His shoulders stiffened. “She’s been earning her keep so far. The other guys seem to like her, and she helped us on the raid. No reason for her to go yet.”
“Jesus, would you stop thinking about her pussy and start focusing on the threat?” Pike’s tone was icy now. “She’s got a goddamn Enforcer lieutenant on her tail.”
Connor didn’t need the reminder. He might be lusting over the woman, but he hadn’t lost sight of the danger she could potentially bring to his door. Knox was as deadly as Dominik, maybe even more so.
“Reese will send word if Knox is heading in our direction,” he replied with a shrug. “If or when that happens, we’ll send Hudson on her way.”
“And if we don’t get word in time?” Pike countered.
“We’ll figure it out, man. We always do.”
Pike went silent, but Connor could feel the man’s surly gaze boring into the side of his face.
“Say whatever’s on your mind,” he muttered. “I’m not in the mood to pry it out of you.”
Pike’s cheeks hollowed as he took another drag of his smoke. He exhaled abruptly and said, “Why can’t you just admit what this is really about?”
Connor frowned.
“You want her here because Knox is after her.” Pike flicked cigarette ash over the railing. “You’re hoping Knox finds her, because Dominik might be with him. You want them to come.”
It grated that Pike could see right through him. None of the other men had questioned why he was willing to protect a citizen who brought so much dangerous baggage to the table. Rylan was too enamored with Hudson’s gorgeous face. Xander and Kade seemed to enjoy her no-nonsense attitude and eagerness to please. But Pike knew the deal. Pike always knew the deal.
“My plans for Dominik have never been a secret,” he said coldly. “I told you exactly what I intended to do when we first met. Hell, I was on my way to find him when you and Ry showed up and decided to complicate my life.”
“To stop you from your crazy suicide mission,” Pike retorted, his tone equally chilly. “When we met you, you didn’t give a shit whether you lived or died. You just wanted Dominik’s throat.”
“I still do,” Connor hissed out. “You think that’s changed? You think I’m going to let him get away with what he’s done?”
“Boo-fucking-hoo, Con. Dominik killed your people. News flash – Dominik’s killed a lot of people.”
He killed my wife, you son of a bitch.
Connor slammed his lips together to stop the confession from escaping. His men knew only the details he’d been willing to give them. They knew about his need for vengeance.
They didn’t know about Maggie.
Maggie was nobody’s business but his. His and Dominik’s. And that piece of unfinished business would only be settled once he sliced Dominik’s throat from ear to ear.
“What the hell do you want me to say? Yes, I want Dominik dead. Yes, I plan on killing him the first chance I get. If you don’t like that, then go. If you don’t like Hudson being here, then go.” He thrust an arm out beyond the porch. “Nobody’s forcing you to stay here, man. There aren’t any chains keeping you here, no loyalty tying you to me. To any of us. If you don’t like it, then go.”
Silence stretched between them, finally broken by Pike’s tired sigh. “It might come down to that, Con.” He swore under his breath. “Might fucking come down to that.”
The dining room contained enough tables and chairs to seat about a hundred people.
Only six were eating tonight.
Connor could tell that little bit of math was stumping Hudson. She kept glancing at the empty chairs that were collecting dust, a slight frown marring her mouth. She didn’t comment on the discrepancy, though, which was a relief because he didn’t particularly feel like defending himself again about why he didn’t open his doors to other outlaws.
Hell, he’d already taken in five people, and that was five too many as far as he was concerned. And the fucking irony of it was that those five people could protect themselves. They didn’t need him. They’d just chosen to stick with him for some dumbass reason.
As for the rest of the world, well, screw it. He couldn’t save everyone, and there were other communities in the free land that those seeking shelter could turn to. Lennox had told him about a bunker out east that housed more than a hundred outlaws. So there you go. All the desperate little lambs could flock there, and leave him the hell alone.
“Thank you for dinner, gorgeous. This is amazing.”
Connor grinned at the reverence shining in Rylan’s eyes. He had to admit he was enjoying the meal too. It definitely beat Xander’s bland soups.
“You’re welcome,” she answered, looking pleased by the compliment.
“How’d you learn to cook?” Kade spoke up in a wary voice, which suddenly triggered Connor’s suspicions, because… well, hell. How did she know how to cook? Citizens weren’t in charge of their own food preparation – they ate at the city meal halls.
Hudson shifted in discomfort. “Connor told you about my father, right?”