Page 17 of Taming the Demon

“And have my throat slit?” Mara asked. “Please, Slade, I’ve been around for too long. I know the games. I know the assumptions. Are you going to look me in the eyes and tell me Cyrus hasn’t painted me as some rat too?”

Slade looked at Darrow.

“Fuck,” Slade said again. “This is a fucking disaster.”

“I’m going in there, Slade,” Mara said. “I don’t care what he does to me. He wants to kill me? Go for it. I’ve been dead for years being with Fitz.”

That statement felt like a punch to the gut for Darrow. And he knew Mara meant it. Slade turned and opened the clubhouse door. Darrow grabbed Mara’s left arm now and pushed her inside.

The second Mara was seen, it felt like someone cut the power to the world. Everything stopped at once, including Monte bent forward at a pool table, about to hit the cue ball for an easy side pocket shot.

Maggie stood behind the bar, a beer in each hand. Wearing a tight tank top, no bra, her fucking perky pierced nipples showing. Her nipples actually getting harder as her heart raced. Custer and Warren looked up from a card game and then they both stood up.

“I’ll get Cyrus,” Deed said as he stepped back from the bar.

“Stand next to me,” Darrow ordered Mara.

There was Virus, Amos, and Dolph, each with a beer in hand, looking at Mara with deadly eyes. Killer eyes. They wanted to destroy her. It bothered Mara but she could take it. Linc came charging from the back of the clubhouse, wrestling to put his leather cut on.

“Holy fucking shit,” he said.

He reached back, pulled a gun and pointed it right at Mara.

“Linc, whoa,” Slade said.

“Fuck off,” Linc said, staring right at Mara.

Darrow stepped in front of her. “There’s a way to do this, brother.”

Linc closed in on him and threw a left punch, smashing it against Darrow’s jaw. Stars danced in front of Darrow’s eyes for a second or two. He refused to move from blocking his VP’s path to the woman he had been wanting for a long damn time. When Linc tried to swing again, Darrow stopped him.

“I’m not going to fucking hit you, VP!” Darrow bellowed. “She came to me to come here! She’s not a fucking problem!”

“Fucking pussy,” Cyrus’s voice said, echoing around the clubhouse. “Pussy ruins it all. Ain’t that right, Warren? Custer?”

The aged outlaws nodded in agreement.

“Prez, we need to talk this thing through,” Darrow said.

“You’ve been housing a rat’s old lady?” Cyrus asked.

“No,” Darrow said. “She showed up to my place.”

“For fuck’s sake, let me talk,” Mara yelled. “I’m not afraid of this outlaw bullshit!”

Mara took her fate into her own hands and walked around Darrow. She purposely bumped into Linc, which felt like smashing her shoulder off a brick wall.

Then she opened her arms. “Have at it, Cyrus. What do you want? Huh? Want to pat me down? Want to strip me naked? Check for wires or something? Huh? Want to dig up my ass or my pussy?”

“Mouthy little rat cunt,” Cyrus said.

Darrow took a step and Linc slammed a hand to his chest.

“Don’t,” Linc said.

“Fuck all of this shit,” Darrow said. “She did the right thing.”

“Blinded by some fresh pussy,” Cyrus said, looking at Darrow. He then took a deep breath. “Have to do it…”

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