Chapter 17
Demon stood in Ronnie’s kitchen, watching her brother more than her. It seemed suspicious that her brother was here from out of town if the rental was any indicator, at the same time that her father was trying to get rid of her.
Was her brother working with her father?
If her father was willing to hurt her like this, how would her brother feel about it?
Would he be with their dad or his sister?
Had he somehow gotten wind of what was going on?
What did her brother do exactly? Was he maybe here to help keep her safe?
He had to find out the answers before he could tell her why he was here.
He wouldn’t compromise her safety by saying the wrong thing in front of the wrong person.
“What do you do?” Gavin asked as they sat at the bar eating.
“Tend bar at night,” Demon shrugged. “Sometimes I drive a tow truck during the day, sometimes I’m working in the shop.
” More often than not he, did whatever he was told, and he would continue to do so until he had his colors on his back, but he didn’t need to tell this stranger that.
Especially without knowing anything about him, other than he was Ronnie’s brother. “You?”
“I work for the government,” Gavin said with one lifted brow, as if he was challenging Demon to ask for more.
He would, and he wouldn’t. Demon knew how to get info, but after waiting up for him, Gizmo would surely be asleep now. And it would be rude to pull out his phone and send a text asking for info now, even if he had someone to ask.
Demon nodded slowly. “Not here, I assume?” He tilted the top of his head toward the carport where his rental was parked.
“Nope. By the time I finished school I was sick of the heat here. I swore I would never again live where the high in the summer regularly hits triple digits.” He took another bite, and they ate in silence for a few minutes.
Then he spoke again. “I’m in New England right now.
I got word about something going on down here, so I came to see Rica.
And make sure she wasn’t mixed up in the shit I’m hearing about. ”
“Rica?” Demon looked at Ronnie. “You really don’t like you’re given name, do you?”
“No, but that’s not why Gavin calls me that.”
He didn’t ask, but watched her with one brow quirked, wondering if she would volunteer what he wanted to know.
She shook her head. “Gavin was two when I was born. He couldn’t say Veronica, and I wasn’t yet big enough to insist on being called something else, so he shortened it. He called me Rica.” She lifted one shoulder and let it fall.
“That’s cute.”
“Glad you think so.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re not the one getting called Rica. Every time someone hears it, they assume my name is Erica and then I have to explain the whole thing.”
Demon held both hands up as if he was showing that he was unarmed. It was a lie, but that wasn’t the point.
“No judgement from me. You already know my name issues.”
“Name issues?” Gavin asked.
“Your sister didn’t tell you about me and my cousin?” Demon asked with a lifted brow and a glance in her direction.
Gavin didn’t answer right away, instead his gaze skimmed down Demon’s body, taking his time as he took in Demon’s kutte and boots.
From his expression, it was clear Ronnie’s brother didn’t think much of him.
That was okay. Demon was used to it. Not that he cared.
It wasn’t her brother’s opinion of him that mattered to Demon.
Nor did he care about the other man’s trust.
The only one he needed to trust him was Ronnie.
“Gavin came to tell me that our dad is up to something.”
“Veronica!” Gavin’s tone was chastising. “You don’t share family business with strangers.”
“Don’t talk to her like that,” Demon said automatically. He didn’t close the distance between them and pin him to the wall to teach him better manners, but he wanted to.
“I’ll talk to my sister any damn way I please.”
“No.” This time Demon stepped forward, though he was careful not to touch him.
He wasn’t looking to escalate the situation, only to show this guy that he was not going to stand by and watch someone mistreat Ronnie.
Even if it was her brother. “No one gets to talk to her like that. No one. Treat her with respect or you can go home. Maybe go stay with your dad instead.”
Ronnie snorted, drawing his attention to her.
“Problem?”
“He’s not going to stay with Dad. He’s been trying to convince me to leave Tucson for years, if only to get farther away from daddy dearest. He found out that Dad’s mixed up with the same club your cousin is and came to warn me.”
“That true?” Demon turned his gaze back to Gavin.
He watched the man in front of him carefully.
He used all his training, both from the Marines and with his current employer to take in all the clues.
From the way the other man stood, his posture, the way he spoke, his mannerisms and every little twitch of his eyes and face to try to read what the man was thinking and if what he was telling him was true.
“That’s true. But I can’t tell you more. My source is classified.” Gavin folded his arms across his chest.
Demon could tell by the way he stood that he wouldn’t budge from this.
“You said you work for the government. What agency?”
Gavin stared at him for several seconds.
“I’m with the DEA, though I’m not sure why that matters.”
Demon couldn’t help the smile that crept across his face. He could have made it warmer, but he didn’t bother as he held his hands out, showing they were empty.
“Firecracker, do you have a pen and paper I can use?”
“Yeah, just a sec.” She slid off the stool and moved away, he wanted to watch her but didn’t want to look away from her brother.
“Why do you need paper?” Gavin asked.
“I’m going to give you a name, I want you to reach out to your office, get his number and call him.”
Gavin frowned. “Why?”
“He’ll tell you that. I’m going to write down a couple of things, including his phone number, but I don’t expect you to call the number, it’s just there for you to show you I’m not trying put you in touch with an imposter.”
“Here.” Ronnie set the pen and paper on the counter next to his plate.
Demon watched Gavin for a couple more seconds then picked up the pen and wrote quickly.
Wesley Moore. Tell him Demon sent you. Use this phrase:
‘The bond between chosen family is often a thousand times stronger than the bond of blood.’
When he was done, he picked up the paper and handed it to Gavin.
“Here. Reach out to him, then come back and talk to me.” Demon went back to his burrito. “This is really good.”
“How do I reach you?”
“Your sister has my number, but I’m not going anywhere. You can call here. You can go in the other room, or outside. Hell, you can go stand on top of A-mountain. I don’t care but I’m not leaving Ronnie alone until I know she’s no longer in danger.”
Gavin watched him for several seconds. Demon assumed he was trying to make a decision. Was it safe to leave Ronnie here with Demon, even if he was just in the other room? Demon didn’t say anything or try to convince him. His words would make no difference anyway.
“Don’t leave the house,” Gavin said, turning away from the counter. “I’ll be out when I have answers.”
“We’ll be here.”