“No.” A part of me wanted to ask him why the fuck he cared, but daring the devil one more time today might not be the best idea.
Crow nodded. “Your man did right by you, making that snake pay for what he did. Unfortunately, by doing right by you, he crossed me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Club business. But if I could give you some advice, make the best of the next forty-eight hours, and don’t wallow too much on your friend’s death.”
The words slipped from his mouth likemy friend’sdeath was yesterday’s news, and not something I just heard.
“Jesus.” I stumbled back, his words one giant blow to the gut. “He’s dead? Dutch is dead?”
Crow nodded, his expression void of any emotion. No remorse and zero fucking sympathy. “For a man like him, he died with dignity, saving Granite’s life.”
My ass hit the pavement yet again, my palms covering my face. “This isn’t happening.”
“Like I said,” he continued with his monotone voice, “don’t dwell on it too much. Enjoy the time you have left with your man.”
My eyes pulled into slits. “What are you talking about?”
He reached into his pocket, pulling out two dice and toying with them between his fingers. “He has two days to give himself over to us.”
“What?”
“Two days, woman. Make it count.”
I pushed myself up, ready to force my face all up in his. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
As if I was nothing but a petulant child, he held his finger up, silencing me. “Be careful,” he warned. “I’ve already been lenient once. It won’t happen again. Like I said, Ink crossed me. I can’t let that go unpunished. The dice will decide his fate.”
I squinted, my mind a jumbled mess. “What in the name of Christ are you talking about?”
Crow scoffed. “I’ll give it to you, woman. You have balls. I can see why a man like Ink would want you.”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
He smirked. “Coming from me, yes.”
He turned then nodded to Bane, all of them headed to where their Ducatis were parked. He just turned his back on me like I wasn’t worth another second of his time, like we didn’t just have a conversation that confused the fuck out of me.
More tears wet my cheeks, reality starting to set in. Dutch was gone. Ink was in deep with the Sixes. And I was out here all alone, not knowing what I should do next.
Sobs erupted, and my legs gave way beneath me as I fell ass first onto the pavement, my face buried in my palms. The sound of a hog broke through my whimpering cries, and I looked up just as Manic parked his bike in front of me.
We only had to stare at each other for a few seconds, the weight of what happened settling around us. The grim, despondent look on his face told me he knew. He knew Dutch was dead.
I pulled my shoulders up. “I don’t know what happened, Manic. I don’t know what happened. Onyx and Granite came rushing in. Onyx and Ink were fighting,” I muttered between tears, Manic getting off his bike.
“Slither must have taken Ink’s gun from his back. I don’t know.” I sniffed, swallowing hard. “I don’t fucking know.”
“It’s okay.” Manic sat beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I leaned into him, welcoming the comfort, but I longed for Ink. I longed for his arm to be around me, for his heat to comfort me. Every part of my being wanted to rush back into that building and find him, be with him. But I’d been a part of this world long enough to know I had no place in there now. Club business trumped the love card in this world.
“Why aren’t you in there…with them?” I sniffed and pulled myself from his arm.
“Onyx wants me to take care of you first. Take you home.”
I nodded.
“Come on.” He got up and held his hand out to me, pulling me to my feet. “Let me take you home.”