Page 31 of Frenemies

Yeah, it would hurt to watch her walk. I did care about her, or at least Chase did, but now that I knew she gave a fuck about me…

That was going to require something a lot harsher. The only question was, did I have the balls to do it? If I was being honest, I’d admit that her snarky comments and soft hands were the only thing that got me past the hell my body was putting me through. That was exactly why I couldn’t keep letting her waste her time on me.

Was Naomi a raging cunt? Yes. Did I want to choke the life out of her half the time? I sure fucking did, but there was so much more to her. A softer side that a part of me desperately wanted to see come out.

I wanted to be the man that made her smile. The first thing she wanted to see in the morning, and the last thing she kissed at night—the type of guy that deserved her loyalty.

Maybe Chase could’ve been that guy for her.

“Good,” I looked over at Derek, who was tapping his hand on the bars, locking me in. “You’re up.”

I’d been up for a few hours. Though, maybe now that I had a clear head, I could find a way out of here. There was still work to be done and Reapers to kill. It wasn’t my first time in this abandoned station.

We’d done a couple of runs and a few hand-offs here but stopped when one of the rooms collapsed. I had to hand it to Riley’s old man. He found the only cell in this shithole that had next to no damage.

“How are you feeling?”

“Careful, Derek,” a smirk pulled at the corner of my mouth. “I might start thinking you actually gave a fuck.”

“About you…” My teeth clenched when his blue eyes met mine. “Not a chance in hell.”

Fair enough. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder why he was continuing with this crap? If he hated me as much as I hated him, then why bother trying to save me.

“You could always let me go?” I suggested.

“And what good would that do my daughter?”

It would do Riley a lot of good. “Can’t kill Jax if I’m locked up in here.”

“And how do you expect to do that?”

I hadn’t figured that out yet but had some ideas. A chainsaw sound pretty fun.

“Your brother has an entire club backing him.” Derek pointed out. “You’re just one man.”

“So why bother dragging my ass back here then if I’m just one man?”

“Because you don’t have to be.”

I fisted the anger coursing through me in my hands. Yes, I did. The club would go on if one man died, but Derek wouldn’t understand that. Instead of embracing his sister and keeping her safe, he turned his back on her. When had he ever sacrificed anything in his perfect little life?

“How are you gonna stop me?” I made my way over to bars, making sure the swagger in my steps matched the smirk on my face. “Can’t keep me locked up in here forever.”

The way his chest puffed out caused me to snicker.

“You should’ve left me drugged up, sheriff.” When his mouth pressed in a tight stern line, I leaned in to add, “Won’t be pulling a gun on me this time, asshole.”

“Wanna bet?”

I watched his hand move down to unsnap his holster. The only reason I didn’t reach out and smash his face against the bars was the image of a blue-eyed little girl. I sighed and walked back over to the other side of my cell before that image wasn’t enough to stop me.

Derek relaxed and clipped the snapback shut on his holster. “You have some visitors.”

Fantastic.

“Tell Naomi to fuck off. I don’t need my dick sucked today.”

That’s when Beast walked around the corner with his face screwed up. “You bring your dick anywhere near me, and I’ll fucking gut you.”

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