Page 10 of Lamb

I watched Wolf’s soul ascend through the ceiling. I’m not even sure the thought was fully processed before the words burst from his lips. “What the actual fuck is wrong with you?” He threw his hands against his face as if to smack the disbelief from him. It didn’t seem to do much good, judging by the violent swinging hands that soon followed. “I thought you were being serious,” he growled, running a hand down his face as steam deflated out of his chest.

“I am being serious,” I spoke. “For this plan to work, I need my own bait.”

“Bait?” Wolf scoffed. “You want to use Ash, the most uncooperative person alive, forbait? And by seducing her, no less? You of all people?”

“I need her absolute trust,” I responded, unsure as to whyIwas a matter of concern. “There’s only two ways of getting that—learning loyalty and devotion as a member of the club—”

Wolf snarled at the idea.

“—or she falls in love with me.”

“Andif,“ Wolf stressed again, and I frowned, “she falls in love with you, then what?”

“Then I can start my plan.”

“The plan you won’t tell me about.”

I nodded.

Wolf frowned, the idea seeming less palatable with the extra information. Perhaps I should have just kept it to the bare bones. I knew Ash was the crux of the matter for him. Even if I could get Wolf to trust me, Ash was like a delicate explosive—mishandled her once, and it could destroy everything. She was too unreliable.

But that wasn’t the reason Wolf hated her.

“Wolf,” I earned his attention. The shadows gripped his face, the weight I had determined was necessary heavy on his wide shoulders. “I’m not asking you to believe in Ash.” I reached out, extending my palm. “I’m asking you to bet on me.”

“And if you were me,” Wolf growled, “what would you do?”

I shrugged. “I know where I’d put my money.”

Wolf considered it for a moment longer, and just as I thought he’d resist, a rough hand took mine. “I don’t like this,” he growled. “But you better not make this the first bet you lose.”

I looked at my president, a confident smile across my face.

“Yes, boss.”

Chapter Three

ASH

“You psychopath.”

“That’s a little harsh.” Lamb shrugged, taking a long draw from his coffee cup. He leaned back into the wall, one leg stretched forwards, the other ankle propped against the skirting. I could make out his form against the blurry seams of my vision, but not his expression. Though, I would not be surprised to see a false innocence masking his face. I might be borderline blind, but I was no fool. Not to this man.

“You kidnapped me, and now you are standing there, drinking coffee,” I hissed, trying to be gentle as I fought a losing battle against a building headache. “I doubt I am the harsh one.”

When I had woken up on a soft bed to a white ceiling above my head, I had feared the worst. Whether or not it was fortunate that I was not in a hospital was yet to be decided. Fortunately, being crushed by a man three times my weight had only left me with colourful bruises blooming over my arm and shoulder, and no broken bones, not even a sprain.

“Kidnap is a strong word.”

“I will have a strong case.” I gestured to the row of metal bars installed across one side of my cell.

The room was plentiful, nicely decorated with floral sheets on a wide double bed, and even an en-suite bathroom attached to one side. A couple of fake plants were placed around in ornate pots, some smaller ones clustered on the side table in the corner. It added to the white cushioned chair and tall overhanging lamp in the corner. A couple of books were stacked to one side. It was as if he had plucked a page straight out of an IKEA catalogue and slapped it behind a row of bars.

There were no windows; only curtains hung on either side of my iron bars. I was, presumably, in a basement.

“It’s for your safety.” Lamb swirled the cup, pretending to be transfixed on the motion. I knew better than to believe it. “I can’t have you jumping in front of every knife, gun, and train every chance you get.”

“I think six bullets was enough for a lifetime, thank you.”

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