Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
SKEETER
“Skeeter Maddox,” Justin Lopez drawled as I was about to leave the gas station, finding him standing at the pump on the other side of my car. “What a lovely surprise.”
“Fuck off, Lopez. What are you doing here?” I muttered, leaning back on my car and crossing my arms.
I’d heard the fucker had been in Wet Dreams a lot lately, giving the Reapers more shit than usual.
I didn’t know why he was so obsessed over Archer’s girl.
She was just a used-up stripper that everyone had fucked.
Everything about her was fake, from her bleached blonde hair to her ridiculous lashes and nails.
I wouldn’t want those talons anywhere near my cock.
He was forty, way too old for Lexi, not that age usually stopped her. His light brown hair was graying around the edges, his teeth stained from years of smoking and drinking, and his Hell’s Demons jacket was old and worn.
“Just pumping gas,” he grinned, tilting his head. “Want to tell me what your girl was doing setting fires in my territory this morning? Don’t tell me we’re going to have a problem too? I already have my hands full with Hendricks.”
“I don’t have a girl.”
“Sure you do. The dark haired hellion that’s pretending to be a rich bitch,” he snickered, my eyes narrowing.
“She’s not my girl, but I know who you’re talking about. She was setting fires in the Heights?”
“You don’t know where your girl was? Gotta pull that bitch into line, man. I wouldn’t let my girl cause havoc in your town if I had one.”
“Not my girl,” I repeated, but frustration filled me at knowing she’d been doing that behind my back. “Whose house did she burn?”
“Lucky for her, it was an abandoned place. We wouldn’t be having this conversation if she’d torched one of my guys’ houses,” he answered, his pump finishing and making him turn.
“Keep an eye on her. I won’t let a Psychos’ bitch disrespect me like that.
You know what I’ll fucking do to her if she does it again. ”
“She’s from the Heights.”
“Not anymore. Might want to remind her of that,” he stated before turning to get in his car and leaving, my fists clenching.
What the fuck had Rory been thinking? I didn’t even know she was a fucking pyro, and I thought she’d been curled up at home with Caden and Tyler.
I slid into my car and headed to Caden’s house, wanting to know what the fuck was going on, and I was relieved to find both the Corvette and the Challenger there when I arrived.
I hadn’t even gotten to the door when it opened and Rory poked her head out with a smile.
“Hey. What—”
“Are you fucking stupid?” I snapped, pushing past her into the house and giving her no choice but to follow me.
“What are you talking about?” she threw back, obviously not liking my tone. I didn’t give a shit, she could’ve gotten her ass snatched up by wandering around the Heights alone, let alone in enemy territory.
“Where were you this morning?” I bit out, her eyes narrowing. She knew exactly what I was talking about.
“The Heights. Why?” she answered, surprisingly telling me the truth.
“You can’t just wander around there anymore, Aurora.”
“Why the fuck not?”
I grabbed her throat to yank her forward, getting in her face. “Because whether we like it or not, you have a Psychos brand stamped on your forehead. You were in enemy territory burning down fucking houses.”
“Considering you claim I’m not your—”
“It doesn’t matter what I say. Justin Lopez just approached me, warning me to pull you into line.
You could’ve started a fucking crew war, you know?
Why the fuck were you setting fires in the Demons’ territory?
” I demanded, and she managed to get a lucky shot in with her foot to my leg, almost popping my fucking knee out and forcing me to let her go.
“I’ve spent almost my whole life in the Heights, asshole.”
“Lopez doesn’t give a fuck. Do you want to get thrown in a trunk and gang raped?”
She recoiled, and an arm went between us as Caden appeared.
“Hey, back off. What’s happened?” he asked, instantly taking her side.
I pointed at her, glaring at him. “Do you know what she was doing this morning?”
That earned me a frown, and he glanced at her before looking back at me. “Yeah. She went for a drive with Ty. Why?”
“You took Ty?” I asked in disbelief, and she shrugged.
“He needed some flame therapy.”
“What the fuck did you do?” Caden asked with a groan.
“Aurora and your bestie went into the Heights and set fire to a house. I just had Justin Lopez questioning me and threatening her. This isn’t a game that you rich pricks can pay your way out of.
If you go into enemy territory and start burning shit down, you’re going to end up dead,” I practically shouted, raking a hand through my hair to stop myself from strangling her.
From the way Caden was now glaring at Rory, it was obvious he’d had no idea what they’d been up to.
