When Mona still doesn’t go, Deator walks straight up to her. I expect her to walk away or to back down then, but she doesn’t. Deator may be old, but he’s intimidating. The fact that she doesn’t back down tells me more about her and what she’s made of. It’s a mistake, though. She should leave because I know my father. He’s a chauvinist asshole.
She holds up her bag. “I have money. I don’t expect any favors. If you don’t want money for the hit, I will pay you to get my necklace back. The one that Mandala stole from me and still wears around his neck today. It’s mine and I want it back.”
Deator stares at her and I can see the longer he stands there, the more pissed off he is. He takes a step toward her and my fists clench at my sides. Mona still doesn’t back down; she doesn’t even blink. Deator’s voice is deadly as he mutters to her, “I don’t want your money; you have already cost me too much.”
Deator looks away from her then and directly at me. When he does, Mona looks at me also. In that one look, I see it all. The way she was when I saved her five years ago, I see the horror and the pain that she’s gone through since then. She’s a woman that has lost everything and by her coming here, she’s proven that she has nothing else to lose. Why can’t my dad see that? Or does he see it and just not care?
Mona just lifts her chin. “How much?”
Deator laughs. “New Law wouldn’t help you for a million dollars,” he growls at her. “Last Omens left with their tails between their legs when they were faced with the Eaters. We don’t work with or for cowards. Get out of our territory before I serve you up on a platter for the men to use and throw away.”
I want to go to her, to tell her it’s not a good idea she’s here, she needs to be as far from New Law territory as she can get. But I don’t. I stand there next to my brother like a punk and just wait.
Finally, Mona nods her head. And to my surprise, she looks directly at me before she gets on her motorcycle. I see the recognition in her eyes and it burns me up. She remembers me. I’ve often wondered if she would or not.
I feel like she’s able to see straight through me and I feel like a fucking asshole for not stepping forward to fight for her or at least stand up for her.
When she gets on her bike, she doesn’t look back at me. I’m staring at her as she kicks her leg over the seat of her rusty bike. I’m looking so hard, I almost feel like I’m willing her to turn around and look at me. But she doesn’t hesitate. She drives away and never looks back.
Ronan, who’s still standing next to me, elbows me in the side. “She’s not even a bear shifter. We’re not on good terms with the Last Omens either. It would be a disgrace to help her.”
I grind my teeth. “I didn’t make a move, did I?” And even I can hear the guilt in my voice.
I walk back toward the clubhouse, fighting temptation to go find the wolf shifter, to go find Mona. The only thing that stops me is that my gut tells me that won’t be the last I see of her. Just her showing up here tells me that she’s not the type to give up so easily.
Teddy stops in my path and we stand shoulder to shoulder. I’m already wound tight and I don’t need him in my face again. “Stay away from the wolf,” he tells me.
His words only anger me more. Not a lot of people know it, but when I was saving Mona from Mandala, I also had to save her from Teddy. I no sooner got her away from the Eaters and then I had to defend her from Teddy. He lost my respect that day and I haven’t looked at him the same since.
I know I should back down. Deator is right behind me, but I don’t care. I growl at Teddy. “It’s okay, big man. You still pretending you can get it up?”
When I got him away from Mona, I had kicked him in the balls with my steel toed boots and rumor has it there was lasting damage.
Teddy’s face turns menacing, but I don’t back down. I want him to throw the first punch. This is a fight that’s been coming for a while and I’m ready for it. Hoping for it.
“Get out of here, Klaus! Go guard the territory,” Deator hollers behind me.