Page 17

The clubhouse doors slam open and a red-headed tornado comes flying through the door. Her face shows trouble as she aims for me.

Manic follows behind her, and when I lift a brow, he just stares at me, refusing to give anything away.

Shit. It’s not like I don’t already know I’ve been a selfish prick. I’ve kept Birdie locked up at the house and to myself. I use the excuse that it was better to keep them separate until we learn where Birdie’s husband is and what the hell he’s got planned.

That’s the reason I’ve spent all day today at the club. We’ve got church set up for this evening once all the council members are off work.

But it’s all just that . . .

An excuse.

I keep Birdie isolated at the house because I’m a fucking prick who doesn’t give a shit about how anyone feels except her and my kids.

“Where the fuck is my sister?” she snarls, her fists clenched at her sides.

Leaning back in my chair, I fold my arms across my chest and smirk. “Hello to you too, Kyrie.”

“I don’t greet people I don’t like. Where is my sister?”

“Valkyrie Josephina,” Manic drawls in warning.

I tilt my head. “You know, I’ve gutted men for showing such disrespect.”

Valkyrie tilts hers in the opposite direction. The smile that suddenly covers her face would no doubt scare a lesser man. “You know I’m not scared of you. Do you want to know why?”

Oh, I have a pretty good idea, but instead of saying that, I wave a hand for her to continue.

“Any harm to me also harms her. It wouldn’t be me you’d see in your nightmares, Apollonos.

It would be my twin sister. And if you thought the last seven years were bad, do what those demons in your eyes are demanding you do.

We both know you wouldn’t feel anything for doing it, but Birdie?

She definitely would.” Valkyrie leans so close to me I can see a few monsters in her eyes, too.

“Now, for the last time, where the hell is my sister?”

I sigh because the woman is right. No matter how much she disrespects me, I won’t harm her. She’s lucky that Birdie is my goddamn conscience right now.

“Birdie is fine.”

“That’s what he’d always say, too. I need to see her.”

“I’m not him,” I growl.

“Then stop holding her hostage,” she screams, her voice cracking on the last word. “He did this, too. Kept her to himself. Never let me see her. Barely got to talk to her. When I asked, he always said she was okay. Newsflash, dickhead, I didn’t believe him either.”

Being compared to the monster who broke my Birdie has my skin crawling. It’s a strange feeling wanting to peel back my flesh to see if the rot goes bone deep.

Would the word villain be carved upon my skeleton? That’d be one hell of a warning for whoever brushes the dirt away from my carcass a million years from now. A neon sign that blares, ‘Do not use in a séance, for you’ll wake a demon.’

I may be corrupt and without a soul, but there’d never be a moment I would lay a hand on Birdie in a way that would hurt her. Not unless she begged me real pretty-like.

My body unfurls slowly as I climb to my feet. A hint of fear flashes in Valkyrie’s eyes, but she doesn’t step back like most would when confronted with my size. She only tilts her head back to glare up at me, her eyes sparking with angry demands.

Before I walk past her, I lean down so only she can hear my next words.

“Next time you feel like being disrespectful, try it out on the man standing behind you. Something tells me he wouldn’t mind bending you over his knee a time or two.

Because, Valkyrie, if you choose to bring it to me again in front of my club, I’ll cut your fucking tongue out. ”

When I peer at Manic, his jaw grinds back and forth while retribution lights his eyes. He won’t do it now, but there’ll be a time he makes me get in the ring with him.

I grin wickedly at him as I walk past and smack him on the shoulder. “Someone needed to give you a push. You can name your next kid after me to thank me. I’m fucking outstanding.”

It’s not until I’m at the door that I realize no one is following behind me. Valkyrie and Manic are arguing quietly. As interesting as it is to see who will come out on top, I didn’t just threaten my sister-in-law for shits and giggles.

“You can fuck it out later. Let’s ride,” I yell.

Manic flips me off and Valkyrie gives me the stink eye, but they both lock their shit down and hurry after me.

“I don’t know how my sister ever put up with you,” Valkyrie snarls as she stomps past.

“Because I’m a big ol’ teddy bear, sugarplum,” I call out to her back.

“More like one of the electronic bears with a warped tape and wonky eye,” she replies.

Huh. Pretty fucking proud of her right now.

Wait . . . what if she wasn’t joking, though?

My boots smack against the concrete as I hurry to my bike to lean down into the mirror.

I don’t really have a fucking wonky eye, right?

There’s no way the chaos in my head is that much on display.

Right?

Valkyrie laughs as she watches me tilt my head one way, then the other as I try to see it.

I turn to glare at her when I decide she is a big, fat liar. But then it’s my turn to smile as she climbs on the back of Manic’s bike.

Well, well, well.

He swore he’d never let a woman ride bitch unless she wore his name across her neck. Seems my brother has finally decided to claim his woman.

Even during his relationship with Emma, his son’s mother, that seat stayed empty.

Valkyrie’s fate is sealed, and she remains unaware of it.

