Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
RORY
Iexpected Diesel to just drop me off, but he hung around for a coffee and a chat. I told him about the guys knowing about Liam, and he didn’t seem that surprised.
“Do you trust them?” he asked, eyeing me over the rim of his cup.
“With this? Yes.”
“What if they use it against you? They’ve fucked you over before, so they could do it again.”
“I’d trust them with it more than Slash,” I sighed, and he winced.
“Maybe. I don’t think he’d tell the cops. We don’t work like that.”
“No, but you’d use it as leverage,” I said flatly, giving him a dirty look. “You guys are assholes when you think about it.”
“Maybe Skeet should be worried about you if it took you this long to figure that out,” he smirked, laughing when I threw a playful punch at his shoulder and almost made him spill his coffee. “I was joking!”
“You’re the worst of them all because you’re the friendly one that no one will see coming,” I huffed, amusement crossing his face.
“You think I’m friendly?”
“Well, yeah. You’ve always been nice to me.”
“That’s because you’re not a threat. Fuck me over though and I’ll become your worst nightmare,” he said lightly, but I knew he was serious.
Diesel might have been more laid back than the others, but I was pretty sure it was because he was always calculating his next move.
He saw everything, taking it in and using things as ammo later if required.
He wasn’t quiet for the sake of it, he was listening and taking mental notes.
“You know I can throw a solid hit,” I smiled, and he rolled his eyes.
“If you think you could beat me, you’re an idiot.”
“You wouldn’t hurt me.”
His eyes darkened and he placed his coffee on the table, leaning closer.
“Don’t underestimate anyone. I don’t care if it’s me, Holloway’s mom, or the academy’s janitor.
Always be ready for the unexpected. If you betray us, I’ll be standing right there beside Slash as he puts you in a hole, so don’t assume I’m your ally.
” I jumped when there was a thud upstairs, his hand instantly reaching behind into his waistband for his gun. “Who’s home?”
“Maybe Josie’s still here?” I offered, but her car wasn’t here when we arrived, and none of the guys were here either.
“I need you to follow me. Stay behind me,” he warned, giving me a flat look when I pulled my knife out and moved beside him as we started walking towards the stairs. “What did I just say?”
“To follow you.”
“Selective hearing at its finest,” he grumbled, slowly making his way up the stairs with his gun raised. I almost hoped it was a stranger because if Diesel waved that gun in Josie’s face, she’d flip the fuck out.
“What—” I started saying, but Diesel cut me off before I could finish, his finger to his lips in silent warning. My steps would give us away before my voice, I wasn’t as stealthy as him.
We made our way up the stairs, and my eyes narrowed when I noticed my bedroom door was open. My first guess was Caden, but Diesel motioned for me to stay quiet as he moved towards the door.
I waited for him to check the room before he let me in, my eyes scanning my surroundings despite him giving me the all clear.
Approval lined his features when he noticed me double checking, but he didn’t mention it.
“Does anything look different?” he asked, moving around the room while keeping his eyes locked on the open door behind me.
“I don’t think so. Maybe Caden’s fancy mansion has rats,” I joked, narrowing my eyes on my bedside drawer. It was open a fraction, but when I had a look inside, nothing seemed out of place.
Not that I had anything in there worth stealing. The guys had already stolen and destroyed my diary, and I wasn’t dumb enough to get a new one.
What would I even write in it now? Dear diary, I killed a guy today?
“There’s no hidden panels in the wall or anything?”
“Jesus Christ, D. What kind of shit do you think the Holloways are hiding? Hidden corridors in the walls? Maybe a rape dungeon?”
“Hey, you know better than anyone that rich pricks with egos all have rape dungeons in their basements,” he said flatly, wincing as it left his mouth. “Shit, sorry. That was insensitive.”
“You don’t have to be rich to have a creepy basement. I bet Slash has one too,” I scoffed, nudging his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it.”
“It was uncalled for. You’re allowed to joke about it if you want, but—”
“D,” I sighed, patting his shoulder. “Stop stressing. If I can tolerate Slash and Skeet’s bullshit, I can put up with you teasing me.”
“You’re too nice for our world, you know that?” he muttered, taking a hard look at me.
“Or I’m perfect for it,” I grinned, taking a cautious look under the bed before moving towards the bathroom. We double checked the closet and any space that was bigger than a damn cat, then we checked the other rooms too, but there was nothing.
“Maybe it’s rats after all,” he said as we left the bedroom that Jensen claimed as his own and started walking downstairs, my eyes going over my shoulder to make sure we were alone. I was losing my mind. I was pretty sure Caden’s bedroom door was closed when we checked it, but now it was open.
