“I try, now would you mind telling me what these two assholes were trying to do to you?” I ask, even though I have a good idea what.
“They seem to think I’m riddled with demons because I like sex with the man I love,” She grumbles and uses the stun gun on her already unconscious father again.
My lips stretch into the biggest smile I believe I’ve ever had, even as I take the weapon from her hand. She looks up at me and it’s then I see the tears in her eyes.
“I think I hate him,” she whispers with tears in her eyes.
“I know baby, I know. I need you to go home with Latch while I see to a few things.”
“I want you to take me home,” she answers, the tears are trying to escape but she’s doing her best to keep them contained.
“I’ll be there baby, I just want to take out the trash.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Show them what a real demon looks like.”
“You won’t kill them?” She asks and I study her face.
“You would care?”
“I hate them, and I know you said, sometimes, in your job you have to see to things I probably wouldn’t like. But, if you kill them…I don’t want you to even risk jail for the likes of them. They’re not worth it. I know it’s stupid, but he’s my father.”
“Then I won’t kill them. I’ll tell them an angel begged her demon for their lives. Now kiss me, woman.”
“I love you, Sabre.”
“Show me,” I urge her and she gives me her lips. I’ve never been more proud of a woman in my life. She amazes me. I’m still going to tan her hide for risking her life, that’s a given. We break apart slowly. The best thing I’ve ever done in my life is claim this woman.
“I’m going to tan your hide for scaring me, Annie.”
She smiles through her tears and leans up on her tip toes to whisper next to my ear, “Well, at least something good came out of this then.”
I laugh. I’m still mad at the fuckers who dared try to hurt my woman, but I laugh.
“Get your ass home, woman.”
“Yes, Sabre.”
“Practice those words, you’ll need to know them tonight,” I order her as she walks off, partly because everyone is listening.
She stops at the door, holds her head down for a second, and then shocks the hell out of me.
“I’ll do my best to remember them, as long as the cookie monster comes out to play.”
Every single brother in there starts laughing. Fuck me. After I get over the shock, I laugh, too. I laugh hard. Annie doesn’t know it, but I honestly wasn’t sure I could keep from killing her fucker of a father. She just saved his life. Still, Keys and Shaft will have to drag him and his sorry ass brother back to Illinois because they won’t be walking for a little while. They’ll also have a message to deliver to Annie’s mom, personally. I watch as Latch and Annie leave the room and then turn to the boys. I look at Skull and he gives me the all good sign and nods his head in agreement. He knows where I’m coming from—no words are needed.
“Torch, you’re in charge,” I growl, taking off my cut and rolling up my sleeves.”
“Of what?”
“Making sure I keep my promise to Annie and don’t kill these weasels,” I growl and grab her sorry uncle first. Hopefully, by the time I finish with him, her lousy excuse for a father will have come to.
“Don’t we get to join, man? We all like Peaches,” Shaft asks.
“No way. These motherfuckers are all mine,” I tell him as I take off my belt. I think I’m going to start with a little eye for an eye. I’ll just make sure their scars are much bigger than the ones Annie carries.
Chapter 16
Annie
Sometimes being wicked feels really, really good.
We make it back to the house about an hour later. Latch isn’t really talking to me, and I know he’s upset. I don’t really know how to make that better, either. My brain is fried. I feel dirty for even having been in the same room with my uncle and father. I’m a little worried that Sabre lied and will kill them anyway. I shouldn’t even care. It’s kind of messed up that I do.
“Where’s Lucy?” I ask to break the strained silence as I go to the fridge and get a bottled water for me and a beer for Latch.
“Staying over at a friend’s house since I couldn’t be there to pick her up in time,” he growls, and when he does that he sounds almost like Sabre. I take him the beer that Sabre keeps in the fridge for him and the boys and hand it to him.
“I’m sorry, Latch, I didn’t mean to cause you trouble.”
He looks up at me with his dark eyes. His looks are so much like his sister’s, except definitely more masculine and defined.
“You could have got yourself killed, Peaches. Do you know what that would have done to me?”
The words sound raw and full of emotion and my stomach clenches. Sabre said Latch was in love with me. It makes me feel guilty. Sabre owns my heart, even if I am attracted to Latch.
“I’m sorry. I promise it won’t happen again. I’m going to go take a bath before Sabre comes home.”