Bri giggled, watching me. “I refuse to call him Cactus, and I’m cute enough, he lets me get away with it. I bet you could.”
I’d heard her, but I pretended I hadn’t. I didn’t want to know Cactus’s real name was Grant. Fuck, I didn’t want to think of him as a man. It was easier to see him as a biker, all sharp edges. I could walk away from the biker. Not so much the man. He would demand things I wasn’t sure I understood. “Don’t settle for what you think is just enough. You deserve better than that.”
“You going to settle for my uncle?” Bri giggled again, ignoring her phone as it continued to beep with incoming texts.
I’d spent enough time with Cactus to know he wasn’t just someone you settled for. If I let him, he would consume me. Protect me, but not love me. He wasn’t capable of love when he used control. I wouldn’t break my bad boy rule for the experience, knowing I would leave anyway.
The bell above the door spared me from answering as it dinged, signaling someone walking into the saloon. Bri took off to get them seated, and I breathed a sigh of relief that I wouldn’t have to answer her. I didn’t want to have to come up with some version of the truth when I was lying to myself.
“Well, aren’t you a sweet young thing?”
That voice lived in the back of my brain, degrading me in my weakest moments. Ripper was here, and Bri was too close to him.
The bleach bottle was still in my hand when I shot up, feet already moving. There were eight of them. Ripper, a few of the officers, and in the very back was Jimmy, wearing his prospect cut.Coward.At one time, I’d thought he was my forever. Watching him now, all I felt was fury.
Ripper raised his hand—slow, deliberate.
My stomach churned. “Don’t touch her,” I yelled, hoping Angelica would hear me from the back.
Bri backed up, but she didn’t have very far to go before she bumped into the nearest table.
“Well, lookie what the cat dragged out. Roxy.” Ripper was exactly as I remembered him. His dirty-blonde hair looked like it hadn’t been washed for days. A white shirt, almost gray, stretched tightly across his beer belly. His natural, repugnant scent would fill my nose if I got too close.
I put Bri behind my back, holding the spray bottle like a dangerous weapon. If it came to it, I’d blind him, taking my chances. “This is Saint’s Outlaws’ territory.” I was bluffing, but Ripper wouldn’t know any different. I wanted to put fear into him.
“Yeah, but you’re my property, and we’ve come to collect.”
“It’ll be a cold day in hell before I leave with you voluntarily.” I tapped Bri’s leg, still holding the bottle. I needed her to send a text for reinforcements. The only way to get Ripper to see straight was to call the Saints. They’d have some alpha chest-bumping brawl, and I’d sneak out the back. No goodbyes as I ran.
He took a step closer, and I sprayed the bleach mixture on his shirt. “You need to leave. The town instantly clocks outsiders.”
“She’s right.” Angelica walked into the dining room from the kitchen. “If you’re hungry, you’re more than welcome to eat before you leave.” She moved to pull a few tables together, like this was a regular rush.
“I’ll help her,” I whispered to Bri. “Why don’t you go get the menus?” We both knew the menus weren’t in the kitchen, but if I could get Bri out of here, then I’d take all the hits. Angelica and I locked eyes. This was bad, and I’d brought trouble to her door.Just like Cactus warned.He’d seen the storm coming.
“Gentlemen, if you’re staying for lunch, we have your table ready.” Angelica waved her arm over the two she’d stuck together. She was always in control, and this was no exception, but I was hoping I’d see just a tiny break. Something that would make me feel human. I was trying not to freak the fuck out, but it was taking an enormous effort not to shake.
“I’ve never been interested in mamas and their babies, but you could change my mind,” Ripper chuckled as he sat at the head of the table. The rest of the idiots made nuisances of themselves, cackling like old ladies. Ironically, Jimmy was the only one who didn’t laugh.
“I don’t suggest you say that again. The only thing on the menu is the food.” She nodded toward where we kept a stack of menus, and I took the hint. If we pretended they were customers, we might buy enough time until the Saints arrived. There was no way Angelica hadn’t called Scorpion already. If not, then Bri surely would have texted her father.
“Can I get you anything to drink? We have water and soda: regular, diet—“
“I don’t fucking want soda.” Slick, the treasurer, threw his knife into the wall. It stuck in the wood slats of the saloon, sticking straight out.
“That won’t scare me, but if you continue to make asses of yourselves, I will include a redecorating fee. Pick a drink.” Angelica didn’t show an ounce of weakness, her tone slicing through their childish antics. She was standing far enough from the table that none of them could reach out and grab her.
“How about I get you to slurp my dick down?”
Angelica said nothing as she raised the bar gate, sliding underneath. She picked up the soda gun, clicking a switch. I watched her shoot soda all over Slick, not stopping until the gun sputtered empty. “You needed a cooldown.”
“You bitch!” He charged toward her, but she stood her ground, clicking another button of the soda gun and holding it up. He didn’t stop, reaching for her, but she fired, nailing him in the face with red juice.
“We serve that to good boys when their parents say it’s okay.”
Crank, the enforcer, stood, flipping the table behind him. He threw the chair against the wall, and we all watched as splintered pieces flew around the room.
I stared in horror as more chairs met the walls of destruction. There was nothing I could do that wouldn’t draw attention to myself. I picked my brain for any sliver of an idea, but I couldn’t come up with anything under pressure.
