Chapter 24 #3
At one point, he bumped her shoulder playfully and I almost — almost — launched my bottle across the room straight at his damn head.
It would’ve felt good. I have no idea how I stopped myself.
Adora hasn’t glanced in my direction once. Not even a flick. She’s avoiding this side of the room like it’s radioactive.
Fuck.
Letting her go was easier when she wasn’t this close. When I was off on missions, catching glimpses of her in secret every few weeks.
But now? Seeing her every damn day? It’s going to be fucking torture.
I already feel myself cracking.
Signing those divorce papers… it screwed with my head in more ways than one. And above it all, I can feel it — a wave of panic, rising like a fucking tsunami. Tearing through all the numbness I’ve been drowning in. I didn’t realize how much that last thread between us was keeping me in check.
“Stop staring. You look fucking creepy,” Bones mutters, leaning against the bar beside me.
“Keep talking like that and you’ll catch a nut shot,” I growl, sipping my beer. It’s fucking disgusting. I put it down. Push it away.
He snorts. “Temper wants kids. You damage the goods, she’ll turn you into Swiss cheese.”
I roll my neck. Glance at him. “I’m happy for you. That you got her back. But fuck, Bones, I envy the hell out of you.”
He leans in, lowering his voice. “Envy’s fine, brother. Understandable. But is there… anything else?”
I narrow my eyes. “Subtle. Like a jackhammer.” I breathe deep. “I’m not going to kill myself, Bones.”
I look at Adora, then back at him. “I won’t leave her. She’s been alone most of her life. Doesn’t matter how many friends she makes now, or who she moves on with, or how much she hates my guts. She’ll always have me.”
I turn fully, stare him down. “And don’t think I would’ve let you check out either. Back when you were moping around this place. I had safety nets. Replaced the firing pins with dummies in all your guns.”
“Joke’s on you,” he snorts. “I was gonna take the bike. Blaze of glory, all that shit.”
“And ruin the damn bike?” I shake my head. “No respect, fucker.”
He chuckles, then sobers up fast. “You put all the original firing pins back, right?”
I roll my eyes. “Months ago.”
“Good.” He huffs. “Shit… what if someone came at me and all I had was a broken piece?”
I smirk. “You saying you can’t handle yourself without a gun?”
He presses his lips tight. “Touché, asshole. Touché.”
Adora
I’m buzzed. Really, really fucking buzzed. Probably not the smartest idea to get shitfaced in the middle of my ex-husband’s castle.
I giggle. I hiccup.
Castle. Hah. Because he’s a grumpy beast.
Shit. My therapist is gonna chew my ass out for this one. Falling headfirst into impulse again. But hell, I needed it.
I saw him when I came down. Looking all kinds of broody and sad and torn up inside. Been dodging his gaze ever since.
I don’t care what he’s feeling. No, I don’t. Definitely not.
I lean over the table and rake every chip in front of me like I’m claiming bodies on a battlefield.
“Fuck!” Fang snaps. “How the fuck did you pull that? I had a straight!”
“Mine was bigger,” I purr, smirking as the room tilts for a second.
Domino giggles like a schoolgirl beside me. His head’s back, eyes closed, slumped in his chair like someone cut the strings. I guess he had too much to drink too. He was ecstatic that I kept taking Fang’s chips. Even though I also cleaned him out.
Ria’s leaning on Tank, blinking slowly at the mountain of chips in front of me. They were the first to fall prey to my skills. Shit poker players, both of them.
“It’s okay, Fang, I’ll make you feel better,” Runa — one of the club girls who joined our table earlier — coos, squeezing his bicep.
He perks up fast, wraps his hand around her neck, and pulls her close.
“I’ll be the one doing that, baby,” he growls against her lips before giving her a filthy kiss.
I groan internally. Club girls have been swarming him all night. I didn’t get it at first. I was confused. Domino said they like to make the brothers work for it. But apparently, Fang’s the fucking exception. Then Domino said the girls call him the Clit Commander and all confusion vanished.
“Clit Commander strikes again,” Nakimera, Hellbat’s Ol’ Lady, murmurs from my left.
Temperance hums her agreement. I took them both out of the game an hour ago.
“Don’t talk about another man’s tongue game, wildcat,” Hellbat snarls, leaning over her chair from behind.
She straightens and smirks up at him.
“Why? You jealous? Gonna punish me?” she purrs, lowering her lashes seductively.
