Page 175 of Burning Ember

“Bullshit.”

“Believe what the fuck you want. You always do.”

She closes her eyes, turns her head, as more tears trail down her face, and it fucking shatters me. “He was in here when I got out of the shower. I didn’t know he’d be here. And he wouldn’t let me leave.”

“And I’m just supposed to believe that? Fuck, even if I did, the club’s not going to.”

“All I have is my word. If that’s not good enough, then I guess we know where we stand.”

“Dammit, T! Put the damn gun down!” Griz yells as he comes up behind me. “I knew you couldn’t resist comin’ in here and doin’ somethin’ stupid.”

Smoke clears his throat. “Griz, they’ve got this all twisted. She’s not one of us. Before last night, I never even knew she existed. I saw her dance and couldn’t take my eyes off her. I’ve only seen one other woman dance like that and she looks just like her. I didn’t realize who’s she was until she told me her age.”

I turn slightly to see Griz nodding like that makes complete fucking sense. I recall how Ember danced and how it was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Even in twenty, hell thirty years, yeah, I’d recognize it and be drawn in.

“Does Pappy know?” Griz asks Smoke.

“G, fuckin’ tell me you’re not believing this. This is bullshit,” Taz snarls.

“Does he know I know? No. Does he know about her himself? I don’t think so. Don’t think she’d still be breathin’ if he did. He wouldn’t leave evidence out there of what he did. I expect that’s why Tessa kept her hidden from the both of us.”

“You’re lying,” Taz growls. “Of course you fuckin’ knew. You’ve been usin’ her as your little whore and snitch from the moment she got here.”

“Whore and snitch?” Ember whispers. “Is that really what you think I’m here to do, Luce? Open my legs and whore myself out to get information? So last night and today? That was about me getting in your pants so I could learn something valuable that the Greenbacks could use? Is that it? Tell me then, Luce, what exactly did I learn about the club while you were between my legs?”

“Doll . . .”

“Don’t even.” She won’t meet my eyes, and that’s when I know I’ve lost her.

“You have to know how this looked.” My voice reeks of desperation.

“You promised me you’d let me go if this didn’t work out. Was that a lie? Because I want to leave.”

“I can’t let you do that.”

“Why? You still don’t believe me? You need to question me some more? Maybe lock me up until you’re satisfied that I’m not a threat.”

“Fuck!” I slam my fist into the wall and in doing so scare the fuck out of her. She lets out a yelp as if she thought I was aiming to hit her and darts away from me.

“Don’t let her leave!” Taz swings the gun toward her.

“Christ.” Griz snaps and moves Ember behind him. “T, have you lost your goddamn mind? Lower the fuckin’ gun!”

I move in front of Griz and Ember. Do my best to block them both from Taz’s line of sight. “Put it away, T. That’s a fucking order.”

But before Taz can even consider it, Smoke knocks into him and grapples for the gun. Taz always with a finger heavy on the trigger, fires. Smoke finally knocks the gun from his grip and sends it skittering on the floor toward me.

I pick it up and tuck it into the back of my jeans as I stride toward them. As I move in next to Smoke, he let’s go of Taz and throws him toward me.

I in turn throw Taz up against the wall. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” I shake him once, twice, and then letting go, I shove him back again. I stare at him like I don’t know him at all. “You need to get your head fuckin’ right.”

“Dammit, you stupid fucker! You shot me!” Griz growls. My gaze swings to him as he lifts his arm to show us where the bullet grazed his forearm. I immediately search behind him for Ember to make sure she’s not hit, but find the rest of the room empty.

“Fuck!” I race to the door. Entering the hall, I’m met with a wall of HOCs. I cut through them as fast as I can. As I do, I spy blood on the wall. Fresh blood. The same height as Griz’s arm wound.

Ember’s blood.

“Shit! Move!” I yell as I push my way to the stairwell with my heartbeat pounding in my ears.