Page 35 of Hell on Wheels

“You need to quit drinking me out of Irish and go have fun, Rebel. Your sister will be fine,” Winnie says as she gives me a top off.

I roll my eyes at the unsolicited advice. I’m never happy when random people decide to tell me how I should handle myself or Rogue. It’s been us against the world since I was adopted, and only the two of us understand our bond. “Winnie, Rogue messing around with you a few times doesnotgive you permission to butt into our business.”

“I’m aware of how little I meant to her. No need to be a surly jackass.” She spins on her heel, heading to the other end of the bar in a huff.

Watching her interact with the other revelers, I consider how salty her statement was. Word is my sister is even more blunt with her conquests than any of us guys, so I know she didn’t give the bartender a false impression about their relationship. Why is Winnie so Bitter Betty about it? Could she be angry enough to have helped the Sickos with their attack?

If so, she’s a dead nymph walking.

I push off the bar, thinking about the night of the fight as I walk to a new vantage point. Rogue and I were drinking different booze; nothing new about that. But if the bartender slippedsomething into her drinks, it might have helped slow her down enough for that mob to get her out the back door. And Minawasswapping spit with a shadowy chick who made sure she couldn’t be identified.

A frown settles on my face as I look around the bar. The upgrades and renovation last year had to cost a pretty penny. I thought Winnie had wealthy parents, but I’m not sure I know her last name. What if she borrowed the money to keep this place popular? Maybe from a less than legal source like one of the Stuhlls’ loan sharks…

Those aquatic shifters mean business and if she owed them, Winnie wouldn’t have a choice.

Places have burned down for much less than saying ‘no’ to Vinnie the Tooth.

“Hey, Reb. Sariah and her girlfriend are here. They want to talk to you about the race,” Javi startles me as he approaches quietly.

“Why now?” I grumble as I tear my eyes away from the sight of my step sibling and her friends using the poles in the middle of the floor for something decidedlynotroller skating tricks.

Morrigan, help me, she’s going to get groped and I…

“I dunno, man. She said to send you over to the VIP section. I can take your place creeping on Dragonfly. Don’t worry.”

“I’mnot…Fuck, nevermind. You watch her and I’ll go see what the hell is going on.” I stalk off as he heads into the crowd to take a spot in the inner circle so he can see her better.

This better be good.

TikTok

I make my way through the crowd, standing in the circle surrounding the Bombers. Rogue and Anita are spinning on the trick poles like they’re in a strip club, and the cheers are deafening. This isn’t unlike either of them, but I guarantee some of Dragonfly’s rebellion tonight is about Reb being so domineering. She doesn’t enjoy being caged, and her stepbrother is desperately trying to put as many barriers as possible between her and anyone who might have accepted that fucking contract.

Damon swears he’s working on tracing the original post on the dark web layers, but that takes time unless we figure out access to a much stronger network or a supercomputer. I’ve put a call into my parents to see if they can use their large donations toCSU to arrange a time for D to use their multi-million dollar quantum processor, but I haven’t heard yet.

That’s not surprising… Esmerelda and Diego are infamous for ignoring my existence unless they need an heir to prance about in front of their Society friends. If I don’t hear soon, I’ll do something they can’t ignore. It’s the only way I can force them to respond, though I despise having to behave like a recalcitrant child.

“Take it off!”

The shout from the crowd picks up quickly, turning into a loud chant before I can register where it came from. I wouldn’t put it past one of Mina’s minions to encourage Rogue to do something that might violate her contracts. A strip tease video would certainly ruffle the feathers of the Society, if not her team management. I can’t let her feed off the energy in this mass of people and make a decision she’ll regret later. Her succubus side is probably champing at the bit because of the lust in the air as it is.

“Dragonfly,” I say as I walk up to her. She’s upside down on the pole, her hands gripping it as she spreads her legs in an invert. “Maybe we should take a brief break from the limelight, eh? You look thirsty.”

She snorts, twisting her body into another position, and I have to duck a skate. “I can’t imagine why you’d show up right as people are hooting for me to get naked. Reb is probably off acting like I have to be a nun and he dispatched the most passive friend he could.”

Passive? Oh, she hasnotbeen paying attention.

“I weigh the probabilities before I act, but that doesn’t make me passive. You’re looking at it… upside down.”

“That wasbad, Javi. Ugh.” Rogue flips to her feet gracefully before she gives me an irritated expression. “I don’t react well to being caged without my consent, and Reb knows it. Danger comes and goes—I won’t let the terrorists win their campaign. Hiding isn’t my style.”

I grab her hand, lifting her knuckles to my lips playfully. “That doesn’t mean you have to be foolish. You can go out and have fun without letting the bastards grind you down without risking your ass. The two things are not mutually exclusive.”

“Fine. Show me a good time, King. Prove your thesis or be gone with you.” Her eyes dance as she turns on her heel, using her grasp on mine to tug me over to an empty VIP table in the corner.

What the hell am I going to do now?

Following her into the booth, I scoot until we’re sitting next to each other. Her lips quirk and she bats her lashes. “Now what, arbiter of safe fun? Shall we continue the game from the other night?”

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