Cleo immediately dropped her hand to her side and looked down at the floor.
Losing his temper with her always stoked his inner anger. Thankfully, he had a target to take it out on. He turned his glare on Joker.
“You’re gonna take the van and pick up the kegs.You, motherfucker.” He growled. “Not her.”
Joker nodded and pointed to the ceiling. “Just gotta grab the keys.”
Wraith hardened his stare. “Then fucking do it.”
Joker wasted no time rounding the bar and rushing to the stairs. Wraith watched but lowered his gaze to Cleo, who remained by his side. Dangerously close. Her hair was slightly tangled in the back, and his palm itched to smooth it out. Wraith clenched his fist, forcing down his desire.
“Well, I guess I should start my chores,” Cleo said.
She skittered out of the room, picking up her pace just as she rounded the bend of the wall. He’d watched her for years. Wraith knew how her mind worked, how she responded to tense situations, and how her guilt overtook her emotions and actions. He knew exactly what she was about to do.And I don’t fucking like it.He dropped his beer on the bar, walked out of the room, and climbed the stairs. He stopped halfway when he heard their voices.
“Wait, Joker.” Cleo’s breath labored as if she’d been chasing him. “I-I’m sorry.”
Fucking knew it.Wraith furrowed his brows and skipped thecreaky step. He was able to see down the hall without standing in full view of them. Cleo was a foot away in front of Joker. Her hands were clasped in front of her, twisting her fingers. She did that when she was nervous.She does it a lot.Joker towered over her by at least half a foot, making her appear so much smaller than her five and a half foot frame.
“I didn’t mean to get you in trouble. I heard you throwing up this morning.” She flattened her lips when his scowl deepened. “I thought you weren’t feeling well, and since I was already at the store I just figured…”
Joker’s jaw squared, and he scoffed. He started past her, but she grabbed his arm. He immediately yanked it away, and Cleo held up her hands, backing up.
“I was just trying to help.”
His lips twisted. “Do me a favor? Stop fuckinghelpingme. Don’t want it, don’t need it. ’Cause every time youhelp, my ass gets reamed. So just fucking stop! You hear me?” There was a dominant edge to his tone.
Wraith knew it well. It was aget the fuck in linetone. He used it often. But never with her. And if he didn’t do it with Cleo, he sure as fuck wouldn’t allow anyone else to. Wraith’s muscles tightened, and his blood heated through his veins. He started down the hallway slowly but not quietly. He slammed his boots, making his presence known.
“Cleo,” he snapped. She jumped back a step and spun around, wide-eyed and caught off guard. “Go to your room.”
Her bottom lip fell open, and she inched backward, nodding. When she turned, he noticed her pick up her pace. Seconds later, she was ducking into the last door on the left. Her bedroom.
“I’ll make it fast,” Joker said, walking toward Wraith. The clubhouse was old, making the hallways narrow. As he approached, Joker turned his body, pressing against the wall to pass. When he was next to him, Wraith shot out his arm, grabbed Joker by the collar of his T-shirt, and slammed him against thewall. A surprised gasp followed by a pained grunt had Wraith shoving his fist deeper into Joker’s chest.
Wraith leaned closer and snarled. “I ever hear you talk to her like that again? It’ll be the last fucking thing you say.”
Joker awkwardly nodded. “Yeah, Wraith, man…”
Wraith jerked Joker’s body forward, only to slam him into the wall again. His head bounced off the drywall.
“I’m not fucking done.” Wraith growled. “I’ll strip you of the prospect patch, beat you until your last fucking breath, and then I’m gonna stop. Gonna let you live the rest of your life breathing through a fucking tube.” Wraith hardened his gaze. “Youhearme?”
“Yeah.” His throat bobbed.
Wraith slammed him against the wall one more time, then released him. Joker leaned to the side, rushed to the stairs, and disappeared. Wraith drew in a breath, dragging his hand over his shaved head. He stilled when he heard a door lightly close. He jerked his stare to the end of the hallway.
He didn’t see her, but he knew she’d seen him.
Chapter Two
It was too hot and humid to fully appreciate the evening. Cleo had gathered her hair up in a clip, but a few strands couldn’t be contained and clung to the back of her neck. It was pointless to swipe them away. She’d be in the same predicament in another ten minutes.
She sat with her eyes closed, manifesting a cooler temperature. Some nights it worked. Others not so much. Tonight was proving to be a battle between reality and manifestation.
“Icicles, snow, igloo. I’ll settle for a lukewarm breeze at this point,” she muttered, seeing it in her head but couldn’t get her body in check.
At eleven-thirty at night, it should have cooled down a few degrees, but on the last check it was still in the eighties. At least outside. The others enjoying the night were treated to air conditioning in the rooms while Cleo was stuck on the bottom steps of the old motel, sweating her existence away.
