. She nuzzled my palm with her wet nose and whined again.
“Sorry,” Levi muttered, and I almost felt a semblance of guilt.
Ford laughed, and another round of shots filled the air around us. “Stop being mean to the boy, Boss.”
“He’s driving me crazy.” I reached out for Levi anyway, finding his shoulder and patting it awkwardly. He stood too far away from me. “I know you care, but you need to stop.”
“Have you heard from him?” he asked bluntly, and I sighed.
“Don’t you worry about Darcy.”
Levi huffed angrily. “He said yoursafeword.”
“Yes, and it ended his stay with me. Our scene, if you will. I’m giving him a few days to cool off, and then I’ll go see him again.”
“He’s ungrateful,” Levi mumbled. It was obvious he didn’t expect me to hear him.
“I thought you were over this.” Chuckling, I petted Lemonade’s head, and she leaned up into my touch like a good girl. Too bad I couldn’t make Darcy do the same thing, but I had plans for him. Getting him to relax was more difficult than I’d anticipated, and I’d obviously pushed him too hard, too fast.
“I am.” Levi’s pout came through with his words. “I still think he’s ungrateful.”
“So do I.” I half curled my mouth at him. “But don’t you worry, I’ll be teaching him a lesson.”
“You will?” His shocked voice made me laugh. “How?”
“Do you really want the details?” He cleared his throat, and I fought off a smirk. “Because it involves my hand on Darcy’s ass.”
“Oh.” I imagined him blushing hard. While Levi played a big game, I had a feeling he might be as innocent as Darcy, maybe even more so. At least Darcy worked at a brothel; Levi didn’t even have that experience.
The rumbling sound of motorcycles filled the air, and I frowned in the direction they came from as the noise drew closer. I rose, ordering Lemonade with a simple “up.” She came to me, and I grabbed the handhold of her harness, walking around the outside of the office and warehouse using both Lemonade and my cane. Ford and Levi were right behind me as I headed to the front of the building.
“Shit.” Ford’s curse didn’t settle my curiosity as we came to a standstill near the parking lot, and neither did the click of his holster as he yanked out his handgun.
“Who is it?” I asked, bracing myself for the answer. I already had an idea. When something didn’t go her way, Madam Winters sent others to do her bidding. I knew for a fact she had a close relationship with the president of the biker club who half owned the brothel.
“The Harlots.”
I nodded, undeterred by the announcement. If Madam Winters wanted me dead, I’d already be six feet under, buried alive. No, this was a thinly veiled threat. The bikes got closer until their rumbles filled the parking area of our office building. There couldn’t have been more than ten, but definitely no less than five. I didn’t know much about bikes, but I noted the sounds of different engines, some with a deeper roar than others.
