The Wild Wolf Pup (Zoe's Rescue Zoo #9)(76)

“Riggs, I’m coming down the stairs. We need to get to Anthony’s,” she says in a hurry. “Come on, baby, Mommy’s got you,” she purrs to our son, shifting the phone as she comes bounding down the stairs, holding him at her hip.

Color me stupid, but I stare at her dumbfounded as I disconnect the call.

“What? No sex?”

She blows the hair away from her face as she narrows those baby blues at me.

“Shit, did I say that out loud?”

“Yeah, yeah, you did,” she sneers. “You don’t know do you?”

“Know what?” I ask, taking Eric from her arms as she pushes her sexy as fuck glasses up the bridge of her nose. I know I’m fucking horny and if Kitten keeps taunting me with her glasses, she’s going to know too. Oh, fuck, who am I kidding? She fucking knows.

“Victor’s all over the news,” she explains, pulling open the door. “There is a riot in his prison and no one knows if he’s dead or alive,” she continues, lifting her eyes to mine. “I called my brother, Adrianna was hysterical.”

Fucking, Victor, always ruining my good time.

I take Lauren’s hand, pull her against my side as I balance Eric on my hip with my other hand and level her with a knowing look.

“And you want to go over there to see if there is anything we can do,” I surmise.

“Yes.”.

Then, let’s go, Kitten.” I press my lips to the top of her head.

Family’s important to Lauren, it’s everything to her and she is everything to me. My dick can wait. Not long, but it can wait. Here’s to hoping this shit with ‘Tony Soprano’ doesn’t drag all night.

Who was I kidding?

This shit’s just getting started.





Chapter Twenty-Nine




I flick the switch, lighting up the empty clubhouse as my gaze travels around the room and lingers on the stocked shelves behind the bar. I shove my hands into my pockets and pull out the sobriety chip burning a hole against the denim. Dropping the chip from one hand into another, my boots pound against the wooden floor and drag me straight to the hell that’s taunting me. Methodically, I reach under the bar for a clean glass and a handful of ice I dump into the glass, filling it to the rim. I turn around and lean my back against the bar and stare at the shelves, my eyes travel from bottle to bottle, skipping the glimpses of my reflection that shine in-between the bottles before I settle on a bottle of Jack.

I unscrew the top and pour the amber liquid into the glass before setting the bottle back in its rightful spot. With the glass in my hand I walk around the bar, take a seat at one of the tables and lift my eyes to the empty chair across from me.

Not that long ago I sat in this very seat across from Jimmy Gold with a needle full of heroin and threw my sobriety to the gutter, yet it seemed like it was a lifetime ago. I twirl the glass watching as the alcohol dances over the rim and drips onto my hand. Placing the glass down, I swipe my hand along the front of my shirt before leaning against the back of the chair.

Pieces of a puzzle taunt my mind. Charlie’s face, the Corrupt Bastards, Ronan, fucking Brantley, they are all part of this thing I’m trying to put together. I’ve been beating myself up for days but no matter how much I rack my brain to figure the common thread, I come up empty.

The last time we flew blind all hell broke loose.

I got hooked on the shit, turned into the devil himself and along with hurting myself I hurt Lacey.

Reina got kidnapped and Jack lost his fucking mind.

It all spiraled out of control, with no end in sight. Even with Jimmy rotting in jail, our club was still hurting with a threat we didn’t foresee. We lost Bones, Riggs watched his girl nearly die and his kid fight for life, all while knowing we were burying his brother.

I won’t let that shit happen to us again.

I’ve got too much to lose, a precious life to protect—I’ve got Lace.

For the first time we all have something to lose, something that means more than the reaper on our backs, and that scares the fuck out of me.

I didn’t hear the door open, but I knew I was no longer alone. The scent of Lacey cut through my senses like a razor, pulling me out of my head and the devilish whiskey I was staring at. I turn my head, listening as her boots tap against the floor.

Always saving me, girl.

Her leather boots come into my line of vision and slowly I let my eyes sweep over her. First, I see the knee-high boots, my favorite thing she owned. Then I take in the pants painted onto her legs, pausing at the piercing that dangles from her belly button before allowing my gaze to linger over the Rolling Stones tank she wore knotted under her tits.

Goddamn girl.

Whiskey doesn’t compare to the high that sinking into Lace takes me to.

Nothing compares to her.

“I thought I’d find you here,” she says, taking a step closer, then another. Three until she has me pushing back my chair and climbing onto my lap.

My hand closes over her knee, sliding up her thigh as I peer at her through the hair hanging over my eyes. Her dark eyes, full of life and light find mine as she threads her fingers through my hair and away from my face.

I silently vow to keep that light in those eyes.

I won’t let anyone dull her shine.

No threat, no enemy and sure as hell not me and my addictions.