West froze. “That was deliberate?”
“Well, yeah. I was worried I wouldn’t time it right. Or that he wouldn’t release you and grab for me. But I figured I had to try because I knew he was going to hurt you.”
He stared at her for a moment then he let out a bark of laughter. She jolted at the sound. He dropped his head. “It was deliberate. Jesus fucking Christ I thought we’d just gotten lucky. Fuck me. Fuck me. Fuck me.”
He raised his head then pointed at the floor in front of him. “Come here.”
She walked over, not sure what was going through his mind. But then he reached for her, drawing her close, hugging her against his chest. She fell against him, her body trembling with aftershocks from what had just happened.
“Hey. Hey. It’s okay, baby. I’m not mad anymore.”
“You could have died,” she wailed.
“But I didn’t. Sh. Sh. Come on, baby girl. I need you to be strong for me. Just a bit longer. All right?” He leaned back and cupped her face, running his thumbs over her wet cheeks. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He kissed her lightly. “Come on, I’ve got a few questions I want to ask Snake before my brothers get here.”
West stared down at the asshole lying on the ground. He was a big bastard. Dressed in dark jeans, a black T-shirt, and leather jacket. He’d set up his battery-powered lamp on the ground. For this, he wanted plenty of light.
He glanced over at Flick and saw her shiver. He swore to himself. She had no business being out here. Fuck. When she’d come out earlier, while that asshole had held a gun to his head, he’d almost died. When she’d walked towards them, prepared to exchange herself for him, he’d nearly lost his mind. Only years of honing his control had allowed him stand there. And only because he didn’t want to risk fighting Snake and having him accidentally shoot Flick.
If anything happened to her, his life would be over. And he knew then that what he felt for Lana had faded. He wasn’t sure if it had ever been as strong as what he felt for Flick. It had been teenage love, infatuation, it had certainly felt intense, but he wondered if that would have lasted. Her death had enshrined his love for her.
What he felt for Flick consumed him. He would do whatever it took to keep her safe and with him.
And, right now, what he needed to do was get a few answers.
“Baby, I want you to go inside and lie down.” He studied her face. Too pale. And she was favoring her shoulder. Fuck. That fall had probably hurt her. “Take a few painkillers as well.”
She shook her head. “No. I’m staying with you.”
“Flick,” he said in a low, warning voice.
She shot him a hard look. “I was the one he was going to take with him. I deserve to be here. I need to hear what he has to say.”
Fuck. Unless he picked her up, carried her inside and tied her to the bed, he knew she wasn’t budging.
“I need to get rough with him.”
Snake made a low, growling noise. “I’m not breaking for you, motherfucker.” His voice sounded nasally due to his broken nose, and his eye was puffy and swollen.
West smiled then crouched down. “Do you know who I am?”
“You’re some country hick. You can’t do fuck to me.” Snake spat at him.
“I might be a cowboy now, but once I was an enforcer for Tony Marceras.”
He watched Snake’s eyes widen.
“Oh, I see you know who he is. Good. That makes things easier. So, now you know I’m not fucking around. You came after my woman, and this isn’t the first time you’ve done that, is it?” He looked back at Flick. “He ever hurt you, baby?”
“He wasn’t gentle,” she said in a tense voice.
“Well, you’ll pay for that too. Do you know Brian?”
“What?” Snake snapped. He didn’t seem so sure of himself now. Good. He shouldn’t be.