“Go get your prez, now,” I gritted out, “before I fuck you up too.”
The other kid had stumbled back. “You’re gonna regret this,” he mumbled between his hands before turning and running inside.
Regret? I didn’t believe in regret.
Several minutes went by before Razuuk, Solomon, and a couple of other men came strutting out of the building. Razuuk was smiling as he came forward, curiosity covering his features as he got closer.
“Well, now, what the fuck is a Highwayman doing on my property?” he said. “All alone, no less.” He looked around me, his eyebrows pulling in.
Solomon took a step forward, but Razuuk put a hand on his chest to hold him back. “Prez?”
“I want to know what the man wants.” Razuuk jerked his chin to me. “So? What the fuck do you want? You’re here in your colors but without your club, so this can’t be business.”
It was now or never.
Take that leap of faith or regret it forever.
“Penny,” I said, watching the effect her name on my lips had on both Razuuk and Solomon. “She’s mine.”
Solomon darted forward again.
“Solomon!” Razuuk yelled, halting him in his tracks and showing me that he was nothing but a guard dog to this club.
Solomon turned back to glare at his prez. “That’s my old lady he’s talking about.”
Shit, I was too late. She’d made her choice, chosen her family, her man, where her loyalties lay. Or maybe not. I frowned, looking at Solomon. He wasn’t the sort of man she’d willingly choose. He was like me—black on the inside, dead, rotting. Only with me, she didn’t know quite how deep that rot went. But she’d grown up in the Vipers; she knew Solomon, what he was capable of. He was older than her, and me, by twenty years at least, and his rot was hell deep.
“No,” I gritted out, raising my chin and turning my dark, steady gaze on Solomon, “she’smyold lady. I laid claim to her already, and now I’ve come to collect.”
“Where the fuck did you come from?” Razuuk laughed, clapping his hands together like he was excited by all of this. “Regardless, I gave my daughter to Solomon as payment for finding the pieces of shit that took her. She’s already claimed.” He reached into his cut and pulled out his cigarettes before lighting one. “Bitch must be in heat or something, because you’re the third man that’s wanted a piece of her in as many days,” he chuckled. “We men can smell it though, right? We can smell fine pussy from a mile away, and Penny is indeed fine pussy,” he drolled around a mouthful of smoke.
“I’m not leaving here without her,” I rumbled.
“Then you ain’t leaving here alive,” Solomon snarled, pulling out his gun at the same time as I pulled out mine.
We stood, facing off against each other, our guns aimed at each other’s chests. The other Vipers that were standing around pulled their guns out too. I was outnumbered and outgunned.
“Penny!” I roared, calling for her. “Penny!”
Razuuk laughed louder. “How do you see this playing out, brother?”
I didn’t dare take my eyes off of Solomon, but I heard the creak of the main door and hoped it was Penny.
“How do you even know her? I keep my daughter under lock and key,” Razuuk taunted. “You fuck her? Where’d you fuck her?” he probed, his voice filled with humor. “Should have known the apple never falls far from the tree. Her mother was a slut too.”
“Penny!” I yelled again.
“I’m here,” she replied, her voice soft and hesitant.
I let my gaze slide over to her and nearly squeezed a round off into Solomon right then as my eyes landed on her face covered in bruises. She looked pale and beaten but she didn’t look scared; she looked angry.
“Get over here,” I growled to her. “You’re coming with me.”
“She ain’t going anywhere,” Solomon snapped.
“Penny, now!” I barked.
“I will rip you in two if you so much as look at him, Penny,” Solomon roared.
