I shrugged. “I never see her at the compound. I’d meant to introduce her to a friend of mine. Someone who grew up in the club, but it never worked out.”
Because I’d started boning Giulia and between the bar, cooking, and me, her spare time was at a zero.
Priorities.
Never let it be said I didn’t have them.
“I think they’re okay,” Link stated, making me wonder if he was lying or if he’d really fucking asked Digger how his marriage was. I’d have paid to see that conversation go down. “Digger’s still sappy whenever you mention her name.”
Finn clapped Declan on the back. “There’s hope.”
“Watch him. I want to know if he fucks her over. Do you hear me?” Declan warned, and though the threat got my back up, I totally understood.
“Nyx is every woman’s champion, Declan. I wouldn’t worry about her. I’d worry about Digger. Second he hurts her, Nyx hurts him.” Link’s cocky tone had me inwardly snorting.
Though the Donnelly son absorbed that without even the blink of an eye, he merely replied, “More ways to hurt a woman than with just fists.” He scrubbed his hand over his jaw. “Finn’s right. He needs to get going, so let’s get this shit underway.”
Because there was no arguing with that, or the fact that he turned on his heel and backed off, we spent the next forty minutes making sure everything was in place, and as the vans were being driven by Pointers’ men, we really were just making sure that we were getting what we’d been told.
There was an element of distrust in scanning over the logs, making sure shit lined up with the content on board, but fuck, we were the ones who’d be doing the time if we got caught with our asses hanging out because a Pointer had badly stored a baggy of drugs.
So, we scanned, checked shit over… well, I said ‘we,’ but I meant the others. I just stood there and watched the men earn their cut. I also watched Donnelly and his buddy, Finn.
With each minute that passed, the other guy got more and more agitated, and no matter what Declan said to calm him down, it didn’t work.
I got the feeling they were close, though, and more than just friends, especially with the familial resemblance.
As I monitored them and their interaction, watched Finn start to pace the outer yard where the trucks were parked and we were looking into shit, I tried to imagine what he was feeling, and what stunned me the most was that I got it.
I thought about Giulia, and I thought about how I’d started worrying about her, and I thought about how I’d feel knowing she was in the hospital and my not being able to go to her. Business always came first in our world. It had to, because it could be life or death, could mean the difference between a lot of good men being lost to jail time if someone didn’t pull their weight. I gnawed on the inside of my cheek, finding myself utterly sympathetic for Finn’s predicament, because I understood why he was here, even as I understood why it was killing him to be here.
Maybe it was a dick move, maybe it was smart. Maybe my brains and my balls were suddenly being overruled by something that I had no idea how to control, but I moved toward the two men.
Declan saw me first, and I got the feeling that right there was the state of Finn’s distress—he didn’t pick up on my movement until Declan tensed.
See, that was the thing about business.
Even when you were dealing with guys who were on your side, you had to be wary.
I raised my hands, wanting them to see that I had no intention of causing them harm. I was probably more dangerous than anyone in this fucking space, no matter that there were around two dozen Points’ men aiming semi-automatics at the floor as they secured the area, but I genuinely meant them no ill.
When Declan eyed me, his brow furrowed, I stated, “Finn doesn’t need to stick around. We’ll be done soon. Let him go be with his wife.” I had no right to make the statement, but that was how badly my head was messed up right about now.
Women… they fucked with more than just your cock.
“I appreciate the concern, but my place is here,” Finn replied, but I could sense that was duty talking. And not the duty he had to his wife.
I shrugged. “We both know that’s BS. Your place is with her.”
His chin tipped up as he narrowed his eyes at me. “You got a woman?”
I hesitated. Not only because I wasn’t sure if I did, but because Giulia wasn’t the sort to appreciate that kind of claiming.
Reaching up, I rubbed the back of my neck, and when Declan laughed, I frowned at him.
“Yeah, he’s got a woman. You can always tell when a man’s got his dick tangled with—”
“You call Aoife a cunt once more, and I’ll break your goddamn neck.”
