Page 21

21

Legacy

I can barely keep my hands off Reagan, much less let her out of my sight. Her hold on me is a physical need that gets stronger every passing day.

She giggles at something Luna says, and I swear I hear it through the crowded bar. It floats through all the other noise and rings in my ears. A melody I’ll never tire of.

I’ve been waiting for something to scare her away all night, but nothing does. Even when we were standing in the middle of Sapphire Rise, with strippers on every stage, her expression didn’t falter.

Every so often, she’d glance at me, and I got the sense she was waiting for me to release her hand or let her go. Maybe she thought that by being there, I’d act more like Chaos or Soul, who happily flirted with every girl who walked up to them the second we arrived. But standing in a room filled with beautiful women, there was only one worth looking at, and I sure as hell wasn’t letting her leave my side.

Reagan laughs at something Tempe says, and I’m drawn to the curve of her ruby lips. They’re a beacon screaming out to me, while her black dress hugs her every curve. Still, I meant what I said when I told her that her physical beauty is only a fraction of what I find stunning about her. Because the shimmer in her eyes when she meets my gaze can’t be replicated.

She’s pure kindness. She’s genuine.

I’ve never met someone who wears their heart on their sleeve unapologetically, and the vulnerability is captivating. If I’m not careful, she’s quickly going to become an addiction I can’t break.

“Get a fucking room already.” Soul knocks me on the arm, following my gaze to the table where Reagan, Luna, and Tempe are standing around.

We’ve given them some space to talk, but they’re close enough that it’s clear they’re with us. No one dares approach them, even if a couple of assholes at the bar have already considered it, staring at her ass long enough that I want to break their faces.

A guy walks past Reagan, looking her over, and I turn away before I shove my beer bottle down his throat.

“I’ll back you up if you want to do something about it.” Chaos grins, likely seeing it himself.

“No fighting tonight.” Steel’s tone has edge, and I know he’s only saying it because he doesn’t want anyone to get locked up .

But when some guy at the bar stares too long at Tempe, and he pops his knuckles, I feel his resolve wavering.

“You sure about that no fighting rule, Prez?” Soul chuckles, noticing it as well.

Havoc lifts off his stool and slaps Steel on the shoulder. “I’ve got this.”

He ties his hair back and moves from our table to theirs, asking the girls if they need anything and effectively shutting down any rogue gazes from the men lingering nearby without needing to put a bullet between their eyes.

Havoc’s a big guy in every way—tall and wide. His presence quickly clears out the competition. And even if it didn’t, Ghost sitting beside me, watching the scene with daggers in his eyes, would do the trick.

Luna smiles when she catches Ghost watching her, and I wonder if she sees the dark side she draws out in him. If she realizes the lengths he’d go to for her.

Does it scare her?

Does it make her regret getting involved with the club?

Or does she accept him, sins and all?

In my mind, I still see Reagan standing at the opposite end of the hallway. Blood dried on my hands. My shirt. My pants. Splatter on my boots.

Tangible proof of what I’m capable of.

Could she accept it like Luna and Tempe have?

Should she have to?

Havoc circles back around to us, giving the girls some space, and snagging his beer off the table .

“They’re good,” Havoc confirms, grinning when his gaze lands on me. “They’re just gossiping about our boy Legacy chasing the nanny into the shower.”

Chaos and Soul burst out laughing, and I know I’m never going to hear the end of this.

“Pretty sure that’s workplace harassment,” Soul points out, helpful as ever.

Chaos grins, resting his forearms on the bar table. “Maybe she was off the clock?”

“Fuck both of you.” My gaze cuts to Ghost for backup.

He shrugs, not even bothering to look at me. “Your mess, brother. Need I remind you how helpful you were with Luna?”

He’s still pissed I told Bea that Ghost was going to marry Luna someday. I didn’t think twice about it because it was obvious to me from the beginning, but I should have known Bea wouldn’t keep it to herself.

