Page 73 of Eden's Joker

“Why would you do that?”

She stammers and recoils from my hard gaze. Anything she says will be a lie. Because that’s what women do. They lie. Especially Devil women. Which she is.

“Because I don’t want you to die. And I don’t want anyone else I love to die,” she says. “Because I think I love you.”

Fuck. If she’s lying right now, then she’s the most devious woman on the planet. A part of me really needed to hear that. But the saner part, the part that’s in control—thankfully—knows it can’t possibly be true. She’s just doing what all captives do. Sucking up to her kidnapper.

She just tried to run away a couple of hours ago. That’s how much she loves me. What the hell is wrong with me for even entertaining believing her words?

But she’s so damn sweet and pure and honest. She wears her heart on her sleeve and doesn’t know how to lie.

I’m getting nauseous from those thoughts that are bouncing from one extreme to the other, but I can’t shut them off.

“I won’t hurt you, Eden,” I say and that’s true on so many more levels than just the logical one. “And I can’t let you go.”

The medic, Sarge, and some of the others walk inbefore she can answer. Most of them are covered in blood.

“How’s Brick?” I ask.

“He’s gonna make it,” the medic, Stitcher, tells me. “Probably.”

“That’s good enough,” I say.

He comes to me, grimacing at my wound like he doesn’t like what he sees.

“Take care of her first,” I say, and I can just see he’s gonna argue, so I forestall it with, “I insist,” as I take her off my lap and place her on the sofa beside me.

I walk to Sarge who’s looking at me like the blood on his shirt is actually his and not that of his men.

“Call an Extended Family Meeting,” I tell him. That’s what we call it when I want all members in attendance. “I’ll be down as soon as I’m patched up. There’s a lot to discuss.”

“Like why she’s not a prisoner?”

I nod, no use denying it. “That and a whole bunch of other things. We have the Devils. They’re as good as destroyed.”

Behind me, Eden gasps again, making that pained sound that makes getting shot preferable to hearing it. But there’s no other way. I will spare her. Because I think that maybe I kinda sorta love her too.

But I will not spare her murdering family.

She’ll probably want to follow them in death. But I guess on that day, I’ll finally know if the words that came out of her mouth today were true or justlies.

I left her sleeping in the four-poster bed in the master bedroom, even though I wanted nothing more than to lie under the soft covers beside her and fall asleep too. But my MC is getting antsy. What Brick, Sonny, and Trip did tonight is just the tip of the iceberg.

Not everyone is back yet from the last battle, and some will never return. That needs to be commemorated too.

None of the buildings in Justice are big enough to fit all of us, so I’m holding the meeting in the dust of Main Street in front of the Saloon. It’s a mild night, smoke is rising from the few torches we’ve set up to give us some light. Everyone looks tired, including the hoes mixed in with my men.

I now know that Eden was able to run away tonight because some of our guys had returned from the battle and everyone was too interested to hear about what had happened to keep a proper watch on her.

I have their full attention, so I raise the bottle of bourbon I’m holding and spill some into the dust. “This is for our fallen brothers. Maybe they find the peace in death that they didn’t find in life. Once this is all over, we’ll ride for them.”

Many murmur agreements, some grumble and sound unsatisfied, but all raise whatever drink they’re holding, or even just their hands if they’re not, and salute our fallen brothers too.

“I know I haven’t been much of a leader lately,” I say once the noise of the crowd dies down again. “As you all know, I’ve always been single-minded in my pursuit of vengeance against the Devils. I promised you all that vengeance and now it’s time to deliver.”

Some voice agreement, others grumble again.

“But the plan has changed.”

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