Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 76082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
28
NATALIE
"Tell me again why she's here?" Eagle-eye nods his head at me while I stand schoolgirl straight just inside the door to his office. "This is club business."
"And this club business is her business," says Quickshot. "She's got a lot of fucking stake here, and I think she should be here."
"You guys agree?" Eagle-eye's good eye flits between Animal and Badass. When they nod, he relents, easing back in his chair. "Fine. Have a seat. Let's see where this goes."
I'm not going to lie. Eagle-eye terrifies me. Not because I think he's especially vicious, or that I'm particularly afraid of his creepy, white eye, but he's got that vibe, that aura of no-bullshit command that makes me feel like he'll do anything necessary to protect his club. That's great, sure, except I'm not actually part of it. Which means I'm expendable. Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't imagine someone running a club like the Screaming Eagles without being completely ruthless when needed.
As I take a seat on the couch along the wall, as far away from him as possible, I'm distracted by an adorable brown and black head with silky fur. It's a dog, a boxer, I think, and he's nudging his head against my hands to get under them. Well, you don't turn down a request like that. "Hey there, doggo. What's your name?" I whisper to him.
"Jupiter," says Eagle-eye matter-of-factly. "Don't let him fool you. He gets more cuddles than a whore running a two for one sale and has enough kibble to eat himself to death twice over."
"Um, right." Not sure how he's going to fool me, exactly, but if it's cuddles he wants, I'm here for it. "Hey boy," I say as I let him plop his head in my lap so I can give him his scritches. I'll admit, Eagle-eye wouldn't be keeping a sweet little dog like this around if he didn't have at least a little heart. It makes me feel a little safer.
"Watch the drool," Eagle-eye notes, then turns to Quickshot. "So what's the deal?"
"We wanna know what’s going on with the Unwanted." That gets my attention. I look up while I scratch Jupiter under the ears. He goes nearly limp in my lap. Apparently, I'm hitting the right spot. Quickshot crosses his arms. "You saw how they fucking were the other night, and so long as they’re out there, they’re a danger to our girl and her sister. What are we waiting for?”
Our girl? God, that sends a wave of warmth through me—safe warmth, not so much the pooling between my legs kind. Actually, that's not true. Safe warmth and the pooling between my legs kind.
None of the guys look my way, busy facing Eagle-eye, but I see the quirk of a little smile at the corner of Animal's mouth, like he knows I’m hanging on every word. Is that true? Do they think I’m theirs? They bought me and that was our deal, but it’s become so much more than that. At least for me. And hopefully for them, too?
That's part of why we're here.
"Your girl, huh?" Eagle-eye aims his good eye in my direction for a moment, then down to where I'm petting Jupiter. He nods as if in approval, then goes back to the guys. I don't know what to make of that. "I get your concern, but until we know what's going on behind the scenes, I don't want to see anyone making a move. I've got another meeting with Cain coming up where we'll hammer out a protection deal for expanding their range in exchange for a cut, but he's being cagey. I don't trust that fucker more than a Pit Viper."
The guys nod as if that means something more than just the literal.
"Are we sure there's someone behind them?" asks Animal. "Maybe they just lucked into some good contacts or some shit?"
"If it was one auction, sure, but this is a steady stream. No fucking way they have the presence to get their hands on what they were selling. I think girls are a side gig for them. Natalie was an opportunity to make some cash, but I don’t get the feeling Cain’s interested in dealing with the mess of human trafficking. But bricks and bricks of coke? All those fucking guns? Someone's feeding them." Eagle-eye starts pacing behind his desk. "But so far none of our feelers have paid off. It’s pissing me the fuck off."
Badass strokes his chin as he puts his weight against the arm of the couch. "Any way to get someone on the inside?"
Eagle-eye looks towards me immediately.
"Fuck no." Animal moves so he stands between me and his president. "We're not fucking sending her back there. You don't trust Cain? Well, we don't fucking trust Crusher, especially with Natalie. New fucking idea."