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The door opened and Jingles walked in, carrying a stack of boxes under his arm.

“Hey, man. Thanks.” Taking the boxes, I leaned them against the wall, pulling one of them from the stack.

“You’re really leaving?

“Yup.”

“Can I ask why?”

Looking at my friend, my fellow enforcer, a man I knew had my back always just as I had his, I didn’t know if he would accept my reasons, but it didn’t really matter. They were mine.

“I gotta, man. She’s needs to know someone’s willing to choose her over everything else.”

“Did she ask you to choose?”

“She didn’t have to ask,” I said, unfolding the box and setting it on the bed so I could throw my clothes into it. “King should have let me go to her yesterday. If he hadn’t tried to keep me from her, I wouldn’t have had to make a choice between her and the club.”

“Gonna miss you, man.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me in for a hug, much like Jack did yesterday. Fuck, I was gonna miss these guys.

Jingles left me alone, and I got to work packing up my shit. When my door opened again, I closed my eyes in defeat. I swear I was almost at the point of putting the fucking thing on my back just to get a break from this asshole.

“Nothing has changed.”

“You’re right. This is still yours. Put it on.” He tossed my cut on the bed.

“I don’t take orders from you anymore. I’m done. I told you that.”

“Why are you being a fucking dick?”

I turned around and looked at King. “Me? I’m being a dick? You’re the asshole who can’t take no for a fucking answer.”

“You’re damn right I can’t. There’s a fucking war coming to our front door and I need you here.”

“And I’ll be here. Danny and Dante are staying in town, so Melissa and I are, too. You need me, you call me. But I can’t wear the cut. Not anymore. She’s more important.”

“Goddamn magic pussy,” King muttered.

I laughed, “Damn right it’s fucking magic. But you don’t get it. It’s not about her fucking pussy. It’s her. I can’t explain it, man. That first night, when she walked into that bar, I had no intention of approaching her. I knew she was too fucking good for me. But I couldn’t resist. She pulled me in and I was done.”

I picked up the cut and ran my hand over it reverently. I’d worn it for ten years, since I was a prospect at the club in Little Rock.

“She’s worth it?” he asked, watching as I hesitated.

“Ain’t even in the same ballpark,” I answered, pressing my cut into his chest.

There was a light tap on the door. When I turned, Melissa stood there looking wrung out.

“You ok, Princess?”

Her smile lit up the room and eased the ache in my chest that started when I handed my cut back to King.

“Yea. King, can I talk to you?”

Confusion marred my brow as I watched my woman walk out of my room with my former president. King pulled the door closed behind them, and I quickly moved across the room.

With my ear to the door, I tried to listen, but these damn solid wood doors were thick. I could hear the muffled sound of conversation, but it was too quiet to distinguish any words.

When the doorknob finally rattled, I jumped back. Melissa walked in holding something in her hands that confused me even more.