Page 24 of Praying for Thunder

“Fuck.” Dio pulled me closer to him. “Fuck!” He finally insisted, “The make and model?”

My Uncle Stew adjusted his weight, then pointed a threatening finger at Diablo. “I don’t care about your club. Hurt her and you deal with me.”

There was a stare down, almost as if Dio was reading him. Then… Diablo promised, “I protect women. Not the opposite. But if I do her wrong, I’ll come to you, free of weapons and resistance.”

Stew stared, then told Diablo information about Ani’s car. Apparently, just in time.

Moola warned, “Incoming,” right before Anita snatched me from Dio, demanding, “How did you find me?”

Diablo showed the tougher side of him, his smirk threatening. “You have no idea who I am or what I’m capable of.”

Air rushed out her nostrils while she glared. “Leave.”

Diablo leaned his face closer to hers. “Why bother? Ain’t you already doing that?”

“W-What?” She retreated a step.

Sad she was upset, I hugged her neck. “I wanted to say goodbye to Dio.”

Wrapping her arms tighter around me, she took another step back, her eyes darting to the three people staring at her. “It’s time to go, Niño.” Then she turned from them all and marched toward the dressing room.

From over her shoulder, I happily waved at Dio as he followed, his eyes darkening by the second. Finding this all to be a wonderful game, I growled, “Rrr-rrr,” to the animal I saw lurking under his skin.

SIX

FINDING MIRACLES WITHIN THE STORM

Dio had gained ground fast and was already right behind us in the hallway. “I didn’t judge you for being a fucking stripper, yet you’re so damn quick to rip apart the men in my life who saved me?”

Not stopping, Anita’s voice quivered, “That’s like trying to convince me the Devil doesn’t mean to destroy lives.”

“About that—”

She spun around and faced him. “What? He your ‘buddy’ or something?”

His mouth opened.

It closed.

Her head tilted. “Nothing?” Like a true smartass, she clucked, “Devil bikers got your tongue?”

“Not all bikers—” Dio ran stiff fingers through his longer hair, exposing his shaved sides. “Can we please talk somewhere else?” He lowered his long arms when a dancer coming down the stage stairs tried to duck under his elbows. He told Candy, “Excuse me.”

Resting her candy cane in the crook of her arm, preparing for me, she asked Ani, “Want me to take him?”

Immediately, for her friend, Anita was kind. “No. Thank you, sweetheart.” With a threat so close, Ani wasn’t letting me go for anything.

Candy, appearing concerned, went to the dressing room.

Instead of admiring the stripper’s naked body, Diablo found Anita’s inquisitive stare.

Less angry this time, she asked, “How do you know about—”

He leaned down, knowing she wanted to whisper.

“—Rosa?”

Upright again, he caringly said, “I already told you.”