Page 38 of Lady Death

“You mispronounced annoying,” Sidonie said teasingly.

Vivi stuck her tongue out at her.

The shots arrived. Keres downed hers, liking the creamy butterscotch taste, and studied the women. The easy comradery brought a sense of sadness, but for the first time, she was able to think about Abigail without the feeling of devastating loss. Or guilt.

Maybe being with this tribe was exactly what she needed.

Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Ronin leaving. Confused, she glanced at the others who were still bickering among themselves. Why was he leaving? More specifically, why was he leaving her behind? Concerned, she hurried after him.

****

Ronin got into place and waited for Brim’s message. On most people, nerves would get the better of them. After all, he was going to face down the barrel of a gun he couldn’t see, and hope like hell his club brothers would keep him safe. Yet, even if they didn’t and he ended up with a bullet in his forehead, well, at least he went quickly. The only fear he had in life was ending up stuck in bed without the means to take care of himself.

He kept his eyes glued to the area where Leia said the Deathmen were going to take their shot. In the overhead streetlight, he saw movement and knew it wasn’t any of the Death Riders.

“Ares and Ghost are in place,” Brim’s voice came through his earpiece. “Lincoln and Thorn are covering the back. These assholes are hiding themselves just like Leia said.”

“Brim, make sure I don’t end up dead,” he muttered in a low voice. “Or I’ll come back and haunt your ass.”

Ronin was anxious to get the show over with so he could go back inside the Poke and Tickle to play poker. Suddenly, the door opened and a man stumbled out. Ronin was keenly aware of what was coming next. As the drunk stumbled off, he took a deep breath and stepped out from the building’s shadow, ready to get the show on the road. He’d been trained to sweep areas quickly with his sight, and just as he saw movement at his right, the door to the Poke and Tickle opened and Keres stepped into view.

Oh, dear God! No!Why the fuck was Keres out here?

Making a split-second decision, he turned and dove for her, just as a shot cracked through the air. Heat grazed his temple as agony engulfed his head. The slick viscous serum of blood poured down his face. Almost immediately, another crack of a gun pealed through the night, and right before he hit the ground, he saw his shooter’s body. A life for a life had been met.

“Ronin!” Keres screamed.

He didn’t even realize he had slumped over until she rolled him.

“Help!” she cried out. “Ronin, look at me. Please, look at me. No, don’t close your eyes.”

They were closed? He forced his eyelids up and saw the fear and concern over her beautiful face. Then his club brothers were there, and Lincoln had his phone pressed against his ear. Probably talking to his brother. Fuck, his head hurt. Keres was moved out of the way, but he couldn’t keep his eyes open a moment more and succumbed to blessed oblivion.

Chapter Eighteen

“He’s going to be fine,” Parker Rollison said, patting her on the shoulder.

They had brought Ronin to his house instead of taking him to a hospital where he might have to answer unwanted questions. Lincoln had called his brother, and Parker had come right away to disinfect and stitch the graze along his scalp.

“Why is he still asleep?” she asked, unable to take her gaze off him.

“Mild sedative,” he said. “What he needs now is rest. He’ll be out for several more hours. You don’t have to sit here.”

“I’m staying,” she murmured.

“Okay,” he said, and left her alone.

The drone of voices came and went as he opened the door, leaving her in the dark room. She reached out and took hold of Ronin’s hand. She would never get the sound of the gun out of her head. It may not have been as chaotic as the hit on the gym, but it was no less frightening. He’d fallen on her, the breath momentarily knocked out of her lungs, and it took a moment to realize blood was everywhere. Ronin’s blood. Coating her.

Keres didn’t want to leave his side. He’d been there for her, now it was time to be there for him, and truthfully, she couldn’t bear to lose anyone else. Was it her fault everyone around her kept dying? Well, Ronin wasn’t dead, but if he’d been a fraction slower the bullet would’ve buried into his head.

She sat staring into the dark, her mind unable to focus on anything except what had happened that evening. Ronin used himself to lure out the Deathmen hunting her. He had put himself in harm’s way. He could’vedied, and for what? Revenge? Darby’s life hadn’t been worth it, and neither had Ronin’s. She was an albatross. A tethered chain that couldn’t rust fast enough. By staying, she put him in danger. She put everyone in danger,because now she knew Davorin wouldn’t stop hunting until he had caught her. Tears welled up in her eyes, and slowly ran down her cheek. She had caused a lot of heartache, a lot of pain and destruction, and she’d almost caused another death that evening. Who would be next? Leia and her baby? Chase? Vivi? The Death Riders should’ve been out of Davorin’s crosshairs, but the asshole had sent men to settle the score.

She guessed some people weren’t meant to live happily ever after.

Keres dozed off and on through the night. Each time she slipped into sleep, she’d dreamt of blood. Of arriving a split-second too late to save Ronin. She saw Darby greeting him, and next to him stood her parents, and Abigail. She’d wake up stifling a cry, shaking so bad her heart felt like it’d explode out of her chest.

When dawn finally arrived, she was mentally strung out. Rising from her chair, she stretched and then bent to check on Ronin. He slept peacefully, the dark crescent of his lashes fanned under his closed eyelids. Then she turned to leave his room, needing coffee like she needed her next breath. She had to figure out her next move, past the obvious, that she was too dangerous to have around.

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