For a second, she looked like she was going to bolt. Her eyes went impossibly wide, and then she shrugged those shoulders and walked to the corner table where I had pointed.
We would need drinks for the conversation we were about to have. But not too many. Keeping the bike upright with her fidgeting was hard enough sober.
“What’s going on?”
“Can you get a message to the club that I need to speak to someone here?” I shot a look behind me. Just checking to make sure she was there and hadn’t done another Houdini on me like last night. “Quickly and quietly?”
His eyes shot behind me. “She in some sort of trouble?”
I didn’t answer.
“I fucking knew it yesterday when she wandered in here. Should have stopped her from leaving. Sorry Havoc.” He stared at her some more before his eyes slid back to me.
I shrugged. “She’s here now; that’s all that matters.”
Another eye flick. And my eyebrows shot up into my hairline.
“You looking after her? Beer?”
I nodded my head to the beer and continued to study him. “Why, you fancy the job?” I kept my voice even. But he wasn’t fooled. Most people backed down when I got the odd calm tone to my voice. It usually meant I was pissed.
“No.” His words were strangled. “No Havoc, she’s yours. I...”
I nodded my head. “Make it known that she’s off-limits. Oh and….” I waited until I had his full attention again. “Can you get someone to bring my truck? She is an absolute nightmare on a bike.” I gave a laugh as I gathered the beers up and headed towards where she had sat in the corner.
I didn’t take the seat opposite her, which would put my back towards the door. Instead, I sat beside her, kicking my legs out under the table. “So….”
“So,” she repeated. “I guess I owe you thanks for rescuing me.”
”You guess you owe me thanks?” I cocked an eyebrow at her. Dragging her chair towards mine, I pulled her between my thighs. ”Oh, sweetheart, you owe me more than thanks.” I pressed my thumb to her lips. “But we can talk about that later.” I rubbed against her bottom lip. All she had to do was open those pretty lips slightly, and my thumb would slip into the wet darkness of her mouth.
I shifted my weight. It definitely wasn’t my thumb I wanted between her lips. But that would have to wait as well. “I need to know what kind of trouble you have brought to my door Darcie Summers?”
“I don’t know anything….”
My eyes narrowed. And she jerked away like I had threatened her with violence. Bigger men than her had moved away from me when I gave them that look. So I didn’t blame her. “Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not fucking lying.”
I couldn’t help it. I grinned. Hearing her curse in that sweet little accent was one of the sexiest things I had ever heard.
“So you know nothing about what my brother was meant to bring in?”
For a second, she looked thoughtful, chewing on her bottom lip. “Surely it’s some epic misunderstanding.” She sounded hopeful as she reached for the bottle in front of her.
Yeah, I was sure she hoped it was, but I knew better. People like those my brother had crossed didn’t make mistakes.
“Don’t you think?” Her bright eyes lifted to mine. She wanted me to reassure her, lie to her. To keep her shiny uncomplicated world free from the danger of the underworld she was suddenly part of.
Unfortunately for her, I couldn’t do that. “No, Darcie, I don’t. I think my brother got into something, and now he doesn’t know how to get out of it. And he’s dragged you into it as well.”
I watched as she paled. “What do you think it is?” Her voice was barely a whisper. She was afraid, and I couldn’t say I blamed her. She had every right to be scared. The asshole had left her wide open to be used against him.
“Drugs, most probably.” I was talking more to myself, but I watched her eyes grow wide.
“Drugs?” She swallowed hard. “I honestly don’t know anything about any of it.” A single tear slipped from her cheek. And I swiped it away.
“I believe you, but it doesn’t change the fact that you are in serious trouble right now. Now tell me everything in the days leading up to today? And don’t even think about hiding anything. I need to know everything.”
