His face is a stoic mask as he regards me down the length of his six-foot-eight frame. For a moment — not even that, maybe a nanosecond — I think I see a flash of hurt, but I know aperson capable of what I know him to be can’t feel those types of emotions. So immediately I shove it aside as a play on the lights.
“It must really fuck you up to know that you fucked me knowing you liked everything I did to you. Get. In.” Every mocking word is cruel.
This. This is what I expected. Exactly what I know to be true. It’s almost a comfort he’s still on brand. The chili that I’m forcing to keep down because I need my strength to fight him was not something he made because he cares and knows it’s my favorite. It was to further drive the point home that he controls everything in my life for the moment. And I promise it will only be for the moment because I don’t care what I have to do, I will free myself and whoever else I have to from this prison.
“Just as I’m sure it galls you how bad you wanted me despite thinking Oz got there first.” I shrug. “Anyways, how long are you keeping me here? You chased me down. Got your little revenge with those two paltry pumps —”
A hard hand closes around my arm, shoving me into the room.
“My little revenge ain’t over by a damn sight, little girl.” Cold eyes track me no different from the predator from which he takes his name. He steps back as the door begins to close.
“I’m keeping you until I get tired of fucking you.”
chapter eleven
FED BY THE SNAKE
SNAKE ~ BIRMINGHAM
Me: Has she eaten today?
Aponi, House manager: No, sir.
Me: did you remind her of the consequences?
Aponi, House Manager: Several times, Sir. She only agreed to shower but has taken no sustenance.
Spending several minutes I don’t have, I watch Saban be a fucking brat and not eat her food. Seems like she’s determined to starve herself if Aponi doesn’t give in and tell her if anyone else is being held on the subterranean level along with her. It would be sweet if it weren’t so fucking grating.
Everything about her demands and questions is an insult to every aspect of the relationship we had and kills the possibility of anything more. I’m actually a little grateful she showed me just how low she thinks of me before I took it any further.
“Excuse me, boss.” Looking away from the screen of the CCTV and the messages from my house manager, I settle mygaze on Rocco’s frown and the tightness of his form. Saban’s like a little sister to him and just as much of a troublemaker as his own sister, Mariah, who, along with her fiancé Thaddeus Love, caused a ruckus in the whole town not long before Saban and Kandie upended the entire community with their bullshit.
Why they never thought to come to either me or Ulysses when they’d dealt with us on such a heavy level is not only insulting, it cuts deeper than the betrayal of the team in entrusted my life with all those years ago.
“Yeah?” Sliding my gaze from him to Padre, who is also looking like he’s ready to challenge me over this shit at any moment, I ask, “Problem?”
Cold glacier blue-gray eyes meet mine as the ex-priest slowly nods. “The club wants a Reckoning.”
Ice-cold rage slithers up my spine. Of course they do. Word is out Saban and I are back. Her betrayal of the club runs deep. They can’t do anything to Easy because she’s under Angel’s protection. The war with the Loves ended in a detente no one was satisfied on either side by the outcome, but Kandie owes the club no loyalty. Saban grew up among the men and women who were loyal to her and protected her. The hurt and anger they have right now needs to be exorcised or it could cause a rift not even I or Angel can mend.
When everything we stand for is bound by an oath of loyalty. A betrayal of the kind that Saban served has to be answered.
I can feel the muscles in my jaw tick even as I meet each man’s gaze. “I will see to it.”
“The Reckoning is too harsh a treatment for a woman, man.” Rocco fists his hand, banging it on the table for emphasis. “I know you’re angry, man, but that shit? A’int no way you’ll put your girl through that. I don’t give a fuck how mad you are about what she did. You should’ve just let Rudy have her if you want her beaten to hell by every member of the club.”
Silence is taunt between us with the actual threat of violence hanging in the air. I have no doubt were I to even think about carrying out the punishment, they’d kill me on the spot.
“What I have in mind won’t hurt anything but her feelings. Are you finished with that thing I had you working on?” I ask Rocco pointedly.
“Yeah, the lacquer is drying as we speak.” Eyes rounding, he has the nerve to allow a blush to steal onto his jaw.
“Good. Anything else?” I ask, rising.
“Nah,” they grunt in unison.
I don’t bother checking to see if they follow. It’s the end of a hellish day, and I have a woman I need to go feed.
