Page 14 of Ruthless Reign

Silence as Kaleb pulled onto the road.

“That’s why you aren’t going to help, right? Because of me? Because you want to stay attached to me at the fucking hip?”

I watched a muscle jump in Kaleb’s temple from the rearview mirror.

“Take me with you then. I don’t have to go inside. I’ll just wait in the car and you can lock the doors. No one will even know I’m there.”

Kaleb sighed. “I mean, maybe if?—”

“Absolutely not,” Hardin interrupted.

I kicked the back of his seat, making him jolt forward and whip around to glare at me in a way that made my blood chill and my stomach squeeze at the same time. “Stop being a dick,” I hissed. “What if you guys not going tonight means they say no? Hmm?”

“Then they say no,” Hardin hissed right back.

“Great and then we’re stuck at square one. You don’t get it, do you? If you guys don’t do your part, then this goes on longer than it needs to. Maybe ‘this’ doesn’t end at all. Maybe I stay ‘in danger,’” I put air quotes around the words and give my best impression of a grouchy ass Hardin voice. “Or maybe that’s what you want? As long as I’m not safe you get to keep me right where you want me.”

“Vixen…”

“Kaleb…” I mimic, hating how I sound but hating this bullshit more. I’m not going to be the reason more people are hurt. I won’t be the reason more people get killed.

I’d been there and done that back in Thorn Valley. This was a fresh start. A new me. And Becca 2.0 wasn’t going to cower and hide while other people put their lives on the line.

“Literally the least I can do is go with you and wait in the car.”

Kaleb and Hardin shared a look.

“Fine,” Kaleb said and I watched Hardin’s upper lip curl, but he didn’t fight his brother, instead turning his acidic stare back to the window.

“But if you step one toe out of this car?—”

“I won’t,” I rushed to say. “I swear.”

The ugly truth was that I didn’t want to. As fucking if I wanted to go into another gang lair and stand next to people who know how to kill me fifty different ways. Yeah. Hard pass. I’d stick with the evil I knew thank you very much.

I realized where we were going only a minute before we got there. I knew better than to think they were dropping me off at home, though.

“You won’t make your shift at Death Before Decaf,” Kaleb said as he pulled past the cafe, and I peered in to see Toby passing two hot coffees to a couple at the counter with that massive smile of his.

“Three’s a crowd for my bedroom at the apartment,” I said, assuming they were planning to stay with me. “One of you will have to take the couch.”

The tiniest smirk pulled at Hardin’s mouth, and I wanted to kick the back of his seat again. I didn’t say which one of them would share my bed. Maybe tonight it would be Kaleb, if only to teach Hardin a lesson in manners.

“We aren’t staying, Vixen,” Kaleb said, an apology in his eyes as he flicked his gaze up to meet mine through the rearview. “We don’t need to put Toby and Kate in danger, too.”

My stomach turned, and I swallowed, clenching my teeth. I hadn’t even thought of that. Suddenly all the pride I felt earlier when I offered Damien a solution he actually liked—and commended me for—evaporated. “Right.”

“Figured you would need a change of clothes,” he explained as we parked and Hardin jumped out to clear the street and the alley where the entrance to the apartment was. “Maybe some girl shit, too, or whatever.”

Of course.

We were just here for a quick pit stop so I could pick up the pieces of my life I finally found a place for and move them again. Totally fine.

Hardin led us up the stairs and Kaleb followed behind me. I could feel his stare tracing the curves of my body with every step we took.

“Keys,” Hardin demanded when we got to the top, and I dug them out of my bag, tossing them at him.

I was pretty sure I could unlock a damn door myself, but I was tired of arguing already. Actually, I felt like I needed a nap. I blamed Hardin’s insatiable appetite. We were up until practically dawn in his room. My greedy pussy didn’t mind, even if it was a bit battered, but my body…that was another story. My muscles felt like I’d run a full marathon and my joints creaked like I was fucking tin man. Then there were the bruises. I could really use a hot bath.

---