Page 13 of Indecent Lies

Even his voice sounded rougher than the one in her memories.

“I didn’t… I didn’t know his biker name. He’s always just been Tait to me.”

“You didn’t know his name? How long has it been since you’ve seen him?”

She turned then to find Roux watching her, nursing a bowl of half-eaten popcorn. The movie all but forgotten for Penelope.

She’d been so thrilled to see Tait; she about fell off the couch in her haste to hug him and thank God someone finally turned up for her.

Axel wanted her father’s contact information; she’d let him know with some trepidation how he wouldn’t get a penny from her family.

“I think I was seventeen the last real time, right before he left. I’ve seen him a few times since, but only fleeting from a distance.”

“Well it looks like you’ll be getting out of here, Cinderella.”

She whirled around. Her eyes unblinking, her chest thumping with the number of beats. “You think he’ll pay your dad?”

“Why else would Texas be here? The Renegade Souls aren’t really welcome, you get me?” Roux grimaced. “That guy is here for you.”

Without reserve, Penelope’s heart started an almighty racket inside her rib cage, until she couldn’t keep her feet still. She didn’tstay hereas he growled, instead, she traced his steps, down the hallway.

What she heard outside of the biker leader’s office nearly had her falling down in a dead faint.

* * *

“Fuck, man. Didn’t know you were the guy we were looking for.” Laughed Axel, relaxed in the big leather chair he dwarfed with his size.

Texas didn’t laugh along with him. The guy was comfortable because he knew he was about to have a payday.

Not like Texas could leave her here.

Not as though he had the backing of theSoulsto weigh in and use as a threat.

Far as he could see, he had only one choice and that was to buy her freedom.

“Look, I want you to know, this isn’t personal. She wandered in here like a damn prima ballerina, Texas. Big fucking wedding gown, shouting her mouth off about wanting to see who we now know is you.”

Texas thinned out his lips. His eyes unwavering.

Had this been the Raging Rebels, before the Renegade Souls disbanded them in the most violent of ways, he would have been worried about Penelope’s well-being.

Zara had been the unfortunate one to be enslaved by them for years, so yeah… he would have worried. Axel’s daughter was practically a female biker, though theDiablosdidn’t take women members, so factoring that in, he had to figure they wouldn’t be raping women in front of her.

He still asked. He had no reason to use his manners, not when he was about to get extorted of a lot of fucking money. “I can take it she’s been looked after and not one of your boys has laid a finger on her.”

Axel smirked. “She’s as pure and as bratty as the day she tripped her princess ass in, brother.”

I’m not your brother,he wanted to say.

He didn’t have any personal beef with Axel.

Not like the Butcher did.

Didn’t mean he liked this.

It wasn’t right. He’d never use a woman, not even if he didn’t have a dollar to his name. Renegade Souls would never use a woman either.

But then, theDiabloswere a different breed.