“But if they sense anything wrong, they’ll kill her.”
“They might do that anyway,” says Ripper. “Stop acting like they’re playing by a set of rules.”
Oh God. When it’s life or dead, rules don’t fucking matter.
“I don’t give a fuck about your friend,” Blade says flatly.
“Wha—what?” That snaps me out of it.
“I’m not an idealist like Alpha, or a fucking hero, like Ripper. I’m a killer, and I’ll take out every single goddamn Pit Viper if I have to do it, to keep you breathing. If the choice is between her and you, I’m going to choose you every fucking time, but that asshole’s not going to stop until he gets whatever fucked up revenge he thinks he deserves, so I’ll go. Prez?”
It’s so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Blade doesn’t give a shit, only looking at my father with a gaze so intense it makes me shiver. I must be starting to lose it, because that sort of sounded romantic, like an over the top anti-hero.
“It’s like that?” Dad asks Blade quietly. “I promised you that there were lines I’d never ask you to cross.”
“You’re not asking, I’m volunteering.”
Dad looks grim. “Faith, go to my quarters.”
“What? No. You can’t send me to my room like a little girl.”
Miriam, who’s stayed in the background until now, takes his arm. “If you try to control her, you’ll lose her. Take it from someone who knows.”
“At least she’d be alive to lose.” Dad tears his arm away. “We’re not trading anyone to Crow. We’re holding all the fucking cards here.”
“My friend isn’t a card!” I shout at him. “She’s a human being. Did you forget about that? This whole time, ever since you guys broke into my house, or maybe since that stupid video went viral, all I’ve done is react. Run away, hide, anything to keep from having to make an actual decision.” My eyes sting, tears threatening to force their way out, but I’m not ready for that. Not yet. “But it’s all catching up now and Nicky is going to die if I don’t do something. Is it dumb? Maybe. Is it dangerous? Definitely. But I’m not leaving one of my own behind, and I don’t think you would either. Alpha? Ripper? Blade? What would you do to save one of your brothers?”
“Enough!” Dad shouts, pulling everyone’s attention and folding his massive arms over his chest. “I’m making a fucking plan and I’ll do my best to save your girl, but I’m not going to hand you over for her. You can’t ask it, and I won’t allow it.” He scans the crowd. “Snark! Work your magic to figure out where that signal is coming from so we don’t have any surprises. Viking, get the Cleanup Crew ready to roll out. As soon as we know, we go.”
“Fuck yeah.” Viking pounds his chest with a fist.
“King, start putting together squads. Pull in every-fucking-one. The Pit Vipers are going to learn how goddamn dangerous the Screaming Eagles can be.”
King nods. “On it.”
“And Alpha, Ripper and Blade? She goes nowhere without you, got it? I’m not letting her go put herself in danger, so if anything fucking happens to her, I’m holding the three of you responsible.”
Alpha gives a curt nod. “Strike Team Motherfucking Alpha, reporting in. You can bet your balls we’ll keep her safe.”
With a warning glare in my direction, Dad nods back. “Good, because I see the way you’re looking at her and I’ll fucking take yours if you don’t.”
25
RIPPER
The compound isa hive of activity. Guns are being checked and cleaned, bike engines trimmed and the common room is filling up as members from all over are being called back to base. It reminds me of when I was deployed, that moment where anticipation and dread mingled into something that was almost fun. In a fucked up sort of way I wish we were going with them.
Faith isn’t happy, I can tell, but her only plan was to walk in and give herself to Crow and that was fucking never going to happen. Not while we still draw breath. She sits down on a chair and hangs her head.
I kneel down next to her and look up into eyes that are staring blankly into the distance. “Breathe. This will all be over before you know it.”
“You okay?” Alpha comes up behind us, putting his hands on Faith’s shoulders. “Actually, fuck that. Come on.”
He gestures for us to follow, then walks out of the common area and to his own room. On the other side of the door, the chaos and noise fade.
Faith throws herself down on Alpha’s bed, stretching out. “I’m okay. I just need a break from the chaos.” She draws a long, slow breath, and I can’t help watching the way he makes her breasts swell under her t-shirt.
“You’re not okay. Why they fuck would you be?” I ask. “This shit is fucking killing you.”