“Police are still looking to question anyone who may have witnessed the shooting at the Stop and Go on Main and Raleigh two days ago around six a.m. A tip was received about a female who may have fled the scene—”
“He’s trying to flush her out,” Aries guesses.
“Which means she’s leverage. We have to keep her safe,” Grimm rumbles.
“I thought that was already our plan,” I say dryly.
“It was, but this makes her priceless. Maybe she saw more than she thought she did,” Aries suggests.
“It all happened so fast, it’s possible some of her memory will come back with time. Traumatic events are like that,” I reason.
“How would she recall it?”
“Talking it out with someone she trusts in a calm environment. Trauma is a strange thing.”
Aries turns to me. “But you’ve dealt with it before?”
“Hasn’t every soldier?” I shrug. “But I’m no shrink.”
“She already trusts him,” Shadow adds, appearing behind us without warning.
“What are you expecting me to do? Have her lie back on a couch and try to pry it out of her?” I scowl.
“You need to do whatever you need to.”
“Am I a whore now then?” I spit the words out, disgusted.
“No one said you had to bed her. Keep her comfortable and review the events with her.” Aries holds up his hand, talking lower to pacify me.
“I keen his hearing just fine, Aries. I’m loyal to the Sinners, but I refuse to harm an innocent woman who—” I choke on the things I’m not ready to say.
“You’re mighty attached, Preacher.” Aries smirks.
Son of a bitch.I huff. “Very clever.”
Grimm and Aries chuckle.
“You want her to relax? Ease up on the control and let her wander around the clubhouse. Bring in some other females who are laid back and show her more than the rough edges we have to offer. A woman must feel she has a safe place here among all the testosterone.” I speak from experience here. The unhealed wound pulses in my chest as I remember the ocean that rose between Penny and me. Suddenly, the woman who was always at my side wanted to be anywhere I wasn’t, and I couldn’t figure out why for the life of me. We’d gone into this life with our eyes open, our wants and needs shifted along the line, and we wound up on two completely different wavelengths. I could forgive her all that; it was the bullshit she pulled with Alexandria that gutted me.
Tucking my demons away, I clear my throat. “I’ll go talk to her.” I escape their heavy gazes and retreat into my door room.
I knock on the door.
“Come in.” Her voice is low-pitched and bored sounding.
Pushing open the door, I step inside and enjoy seeing her on my bed. Not the way I expected to get her here, but beggars can’t be choosers.
“I’ve got good news and bad news. I don’t want to deliver it in here.”
She frowns. “I don’t know how to feel about that.”
“I figured you might enjoy leaving here for a while and going for a ride.”
Her eyes lit up. “Wait, I can leave?”
“With me for a short time? Yes,” I answer carefully.
The joy fades as she nods and pushes to her feet. Walking to the end of the bed, she slips her feet into black flip-flops. I’m taking liberties, pulling her out of here, but they want me to work magic in a short time. It calls for a little give and take.