If I was a good brother-in-law, I’d probably warn her. Fuck that shit, though. I’ll sit back and watch the explosion. An enormous bowl of popcorn couldn’t hurt either. Hell, I’ll throw some hustle and sell tickets to the show. Start a betting pool or some shit. Bet I could make some good money.

They’re still bitching at each other when I fire up my bike and fly past them. I shake my head. Fucking amateur. He should have already worn her ass out for that mouth.

My hair dances in the wind as I fly through the street.

I grin, thinking about the past with my woman.

Birdie used to love being a brat on purpose.

Is that part of her still in there somewhere? I’m betting it is.

Wicked, dangerous hunger rushes through me at the thought of bringing the brat out of her again.

Devious waits on the porch as I pull up. He meets me at the bottom of the steps.

“How are they doing?”

“Alive and breathing, Prez. Heard some cute little giggles a bit ago, so I’d say they’re not complaining about where they’re at.”

“Birdie been out today?”

“They were all out here playing earlier. Will say one thing, Prez. Those three got a bond like I ain’t ever seen before. Their love for one another runs deep as fuck. She’s a good mom.”

“Naw, brother. She’s a great fucking mom. Thanks for looking after them.”

“Anytime. I’m just a phone call away if you need me.”

I clap him on the back. “You’re one hell of a prospect, Devious. You’re going to make one hell of a brother.”

He clears his throat and glances away just as Manic and Valkyrie climb from his bike. “Appreciate it.”

“Are you being a big bully again and making prospects cry?” Valkyrie snarks as she stomps up the porch.

“You two fight like you’re brother and sister or some shit,” Manic mutters.

Valkyrie’s lip curls back at his words. “No, thanks. The last brother I had let us down.”

Neither of us responds since she’s already opening the front door.

I laugh at the frustrated expression on Manic’s face. “Welcome to loving a Fitzgerald twin, brother. They’re hell on wheels.”

A pensive look crosses his face. “She’s so fucking different from Emma.”

“Look, brother. Emma was a wonderful woman, but she didn’t fit you. She loved you, but she was too calm. You need that fire that scorches your skin, and there’s only one woman who can give you that.”

“Ky and I got a lot of baggage between us. She’s carrying my damage deep inside her.”

I sigh, running my fingers through my tangled hair. “Neither of us has an easy ride, that’s for damn sure.”

That thread inside my chest that connects me to Birdie urges me to go to her. It’s the connection of our souls that locked back into place when she dropped into my life days ago.

Birdie is sitting on the couch with Valkyrie. The pillow in her arms is slowly losing life as she strangles it in her arms. It’s a simple protection from the world that screams how uncomfortable she is. She’s been that way since I made her burn those fucking clothes she brought with her.

Valkyrie is talking to her, but she’s not paying attention. If she was, she’d see that vacant look in those beautiful, broken green eyes of her sisters.

But I do.

I fucking see it.

Crouching in front of her, I yank the pillow out of the way so I can reach her easier. I wrap my fingers around her jaw and hold her loose enough that she can get free easily, but tight enough that she’s able to anchor.

“What the hell are you doing? Get your fucking hands off her,” Valkyrie shouts.

I would have been good with her, but when Birdie flinches from her tone, I lose my shit.

I swing my head toward her, baring my teeth.

Venom pours from my tongue. “Make her flinch like that again and I’ll douse you in flames and watch you burn.

You know goddamn well I’d never physically hurt her.

If you’d have been paying attention, you’d have seen she wasn’t even fucking present while you were running your mouth.

She needed an anchor, and that’s what the fuck I’m doing.

If you can’t chill out, you can get the fuck out and not come back.

” Birdie trembles under my touch, so I turn back to her.

“Shhh. I got you, little mama. You’re okay.

I’m here. Kyrie’s here. You’re safe. We’re not him. ”

“He’s not here,” she whispers.

A soft whimper escapes Valkyrie’s lips as the realization dawns that she missed her sister’s distress. Manic can fucking do that comfort shit with her.

“No, baby. He’s not here.”

It takes her a few minutes, but she eventually blinks a few times and comes back to us.

“I’m sorry. I’ll do better.”

With a groan, I pull her face toward mine until I can rest our foreheads together. “Don’t you dare fucking apologize for that shit, little mama. You’re here. You’re safe. You’re fucking breathing. We’ll get you through the rest of it.”

Birdie clears her throat and pulls away, reaching up to pat her damn head to make sure all of her hair is still in that ridiculous, tight bun. “Geez. We have company and here I am being silly. I apologize, Valkyrie. I didn’t mean to cause you any undue distress.”

Valkyrie and I glance at each other at the prim and proper tone of Birdie’s words. We finally understand each other. The damage is deep, and it’s going to take Birdie’s family to help her find the light again.

All of us.

Including the club.

“Better buckle up, buttercup. It’s about to get saucy around here,” I mumble to Valkyrie.

I kind of want to climb to my feet and clap my hands in excitement, but she already thinks I have a wonky eye.

Act chill, nod as if we’re on the same page, and smile.

“Wonky eye,” Valkyrie mouths again.

Motherfucking bullshit, man.