My eyebrows shoot up. I shake my head, trying to shake off the suffocating sexual tension building at the table. It only makes me dizzier.
Hellbat doesn’t say a word. Just grabs Naki, flings her over his shoulder like a caveman, and disappears.
“Well, damn,” Temperance whispers. “Where the fuck is Bones?” she mutters, eyes scanning the place.
“I want a rematch, princess,” Fang says, dragging out the nickname he heard Domino use earlier.
He gets up and pulls Runa up with him.
“Just not tonight,” he murmurs, his eyes scanning Runa from top to bottom. She practically melts in front of me. Then they’re both gone.
“Is that Mindfuck?” Ria suddenly perks up, squinting across the room.
I follow her gaze and nearly fucking choke on my own spit. Mindfuck is railing a woman on top of the pool table. In the middle of a packed clubhouse.
“Forget Mindfuck,” I screech and elbow Domino. “Is that Blair from the book club?”
He cracks one eye open. “Sure is,” he confirms. “Knew she was kinky.”
“What a terrible day to have eyes,” Temperance grumbles.
“She seemed so sweet. And shy,” I murmur, still watching with wide eyes.
“Pffft, I don’t get it,” Tank grumbles. “Why are you surprised? You seemed sweet and innocent too, years ago, but I remember what you did behind the bar with Ghost during his birthday party.”
I squeak. My whole face catches fire. “What? What do you mean? We didn’t do anything!”
Tank huffs. “You might’ve been behind the bar, and we couldn’t see much, but your face said it all.”
“Shut it, Tank! Stop embarrassing her,” Ria scolds, slapping his chest. Then she turns to me and whisper-yells, “You’ll give me all the details later.”
I open my mouth to deny, deny, deny, but a loud screech rips through the clubhouse, cutting through the music and chatter.
“Bonesie! Ghostie! I’ve arrived, you fucking assholes!”
A tall woman dressed in all black, with short dark hair, storms toward the bar.
She reaches Ghost, rips his beer from his hand, shoves a biker helmet at his chest, and downs the whole bottle in one go.
Then she starts berating him, fast and furious, but I can’t hear the words. Bones just rolls his eyes, watching them both with amusement.
The fuck? Who is this bitch?
“Huh. This was such a good night. So fun. And now it’s going to end in murder,” Temperance says flatly, standing slowly from her chair.
She’s glaring at the scene unfolding at the bar.
Shit.
I hope she kills the bitch first.
“I’ll show him Bonesie,” she growls, and starts walking toward the bar, pushing people left and right.
Ghost
“Alcohol free? Seriously? Haven’t you grown tired of fake beer already?” Viviana — the Hound to most, pain in the ass to me — grumbles, waving the now-empty bottle in front of my face. “I thought this was a biker party, not bingo night at the retirement home.”
She scans the clubhouse and points toward the pool table, where Mindfuck is busy screwing some hang-around.
“That guy’s got the right idea,” she says, jabbing a finger in their direction. Then she turns back to me. “You disappoint me, Ghostie.”
Shit. She is still just as much of a headache as ever.
“Nice to see you too, Viv,” I sigh, already feeling exhausted.
She squints at me, then flicks her gaze to Bones. “He’s being weird. Weirder than usual. What’s wrong with him?”
“Woman problems,” Bones shrugs.
“Well, that’s fucking surprising. Give me a real beer, Grizz,” she barks, slapping her hand on the bar.
“You got it, firecracker,” Grizz smirks, already sliding a bottle her way.
“You giving me a night to party? Break in your prospects? Or are we diving straight into business?” she asks, raising the bottle, and taking a swig.
“No time for prospects, Viv,” I mutter. “This is important. I want it done fast.”
“My office,” Bones says, but before we can move, Temperance slides up next to him.
“Well, hello there, Bonesie,” she spits the nickname like venom, eyes locked on Viv. I notice her nails digging into Bones’ arm and almost wince. Those claws are lethal.
“Who’s this? Care to introduce us?” she asks, voice sugar-laced and fake as fuck.
Bones doesn’t flinch. He shifts, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, dodging those nails like a pro.
“Vivian, meet Temperance. My woman. Temper, this is Vivian. She’s gonna help us deal with our little snake infestation. Old friend of Ghost’s.”
Viv looks at Temperance like she’s seeing the Universe crack open right in front of her. “Shit. You’re Elyna,” she breathes, eyes wide.
