“Can we pay your family back another way?” Abbey asks. “Money? Shit, I’ll strip on that stage if that’s what you want!”
“Like fuck!” I snarl, glaring at my wife, but the moment I see the tears in her eyes, I fucking soften. “Angel. This payment isn’t for you to pay. It’s for me. I asked them for help. Not you. I will be the one to pay back my debt.”
“Fine.” She throws her free hand up, exasperated. “Then you strip on that stage.” She points to the door, in the direction of the rest of the club and the stage beyond. “I assure you, womenandmen will want to see that!” she yells at Griffin, and I chuckle.
“Angel… are you pimping me out?”
“Yes,” she sobs. “Just for people to look at, though.”
Reaching out, I cup her cheek, catching a fat tear that bursts free. With her eyes locked on mine, I swear I can see right into her soul at this moment. Her only real concern is me, and what might happen if I go through with this.
“Maybe both of you can get on that stage.” Devon snickers. “We could make some decent coin off the two of you. I’ll look after Bobbi while you’re busy working off the debt…” All humour falls from his face as it turns to stone. “For the next one hundred and fifty fucking years.”
His hard eyes dart between me and my wife before he points down the table to his cousin.
“Your debt has nothing to do with me, since I don’t bow to my uncle. But I can tell you right fucking now, there’s only one other way out of it, and it’s fucking cold six feet under.”
A low growl reverberates in the back of my throat as I glare at Devon, but it’s my wife’s hand darting out in front of her, flipping the fucker off that keeps me calm.
“Fuck you, Devon,” she snarls. “If this doesn’t relate to you, then why are you even here?”
A smirk tugs at his lips as he lounges back in his chair. “I like you feisty. Must be where your little sister gets it from.”
Abbey stiffens, but it’s Griffin who speaks, trying to calm the situation.
“Abbey, your sister is perfectly safe. Devon is just being a prick to get a rise out of you.”
“I hope she annoys the hell out of you while she’s there,” my wife counters, and Devon’s grin grows.
“She’s nailing that pretty fucking well. She’s made friends with a couple of our younger girls. The three of them are going to give me grey hair.”
A slow smile spreads across Abbey’s beautiful face.
“She’s made friends?”
He nods.
“She’s having fun?”
He nods again.
“Like the sort of fun kids have?”
“Yep,” he confirms.
“And no church stuff?”
“No fucking way,” he scoffs. “I don’t allow God worship in my town.”
“Ha,” Abbey laughs, her caramel eyes flicking to mine. “She’s being a kid.”
“Yeah, Angel. This fucker might be a prick, but he gives women and children a safe space to heal and learn to live happily again.”
Even though she’s smiling, she hasn’t forgotten why we’re really here as she turns back to Devon.
“Why are you in this meeting if it doesn’t relate to you?”
Devon shrugs. “Kinda wanted to meet the kid.” He gestures to Abbey’s arms. “And this fucker needs my brand of godliness to get shit done.”
