Page 40 of Beautiful Dangerous

“Yeah. He’s still inside, but it looks like he’s getting ready to leave.”

“Is he alone?”

“Looks like it.”

“Let me know when it’s done.”

I hang up and sit back, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel, and that’s a nervous action on my part. For the first time in a long time I have no idea what the fuck to do next. Where to go. What to think.

I call Olivia, but her phone goes straight to voicemail, which pisses me off, she knows that kind of shit isn’t right. She shouldn’t do that, and the fact she has only makes me even more nervous. And I know this is a mind-fuck of a day, but she isn’t the only one who’s trying to get their head around all kinds of confusing crap. She isn’t the only fucking one.

Starting the car back up I drive toward the Devil’s Creed compound, waiting until the huge steel gates open up to let me inside, closing behind me the second I’m through.

“Something up?”

It doesn’t help that the first person I see is Angel Ruiz, but at least he’s here and not with Olivia. Looks like she meant what she said when she told me sleeping with him was a one off. Never to be repeated. She should never have gone there in the first place.

I ignore his question, because how I’m feeling is none of his fucking business, and I’m guessing my expression’s telling him that as he holds his hands up and steps back.

“Hey, okay, I get it. I was just asking.”

I’m the one on the defensive here, I know that, but just seeing his face is making me agitated.

“Come on, I’ll get you a beer. Looks like you could do with one.”

Can’t argue with him on that one. “Yeah. I could.”

I follow him inside, into the clubhouse, the smell of whiskey, weed and engine oil hanging heavy in the air, loud rock music only adding to the dark and somewhat dangerous atmosphere. But these are surroundings I’m more than familiar with, I was a part of their world for a long time.

“Here.”

Angel hands me a beer and I take the bottle from him. “Thanks.”

He leans over the bar and clasps his hands together on the counter top. “You look like shit.”

I stare at him, narrowing my eyes. “It’s been a rough day.”

Realization suddenly sinks in, and he drops his head, sighing quietly. “Shit, man, I’m sorry. I forgot.”

“There’s no reason whyyoushould be bothered by what day it is. It’s fine.”

He raises his head. “Look, what happened between me and Olivia…”

“Is your business. Not mine.”

“You sure about that?”

I hold his gaze, but again I ignore his comment. “I need to speak to Eddie. Is he here?”

Angel jerks his head toward the back of the clubhouse. “Chapel.”

I put my beer down on the bar and walk away, down the hallway toward the chapel. But I stop for a moment before I let Eddie know I’m here. I lean back against the wall and take a deep breath, my head’s so fucked up right now and I need to claw back that control. I don’t have time for this shit.

Exhaling slowly, I finally reach out to knock on the chapel door. “Eddie? It’s Lucca. I need a word.”

This comes first. All of this, it comes first. Nothing else matters except getting the job done, everything else, that’s just bullshit. And I need to keep telling myself that. It’s bullshit. Dangerous fucking bullshit…

Eight

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