Smoke and Steel (Wild West MC #2)(33)

That was out, so he debated the merits of being semi-private with her now.

He blew out a breath and moved to his truck.

When he stopped and turned to her, she asked, eyes on Nanook. “You have a dog?”

“You’re beautiful and you know it,” he said, putting effort into it coming out evenly.

Her gaze swung to him, and her lips parted in surprise.

“You can be cute, and you know it. You got spunk, and you know that too. You know a man is going to get a load of you, open his fly and offer you his dick as your lead. Warning, Hellen, I am not that kind of man.”

Now her cheeks were pink, and he wasn’t sure it was all anger.

“What are you ta—?” she started.

“Yes, I have a dog. Yes, he’s fuckin’ awesome. Right now is not about my dog. Right now is about you letting your girl lead you to making seriously stupid-as-fuck decisions that put your ass on the line.”

“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child,” she snapped.

“You act like a child, I’ll talk to you like a child.” He lifted his arm and jabbed a finger over her head in the direction of the Littleton house. “That’s teenage-girl bullshit and you know that too.”

“You’re aware, I don’t have to stand here listening to you lecture me.”

“We’re on this. Resurrection has taken this on. Do you know what that means?”

“I don’t know if I care,” she huffed.

“Jag tell you about our club?”

“I’ve heard you mentioned, I can’t say I paid a lot of attention.”

“We’re called the Angels of Death.”

Her eyes widened.

He got closer and dropped his voice lower. “Yeah, baby. We’re called the Angels of Vengeance too. You see, we got on a dark path a few years ago and did some seriously ugly shit. When we pulled ourselves out, as a club, we agreed our mission would be our penance. Nothing could make up for what we did, but we committed ourselves to a lifetime of seeking redemption. That means, if good was getting fucked over by bad, we go after the bad, and we fuck them good. You with me?”

She was holding her own, her eyes not leaving his, keeping her space even though he was in it, but she swallowed, and her voice held a thread of alarm when she said, “Yes. I’m with you.”

“So those fucks dick with your friend, it bothers you, I see that, you’re like all the other women we help. Your friend is too. And it’s without a doubt they’re fucking with more of you. I take it to my brothers, they vote, we take on her shit. I took it to my brothers. We voted. Reason Eight was there tonight is that we…are…taking…on…her…shit. Did I tell you they weren’t going to get away with it?”

“Yes,” she admitted.

“Well, it makes it harder now, because Eight’s been seen. And he’s a big man, but he’s got skills and he’s never been made on a stakeout, a shadow or a tail. So that’s a loss to our cause. I was on the sidewalk having a conversation with you the other night, and newsflash, if they saw me, which they could have, they also saw you and Marcy, and this made what you did tonight not only crazy risky, but straight-up dumb. So I might be out. We only got so many brothers to get this done, and we’re not just gonna suggest they pack up and leave town. We’re dealing with this, all of it, no matter how big it is. You and your girls doin’ stupid shit is gonna fuck our intention to get your friend justice, and anyone else they’re dicking over.”

“You weren’t clear this was your intention,” she returned.

“Lesson, baby, I say don’t worry, you don’t worry. I say don’t worry, it means I’m fucking handling it.”

“What are you going to do to them?” she asked.

“Good question, because this gives you practice. Don’t worry about what we’re gonna do.”

She was getting pissed again, or more pissed.

“Are you aware at all of how big of an asshole you’re being right now?”

“Entirely aware. But I’m happy to ramp that up if it means my message gets through your head.”

Her nose scrunched up, her eyes squinted down, and he knew she was off-the-charts pissed.

“Are we finished?” she asked.

“Is my message through your head?”

“Yes, Core, it got through, loud and clear. Now, can your friend take us to Bree’s? We need to call AAA to deal with Marcy’s car.”

He twisted to Eight, put his lip to his teeth and whistled.

Eight nodded and moved to the women who were huddled off to the side, watching Core and Hellen.

He turned back to Hellen and ordered, “Get in the truck. I’m taking you home.”

Her chin listed into her neck in surprise.

“No, you’re not.”

“Yeah, I am.”

She moved to step around him.

He got in her space.

She stopped, tipped her head back and glared up at him. “I’m not playing this game, Core. Let me pass.”

“Get in the truck.”

“Let me pass.”

“Get your ass in the truck.”

She tried to step around him again. He cut her off. She made an angry noise that was cute and hot, but he was still ticked at her, so this time it didn’t register, and when he heard Eight’s engine catch, he twisted to look.