“I was right.” I shrug, my gaze sliding to Soul. “Besides, at least when I fuck in the shower, no one walks out with a concussion.”

“Mild concussion.” Soul grins, not embarrassed at all. “I was making her see literal stars, my brother. Besides, what’s the point of fucking if you’re not having fun with it?”

“You’re gonna die getting laid someday, man.”

“And may I rest in peace when I do.” He kisses two fingers and lifts them to the sky.

Everyone chuckles except Steel, who is lost in his own world thinking about something as he turns to Havoc. “Any movement at the perimeter this week? ”

“Only Jameson Steel would ignore a perfectly good conversation about fucking in the shower to bring up those assholes.” Soul says what we’re all thinking. “So damn serious. I feel bad for your woman, brother.”

Steel’s icy stare cuts to Soul, who doesn’t apologize.

“They’re still prepping for something,” Havoc answers, not specifying what perimeter we’re talking about because we’re in public, and we all know Havoc has been monitoring the borders of Iron Sinners land. “More rolled in a few days ago, so they’re definitely gathering forces.”

We’ve been expecting it since we rescued Luna from their grasp a few months ago, but it doesn’t mean it’s not unsettling to hear confirmation.

War is stirring.

Havoc has been monitoring their property from afar for any hints of change, and this week, other Iron Sinners chapters started rolling in, which means they’re finally ready.

It’s one of the reasons we’re out tonight. To see if anything feels off in the city. Luckily, it’s been clear so far.

“Reach out to our… friends…” Steel glances around to make sure no one is listening. “See if they’ve heard anything. And I want every dollar accounted for. Whatever they do is going to cost a lot with how many people they’ve gathered. If even a penny seems out of place, I want to know about it.”

“You got it, Prez.” I nod.

“That’s enough of that.” Chaos stands up tall, stretching his arms out. “You guys are such buzzkills. We’re at a bar, for fuck’s sake. This is why Soul and I usually leave your uptight asses at home.”

“Like we’d join your antics if you asked us to.” Havoc chuckles, sipping his beer.

Chaos and Soul ignore the insult as they disappear into the crowd in the direction of a pair of girls who have been staring at our table for the last ten minutes. But while Chaos and Soul are in the mood to flirt, all I feel is tension in the air.

And I swear there are eyes on me, even if I can’t figure out where they’re coming from.

Reagan, Tempe, and Luna finish their conversation and start walking toward our table. Reagan’s dark lashes sweep down as she avoids my gaze. But her pink cheeks give her away.

The guys are going to tease me nonstop about the shower, and that’s fine because I like the fact that she was whispering to her friends about it. I want to please her. I want to make her happy.

I want to twist this girl and fuck her senseless in every corner of my house.

But right as Reagan cuts across the dance floor, someone grabs her wrist, and my vision turns red. The guy who looks barely old enough to drink stops her and says something. She tries to tug her hand away, but he refuses to release it.

She tugs again, and I’m already moving. At my side, I feel Havoc following, swearing under his breath. I’ve been fine with Steel’s no-fighting rule because the last place I feel like being tonight is in a jail cell, but this asshole touched what’s mine.

He’s so enamored by Reagan that he doesn’t see us coming. Not until I grab his wrist hard enough to splinter his bones as I start to twist.

He releases Reagan on a yelp, and his eyes widen as he looks up at me.

“Jesse…”

I vaguely hear Reagan saying my name, but I don’t look at her. All I see is this fucker who put his hand on her while Havoc shields her from what’s happening.

“Did she say you could touch her?” I bend the guy’s wrist until he groans.

People are starting to notice, which is the only reason I haven’t broken every bone in his body yet. He’d scream, and it would draw attention. Just like people would notice if I pulled out my gun and painted the room with his brain matter.

“Sorry, I—”

I twist his wrist a little further, pulling him close so only he can hear me. Sweat drips down his forehead from the pain.

