Trev put a hand to my shoulder; my torn up shoulder. His thumb dug into the wound and I stood there, accepting the pain.
“Your brothers have your back,” he said. “Never forget that. But don’t ever put a broken bottle to another brother’s throat without good cause. We all know your dick is huge. No need to act like some fucking dumb ass high school jock.”
Trev walked away.
That was true command. I respected him for that. Coming up to Daurian and taking over the mess Ripper left.
If I wasn’t going to fuck Cassie… or drink beer… there was only one thing to do.
Ride.
And I knew where I would end up if I got on that open road.
I had to see Belle.
eight.
(belle)
I heard Jim’s voice mumbling from the kitchen. It wasn’t my place to just barge in and snoop on him. Yeah, it was one big house but I did try my best to respect privacy. But I just had to make sure he was okay. I snuck into his bathroom and opened the cabinet. I counted the pill bottles.
All good.
I grabbed the heaviest pain killer and twisted off the cap. I looked inside and tried to do my best mental count. It didn’t look like there was a lot missing. Other than his normal dosage.
I put the cap back on and stuck it in the cabinet. I shut the door and saw the reflection of Jim as he stood behind me.
I let out a loud scream and jumped.
When I spun around, Jim was still there, his phone to his ear.
“We’ll finish up tomorrow,” he said and ended the call.
“Jim,” I said.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“You know what I’m doing.”
“Making sure I’m not trying to kill myself?” Jim asked.
“Don’t do this,” I whispered. “I have to…”
“Yeah, right,” Jim said.
He turned and walked away. I went after him. “Who were you talking to?”
“Just taking care of myself, sis. Just like you wanted me to do.”
“What does that mean?”
Jim paused and looked over his shoulder. “My business. Not yours.”
I followed him to the kitchen and I saw a bottle of whiskey on the table. There was a folder open with papers in it. Jim closed the folder and grabbed the bottle of whiskey. He drank from it and walked away with the folder.
I considered pestering Jim but I took it for face value. If he was doing something on his own for himself that had to be a good thing. A good sign. So I left it be.
My plans shifted. I wanted a hot bath, a glass of wine, and a good night of sleep. I had a meeting the next day at one of the properties. At least it was something to do.
I made it to the steps when I heard an all too familiar sound. My hand on the post, one foot on the first step. I shut my eyes and shook my head, telling myself it was impossible. No way a motorcycle was coming anywhere near our road. Hell, the last time a motorcycle was here…
The sound got louder.
I turned and saw a flash of light through the glass of the front door. I hurried to tear it open as the motorcycle came to a stop. I flicked on the porch light, which didn’t help me see any better, and I opened the door.
My foot touched the porch as a towering figure climbed off the motorcycle. He took off his helmet and started to walk forward, without fear, like he owned the house.
I tried to find something to say but the second I actually saw him in the pale light of the porch, I lost my breath.
Duke was here.
**
I thought I was going to collapse. I put my hands to the doorway as Duke stopped at the second step. Even there he was already taller than me. He had forever been taller than me, from the day I met him when he and Jim were in sixth grade. They used to get in trouble with firecrackers, always trying to blow something up.
Duke stared at me with his perfectly squared off jaw, full of dirty scruff. I couldn’t help but wonder what it felt like. His eyes were as dark as I always remembered them, even if they looked a little more lost than normal right then.
It had been years.
So we stood there, staring at each other.
Duke forever stubborn. Me forever hurt by his actions.
“Jim here?” he finally asked.
“Inside. Drinking whiskey.”
“Shit,” Duke said.
He stepped up to the next step, then he was on the porch. His shoulders were as wide as the house. Time had been good to his muscles, that was for damn sure. Duke had always been strong and lean, but once he entered the military he became thickly carved with muscle.
My eyes looked at the leather cut he wore.
So all of it was true.
I pointed to the leather cut. “Back Down Devil…”
“What about it?”
“You’re a criminal now?”
“You here to judge me?”
“This is my house, Duke. My father’s dead. You knew that, right?”
“Sweetie, listen to me…”
“No. I won’t.” I stepped out onto the porch and nodded to the door. “You want to go save him? Do it now. Do what you said you were going to do a long time ago.”
Duke walked to the open door and stopped. He turned and looked right at me. Down at me, actually.