“There are rumblings around town that the Ghosts are coming for Savage Hell. My source said that they’ve pledged to bring down the Royal Bastards from the top down, starting with our city. Spider was just the first, and I aim to keep him as the last member that they fucking touch.”
“Agreed,” Savage growled. “How do we fucking do that?” he asked. Another knock sounded at the door and Savage let out a few more curses, walking over to it and pulling it open. Joel was standing on the other side, in the hallway, and a woman with long, brown hair stood next to him. Her lip was busted, and she looked scared out of her damn mind.
“What’s going on, Joel?” Demon asked before Savage got the chance.
“This is my sister, Luna,” Joel said. “She’s in trouble and I could use some help.”
“What the fuck happened,” Savage asked.
“The Ghosts happened. They found out that I’m her brother when it was released to the press that I’m the acting detective on Spider’s case. They also found out that I’m in the Royal Bastards and well, they decided to question my little sister about it. They roughed her up pretty good, and I can’t keep an eye on her and work this case. I think that was what they were hoping for—to get me off the case.”
“You know we’ve got you, man,” Savage offered. “You need to find out who killed Spider and Demon will watch Luna. It’s what he does for the club, man. Your sister is a part of us, no matter what, Joel, and we take care of our own.”
“Do I have a say in any of this?” Luna mumbled.
“No,” the three men said in unison.
“So much for women’s lib,” she grumbled. She walked past Savage and Demon to plop down on the leather sofa that sat in the corner of the small office. “I’m twenty-three years old, Joel, and I don’t need your biker groupie friends babysitting me. I can handle myself.”
“Sure, just like you did today. You look in the mirror lately, sis?” Joel asked. “Because your eye is getting blacker and more swollen by the second—same with your lip.” She reached up and gently touched her swollen face and Demon almost felt bad for the kid.
“It’s all right, kid,” he said. “I’ll keep an eye on you and will try not to cramp your style too much, deal?” he asked.
Luna barked out her laugh, “You’re like what, five years older than I am and you’re calling me kid?” she asked.
“Actually, I’m ten years older than you, and yeah, that makes you a kid, Luna,” he said.
“Listen, guys,” Joel started, “I have to get back down to headquarters. I need to follow up on a few leads and talk to my boss about Spider’s case. Can you please just sit on her and keep her from doing anything stupid?” he asked.
“What about my job, Joel?” she asked. “I can’t just not show up.”
“I’ll stop down at the tattoo shop and tell Rico that you won’t be in for a while. I’ll tell him that you caught mono and are really contagious. That guy fucking hates germs and will agree to give you some time off to save his own ass from getting sick.” Luna crossed her arms over her chest and stared her brother down as if that worked for her in the past. It was almost comical to watch her trying to take on her older brother. Demon was pretty sure that she was fighting a losing battle, but he wouldn’t be the one to tell her that.
Luna
“You can’t be serious,”she spat. “You know that he’ll fire me if I don’t show up for days on end.” She was giving her older brother her best angry scowl and from the amused expressions on the guys’ faces, none of them were buying it. She wasn’t sure if she even bought it because she was a total liar.
When the guy from the Ghosts showed up at her place, she wasn’t sure what to do. At first, she thought that he was one of the guys from her brother’s club. He looked the part, but then, when he dragged her out of her apartment by the hair, threatening to kill her, she realized that she had misjudged him. Most of the guys that she had met from Savage Hell seemed pretty chill and the guy who was pounding on her face didn’t give her very chill vibes.
“I’m sorry, Luna,” Joel said. “I know that none of this is fair to you. They came for you because of who I am and my involvement in this case and this club. But I can’t do my job and worry about you.”
“What about Trista?” Savage asked. “If they found your sister, they’ll find your woman too.”
“She’s safe,” he said. “She’s visiting her parents and helping her mother to get back on her feet after her surgery. I’ll call her to fill her in, but you know that my girl is hardcore. She’ll be able to watch her six.”
“Oh, sure,” Luna sassed, “just because Trista’s a CIA agent, she gets to do whatever she wants and keep her freedom. But since I work for a tattoo parlor, I have to be babysat by grandpa over there,” she said, nodding to Demon.
He barked out his laugh and she wasn’t sure why he thought that the insult was so damned funny. “It was an insult, asshole,” she spat.
“Yeah, I got that,” the old guy said. “But you can call me Demon. I’m still a bit too young to answer to grandpa.”
“Jesus, Luna,” Joel grumbled, “try to behave. I’ll check in on you later. Don’t give him too much trouble.”
“I’m sure that if I do, he’ll put me in a time-out or take away the television,” she shouted back at her brother.
“Sorry, man,” he said to Demon, “she’s usually not this much of a handful. If you need me, you know how to get me. Don’t let her out of your sight—she’s tricky sometimes.”
“Not a chance,” Demon said. “I’ll duct tape her ass to a chair if I need to, don’t you worry, man,” he assured. “She’s not going anywhere.” Joel crossed the room and gently kissed her cheek. Luna knew that she winced in pain, but she couldn’t help it, and if her older brother felt just a little bit bad about causing her pain, then she was fine with it.