“This guy,” she says, jerking her chin at Bones, “made me look for you all over the damn country years ago.”
She turns to me. “Shit, Ghostie, I thought you were bullshitting when you said he found her. How the fuck did you get around WITSEC?”
I shrug. She narrows her eyes.
“You’re not gonna tell me,” she mutters. “Damn you.”
Then she looks at Temperance, who’s watching her with careful confusion.
“Nice to meet you, El—well, no. Temperance now,” Viv corrects herself, smiling. “Hell of a disappearing act.”
Temperance lifts a brow. “Wasn’t good enough, clearly.” She tilts her head, eyes narrowing. “What’s with all the Bonesie and Ghostie shit?”
“She likes to be annoying,” I cut in, wanting to end this circus. “It stopped working after the millionth time, Viv.”
I turn and nod. “Let’s go.”
“I texted Myth. He’ll be here in a few,” Bones says as he drops into his office chair. “Until then — ready to join the club yet?”
Viv smirks. “Your club isn’t ready for me.” She leans back. “What the hell would I be doing in an all-male biker club anyway?”
“That wouldn’t be a problem and you know it,” I grunt. “We already put it to vote. Door’s open.”
She glances at me, then sighs. “If I joined the Vultures, Ghostie, I’d lose half my clients, minimum. That’s a given.”
“You wouldn’t need them,” Bones says, voice firm. “We’ve got the cash. Enough jobs to keep you busy. Security. All of it.”
She smiles. “Sounds sweet on paper. But I like calling my own shots. Always have.” Her face twists in mock-horror. “Plus, one woman surrounded by that many dicks? No thanks.”
“Had to try,” Bones shrugs with a grin. “If you ever change your mind, offer stands.”
She nods, suddenly sober. “Appreciate that.”
Then she leans forward, eyes flicking from him to me. “Now, I heard you picked up an interesting new recruit. Pretty. Italian. A little too clean-cut to be playing biker.”
“Yeah,” Bones says slowly. “We did.”
Viv breathes deep. “You might want to give him a heads-up. There’s a bounty on his head. Big one. No one’s taken the job yet, his last name scares them off. But someone dumb enough is bound to try.”
“Fucking Luca Romano,” I mutter. “Of course he comes with problems.”
Viv’s expression sharpens. “His brother’s a jackass too. Might be a family trait.”
I narrow my eyes. Her tone? Way too personal.
An hour later, Viv and Myth have everything they need. No doubt they’ll move fast.
I head for the stairs, already bracing for the nightmares. That room’s still a goddamn wreck. I haven’t stepped back in since the shitshow with Adora this morning.
Fuck. Was that really just this morning? It feels like a lifetime ago.
I haven’t even started to process everything that went down today. But I can count on my fucked-up brain to turn it into some horror movie in my sleep.
It’s late. Really fucking late. The party’s almost dead, the music on low, trash everywhere.
On instinct, I glance toward the table Adora was at earlier and stop in my tracks.
Domino’s passed out, slouched deep in his chair. Tank’s got Ria in his lap, both out cold. And Adora… shit. She’s face-down on the table, eyes closed, mouth open. A little puddle of drool spreading under her cheek.
Fuck. They all drank too much. But I don’t care about the other idiots.
She’ll hate me for this, more than she already does, but fuck that. I’m not letting her sleep like this — neck bent, head on a table soaked in booze.
I move, straight to the table. First, I flick Tank’s bald head. He jolts awake, blinking in confusion. I jerk my chin toward Ria, and then I turn to Adora. I lift her slowly, carefully. She stirs, and mumbles something. Frowns. But doesn’t wake.
And fuck me, holding her? It’s like the world rights itself for a second. Like something that was broken clicks back into place.
I shut my eyes, take a breath, and then force myself to move. My feet feel like they’re made of lead, but the faster I get her to bed, the faster this ends.
Her door’s unlocked, thank fuck.
I lay her down gently, pull back, and my heart stops. And then immediately starts beating a mile a minute. Her eyes are wide open, looking right at my face.
I’m about to say something — anything — but every word dies in my throat when her fingers brush my jaw.
My breath stutters.
“I wish you were real. Not made of lies,” she whispers.
Her hand drops. Eyes drift shut.
“I wish I could believe you,” she whispers again, then her breathing evens out.
It should be silent, but my ears are ringing. Just like that, I fall even deeper into darkness. Didn’t think there was any lower left to go. Turns out, I was wrong.