“Do you know how long it’s taken us to get Ty to stop burning shit? He’s like an addict. Now he’s had a taste of it, he’ll just want more,” Caden stated, his back going straight when the front door opened.
“Caden? Are you home?” Josie called out, and he turned to give me a look.
“Not a word of this to Mom.”
“You mean you don’t want me to tell her that her sweet kids have been committing felonies in her absence?” I deadpanned, and he flipped me off before turning to go and help her bring her things in.
“I warned you,” I said quietly, stepping closer to Rory and taking her chin in my hand, needing her to see how serious I was.
“Getting involved with me and my guys changes things. You can’t fuck me or fight in my cage without gaining enemies.
Lopez’s crew might be smaller than ours, but they’d be brutal if they got their hands on you and we weren’t there to stop them.
That man makes Tristan look like a saint.
Think next time. I’m already looking for your mom, I don’t want to be looking for you too. ”
She flinched slightly, and I sighed before sliding my arms around her to pull her closer. “Has Slash been bothering you?”
Tension rolled off her, but shook her head. “No, why?”
“You don’t think I know you punched him? Do you know how many people have gotten to punch that man and get away with it? You. That’s it. Obviously, he’s in agreement with you about it being warranted, but it won’t be next time. You got lucky.”
“Yeah, I feel super lucky,” she said bitterly, making me roll my eyes.
“You two need to quit your dramatics and just avoid each other. You can’t let him get to you like that. He’s really getting under your skin if a few words makes you punch him.”
I let her go as she pulled away, not looking at me. “I’ll work on it.”
“Thank you. I need to go, but stay out of trouble, okay? Maybe avoid the Heights too. Justin’s got his eye on you, and nothing good will come from that.”
“Do you guys usually have trouble with the Demons?”
“No, so make sure it stays that way. If you think the crew hates you now, just wait until you drag the Demons to our door. Nothing would save you then,” I warned, leaning down to kiss her with every intention on it being quick, but the second my lips were on hers, it was like something calmed inside me, and I deepened it to savor it a few seconds longer.
“Good morning,” Josie said dryly as she walked in, putting her keys on the counter and eyeing us, making me smirk as I moved back.
“Welcome home. Have a good trip?”
“Yes, thank you. It’s a little early for you to be here, isn’t it?” she hummed with disapproval.
“I can’t stop by to make sure my girl is behaving?” I joked, and I didn’t miss the slight confusion in her eyes.
“I think Lukas has her handled, but if you really want to make sure she’s doing as she’s told, you should’ve told her to get to school.” She turned, looking at Caden as he walked in. “And you. Why aren’t you at school?”
“I wanted to be here when you got home. Jense and Luke picked up Ty on their way through,” Caden shrugged, but my mind was still on her comment about Lukas.
Rory gave me a dirty look to mind my own business, making me realize Josie had no idea that Rory was warming multiple beds. It was almost worth outing her just to see what would happen, but I’d hate it if someone blurted out my private shit in front of others, so I forced myself to shut my mouth.
The doorbell rang and Josie scuttled off to answer it, and I chuckled. “Your new mommy doesn’t know you’re taking multiple cocks?”
“Shut up,” Rory hissed, but Caden snickered, finding amusement in the whole thing too.
“She doesn’t know you two are fucking?” I asked, motioning to Caden. “What a naughty boy.”
“Hey, if she thinks we ever stopped, that’s on her,” Caden grinned, but his face fell when Josie entered the room with two police officers as they spoke in quiet voices, their hats in hand.
Rory did well to hide her panic at seeing them, and I decided to teach her a lesson about setting fires by letting her worry since I knew they weren’t here to arrest her for arson.
“Are they still out there? Are we in danger?” Josie asked, her voice shaking slightly and making Caden step closer to take her arm.
“Mom? What happened?”
“It’s your father,” she said tightly, her eyes sliding to me and Rory as she continued. “He was found murdered in his home this morning.”
“Dad’s dead?” he asked, his acting on point as he turned to the cops. “Murdered? Are they coming after us too? Who—”
“We’re still getting the evidence together, but we hauled his attacker in half an hour ago.
We’ll know more soon. There is no immediate danger to you or your mother.
They were known to one another, and it appears to be a business deal gone wrong.
He’s been dead for days, but the guy is cooperating, which makes things easier.
I’m sorry for your loss,” the officer said, my eyes glued to Josie.
She wasn’t reacting how I’d expected, and if she didn’t get the relief off her face, she was going to fuck up the entire plan.