Declan sneered. “You and whose army?”
“Seems like Nyx would be on my side in this fucking fight.” Then, he sighed, popped his own neck, and sighed again when it clicked. “How much longer for you to look over shit?”
I shrugged. “You know how it works. Got to make sure things are copacetic for the ride home and the ride north. I’d say it won’t be long though.”
“I get it.” Finn blew out a breath. “I’m needed here.”
“You’re needed there too.”
Maybe he heard my sympathy, maybe he realized I was being genuine, because his eyes darted to mine before they shot to Declan.
“You’re no use to me here. Fuck off to Aoife’s side and let me know if it’s a boy or a girl,” Donnelly grumbled.
Finn’s lips snarled in a twisted smile. “Why, Dec, I didn’t know you cared.”
That had the other guy rolling his eyes. “I try not to.”
Because none of this conversation was anticipated, I cleared my throat and thrust out my hand for him to shake.
“Hope things go well for her and the baby.”
Finn returned the gesture and muttered, utterly heartfelt, “Me too,” before he darted off, yelling orders at the guards securing the area.
When a car swerved out of nowhere, barreling toward him, he didn’t stop running until he was in the backseat, and then the massive gates were opening and he was roaring out and toward his woman.
“Pussy whipped, but Aoife’s got a heart of gold, so I can’t blame him.” The insight had me cocking a brow, then scowling when he murmured, “Seems you’re pussy whipped too, considering you ain’t said two words to me in all the months we’ve been dealing together, but you come over to help Finn the first night he’s here and moaning about Aoife being in labor.”
My first instinct wasn’t always violent, but I didn’t particularly like the derogatory tone. Finn evidently cared for his wife, and by the sounds of it, Declan thought she was good people too, so his bitching made me wonder if he was just bitter.
I knew how that worked.
Love sucked when it burned you. Maybe Declan had been burned, and then, I realized Rex really was right.
I wasn’t whipped, just growing a cunt.
“No point in him being miserable. This shit takes how long it’s going to take, you know that, and I’d be on edge thinking my wife was about to give birth too.”
“So, common courtesy, hmm?” Declan snorted as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “If you say so.” Then, his gaze drifted over my men, and he muttered, “If the Wolves give you any shit, tell me. I’ll cut that line faster than you can blink.”
“Would you cut us too?”
“Oh yeah, if you fucked up.”
“The Wolves know you’re close to cutting them free?” That knowledge could change loyalties, and it could fuck us over in the long run.
“Them traveling to your territory and eying up your garage makes me think they’re getting too big for their britches, as my Da likes to say.” He jerked a shoulder. “We’re running point on this, you’re just distributors. Seems like they didn’t get that memo. Fucking French Canadians. Never let it be said they’re all polite and shit. The ones I’ve dealt with are always in my face.”
I had to laugh. “Everyone literally says Canadians are the politest folk out there.”
“Yeah, well, something goes wrong with their bikers. And they have prisons and shit too, so they’re not all fucking nice. At least with you, I know you’re a bunch of fucked-up maniacs.”
My brows rose at that. Maybe some would consider it an insult, but not me. “You prefer to deal with insanity?”
“Your variation of it, sure.” He bared his teeth. “You’re getting quite a rep. Angel of Mercy… maybe that tattoo on your back shouldn’t be Satan but—”
I frowned. “What the fuck are you talking about?” Tension invaded my limbs, but I wasn’t going to act first without thinking.
“You and I both know what we’re talking about.” He smirked. “Why do you think my dad likes you so much? Always insists you’re on the job when the Sinners come up on runs.”
“I’m the Enforcer, it makes sense for me to be here.” That wasn’t a lie. I was always on runs. Always.
Declan sniggered. “Yeah, tell yourself that.” He clapped me on the back, then began to walk away when his cell buzzed. “But you’ve come to the attention of a select few people, Nyx. Whether you wanted that or not, doesn’t matter.” As he turned his back on me, I saw his cell, saw him pause before he hit the green button, then he twisted to look at me over his shoulder and asked, “Want to know if it’s a boy or girl when I find out?”
