Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
RORY
The rest of the week passed in a blur, the guys finally seeming to calm down about me hanging out with Slash on Wednesday. Once Skeeter explained everything, anyway.
Until then, I got scolded like they got a say in who I hung out with.
I went to tell them about how I was sleeping with Slash, but then Caden went on a rant about staying away from him, and I shut my mouth.
I wasn’t worried about what Caden would do if he found out, I was more worried about what Slash would do to him if he showed up at the Shed and flipped out for touching me.
It was now Saturday afternoon, and I was sitting at the kitchen table doing homework. The guys had gone to the mall to hang out, but I’d been more than happy to stay home and enjoy some alone time.
Josie had spent the morning with me, and she’d been so excited when she told me Mr. Franklin had called her on Friday to tell her about how well I was doing, and apparently, Mr. Galler had also sent her an email to tell her I was improving in History.
I liked the feeling I got when she rambled about how proud she was, so taking the day to study had been a no-brainer. Midterms were coming up, so I wanted to be prepared.
I sipped some juice, my eyes catching on something and making me glance up to find Hunter in the doorway, and I wished my gun wasn’t in my fucking bedroom.
“Get out,” I said sharply, dropping my eyes back to my work to ignore him.
“I’ve tried texting you,” he said dryly as he watched me, making me scoff.
“I know. I blocked your number.”
“Don’t be like that,” he chuckled, moving into the room more and helping himself to the fridge.
“You should know better than to leave fingerprints all over a place you’re not supposed to be at,” I tsked, leaning back in my chair.
“You going to call the cops on me, Hot Shot?” he smirked, cracking open a can of soda and taking a large mouthful.
“I’ll call someone worse than that.”
“Skeet’s busy on a job with Brick in Riverside.”
“I know more monsters than Skeet,” I replied, closing my book and standing since it was obvious I was done for the day. “I mean it, Hunter. Get out.”
“You’re still mad about the whole mishap in Pine Valley last weekend? You know you weren’t my target,” he sighed, my eyes narrowing on him.
“You think that makes it any better? You were going after Skeet and D.”
“Nothing to do with you.”
“It has everything to do with me, dickbag. You think I’ll just keep letting you hang around after you tried to ambush someone I care about?” I snapped, a slow grin spreading across his face.
“I wouldn’t have made him suffer, even though he deserves it.”
I felt a presence behind me as I pulled my phone out, turning and swinging a fist straight at Marco’s face as I pressed the call button, making him curse in surprise.
He looked murderous, his gun raising slightly, but Hunter said his name and he dropped it to his side again, glaring at me.
“One day, Donovan,” he warned in a low voice, just as Slash picked up the phone.
“If this is a booty call—” he started, but I cut him off.
“Can you come to my place and handle a pest problem?” I asked, smiling at Hunter, who seemed surprised I’d actually called someone.
“If Holloway’s pissing you off, surely there’s a better way to handle him than sending me after him,” Slash joked, but I heard his keys jingling as he picked them up.
“He’s out with the guys. It’s just me and two very annoying pests. I’ll unlock the door for you,” I answered, making him curse as he said he was on the way before hanging up.
“Who’d you call?” Hunter demanded, trying to not look bothered by it, but the unknown was making him nervous.
“You’ll find out if you stick around,” I said with amusement, flicking my gaze to Marco, who was still glaring at me. “You don’t like it when someone catches you off guard? How interesting.”
“Marco,” Hunter warned his friend before the grumpy fucker could do something drastic, like kill me.
“Our little agreement is over. If you show up bleeding on my doorstep, I’ll leave you out there to die.
If you break in, I’ll call backup. If you follow me when I’m driving, I’ll shoot you off your fucking bike.
Are we clear?” I hissed, not being prepared for Marco’s hand to shoot out and grab my throat as the barrel of his gun pressed to my forehead.
“We’re trying to fucking help you!” he growled, his fingers flexing against my pulse. “You’re going to end up—”
“Enough,” Hunter bit out, but Marco glared at him.
“No. You want to protect her? Then just fucking tell her.” He swung his gaze back to mine, his voice filled with venom.
“Those Psychos you love so much are going to be the death of you. You know they’re part of the human trafficking ring, right?
You’re going to get sold to the highest bidder if you keep letting Skeet suck you in. ”
“No, they’re not,” I said firmly, knowing there was no way in hell that was the truth.
“They are!” he roared, and Hunter was suddenly getting between us, scruffing the front of Marco’s shirt.