“That woman you put your hands on isn’t yours to touch. She isn’t yours to look at.” I’m seething, dots staining the corners of my vision. “Do you know how easily I could snap your wrist right now? Better yet, the number of ways I know how to snap your neck?”

His eyes widen, and his face pales. He looks from me to Havoc before focusing on the patches on our cuts .

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. That guy gave me a hundred bucks to bring her over. Said he knew her.”

“What guy?” My teeth are on the verge of cracking; I’m clenching them so tight.

“I don’t know, man.” He scans a spot to his left. “He was right over there. Tall. Dark hair. Mole on his face.”

Fuck.

I pull my phone from my pocket with my free hand, not releasing his wrist, and flipping until I get to the picture in the email Ghost sent me.

“Yeah, him,” the guy confirms when I show him Lincoln’s picture.

I look over at Havoc, who nods. That answers that—Lincoln is no longer in the wind. He’s in Vegas. And there’s no way he ended up at this bar accidentally. Which means he’s been watching.

Scanning the room, I don’t see him. So he either offered the guy money to see if he could lure Reagan out, or he wanted to see who would come to her rescue. Either way, he’s gone.

Still, I notice Havoc texting on his phone, likely sending an order to the prospects outside to search for him.

“I swear that’s all it was,” the guy pleads, and I’m reminded he’s even there.

I take a step back, turning him toward Reagan. “Say it to her. Apologize.”

He looks at Reagan with tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Louder.” I twist his wrist, and he nearly passes out.

“I’m sorry! ”

I release his wrist, and he grabs it in pain. But when he steps back, he runs into Ricky, who has come up behind him.

“ID,” I instruct Ricky.

He pulls the guy’s wallet from his pocket and hands it to me. I flip it open and hold it out for Havoc to take a picture.

“Keep your mouth shut, or this will be the least of your problems.”

His face unnaturally pales as he backs into the crowd.

“Prospects said there’s no sign of Lincoln outside,” Havoc says under his breath so Reagan can’t hear us.

“Which means he’s just fucking with us.” And I don’t like it.

“I’ll touch base with Steel.” Havoc leaves me standing in the middle of the bar with Reagan, and without him standing between us, she comes into view.

Her eyes are wide with shock, and the beautiful pink blush that stained her cheeks has vanished. Her stare meets mine; I’m once more dragged to that hallway.

Her on one end, looking perfect.

Me on the other, covered in blood.

I wait for her to recoil when I reach out for her. I wait for her to tell me I’m not worth it after what she just saw.

But when I nudge her chin up, and her eyes blink up at me, all I find is the peace I’m too selfish to let go of.

“Are you okay?” I trace her features like it can put back together whatever that asshole tried to take.

“I—” She cuts herself off, wetting her lips. “Lincoln?”

“You heard that? ”

She nods. “He came to Vegas for me?”

“You don’t need to worry about it,” I promise her with every fiber of my being. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“You’re sorry?” She huffs out a laugh, and I think it’s fear until her shoulders relax and she steps closer. “I’m the reason Lincoln is here.”

“It’s not your fault.” I cup her cheek. “His actions are not your fault .”

Her eyes gloss, and I wish my words were enough for her to believe me. “That guy grabbed me, and I just froze. I… if you hadn’t been here.”

“But I was.”

She swallows. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you, sweetheart.” I brush my thumb over her lower lip, and she shivers.

She stares at me for so long that I swear she sees straight through me. But as the song changes, she finally breaks my gaze, glancing around, like she’s remembering it’s not just us and we’re in a room full of people.

Her lips press together, drawing color into them. “Dance with me?”

She sounds uncertain.

Like she thinks I’ll turn her down. Like she doesn’t get that she’s impossible to resist. The only person in this room worth being around.

Like she isn’t making me consider things I swore I never would.

I take her hand and kiss the back of it like I’m some kind of gentleman. “Of course.”

How could I resist?