Vicious Cycle (Vicious Cycle #1)(79)

Bishop returned at that point with a shiny pocketknife. With one push of a button, a long blade flipped out. “See how this feels in your hand.”

Drawing in a deep breath, I reached out for the knife. Except for cutting steak or carving a pumpkin, I’d never held such a knife in my hands. I didn’t know when the time came to it if I would actually be able to use it. But I had to be willing to try.

As the steel blade caught the light, a feeling of empowerment came over me. It wasn’t an AK-47 or a grenade, but I knew it would save my life. Most important of all, a jab and a cut could end someone else’s life—someone who was a threat to me and those I loved. Someone like Sigel.

“You think you can use it when shit gets real?” Bishop questioned.

“Yeah, I do,” I answered honestly.

He smiled. “Something tells me that you can. You’re a tough little cookie.”

“Thanks.” I continued eyeing the knife with morbid fascination, imagining the damage it could do on Sigel. “So you guys keep war prizes from your enemies?”

When I dared to glance up, both Rev and Bishop stared at me with almost unreadable expressions. “Do you?” I repeated.

“Why do you want to know?”

Shrugging, I replied, “Just curious.”

“Bullshit! What the f*ck did Sigel say to you?” Bishop demanded.

“The less you know about it the better,” I whispered.

Rev reached out to put his hands on my shoulders. “Alex, you need to tell us what Sigel said to you about war prizes.”

Shaking my head, I bit down on my lip, trying to prevent myself from betraying too much information. Rev’s grip tightened on me. “He wants something that was once the Knights’, doesn’t he?”

“Please, Rev.”

“Dammit, Alex. I don’t care what he threatened you with. You have to tell us!” Rev shouted.

“He wants his son’s cut—the one Deacon took after he killed him. He’s to call me in a few days, and I have to bring it to him. If I do this, he will leave me and Willow alone. But I can’t involve any of the Raiders, or people will get hurt.”

Rev and Bishop exchanged a glance. “It’s here, isn’t it?” I asked. When they didn’t respond, I said, “Please.”

Taking my hand, Rev pulled me out of my chair. He walked me down to the end of the room. On the left-hand side of the door was a closet. Surprisingly, he didn’t reach for a key to unlock it. Instead, he opened it. When I glanced inside, I gasped. Sitting on the middle shelf was a leather cut emblazoned with Nazi symbols. I reached out to take it, but Rev held me back. “You don’t take it now. When Sigel calls you about the meeting, then you’ll get it.”

Although I was frustrated, I didn’t let my emotions betray me. “Okay. It’s probably better keeping it here anyway.”

“We’ll expect to be involved. Even if we have to hang back when it comes to you turning it over, we’ll still have your back.”

I smiled. “Thank you. I appreciate that. I didn’t want to have to do this on my own.”

Rev and Bishop seemed relieved with my response. Slinging his arm across my shoulder, Bishop said, “Why don’t you let me buy you some dinner?”

“That’s awfully sweet of you, but I need to go home in a little while to get some more clothes and check on things.”

Rev’s brows drew together in worry. “We can send Archer or Crazy Ace there.”

I laughed. “As tempting as it sounds to have the prospects pick out my clothes and raid my underwear drawer, I need to do this myself. Maybe even sleep in my own bed.”

Bishop glanced between me and Rev. “You really think that’s a good idea after what happened with Sigel today?”

“He won’t do anything to me until he gets the cut.”

“She’s right,” Rev replied.

“I still don’t like the idea of you anywhere outside the compound,” Bishop said.

I patted his shoulder. “Thanks for being overprotective.”

He winked. “Anytime, babe.”

Rev pressed the knife into the palm of my hand. “Just in case.”

“Thank you.”

Bishop whistled at Archer, who immediately came over. “I want you to go home with Alex. Keep your eyes and ears open for anything.”

“You got it.”

As we started to the door, I glanced over at Archer. “Aren’t you tired of babysitting me?”

He grinned. “You’re pretty easy compared to some of the really f*cked-up things that prospects are usually forced to do.”

“That’s good to know.”

“Besides, I like being with you.”

“You do?”

He nodded. “Yeah, you remind me of my little sister.”

Playfully punching him in the arm, I said, “Hey now, last time I checked, I was the one older than you.”

“Yeah, but you guys act the same.”

“I get it now.” When Archer started to the clubhouse door, I stopped him. “Can you give me ten minutes? I need to get some of my clothes together to do laundry.”

“Sure. Take as long as you need.”

A moment passed between us, and Archer nodded in acknowledgment. I then made my way down the hall to Deacon’s room. When I slipped inside, I went to the closet to grab my bag. After dumping everything out onto the closet floor, I brought the bag over to the bed. I took out my makeup bag and pulled out a small pair of scissors from it.