Chapter 33
The ring of his phone woke Demon. He reached out and pulled it off the nightstand, registering that Ronnie wasn’t in bed with him even as he ran his thumb across the screen to answer the call.
“Yo.”
“What are you doing?” Tuck’s voice came across the line.
“I was sleeping, why? What’s happened?” He rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling while he listened.
“Your bounty hunter’s father has been picked up.”
Demon grunted, but didn’t argue with the your bounty hunter comment, he wasn’t about to deny that she was his, he just hoped he could talk her into feeling the same way before someone said it to her.
“Ok, I knew that was going to happen. The brother told us it was in the works before I crashed for the day. Anything else?”
“Not yet. I didn’t know if you were aware of the father.”
“I am. We’re hopeful that he can be flipped and will have enough info to put Switchblade in prison.”
“Wouldn’t that be nice?” Tuck didn’t sound hopeful. “I just wanted to touch base and see what you knew. Keep us updated and let us know if there’s anything we can help with.”
“Will do.” He disconnected the call and wished Ronnie was still here beside him, but knew Gavin wasn’t going to let her get hurt, and that odds were good she was less than fifty feet away in the other room.
His stomach rumbled. If he wasn’t going back to sleep, he’d need coffee, and maybe some food too if whatever he was smelling was ready to eat.
After checking the time, he found he’d been sleeping for a little over four hours.
Not ideal, but he could make it work, as long as he didn’t have to do this for weeks, he’d manage.
Demon rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom first. As he pissed, he considered taking a shower before he went out to see what Ronnie and her brother were up to, but decided against it.
He liked the way every now and then, when he moved just right, he’d catch her scent on his skin.
He wasn’t ready to wash it off yet. Instead, he pulled on his jeans, grabbed a clean t-shirt from the bag he’d brought in from the other room before going to bed, and went in search of Ronnie.
“Where have you been hiding, huh?” Ronnie’s tone told him she was likely talking to the cat.
Demon padded barefoot into the living room where he leaned against the doorframe, t-shirt still in his hand as he watched her hug the cat, then let him down in her lap, where he curled up and closed his eyes, while she ran her hand along his back over and over.
“If I lay down in your lap will you pet me like that?” Demon couldn’t resist asking.
Ronnie twisted around to look at him. “Why don’t you come try and find out?”
“Please don’t,” came Gavin’s voice from somewhere out of sight.
“Hey, glad to see you’re still here. You making whatever smells so good?” Demon stepped into the room and spotted Gavin on the other side of the bar.
“I tossed it in the crockpot, but it’s got another couple of hours before it’s ready.”
“I can fry you up a couple eggs if you’re hungry,” Ronnie offered.
“Coffee is fine for now.” He unrolled his shirt and pulled it on as he headed for the kitchen. “What happened while I slept?”
“Not much that I know of,” Gavin said. “I haven’t heard anything since then.”
Demon nodded as he put a fresh pod in the coffee maker, set his cup underneath and hit start.
“What’s the plan for this afternoon?”
Gavin shook his head. “I’d like to go talk to a few people, see if they’re making any progress with getting Dad to talk.”
“Maybe give them a little information to use as leverage on him?” Demon glanced at the other man, one brow lifted. Gavin gave a non-committal shrug.
“When do you work at the bar again?” Ronnie asked from where she still sat on the couch, petting the cat.
“I’m off until we get this figured out and I can be sure you’re safe.” He took the full cup from the coffee maker and carried it with him as he went to stand near the bar so he could see her. “Looking to get rid of me already?”
“Not at all. I was thinking I could go along.”
He watched her for a moment, trying to figure out what she was up to.
“Why?” he asked after a few seconds.
She looked away. “I just thought I could go with you. I’d hate for you to miss shifts you need because you’re stuck here with me.”
“First of all, firecracker, I’m not stuck here with you.
I want to be here. I want to be sure you’re safe, and I’ll do whatever I need to in order to make that happen.
Second, why would you want to go hang out in a bar for six to eight hours?
I don’t want to do it, and I’m being paid to be there.
Third, missing a few shifts isn’t going to put me on the streets.
” He watched her for a moment, trying to decide if there was something else driving her suggestion or if she really didn’t want him to have to miss his shift.
“Oh. I guess we can find something to watch then,” she picked up the remote and hit the power button.
Demon turned to look at Gavin to see if he had any idea what was happening.
“She’s getting bored. She’s not used to sitting around for more than a couple hours at a time.
” Gavin shook his head. “I didn’t want to go out, because I didn’t want to give anyone a chance to grab her, plus, with what we know is coming, they might get desperate.
If they think she’s getting ready to bolt or somehow otherwise be out of their reach, they might rush the job, taking her at the first opportunity rather than make it look like she disappeared on her own.
” He gave Demon a helpless shrug. “I didn’t have anywhere I thought would be safe for just her and me.
But I warn you, the longer she’s holed up in one place, and the more bored she gets, the crankier and more difficult she’ll be. ”
“You two do realize I can hear you, right?” Ronnie shot them a glare before turning her attention back to the TV. He glanced over and saw she was flipping through a streaming app but didn’t pay much more attention than that.
“I do, but I also know that him knowing what you’re like isn’t going to change anything, and if it did, then it’s better to know what the deal breakers are now, than once you’re invested and he breaks your heart.”
Gavin’s words were for Ronnie, but he glared at Demon as he spoke. He didn’t have to threaten Demon, not that it would have scared him off anyway. Demon got the underlying that he knew they were fucking and not to hurt his sister.
