Page 7 of Wolf

“I. Said. No,” I hissed, snapping my arm out of his grip. I could feel his anger growing, but I didn’t give a shit if I hurt his feelings. He didn’t get to tell me what to do, and nobody fucking owned me. “You pay me to be your club’s fucking lawyer, so you better stop getting your panties in a fucking twist every time I’m doing my fucking job. I need to know what shit is going on in this club, so you have no other fucking choice but to listentome.”

“Anna,” Wolf growled, and I could see it in his eyes, the frustration that was tempting him to curl his hands around my neck and squeeze. I had that effect on people. Because I was alwaysright.

“Wolf, you can argue with me until your balls drop off, but you know there’s no way I’mleaving.”

I saw the moment Wolf gave in. It was like a small twitch in the corner of his eye as his hand closed brutally hard around my arm and began dragging my ass behind him as he moved over to the boys. “Don’t. Say. A. Fucking. Word,” Wolf bit out, punctuating each word with a slight snarl. His pulse was throbbing like crazy in the skin touching me, and I knew his blood was practically boiling with rage at my rebellion, but I didn’t give twoshits.

I got what I wanted, and Wolf couldn’t arguewithme.

Charon lit up at our return, and Wolf immediately shoved me behind him until I was practically pressed up against his spine. His hand released its death grip around my arm and instead shifted until it was pinned tightly on my hip, keeping me from stepping out into Charon’s view. I peeked around his shoulder, just enough to see Charon’s eyes flicker down to mine. I scowled back, and Charon’s lips flinched with asmile.

I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from saying anything more to the bastard. I may have won my argument with Wolf, but that had pushed him to a fine line, and I knew when to stopping pushing—most of the time,anyway.

“Didn’t realize you had an old lady, Wolf. I’m impressed.” Charon smiled, the sight sending a sickly throb to mystomach.

“It’s not your place to be, Charon,” Wolf growled back, not disputing the old lady comment. “Now, tell me why the fuck I shouldn’t put a bullet in your head for stepping onto my fuckingproperty?”

“Well, when you put it that way…” Charon shrugged, tucking his hand into his pockets. I felt the muscles in Wolf’s back tense and his grip tighten painfully on my hip. Charon’s lips twitched at his action. “I have news that you might beinterestedin.”

“What news?” Wolfdemanded.

I turned my head to see Lamb sidling up next to Wolf. He moved so silently I didn’t even hear him, and I didn’t think Charon noticed until he was only a few feet from him. I saw his torso shift away from Lamb. Exposed chest meant calm, which he had been doing to Wolf, while turned away meantthreatened.

I looked to Lamb, but despite looking relaxed, his entire focus was pinpointed on theintruder.

“Our mutual enemy has been making waves in the underground,” Charon began. Considering Spider was sent to Hell where he belonged a few months back, the mutual enemy must be the person who sent Spider there; it hadn’t been Charon, Wolf, or unfortunately, me. It had been at the hands of a new group on the scene on the west coast. They were fond of using mercenaries and had a seemingly endless stack of money, which was foreboding, to say the least. “Our new foe has officially put a bounty out on the BlackAngelsMC.”

“A bounty?” Wolfsnapped.

“For now, they only want information, though there’s little of it with you guys being such a small club.” He shrugged, adjusting his jacket as if he was talking about the weather. “People can’t fathom what they want with small-timers like you. Unless you’ve been pissing off more people than usualrecently?”

Wolf went silent, his eyes narrowing on Charon. I could hear his mind ticking before he said exactly what I was thinking. “Why are you really here, Charon?” Wolf demanded. “You’re not a charitablebastard.”

It seemed Charon had an idea of why people would be interested in us. But interestedinwhat?

“You’re right,” Charon said, dropping his pretense of innocence. He revealed white teeth behind a pleased smile. “I’m glad you noticed so quickly. The information was a gesture of goodwill.” He looked at Wolf with sharp eyes, and the molten gold seemed to swirl as the words fell off his tongue with a honey-rich smoothness. “I want you to form an alliancewithme.”

“No.” Wolf didn’t even wait aheartbeat.

Charon’s eyes flinched wider in surprise, but he quickly covered it with a curving grin. “It’s a good offer. I can give you protection. We can be united against these new people. Not to mention, my information is of the fast and top-classvariety.”

“The answer is no.” Wolf stayed steadfast, crossing his arms over his chest. He wasn’t even yelling, but his voice held a steely sternness that gave no room for budging. “Getting into bed with the Reapers would only bring more trouble to our door and make us a target we can’t seem to affordrightnow.”

“I can’t deny it. Grim Reapers are notoriously elusive. You’d be a beacon for those looking for a way to get to us, in the case of any idiotic club wanting to pick a fight with the Reapers. So, I guess I can understand your logic for rejecting me.However—”

“That’s not the reason I’m saying no,” Wolf interjected, catching Charon off-guard.

Charon turned to him with afrown.

Wolf lowered his face down the few inches between him and Charon, and with a threatening, hate-spitting snarl, he said, “The reason I’m not accepting your offer is because I’m not going to let any fucking club manipulate me and my men, especially not slimy, cunning fuckers like youReapers.”

With that, Wolf stood back straight, looking down at Charon, who looked shocked by his answer. Wolf had just told one of the most influential, powerful, and dangerous men on the west coast to fuck off. I felt my blood rise with a tingling fear that consequences would follow, but Charon’s reaction wasn’t what Iexpected.

He smiled. I’d seen him smile in the space of the conversation; a few sly grins or smug smiles, but not like this. It was genuine joy, like a kid who’d just found a new toy. Any tension in the air dissipated fromCharon’send.

“I can see you’re not in the mood to budge,” Charon said, moving back to his bike. The boys parted, but their eyes stayed vigilant as they watched Charon flick his leg over the seat of his bikeandsit.

Charon looked back up to Wolf. “The time will come when you need my help, Wolf,” Charon said. “My offer stands until you’reready.”

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