Was someone still inside? Was it Max? What if it was Tristan?
“Should you get back to the guys? Won’t you get in trouble for missing the meeting?” I asked, returning my attention to him and hoping I was wrong.
“You mean the pissing contest between Skeet and Slash? Pass. Skeet will fill me in later. I’d much rather hang out here with you and make sure no one kidnaps you again.”
“That was one time.”
“One time too many,” he pointed out, dropping back into his chair. “Do you carry?”
“Only the weight of the world on my shoulders. And my knife,” I deadpanned.
“Have you ever held a gun before?”
“I’m from the Heights and you know I killed your buddy with one. Of course I’ve held a gun before,” I scoffed, startled when he held his out to me. “I’m not touching that.”
“Why not?”
“And add my fingerprints to a murder weapon of one of your crimes? No thanks. I learned my lesson with Liam.”
“We hide the bodies, they don’t get found. Take it.”
“Bodies always get found, some just take time,” I argued, my pulse spiking at the thought. I’d totally go down for Liam’s murder, his father would come looking for him eventually.
“Get out of your head,” he scolded, shaking the gun in front of me slightly. “You need to get comfortable with these things.”
“I’ll buy my own.”
“Donovan, I swear to God,” he growled, tucking his gun in the back of his pants. “You’ve got rich kid money, right? Get some cash out of whatever bank account Josie set you up with, and we’ll find you a gun.”
“I just said—”
“If you get a gun, you get it through us. The last thing you need is a registered one. We’ll teach you how to use it properly too,” he said seriously, waiting for my reaction.
Did I like being told what to do? Absolutely not, but I understood that he was right.
“You’ll teach me how to hit targets properly?” I finally asked, his shoulders relaxing as he nodded.
“And how to pull it apart, clean it, and put it back together again,” he confirmed.
“I don’t think bossman would like that. How will he murder me in my sleep if you turn me into an assassin?” I huffed, toying with my knife as I sat beside him.
“Maybe you should stop pissing him off and you won’t have to worry about it,” he replied dryly, and I shrugged.
“I’m not worried. I’ll stab that big bastard right in the eye if I wake up to find him hovering over my bed.”
“I have a new lesson for you. It’s called Killing Crew Leaders is a Bad Idea,” he deadpanned.
I went to reply but his phone rang and he groaned, fishing it from his pocket. “Hey, Skeet. You don’t need to worry about me nailing your girlfriend, stop checking in. Yes, I saw your three messages. They didn’t warrant a reply.”
I giggled, knowing Diesel was enjoying pissing him off. “Is he coming over?”
“No,” Diesel snorted, returning his attention to the phone. “Listen, man. She’s fine. I stuck around for a coffee to make sure.”
Skeeter yelled a bunch of shit before ending the call, and I raised an eyebrow. “What’s his problem?”
“He really hates people calling you his girlfriend. I don’t see the big deal. He fucks you, and won’t let anyone else fuck you. Sounds like a girlfriend to me,” he chuckled, his worried gaze running over me. “Will you be okay on your own?”
“You’ve seen the security here, right? I’m safer here than the Shed.”
“Doubtful,” he mumbled, scanning the room one last time before sighing. “I’d better go before someone comes and drags me back.”
“Thanks for bringing me home. Be careful. I know something’s going on, I can sense how unsettled you guys are,” I said gently, his hand resting on my shoulder.
“Your attentiveness is both a skill and a curse. It’s going to get you killed. We’re fine though, don’t worry about us.”
“It might save me too,” I smiled, watching him walk towards the front door and leave without a backwards glance. The stairs creaked, and I flicked my gaze to the hallway, my voice somehow steady. “Are you coming out or fucking hiding?”
It was difficult not to react when an unfamiliar man entered the room, a smirk on his lips and the threat of danger radiating off him. His short, black hair looked damp from a shower, and his golden-brown eyes studied me like a hunter watching its prey.
“D’s losing his touch.” He moved closer, stopping a few meters away and leaning against the wall to cross his arms. “I didn’t know Skeet was into rich girls.”
“He’s into pussy, that’s it. I’m not a rich girl,” I scoffed, running my eyes over him. He was in jeans and a white T-shirt, tattoos covering every inch of visible skin, other than his face. “Are you a friend or foe?”
Animal skulls and inked blood spatters were down both arms, his throat having a skull surrounded by leaves and roses that disappeared under his shirt. I couldn’t see anything else, but I’d bet money on him being just as covered as Skeeter.