Page 93 of Enemy

Prophet rubs his face. “This isn’t a limited time offer, Rooster. I don’t give a shit who you fuck,” he says but gives me a level glare, “unless it’s our damnenemy. So back to the actual problem!”

“Clyde saved my life. Twice,” I say with as much conviction as I can muster with all the eyes pinning me to my chair.

“And almost took it before that,” Yeti adds, but I choose to ignore him.

“His former club wants him dead. I’ve seen the messages they’re sending. He needs to stay here.”

I’m not going to petition, ask or beg. Saying what I require has always worked best for me. That’s how I joined the Vultures all those years ago. Why not repeat that same method now?

Sad Billy nods, his expression somehow even more miserable than usual. “It is what it is I guess…”

Yeti pipes up. “Is it? If he wants asylum at Vulture Hollow, he better come here and beg for it himself!”

Prophet nods. “For once, I agree with Yeti. Go get him, Road. I want to hear from him. If he’s not a Butcher anymore, he better prove it.”

I stand up, ready to fetch Clyde, but before I can take a step toward the door, a frosty weight settles in my gut, and I take in all the guys. I don’t feel confident at all, but I need to at least appear so, or they’ll chew up Clyde and me both. “Just so you know, I am staying with him.”Fuck, why does my voice sound so raspy? “So treat him like one of your old ladies.”

The murmurs put me on edge, but at least no one’s laughing. Even after I leave the room.

I’m surprised and even more unsettled when I spot Brigid. Clyde’s sitting on the edge of the pool table, she stands next to him in all her witchy finery, and the tight ball in my throat just got colder. Clyde notices me before she does, and I dread to think what they’ve been talking about. By now, she must knowheis who I’ve been so desperate for that I asked for her to send him dreams. I’m so fucking dumb.

She’s either here to get a grip on the situation, as she likes to know everything about everyone, or telling him that if he doesn’t leave, lightning will strike him, and wolves will come to devour him by nightfall.

“Brigid,” I say, stalling halfway from the door, and she glances my way, eyes dark as the woods at night. “I see you met Clyde.”

He gives me an uncertain look over her shoulder. Boy, is he out of his depth here.

“I’ve also heard he saved your life. An unbreakable bond,” she says, not even blinking. It gives me the creeps, but if she judges Clyde favorably, it’ll help my situation, since Prophet values her opinions above anyone else’s.

“Brigid invited me for tea,” Clyde mumbles.

Fuck.

Shit.

“We accept,” I say, because there’s no way in hell I’m letting him visit her alone.

The corner of her mouth twitches in the ghost of a smirk. “And I thought you dislike tea.”

“I… just prefer coffee,” I shoot back, crossing the distance keeping me away from Clyde at last. My hand rests in the middle of Clyde’s back, out of her sight, but the glance she offers me says she did not miss our closeness.

“I see the dreams reached him. Good.”

I let out a nervous laugh as I urge Clyde off the pool table. “Must have. I’m sorry, but we have to go. We’ll arrange the tea very soon.” I wish we didn’t have to, because I feel caught in my own web of lies, but I know it’s unavoidable.

“They want to talk to me?” Clyde asks when I lead him toward the meeting room with Brigid’s eyes pinned to the bullseye between my shoulder blades.

“Yes. Don’t worry, I’ll be right next to you,” I whisper, resisting the tempting warmth of his neck, because this is not the time for tenderness. We need to secure protection for him, and nothing else matters until that happens.

He nods, and it worries me how quiet he is, but there’s no time to dig deeper. I close the door behind us, and all eyes drift to Clyde.

He crosses his arms on his chest and takes a deep breath. “I’m guessing Road filled you in onus?”

Prophet nods. “Why should we protect you? Why should we trust you? You saved Road’s life at risk of your own, and that plays in your favor, but after years of being a Butcher? Being brought up among them? No matter what Road feels, I can’t risk a traitor here.”

I itch to speak up, but I have to let Clyde fight this battle before stepping in.

“I’m not wearing Butcher colors anymore. You know they want me dead, and it’s true, I’ve got no loyalty left to them. Only way I can prove it is by spilling what I know and working with you in whatever capacity you need.” Clyde swallows and glances my way with eyes so soft I want to crawl into his arms and stay there. “My loyalty is to Road.”