It Ain't Me, Babe (Hades Hangmen #1)(50)

“Rider? Beauty and Mae in there with you?” Letti bellowed through the barrier of the closed door.

Rider shifted position, wincing with the effort. He held his shoulder with his good hand as he shuffled up the bed. I noticed his torso ripple and I could not help but admire how he looked.

“Yeah. Come on in!” He shook his head, muttering to himself, “The more the f*ckin’ merrier.”

Letti walked in, shutting the door, and gently placed a hand on my shoulder. “The slut is long gone, Mae. She won’t be back if she values her life.”

“And Styx?” Beauty asked.

“Fuck if I know. Left the stupid * on his own.” She affectionately pulled on a lock of my hair. “He was signing at me like he was in a damn rave. The drunken douche said he didn’t do anything with the slut, couldn’t go through with it. For what it’s worth, I think he’s telling the truth. Prez don’t normally lie.”

I nodded appreciatively at her words and the final remnant of coiled tension in my stomach unraveled. Everyone was watching me and my reaction. I rubbed at my arms, feeling a sudden chill in that dark, windowless room.

“You cold?” Rider asked.

I nodded.

“Beauty, go in my closet and get her a sweater.”

Beauty frowned at Rider but turned to the closet and did as she was told. Finding a hooded black sweater, a picture of a Chopper on the front, Beauty handed it to me.

As soon as I slipped it on, Rider said, “Looks good.”

“Thanks,” I replied, feeling my cheeks blush.

I caught Beauty and Letti bouncing worried looks at each other. I chose to ignore them. Today had been traumatic enough without me trying to figure out what concerned them too.

“You need anything before we go, Rider?” Beauty asked, squeezing his hand.

“Nah, I’m all good.”

Beauty turned back to me. “You wanna go to the bar, get a drink? I stocked up on coolers.” I firmly shook my head. I did not want to see Styx yet. I could not deal with it all.

“Well, I can’t take you back to my place. Styx would pitch a fit if I took you from the club, especially with folks out there targeting the place.”

For the second time since I had arrived, I felt out of place, the intruder who did not belong.

“You can stay here.” Letti, Beauty, and I spun our heads round in formation to stare at Rider. Shrugging, he held up his hands. “What? I’m just lying here, bored shitless. Stay.”

“Oh-kay…” Beauty sounded out, then smiled at me brightly. “You seen a movie before, honey?”

A movie? Obviously, the confusion on my face gave her my answer.

“Stay here. I’m gonna grab one.”

Letti groaned. “Don’t you f*ckin’ get The Notebook. I can’t watch that shit again. Get something with a high body count!”

“I second that!” Rider shouted at Beauty’s retreating form.

Beauty put one hand on her hip and batted the other in front of her face in dismissal. “Shut it. I’m gonna show Mae what it should look and feel like when a man really loves a woman, okay? I mean, shit! She needs it after today!”

“Whatever, Sunshine Barbie. I’m gonna catch a nap.” Letti moved to the sofa and sat down, closing her eyes. Beauty, after sticking her middle finger up at Letti’s back, left the room to get the movie.

“How’s your arm?” Rider’s question startled me.

I stepped closer to his bed and ran my finger over the faded linen of the sheet. “It is fine, just a scratch.” I lowered my eyes, filling up once more, my emotions taking control. Then I lifted them to look right in his eyes. “Thank you for saving me today. You do not know what that means to me.”

He smiled, his light-brown irises shining. I felt my heart begin to pound. “Anytime. We’ll find who did this and we’ll make ’em pay. Styx won’t rest until they’re all dead.”

I did not respond. I did not want to know what would happen to the men when caught. I did not want to know the details of their demise. Feeling a gentle tickle on my hand, I glanced down to see Rider’s fingers pressing against mine. Flicking my eyes up to meet his, I noticed his long shoulder-length hair was free of its ponytail and bandana. It lay loose and free. For the very first time, I saw Rider in a whole new light.

He was beautiful…

Beauty came bursting back through the door, waving a plastic box in her hand, causing Rider to abruptly withdraw his hand.

“I’ve got it! Come on, Mae. You gotta see this!”

“Go have fun,” Rider urged.

Fun.

Tipping my chin in thanks, I walked to the couch, glancing back over my shoulder one more time, only to see Rider watching my every move. His brown eyes shone. As I tucked my nose into the wide neck of the sweatshirt, I inhaled. It smelled like Rider: outdoors and fresh air.

“You ready?” Beauty asked as she dropped to the seat beside me, switching on the large black box. Reluctantly, I switched my focus from Rider to the large black screen in front me—a TV, Beauty termed it.

She picked up a long black device and pressed a button. Lights and sound came blaring out of the screen, and I jumped. Beauty and Letti laughed on seeing my reaction. “Still not used to TV, Mae?”

As I shook my head, Letti slapped me on the back. “Best f*ckin’ invention ever made. You’ll learn to love it!”