Chapter Fifteen
Kolter
“You gonna tell me what’s going on?” Ace asks, trying to keep up with me.
“Wasn’t planning on it,” I snap as I head back out to my bike.
I don’t want to leave her here, but I don’t have a choice. I have to figure out how to keep her from running her mouth to the cops. I don’t think she’d narc, not on me at least, but I can’t risk it. So she’s gonna stay at the clubhouse until I can work out what the fuck to do with her.
Goddamnit.
I rake my fingers through my hair then step out onto the front porch and aim a kick at one of the wooden chairs there. Unsatisfied by the mere inches it moves, I lift it over my head and smash it into the ground. What the fuck have I done? What was I thinking?
That’s the problem. I wasn’t fucking thinking. I was acting—or reacting—and now I’m fucked.
“Jesus, Blade. You gotta tell me what’s happening. I can help,” Ace insists.
I turn to him, my eyes no doubt filled with the rage I feel, and snarl, “I killed a guy back at the sex club, and she saw me do it. I gotta deal with clean-up and figure out how to make her keep her mouth shut, and I need it all done before Snakes comes round. Can you help with any of that?”
Ace looks surprised. “Who did you take out? How did she see? Have you called a clean-up crew yet?”
“Yes,” I huff. “They should be there now, but I need someone to supervise. Pay off the staff, erase the security footage.”
Ace nods. “I can take care of all of that.”
Sometimes, I forget how helpful this fucker can be. He’s dumber than a box of rocks at times but he’d do anything for this club, anything for me.
I shake my head, letting out an aggravated sigh. “I fucked up.”
Ace stays quiet for a few moments. Then he says, “That’s the girl from the club a while back, yeah?”
Slowly, I lift my gaze to him. I don’t respond—I don’t need to. He can read the answer on my face.
He nods then claps me on the shoulder. “You take care of your girl; I’ll handle the rest.”
“She’s not my girl,” I snap.
Ace lifts a disbelieving brow then heads towards his bike. “I’ll let you know when it’s taken care of.”
I don’t say thanks. I don’t need to, and he doesn’t expect it.
Dutifully, Ace climbs onto his bike and roars off towards town. He’s the only one I’d trust to handle a mess like this. Typically, I’d manage it all, but I have other issues to deal with right now.
When I push my way back inside, several curious gazes meet mine, but none of them dare say a word—except one obnoxious fuck.
Fire Crotch steps in front of me and rests her hand on my chest. “Where you going, baby? You look stressed. Let me relax you.”
I don’t even look at her; I just grab her shoulders and shove her back towards Tank, who already has his dick in his hand, ready and waiting for her. He catches her easily and smiles while she tosses me a venomous glare.
She really shouldn’t fucking push me. I’ve already killed once tonight—another body or two means nothing to me at this point.
I stomp through the bar to the back of the clubhouse, where Brick is standing guard outside Naomi’s room.
“She’s a fiery one. Been beating the hell out of the door,” Brick says with a smirk.
I roll my eyes and shoo him away before unlocking the door and pushing it open.
Naomi hasn’t realized she has company yet. No, she’s too busy trying to pry up a loose board from the floor. She’s almost got it too, then she loses her grip and it snaps back into place.
“Cheese on a freaking cracker,” she snaps.
“What exactly are you planning to do with that thing?” I ask stiffly.
She jumps and climbs to her feet. “Nothing. I don’t know. I was preparing.”
“For?” I ask sharply.
“I don’t know. It kinda feels like I’m going to be interrogated or beaten. Maybe even stabbed in the back of the neck. Didn’t want any of that to happen without a fighting chance.”
My eyes roam over her scantily clad body, taking in those thin arms I could break with a flick of my wrist and those pretty, pouty eyes that have always been too clear and too innocent.
Like they’ve never seen a single horror in all their days.
She’s pure, untouched by the hell that is this world. Or she was until tonight.
Frustration, anger, desire, need—it all swarms inside me, each feeling desperate to claim center stage.
I’m losing control again, quickly. Just like before, all rational thought is flying out the window, leaving only instinct in its place, and if I continue to allow it, there will be no saving either of us.
My gaze pauses between her legs. There’s a small red spot smeared on her upper thigh. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough to have me frowning.
“Is that his blood?” I ask.
She looks down at her blood-stained hands before her eyes move to where mine rest.
“I don’t know,” she whispers.
Jesus fucking Christ.
I reach for her, and she startles back—but not quickly enough. My hand wraps around her arm, and I pull her out into the hallway then along it until I reach one of the main bathrooms.
I slam on the shower, turning the water as hot as it’ll go before kicking the bathroom door shut. When I face her, I find she’s watching me with caution. I fucking hate that look. It’s not one I’m familiar with, not on her at least. Something about it pisses me the fuck off.
I push her into the shower so the warm water is pouring over her, clothes and all.
She gasps at the shock of it, and I follow her, closing the glass door behind us before backing her up against the wall.
Water cascades over the both of us, smearing her makeup as I brace my hands above her head and…
breathe. Well, I try to breathe. It’s more like I’m raggedly blowing air into her face.
I can’t catch my breath; I can’t get a bit of oxygen. All I feel is… too fucking much.
“Kolt,” Naomi says softly, in a way that tugs at a part of me I thought had died long ago.
“Don’t,” I say, though I’m more begging at this point.
Begging because I can’t be held responsible for any of my actions tonight. I can’t be held responsible for any future actions if she keeps looking at me like this, talking to me like this, being like… this.
“It’s okay,” she coos softly, like I’m the one that needs to be talked the fuck down.
Do you believe this girl?
“It’s not!” I argue as my fist slams into the wall beside her head.
She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even blink. Instead, she just nods and says in that same gentle tone, “It’s okay. I’m okay; you’re okay.”
A bitter laugh escapes me as I drop my gaze to the floor, shaking with rage.
“Nothing is fucking okay, Peaches. I’ve spent the last six years of my life keeping my distance, making sure you were nowhere near this place.
I didn’t want you involved; I still don’t, and yet here you fucking are.
” I laugh, though there’s not an ounce of humor in my goddamn tone.
“Then let me go,” she says simply.
“What?” I snarl, whipping my head so I can look into her eyes.
“I won’t tell anyone, ever. You know that.
Even if you try to convince yourself I’m a liability, you know I’d never do anything to get you in trouble.
So you don’t have to keep me prisoner or…
whatever it is you’re doing. You can let me go.
You can disappear again. I’ll never see you or hear from you.
Things can go back to how they were, if you want. ”
She swallows roughly, like her next words are harder to get out.
“All you have to do,” she continues, “is let me go.”
I feel numb. From the top of my head, down to my fingers and toes, and every inch of me in between. Her words float in the air between us, heavy, full of promise. It would be easy to agree. To take her back to her side of town, drop her at her doorstep and never look back.
But I’ve done that. I’ve been there.
And look where it’s left me.
The realization that I’m no longer in charge hits me like a ton of bricks. I’m spiraling. Out of control, out of my goddamn mind. I know there’s no stopping it, though.
Tightening my hands into fists beside her head, I slowly lower my face to hers as my tone takes on a vicious edge.
“No.”