Page 175 of Lost Lyrebird

“Like level eleven, on a scale of one to ten.”

He laughs.“Which is?”

“Let’s just say today I’m Karma—since the bitch doesn’t know how to do her job right.”

He rubs his hands together in excitement.“Tell me more.”

“Murder, maiming, and mayhem.”

His eyes light up.“Oh, ho, ho!Now we’re tal—”

I place my fingers over his loud-ass mouth.“Shhh!”His eyes go wide… like, how dare I shush him.“It’s not something we want to shout to the rafters.”

He sweeps my hand away.“Why the fuck not?You think they care?”Looking around, he says, “They don’t fucking care.They’d have your back, too, if you let them.”

My gaze roams over the main room and lands on Dozer and Griz at the bar.Griz throws me a sexy smile before taking a drag from his cigarette.Dozer gives me a chin nod and a wave.Taz’s gaze is locked on us from the couch where a girl is kneeling before him and presently kissing her way down his chest.He’s sucking on a toothpick.But yeah, girl or not, he looks ready to jump up and do just that.Come to my aid if asked.

Cap walks in from the hallway at that exact moment and says, “Hello, Sweetheart.How’s Goose this morning?”

“He’s doing good.”

“Tell him we’ll be up to see him the minute he’s up for visitors, yeah?”

I give him a soft grin.“I will.”

Cap heads to the bar, where Lita—one of the clubpieces, a pretty Latina—is standing behind.She hurries to grab him a beer when he asks for one.

I acknowledge that Bodie has a point.“Okay, yes.That may be.But I just need you.You’ll get why when we get there.”

“Me?”He raises a brow, his mouth lifting into a cocky grin.“You’re choosing me over one of the other guys?Really?Color me intrigued.”

“I’m serious, Bodie,” I say, voice steady, though my heart hammers beneath the surface.“I’m about to do something… that could send me away for a very long time.And I need the help of someone I can trust with my life.So, it’s you.Or no one.”

His brows lift, and he steps back slightly, appraising me like I’m a puzzle he’s just beginning to figure out.He recrosses his arms and bobs his head.“Then lay it out for me, Lil’.What do ya need?”

After exhaling, I say, “First, I need you to call off my babysitting detail.Grinder’s great.A real teddy bear, but he can’t follow me today.Tell him you’ll take over.Then I need your assistance taking care of a problem.Can you do that for me?”

His gaze narrows.“That’s givin’ me shit all to go off of.”

“Well, I need to know I can trust you to be on board with my plan before I fill you in on the details.”

He studies me for a beat longer, as if weighing my words.The hard edges soften, replaced by the Bodie I know—charming, teasing, always ready to have some fun.A slow, lazy grin spreads across his face.“I’ve gotta admit, Lil’, I’m liking this version of you.You don’t have a twin by chance?”

I roll my eyes, but a small smile tugs at my lips.“Not a twin, but I have a sister.A young, very innocent sister who knows absolutely nothing about the kind of life I lead.”

“Oh shit.That’s my crack.Where is she, and when do I get to meet her?”

I pat his chest.“Hahaha.The answer to that is never, Bodie.Never.”

“I thought you liked me.That’s fuckin’ mean, Lil’.”

“Unless you want a bullet hole in your dick, it’s a rule you’ll abide by.”

“Jesus!Woman.Who the fuck are you right now?”

It only takes me a second to think through my answer, and what I give him is the absolute truth.“This is me.Someone who knows how to handle herself.Someone you don’t want to fuck with.You get me?”

“Yeah, yeah.Fuck.But tell me—is it weird that my cock jumped in my pants at that statement?”He holds up his hands when I open my mouth to scold him.“Calm down.I mean that in a totally platonic way.”