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Stone looks from her to the rest of us, “Cruz, have Stella and Leilani make a list of everything we may need if we go on a hard lockdown. I want to be prepared. Tires, call Black Forest, let them know what’s going on. We may need them to come back down. Grange, I need you to also help Cruz to check the weapons and ammo. Lynch, will you and the nomads stick around for bit longer?”

Lynch looks up at Stone, “Yeah Pres, we’re here for as long as you need us. You fight, we fight.”

“Good.” Stone bangs the gavel, dismissing us all for now. I put my hand on Saige’s leg to still her for a minute. She looks at me, confused. When everyone is gone, I let her up, grab her by the back of the head and kiss her. I nip her bottom lip, then run my tongue over it. She opens up for me, and I push my tongue in her mouth, tasting her. She tastes of the little mints she loves and a taste that is purely her. Heaven. She is my heaven, I think. She moans a little, that’s when I pull back, look into her eyes.

“I forgot to give you your keys back. I did have a copy made to your room though, I also had a copy to my room made for you. Never know when we might need to go and help each other out.” I place the keys in her hand, kissing her again. A chair hitting the wall breaks us apart. I look up to see Pyro walking down the hallway. Saige doesn’t see him.

“What was that?” she asks.

“Not sure. But that is how you kiss someone,” I say as I walk out of the room grinning.

Six

Saige

Wow,that kiss still has me reeling as I head back to my room. I can still feel his lips on mine, still taste him. I put my fingers up to my lips, smiling. I’m at my room when I am grabbed and spun around, shoved into the wall, my arm wrenched behind my back, only to see a very angry Pyro. “What the hell was that about back in the office?” He is squeezing my arm so tight that I am losing feeling in it. I’m too shocked to fight back.

“What are you talking about, Pyro? And can you let up on your grip? You’re hurting me.” He looks down at my arm but doesn’t loosen up any.

“I’m talking about you letting that asshole kiss you back there. You know that he’s just playing with you, right?He’s out in the bar messing around with the whores now as we speak. Cotton could care less about you. He doesn’t love you like I do!”

I look up at Pyro. He seems out of control right now, and I have to try to diffuse this. “Look, Pyro, it was just a kiss. It didn’t mean anything. And honestly, I don’t care what he is doing with whom. I’m single, he isn’t my boyfriend, neither are you. You are my friend, that’s it. I’m not dating right now, nor do I want to be. That’s why I asked you to the club as a friend. Now you need to let go of my arm and get out of my face.”

Before I know what he is doing, he slaps me. “You are not single! I have claimed you as mine! So, don’t try to act all coy with me. And you just try going out without me, see what happens!” He tries to kiss me, but I turn my head, his lips hitting my cheek. He slaps me again, letting me go with a shove, my head hitting the wall. He starts to walk away when we hear footsteps coming down the hall. I look up to see Tires. He sees the handprint on the side of my face.

“Sis, who the hell hit you?” he asks me.

Pyro looks at him, answering before I can get a word out. “One of the club whores. I believe it was Alivia. They were arguing when I came down the hall and ran her off.”

My brother looks at me then back to Pyro, “Hey man, Lynch is looking for you, that’s why I headed down this way. He’s at the bar. Said not to keep him waiting.”

“Yeah okay.” He walks off after giving me a warning glance. I stand ramrod straight until he is out of sight then lean into Tires. “So why did Alivia hit you? I thought you were friends.”

I look up at him, “She didn’t. Look at my arm.” You can see where Pyro had a hold of my arm, it’s red.

“Who the hell did this?”

“Pyro did. He caught me unaware, started screaming at me, saying that he has claimed me in front of the whole club, that I should watch and see what happens if I refuse him, or go out without him. He’s a basket case! I’ve never seen him like this before. His eyes look so weird. I was actually scared of him.”

Tires hugs me to him. “I’ll get this taken care of, sis. He won’t bother you anymore. If he ever lays a hand on you again, he’s dead!” I look up at him. He’s always been protective of me, but to threaten to kill someone, that’s a first.

“Coop, I just want to go take a shower and go to bed. I don’t want you to kill anyone, prison orange isn’t your color. I love you, thank you for being the best big brotheranyone could ever ask for.” He just smiles. I kiss his cheek, then go into my room. I lock the door behind me, grab some pjs, then head for the shower. I need to find out what is going on with Pyro, see if I can get him some help. He sure isn’t the same guy we grew up with.

Seven

Cotton

I’m sittingat the bar, a big smile on my face as I think about that kiss. Man, the zing I felt as I held her close to me. I feel it every time I touch Saige. I hear Tires yelling for Pyro, so I turn around. I see the look on his face, and I know this is going to be bad. I look for the little jerkoff and get up just as Tires punches him in the mouth. “That’s for leaving a mark on my sister’s arm, this is for slapping her!” Tires hits him again, this time sending him sailing over a table. “You ever come near her again, or so much as look at her, I’ll kill you!” Tires is standing over Pyro, his eyes begging the shitter to get up and swing at him. I look to my left, Stone is standing there with Lynch. Both look pissed as hell, and if what Tires said is true, I’ll kill the son of a bitch myself for touching her.

“What the hell is going on, Tires?” Stone yells. Lynch is looking at him too.

“That asshole attacked Saige when she was trying to go into her room. Her arm is red from where he was gripping it so hard, then he slapped her across the face twice, leaving a handprint on her. She is already bruising. I found them when I went looking for him for Lynch. He yelled at her, told her that he was claiming her in front of the club, and that if she refused him, she would regret it. I meant what I said, if he touches her again, I’ll kill him!”

I’m getting angrier by the second. Pyro looks over at me as he is getting up. He has this look in his eyes that I have seen before, it isn’t just anger or jealousy. He looks high. I remember that look well, having grown up with it.

“Pyro! Is it true? Did you hit Saige?” Lynch asks.

Pyro looks at him. “I had to remind her that she’s mine! She had no right kissing another man, when she belongs to me. He actually comes at me, I side step him, sending him head first into the bar. I pick him up off the floor, pushing him towards Stone.