Fact, but I wasn’t gonna admit it when I was trying to make a point.
“The only person who ever gave a shit about me is gone.”
Her words hit me hard, but I can’t let emotion get in the way when so much is at stake.
“The minute The End became the Kings’ clubhouse, with you living here, working here, and owning the damn property it sits on puts you under our protection. Fuck, we take care of everybody in our world from the bartenders in our clubs to the strippers.”
“Great for them, but that’s not my experience, so you’ll have to forgive me if I try to take care of shit myself.”
“Nothing to forgive, babe, I just find it sad.”
“Ohhhhh, no, the last thing I want is your damn pity.”
“No pity. You’re too fuckin’ tough to pity. Just sorry.”
“When Viper texted me, I panicked. Then I found the bag under the sink with the flash drive, and a note from my father saying the flash drive contained all the information needed to take down Viper.”
“You should’ve come to me right then,” I bark out, my patience about to snap.
“He threatened to hurt you and the other Kings, and have my father murdered in prison.”
“Fuck!” I spread my arms wide. “All the more reason you should’ve come to me!”
“I heard what you said to Ace about me in the hallway.”
“Shit!” I drag my fingers through my hair. “You weren’t supposed to hear that.”
“But I did. You made your feelings perfectly clear.”
Only I don’t feel that way. Ahhh, shit, I don’t know how I feel.
“After that, I knew I was on my own. I thought I could handle it myself. Give Viper what he wanted, and he’d go away.”
“But that’s not how that bastard works.”
“Plus, I wanted to avoid this.” She waves her hand at me. “You ready to throw down with him. I don’t need you going to war on my conscience too.”
“You give in to him once, and he thinks he owns you, and he won’t stop until he has it all. Viper is lethal.”
“And you’re not?”
“Different kind of lethal.”
“As far as I can see, you’re a biker; Viper’s a biker. You ride a Harley; Viper rides a Harley. You both follow the same code, which says, no matter what, the club comes first, and everyone else is just collateral damage.”
“With one big difference.”
“Really? What could that be?”
“The Kings don’t use women or children as pawns to get what we want. If I wanted something from Viper, I’d face the bastard myself.
She waves her hand over her body. “So, sex wasn’t your form of manipulation too?”
“I think you got it a twisted, sweetheart,” I sneer. “Or did you forget you who came on to me the first time?”
Her face flattens, but I’m nowhere near done.
“Fist said it was a big garbage bag. So, what else was in it?”