When I didn’t reply, he smirked at me. “I’ll save you the bother of making a decision now and will text you with the news.” He winked, then with a brogue so dense it was like he’d just stepped off the boat from Ireland, he muttered, “Go with God, my child.”
And if that wasn’t one of the most bizarre conversations I’d had in a good while, then I wasn’t sure what fucking was.
❖
Giulia
It was strange not having Nyx glowering at the customers who dared talk to me.
Well, the male customers.
I’d grown quite accustomed to his stare, his intent regard, and I missed it. Yeah, missed it.
What that said about me, I wasn’t sure. Maybe I was as fucked up in the head as he was, all I knew for certain was that I missed it, missed him, and disliked the fact he’d set a brother on me to watch over shit.
I knew Sin was there for that reason too, because he’d been drinking Coke all night.
Yeah, Coke.
And the brothers who were hanging out getting drunk weren’t giving him shit over it.
Clue two.
Sin certainly wasn’t Nyx, and in truth, I thought the bar did better because of it. Nyx brought the dark dangers of the night with him. Fitting, considering his name. It added a heaviness to the atmosphere that I was getting used to, but it was intense for the walk-ins. Like walking into clouds, almost. Well, either that or fog.
Inside fog.
As I pondered which fit more, I focused on my remaining duties and not my phone, which was back in the office. Nyx couldn’t exactly send me a text every ten minutes when he was on the back of his bike, but it hadn’t stopped me from checking my inbox and being disappointed when I didn’t see anything from him. So, even though I really wanted to see if he had sent me something, pride insisted that I carry on cleaning up for the night as the dwindling customers began to get ready for home.
This working behind the bar shit wasn’t as bad as I’d thought. I didn’t like cooking for the MC too, at least, not breakfast, but I kind of enjoyed being in charge. The bossy bitch inside me appreciated being able to do whatever the fuck I wanted, and I could… not just because I was boning Nyx, but because Nyx wasn’t interested at all in the bar.
I wasn’t even sure why Rex had given him the option, because he didn’t give a fuck about anything other than watching me. Maybe that would have been different if we hadn’t started this… relationship? Could it be called that? I figured we were past fuck buddy stage, even though it had only been three weeks, because you didn’t share shit about murder unless things were intense, right?
I highly doubted Nyx had engaged in homicidal pillow talk with Cammie, and yeah, I knew I was seriously twisted when I was pleased about that.
But fuck, violence was in my blood, I guess it had to run free at some point.
As I watched Chad mop the one side of the bar that was clear of all customers, I began to take a small inventory of the cans we had up front. I’d sent Cody home an hour ago when things had taken a quiet turn as a popular girl at the strip club next door caused a mass exodus.
As I counted cans, I thought about hiring some more help, because I knew I was tired, so it figured that Chad and Cody were exhausted as well. Since Nyx had given me free rein to do what I wanted so long as the bar was bringing in the money to do it, I thought about hiring two more people. That had been my initial plan, but I was cautious by nature, even if it wasn’t my money I’d be wasting, and I’d admit that a part of me wanted to impress Nyx and Rex. Not only with my work ethic, but also that, even if I had zero experience, I had a brain between my ears.
Learning the ropes had been hard, but it wasn’t rocket science. Neither was the work, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t tiring. So while I knew the guys needed money for college, I didn’t need them dropping dead from the late shifts either.
By the time I was done with the inventory and wondering if it was the right time to hire some staff, I saw that Chad had finished, so I motioned him over and said, “It’s okay, you go on home.”
“I’ll come in twenty minutes earlier to clean those two sections tomorrow,” he offered, and his earnestness was so sweet that I had to smile.
We were the same age, and yet I felt a thousand years older.
I knew why too.
I was MC born and bred. My years away didn’t change me that much, and the MC reared old souls, ones that knew about the harsh truths in this world. We weren’t raised with Santa creeping into our living rooms. If some fucker broke in on Christmas morning, we shot them, we didn’t give them cookies and fucking milk.
