He reeked, she realized, of alcohol, and judging by his red-rimmed eyes, was he all hopped up on heroin too?How dare he come back here?Something in Jade snapped right back.
“This is my home,” she shot back, stepping in front of him, blocking his path.“You don’t get to walk in here like this.”
Derek’s jaw clenched, his crazed eyes narrowing.
“What do you want?”she demanded.“Now’s not a good time.”
He laughed, harsh and humorless.“No, I can see that.”
His gaze swept over her, taking in her damp hair, the rushed way she’d dressed.
“What’s this I hear?”he continued, stepping closer.“You’ve been seen with one of those Devil’s Crown bastards?”
Jade’s anger flared.
“I had to take a job with the MC to pay off your debt,” she snapped, jabbing a finger into his chest, “so don’t you dare come in here making accusations.”
Derek blinked, like her defiance surprised him.She realized most of the time, she was too tired after a double shift, so she barely argued with him.
“You stole from them,” she went on, her voice rising now.“You ran, knowing Jane and I would be the ones dealing with it.If it wasn’t for Wolf—”
“Wolf?”Derek cut in, his lip curling.“That your new boyfriend?”
There was something ugly in the way he said it.Something that made Jade’s stomach twist.
“My personal life is no longer any of your business and that includes who I date,” she stately flatly.
The next thing she knew, Derek closed in on her, grabbing her arm hard.Jade gasped, pain flaring as his grip tightened.
“Let go of me.”
Jane’s crying got louder, shriller.
“Answer me,” Derek demanded, his face too close now, his grip bruising.His breath stank.“You think you can just replace me with some biker—”
“Let her go.”The voice cut through the room, cold and sharp.
Derek stilled, reminding her comically of a deer caught in headlights.Slowly, he turned.Wolf stood in the hallway, barefoot, hair still damp, but he locked his gaze on Derek with a kind of quiet fury that made the air feel thinner.
Derek scoffed, but there was hesitation now.“Who the hell are you?You the biker banging my girlfriend?”
“I’m not your anything,” she said.
Wolf didn’t bother giving Derek an answer, instead he stepped forward.
“Let her go,” he repeated.
Derek tightened his grip instinctively, and that was a big mistake.Wolf moved fast, faster than Jade could track.One second he was across the room, the next, Derek was on the ground.The impact shook the floor as Wolf slammed into him, ripping Jade free in the same motion.
“Jade,” Wolf said sharply, not looking away from Derek.“Take Jane.”
Jade didn’t hesitate.She rushed to the crib, scooping Jane up, holding her tight as she backed away, her heart pounding.Behind her, the fight started.It was brutal, and Wolf didn’t waste any time playing around.
Wolf landed two solid hits before Derek could even properly react, the sound of fist against flesh sharp and final.Derek tried to swing back, but failed. Wolf drove him into the wall, pinning him there, his forearm pressed against Derek’s throat.
“Listen carefully,” Wolf said, his voice low and lethal.“You don’t come near her again.”
Derek choked, struggling against the hold.