Demon nodded once, letting the other man know he’d gotten the message. He didn’t say anything but pulled out his phone and sent a message to Puck, asking who was at the clubhouse, then another to Tuck asking if it would be okay if he brought Ronnie by the clubhouse.
If nothing else, it would put her in a safe space, with more people around, should whoever the Devil’s sent after her get brave.
There was also the added bonus that there was more to do there, she could play pool, talk to whoever was around, or he could take her up to his room.
There, they wouldn’t have to worry about her brother hearing her scream.
And those that might hear, wouldn’t care.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Demon said. “Go ahead and do your thing. I’ve got a couple things in mind to keep her from getting too cranky.”
“If it involves the bed, big man, think again. As much fun as it is, I’ve spent enough time in bed today.” She didn’t even turn away from the TV as she spoke.
“That’s okay. I can improvise.” He had only been thinking about getting her into bed, it hadn’t been his whole plan, but he wasn’t going to say that now.
“And on that note, I’m out of here.” Gavin started packing up the laptop he’d set up on the bar. Demon didn’t know what he’d been doing, and he didn’t really care, as long as he’d been awake and aware enough to know what was going on and make sure Ronnie was safe.
Ten minutes later, Gavin walked out the door, and Demon made sure to twist the lock behind him, leaving the two of them as secure as possible, at least for now.
He’d gotten messages back from both Puck and Tuck letting him know who was around and that she was welcome at the clubhouse.
He sat on the sofa beside Ronnie and looked at the TV for the first time since she’d settled on some thing to watch.
When he realized what she was watching he groaned and let his head fall back against the back of the couch.
“Please tell me you are just getting started on this, not that you’ve seen it a dozen times and watch it regularly.” He didn’t open his eyes, even as the cat got up and walked across him on his way to who knows where.
“Um.”
Demon opened his eyes and turned to look at her. Ronnie’s face was flushed an attractive pink color that let him know that this was one of her favorite shows and had seen it several times.
The puzzle pieces clicked. Opie. Ryan. “Fuck me.”
“Pretty sure I did that a few hours ago. You need more? You might need to improvise a bit. I was serious when I said I’d spent enough time in my bed today.”
“As tempting as you are, firecracker, I had something else in mind. But that wasn’t what I was talking about.”
She scowled. “Then what were you talking about?”
“I just realized how obsessed with this show you are.” He took a deep breath and debated even asking the next question, but decided he needed to know, even if it wasn’t the answer he wanted.
“Is that show and him the only reason you’re sleeping with me?
Is this just you taking advantage of the opportunity to fulfil a fantasy?
” He did his best, and failed, not to let the idea bother him.
He wanted her. Wanted to be the one by her side, the one to protect her and take care of her, no matter what came their way.
Instead, he ignored the ache in the middle of his chest that this was just a bit of fun for her.
He would enjoy the time he had with her while it lasted, and if it ended, then he’d deal with it then.
“Of course not.” She frowned and lifted one hand to cup his cheek. “I don’t know what it is about you. I tried to resist, to tell myself that you are only here because you feel guilty that your cousin got me into all this.”
He started to speak but she pressed her thumb against his lips, stopping him.
“I know that’s not true. You don’t have to tell me that. I can see it in your eyes.”
She met his gaze, and he saw more than just desire in here yes. There was something more, something deeper. He could only hope he’d touched her heart in the way she’d touched his, but he didn’t know how to ask, not without sounding like a needy little shit.
“So no. I’m not just sleeping with you because you vaguely resemble my celebrity crush. There’s a lot more to it than that. Though Gavin has been having a ball teasing me about it when you’re not around. Now that you know, we can tease him back, if you’re game.”
Demon lifted one brow. “Has he? We’ll have to see what we can do to repay the favor. Now about what to do, since you’ve spent enough time in bed today, how about we get out of the house?”
Her eyes lit up. “Out? Where?” She scrambled upright, then stood, looking down at him as she waited for his answer.
“Does it matter?” he said with a laugh.
“Not really, except I need to know what to wear.”
“Jeans, boots, whatever top you want, and jacket.”
“Jacket?” She scowled at him.
“You’ve got a thing for bikers, firecracker, have you ever been on one?”
“No. We’re going wherever we’re headed on your bike?”
Demon nodded.
Ronnie bounced on her toes in excitement, giving him a nice view of her tits bouncing under her shirt, eliminating any doubt he might have about her wearing a bra. She wasn’t.
“Keep teasing me like that and we won’t be going anywhere for a while. You’ll likely end up back in the last place you want to be today.”
Her eyes went wide, and she hurried into the other room. Demon couldn’t help but smile to himself as he shook his head in disbelief. He was damned lucky, he knew it and was determined not to forget it.
Knowing she wouldn’t take long, he stood, adjusted the pistol in the small of his back, and retrieved his boots from where he’d left them next to the door.
With his boots on, he reached for his kutte.
If he was leaving the house, he was wearing it.
As he shrugged into it, he thought about this, what he had going on with Ronnie and that he’d been willing to give up the Souls for her.
Would it have sucked ass if he’d done that and then she didn’t want him?
Of course, but he was an adult and had made the decision fully aware that could be how things worked out.
He was an adult, well most of the time, and could handle the consequences of his choices.
That was what he’d been prepared to do, and still was.
Ready, he leaned one hip against the counter and pulled out his phone to see what there was in the news while he waited for her to be ready.