Plus, I liked the two guys I hired. They didn’t have an attitude with me anymore. They could have, considering everyone knew that Nyx was fucking me—if he’d tried to keep things on the down low, he’d failed, because he growled at anyone with a dick who dared talk to me for more than three minutes—and the fact that I was a woman who was their boss no longer fazed them.
Yeah, it sucked that that was a ‘tick’ for them, but hell, I’d take it.
“Sure, that’s fine. You look tired, and I know I am.”
He peered back at the few stragglers and asked, “Want me to stay?”
I knew he didn’t want to, could practically see him withholding a yawn as he stood there gripping the damn mop, so I smiled at him and shook my head. “Nah, it’s all good. See you tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Giulia!” He cut a look at the door. “That guy left about ten minutes ago. Did you know that?”
I twisted around to see that Sin had, indeed, left me on my own. I wasn’t nervous, not when the stragglers were all couples, but still, I knew Nyx would castrate him if I told him the guy had wandered off.
“I didn’t see him leave.”
“I think he went next door. It’s getting crowded. You can hear the cheers in the storeroom.”
I shrugged. “He’ll be back soon, I’m sure. He’s the one giving me a ride home.”
Chad looked relieved. “Oh, good. I’m glad to hear it.”
I shot him another smile and told him, “You go on. Catch some Zs.”
“You too, Giulia, thanks.” He disappeared to grab his shit, then waved at me as he left.
Deciding to be nice, I mopped the second section, which was all the incentive the stragglers needed to go.
Within twenty minutes, there was only one more section for the guys to clear tomorrow, and I could count the till before getting ready to leave.
As I considered the likelihood of me having to drag Sin out of a crowded strip joint, I headed over to the door to lock u
p.
Sighing as I thought of my to-do list, I wished Nyx was here. Which was stupid. Because he was more of a disruption than anything else. Counting up the profits always took twice as long when he was distracting me with those damn come-to-bed eyes of his.
Shrugging off the weird melancholy that overset me, and well aware that it was way too soon to miss someone this much—especially when that someone was a biker whose life involved long road trips that were couched in secrecy—I straightened my shoulders and made to turn around.
As I did, I saw him surge toward me from the direction of the bar, and my eyes flared wide in surprise. When recognition hit, I found myself blinking. That white-blond hair that probably took him hours to style, the smirk that revealed teeth his dentist had to be proud of, a little tape on a patrician nose that had recently been broken, and the designer jeans and shirt that instantly classified him as a country clubber—it was the guy from a few weeks back. The one Nyx had made an example of, who’d classified me as a biker slut, because I had zero interest in him.
Frozen, I processed all that in a second, before I recognized what was in his hand and registered what his next move was going to be. Then his face twisted with rage, and I defrosted.
The glass bottle arched down, slicing through the air toward me. I ducked, punched the blond bastard in the gut, and went to raise my knee to get him in the balls. He jerked two seconds before I could connect, and instead, his free hand snapped out to grab my wrist. With one clean twist, he broke it. Agony sliced through me, but rage unfurled first. With my free hand, I went for his nose and was glad when he howled as it spurted blood. I really fucking hoped I undid the healing that had taken place since Nyx’s original hit.
“Slut!” he spat, the hiss sibilant with his rage and loaded with his pain.
That this was revenge was clear. What wasn’t was how far the fucker was going to take this. From the malice in his eyes, I had to figure it wasn’t going to end well for me, but I couldn’t think about that right now. I just had to focus on the fact that I wasn’t about to go down without a fight.
Even with blood spurting everywhere, and me twisting around like a wildcat, he managed to get the bottle high enough to clout me on the head with a force that had my knees buckling, but the hit wasn’t bad enough to stop me from punching him in the nuts on my way down.
Nyx: A Dark & Dirty MC Romance (Satan’s Sinners MC Book 1) Page 23