The Broken Pieces of Us (The Devil's Dust #2.1)

“What about her mom?” Does it make me a bad person to hope she caught a bullet too?

“Nah, she wasn’t there when it happened,” he answers, his tone groggy. From the looks of him, he hasn’t slept.

“Anyway, Dani is here. Will you look after her?” He looks up at me with pleading eyes, eyes of someone who has fallen.

“You crossed a line, didn’t you?” I ask, taking a step back. I watch his Adam’s apple gulp at my accusing question.

“I don’t want to know,” I say, placing my hand up to stop him from answering my question.

I walk into the kitchen and find Bull staring at his coffee cup intently.

“You okay?” I ask, noticing the coffee pot already full.

Bull snaps his gaze from the mug to mine.

“Hey, doll. Yeah, I’m fine, just a lot going on,” he answers, grabbing his cup off the counter. He walks up to me, brushes my hair behind my ear and kisses my cheek quickly.

“I gotta run. Look after Dani for me? Oh, and Lady was up drinking with Vera all night, so she will be a bitch today. Stay clear of her,” he demands. I grab things to make some breakfast, worried about the sudden attack against the club. I know Bull will figure out who did it and why, but it’s still nerve wracking.

***

I walk back to the bar and spot the boys finishing up the eggs I cooked. Something catches my attention by the hall. Looking over, I see Dani standing there nervously.

“Hey there, babe, you hungry?” I ask her. Her eyes widen in my direction. I walk into the kitchen and look for another plate to pile on some eggs. As soon as I walk out of the kitchen, I notice Bobby and Hawk, an older member of the club, fighting on the floor. I sigh and turn back for the kitchen. Those two are like children, always bickering about shit and not getting along. I grab some juice from the fridge and make my way back to Dani, who is sitting at the bar now.

“Well shit, boys, we better get,” Locks says, kissing me on the cheek. My face winces, curious why he is being so damn sweet. Is it for Dani? “We should be back tomorrow night sometime, babe.” I can’t help but roll my eyes, his tone fake and unwanted. He never tells me when he will be back, or where he is going. He is putting on a show, what an ass. I notice Shadow mumbling something to Dani, her face on cloud nine as he speaks to her. They look so cute and young. Poor Shadow is going to pay for this one, what is he thinking?

Later in the day, I’m gathering up shit to make some lunch, knowing Dani will be coming out of her room for food here soon. Hopefully, her mother keeps her drunk ass in the bedroom. I’m nervous. Dani seems to have Bull in a frenzy of emotions. I care for Bull, and I can smell something is up with Lady. I will kill her if she hurts him. I look over and see Dani moseying in, her face taking in the club like she does every time she walks in.

“I’m about to get lunch going, babe,” I inform her, smiling.

She nods and smiles. My smile fades and my eyes furrow. “You know your dad would do anything to protect you. If you hurt him, I will make sure you and your mother never see another day of light,” I threaten unintentionally. I close my eyes and curse myself. Why did I even saying anything? If Bull hears I threatened his daughter, I am in deep shit.

“I know, and I am not here to hurt him. I’m not like my mother,” she informs, her tone strong and confident. “Anything my mother does is on her own agenda, not mine. I want to know my father better, and I trust him, more than I trust my mother,” she mumbles, her face a little broken. I can’t help but smile, knowing the relationship between her mother and her is shit and it might just be in Bull’s favor.

“Good.”





weeks later

B: What do you clean blood up with?

I do a double take at the text message at three in the morning, making sure I read it right. Shit.

Babs: I’ll be there in a minute.

I ride to the club, pajamas still on. I get out of truck and walk toward the club, stopping when I find blood splattered outside and trailing inside the club’s doors.

“What the hell?” I mutter.

I walk in and find Bull sitting backward on a stool, staring at the blood on the wooden floor.

“What happened?” I ask frantically, my eyes searching his body for wounds.

“He fucked my daughter, even after I warned him,” Bull replies, his face in a permanent scowl. I know who he is talking about. I knew Shadow couldn’t resist.

“Who?” I ask, only because Bull is looking at me waiting for me to ask.

“Shadow,” he mutters. I look back at the dried blood, afraid to ask what he did to him.

“Dani got taken by Shadow’s mom. I’m not entirely sure why, but we went and got her back today,” Bull says, rubbing his hands over his face.