Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 107118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Ky inched me closer. “Don’t underestimate the Hangmen’s reach, sis. The Quintana cartel is powerful. But so are we.”
“I have to go, Ky,” I urged, imploring him with my eyes to understand. He shook his head like he wanted to argue. But in a flash of what looked like understanding, he stopped and said, “Then you won’t be going alone.”
I wrinkled my brow. “You’ll be needed here, won’t you?”
“Not me.” He looked around the bar. By the eyes looking back at us, I knew they’d all heard the last part of the conversation.
Ky was still searching though his men when Viking stood and said, “VP, I would very much like to put myself forward—”
“NO!” Ky and I shouted at the same time.
Viking shook his head and took his seat, arms crossed over his bulging chest. Ky met AK’s eyes. “AK, you’ll go with her.”
“He has a lady at home, Ky. You can’t do that.”
“She can go too. Her daughter as well.”
AK coughed. “Saffie . . . she wouldn’t cope too well in a new place.”
“I could go with them. Help protect everyone,” a voice said from the bar. Flame’s little brother, Ash. AK narrowed his eyes on the kid, but I shook my head. It wasn’t right to uproot them from their lives. And I didn’t want all those people I barely knew with me.
“I won’t put kids in danger, Ky.” Ky seemed to agree, and he turned his gaze to Smiler. But before he could volunteer another of his men, who would no doubt do as they were told, I scanned the bar myself. It wasn’t intentional, but my eyes drifted back to the two men who had only ever made me feel safe here at the club. A flicker of a smile crossed the mouth of the one who was quickly becoming my favorite blond Cajun. But when I looked at the man with deep caramel skin and the most piercing bright-blue eyes, there was no such reception. A tight mouth and a cold stare were aimed my way. I was surprised by the pain his look caused my heart.
But I didn’t know the rest like I knew them. And before I thought too much on the idea, I said, “Hush and Cowboy.” Ky snapped his head back to me. “If you’re gonna make a brother or two come and protect me until it’s safe, I choose Hush and Cowboy.”
As my voice carried through the bar, Hush and Cowboy spoke at the same time.
“Bon.”
“No.”
Cowboy didn’t look at Hush. Instead he fumed on the spot, eyes tight and his skin flushing red. Hush got to his feet and addressed Ky. “Choose someone else.”
Cowboy shook his head. “We’ll go; whatever you want, VP.” Hush’s fists clenched at his sides and he shook his head violently.
My heart tore a little more at Hush’s public rejection.
Ky’s eyes narrowed. I thought he would argue. Forbid it. But when he looked back at me, saw my face and desperate eyes, he just sighed. “Fine. They go.” He glanced to Styx, who nodded once in approval. “You can go tomorrow morning, not before. I want to get the place checked over first.” He rubbed his eyes. “Plus Grace and Li will wanna see you before you go. Spend some time with them tonight, yeah?”
“Deal.”
Ky turned to Cowboy and Hush . . . Hush who was sitting again, eyes boring into the tabletop, a venomous expression on his face. “I’m speaking to you two in ten minutes in church. Only you two.” Ky pointed to Styx. “Prez will be there too. We’re gonna have a fucking talk.”
My heart beat fast as Hush still didn’t react to my brother’s harsh order. Cowboy spoke for them both. “Understood, VP.”
“Get back to the cabin, Sia,” Ky said, and I turned on my heel. “Ash, drive her back.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
I was going home tomorrow.
Ash drove me back to Lilah and Ky’s cabin. As we headed down the dirt path, I turned from staring at the vast greenness of the Hangmen-owned woodland and asked the kid, “Why d’you wanna join the Hangmen?”
Seeming startled by my question, Ash looked at me from the corner of his eye. “Because they were the best thing that ever happened to me, ma’am.” A small smile pulled on his lips. “That, and my brother is here.” I could have sworn I saw the kid’s eyes glisten, and he swallowed deep. “They saved me. I get why you don’t like it much around here. But for me, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
I felt my chest warm at how fondly he looked upon this place. I might have been that way once, if my poppa hadn’t abandoned me, sending me packing to my aunt’s ranch, way across town, as far as possible from him, all for the sake of this precious club. But then I thought of Styx and Ky, so young at the time, but risking everything to come get me from Mexico . . .