“Back. Off,” he said in a low voice, and Marco snarled, releasing his hold on me and shoving his gun down the back of his pants, stalking away from me.
Hunter turned to face me, lifting his hand to my throat and gently running his thumb over a spot that must have had a mark left behind.
“You don’t know the man you sleep so soundly beside at night. ”
“They’re not involved,” I gritted out, swatting his hand away.
“How do you know?” he demanded.
“I know Skeet. I might not know the others, but nothing you say could ever make me question Skeet’s stance on that.
He knows what I’ve been through and he’s against all of that shit.
Your plan to tear us apart won’t work. I’d never believe you over him,” I threw back, hearing Slash’s Mustang outside as it tore into the driveway.
A dry laugh left Hunter as he stepped back from me, biting his lower lip as he studied me.
“Skeet’s the worst one of them all, babe. You’re in a nest of vipers and don’t even realize it.” His eyes flashed with amusement as he heard the door unlock in the other room, lowering his voice. “Seems you're a viper too though. Fucking his boss behind his back is snake territory.”
I had no comeback to that as Slash stormed in, gun raised.
“Out.”
“How did you get the codes?” I asked dryly, knowing the door had been locked.
“Found ‘em,” he answered as he ran his eyes over me. “Where’s your gun?”
“Upstairs. I was doing homework.”
“No use keeping it where you can’t get it. For your information, you can shoot these two in this house and I’d have it cleaned up before Josie got home.”
Marco laughed, the dark sound appealing to my traitorous pussy as tingles shot through me.
“Fuck off. You’re not going to start a crew war over pussy, Russo. That’s more Skeet’s style, isn’t it?”
“She’s not pussy.”
“Christ, she got to you too, huh?” he mused, grinning at me. “You must have a magical cunt, Princess.”
“The only magical cunt in this room is you. I’m having a good day, then poof, you appear like an unwanted fairy godmother,” I deadpanned.
“Remember that when you find yourself locked in some creepy dude’s basement and I show up to save you. You won’t be finding it so funny then,” he answered with a tight smile, and Slash scowled.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“When you guys finally show your true colors and sell her. You don’t think we know about the Psychos’ side businesses?” he hissed, Slash snorting.
“Are you back on the ice pipe, Ortega? That’s some real creative bullshit.”
“Don’t say we didn’t try to warn you,” Marco said to me, eyeing Hunter, who was watching me like a hawk.
“I told you our deal is over. Now leave, or you’re getting shot,” I snapped, and Hunter let out a soft sigh.
“When they fuck you over, call me. I’ll answer.”
With that, he motioned to Marco to leave, and Slash kept his gun trained on them until they both walked out the front door and it locked behind them.
“You let them in?” he asked with annoyance as he lowered the gun.
“No. I was minding my own business and they appeared in here,” I said defensively, and he scowled.
“They’re only doing it to prove that they can breach your new system.”
“Like you just did?”
His eyebrow quirked, his mouth curving into a small smile. “Yeah. Just like that.”
“You going to tell me how you did it?”
“Magic. Go get your gun, and keep it on you. Especially when you’re alone. I’ll wait here.”
I grumbled but did as I was told, jogging upstairs to grab it before heading back to him and tucking it into the back of my pants.
“Better?”
“Yes.” He looked deep in thought for a second before deciding to add, “You know we’re not going to sell you, right? I know I’ve done some unforgivable shit, but I don’t support the skin trade. We never have.”
“I know. They’re just trying to make me turn on Skeet, I’m not stupid,” I answered without hesitation.
Relief washed over him as he blew out a breath. “Good. Why are you home alone, anyway?”
I motioned to the table. “Homework. Midterms are coming up.”
“You’re taking it seriously?”
“Educated women run the world, Slash,” I teased, and he chuckled as he tucked his gun away.
“Smart men let those women think they run the world.”
“You’d never put your ego away long enough to let someone else be the boss.”
“I never claimed to be a smart man,” he smirked, but his eyes dropped to my hand. “Healing okay?”
“Aw, you care?” I cooed, and he snickered.
“I was worried you had some kind of infection and were being delusional. I mean, you’ve barely complained once, and that’s shocking for someone who likes to complain so much. You must be dying.”
“You can leave too,” I snorted, swatting at him with my good hand.
“Not even going to blow me as a thank you?”
“Oh? You didn’t come to my rescue out of the goodness of your heart?”