Page 23

Chapter 23

Liam

I can feel her eyes on me.

The look on her face as she watches me sit on the floor outside her cell would be almost comical if it weren’t for her messed up situation.

Damn it, Adam.

This is the last thing I need to be dealing with right now. With Darrin being out of pocket for a while, I’ve been afforded a significant opportunity, but leave it to Blitz to get in my way. Took it upon himself to open the clubhouse for a Friday night party, and without Darrin here, I don’t trust it not to devolve—a whole new level of debauchery.

Many of our dealers are on the compound for the weekend, picking up Jackpot and the levels of alcohol mixing with it concerns me. While my first thought should be on the job I need to do, I found my thoughts drifting to Fleur and the last time I had to make an appearance down here. Blitz can’t keep it in his pants. He has to have the newest shiny thing. The fact he mentioned killing the girl is unhinged. Darrin isn’t one to support this, but his trip for an undetermined amount of time has me on edge. Leaving Blitz in charge is a mistake we’ll pay for.

Fleur doesn’t deserve this. The crew has always had it out for Adam after Darrin allowed him off from his previous debt, even though I’m paying the price. I’m afraid Fleur will be next, and I’m not sure what to do.

I peek out of one eye to find her still standing, arms crossed over her chest and eyes trained on my hands clasped together between my legs. I severely underestimated the decision to give her one of my shirts. The fabric hangs low, the V coming between her breasts because of how large it is on her. Better than the lace bra she was left with after Blitz attacked her. I wanted to gouge his eyes out for even looking at her. She is pure light, and the thought any of us looking at her might taint her soul scares me.

“What are you doing?” Fleur’s soft feminine voice soothes some of the turmoil rolling around in the pit of my stomach, and I crack my other eye open.

“They never play the music I like.” I keep my voice low, cold even. While the camera’s red light is off, I know for sure it still works. I’ve watched her, curious how she’s doing. I watch her toss and turn, never truly getting adequate sleep. Whenever the guys ask me what I’m doing, I make excuses about ensuring she doesn’t escape—like she actually could.

I could never understand why people watch others sleep … until her. The urge to draw her assaulted me until I could no longer watch the live footage. It’s creepy and wrong. She’s interested in my brother, and I’ve effectively aided in capturing her.

“So you came down here to pout?” Her hissing tone nearly breaks my frown, but I grunt. I didn’t expect this feisty disposition from her. Perhaps the glimpse of brokenness reflected in her eyes was wrong.

When I don’t answer, she snorts, moving to sit on her cot, which doesn’t look any more comfortable than the floor my ass is planted on.

“Any news on Adam?” she asks once she has pulled the blanket up and over her shoulders. It’s not cold in here, but I’ve seen her wrap herself often enough to know she does it for comfort. I narrow my eyes as she fiddles with something at her wrist, but I can’t quite make it out. A myriad of emotions works across her face as anger mutes her concern and worry. I decide to put her out of her misery.

“He’s fine.”

Her eyes widen, and she stiffens, sitting taller. “Really? Because he was unconscious and badly beaten when you took me.”

I grind the back of my teeth as she lumps me in with the rest of them. As if I didn’t break a direct order to risk coming out there, knowing it was going to be bad.

But I was there. I hauled Adam up into his truck and drove him to the hospital, then waited around for an update from the doctor and left before my family plowed into the room. My father is the only one aware I was there.

“He’s fine,” I repeat, and her lips curl in disgust. Good. Hate me.

Fleur gnaws on her cheek like she’s at war with her mouth. I can tell she wants to ask something else but is fighting it. The fidgeting is driving me up a wall and I sigh, dropping my arms to my side.

“Spit it out.”

She glares at me, but she takes a deep breath and asks, “How much does he owe this time?”

“Seventy-five grand. It’d be a lot less if he hadn’t purchased a new truck.”

She looks down at her lap with her next words. “And … and what do they think I’ll be able to do? Why take me?”

Isn’t that the million-dollar question. This screams of Blitz and Snape. Darrin listens to them too much.

“Aren’t you and Adam together? I think he’d want you back safe and unharmed,” I say, tilting my head to the side to get a better view of her between the bars.

“We hadn’t defined anything.” She crosses her arms back over herself, and I know there is more there. Are they not truly together?

I don’t care. Shouldn’t care. But I find myself leaning forward a bit. A pinch of guilt flashes over her face, and I drop it. It doesn’t matter anyway. She’s here now.

The door to the hall opens and several men shove each other forward, each of them stumbling and leaning against the walls as they trip toward the cell.

“Snape was right. Said you’d be down here.” Tim, one of our dealers, lets out a loud snort, followed by what can only be described as a giggle. Three other men, all taller than Tim, saunter down the hall and I hurry to stand, moving to angle my body between the men and the door.

“Awww, Liam. Didn’t your parents teach you to share?” Tim swings the key to Fleur’s cell around his finger.

I chance a glance back at Fleur, who has shifted backward to the farthest corner of the room. Her eyes seem to cling to mine as if I can offer protection. I both hate it and crave it.

“She’s off-limits until Darrin decides what to do with her,” I growl. Stepping forward, I cut off any continued progress they try to make.

“But D isn’t here. Blitz is in charge.” Tim’s words are slurred and each one of them is staring past me, leering at Fleur with hungry eyes. I know most of these guys are a drink or two away from passing out for the night.

“How about we grab a bottle from Darrin’s private stash behind the bar and finish it off?” I say.

Tim nearly drops the cell key as his eyes widen and a grin plasters across his face. They look at each other and laugh, nodding their heads as they turn around back toward the way they came.

I follow them out, peeking over my shoulder right as I reach the door before passing the threshold.

Fleur’s chest rises and falls rapidly, and she moves forward, both hands gripping the bars in front of her. Relief shines in her eyes, and I’m worried about all the things I’d do to see peace on her face again.