Page 95 of Butcher

“You really think I could expand my business?” Isla was asking. “I mean, I do spend more time cleaning up after a hit and clearingevidence than I spend on the hit itself. You’re saying if I can farm that out to someone that’s competent and trustworthy… Hell, I could probably double the amount of hits I do. What about finding backers? Do people back assassins? I mean other than those who want someone dead?”

“Not what I meant,” I snapped at Idaho as I walked into the room.

“Whatelseam I supposed to talk to her about?”

“Nothing. You’re not thegoodtwin. I don’t needyou,” I told him. “Don’t even like you,” I muttered.

“Ouch.” Idaho looked far too amused for my liking, but I was on a mission. I glanced over at Lockout. “I need you to talk to her.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I waited.

Lock walked farther into the room. His intelligent hazel eyes noted the bag of clothes and belongings on the bed and Isla tied to a chair. “Going somewhere?” he asked, almost conversationally.

I couldn’t help the angry sound that forced its way out of my chest.

Everyone in the room looked my way, then Isla focused back on Lock. “The deal was that I stayed to help take care of the assassins and Randal.”

“It was,” Lock said in agreement. “And now you want to leave?”

She looked away and I saw the hurt all over her face. “She thinks you won’t let her stay,” I told him.

Her gaze flashed back to me and she admitted to us all, “I want to, but-”

“No buts,” I snarled. “You’re staying.”

We both looked over at Lockout and his brows shot up. “Oh, it’s my turn?”

I huffed out a breath and nodded, knowing he wanted me to shut the hell up so he could help fix this. I wasn’t above taking help. At least, not anymore. “You know all the words, use them.”

“Isla,” Lock said, his voice the epitome of calm and reasonableness in the face of our anger and despair. “I’m not sure why you think that you’re not welcome here, but you are.”

The hope in her eyes was like a knife to the fucking chest. I alreadyknew what it felt like to take one in the side, so I knew it was an accurate description of what was happening inside me right now. She wanted this so badly, but had been willing to walk away because of some imaginary deal she thought had been struck between her and the club.Women. I shook my head.

“But you-”

“I said whatever I needed to at the time to ensure that you joined forces with us,” Lockout told her, interrupting. “Now that the threat has died down and you and this idiot have realized that you’re in love, weallwant you to stay. I’d never hear the end of it from the women and kids if I let you walk away. Not to mention, we’d lose Butcher,” he told her.

“Makes it sound like you only want her to stay for the others, Bro,” Idaho pointed out before I could say anything.

Lock studied his twin and then sighed. “When the hell did you become so insightful?”

He shrugged. “I have an old lady. If I said that to her it would hurt her feelings.”

“Isn’t this your job?” Lock asked me.

“I already did this part. She needs your okay to stay here, too.”

Isla remained silent, looking back and forth between us as we spoke. But she still looked hopeful.

“Everyone loves and respects you,” Lock told her. “I’m not telling you I love you because this asshole will attack me if I do, but I want you to stay as much as everyone else. Not because of all the reasons I listed before, though they are a part of it, but because we, and I, want you to be a part of this family.”

Isla sucked in a breath and her eyes began to tear up. “Thank you,” she managed to choke out without allowing the tears to fall.

Lockout nodded at her, then glared at me. “Can I go now? I’ve had my fill of uncomfortable conversations, thanks to you.”

I grinned. “Yeah. Thanks, Lock.”

He looked surprised, probably because I didn’t exactly express gratitude very often. Lock started to move toward the door, thengrabbed his nosey twin—who’d stayed even though no one needed him—and dragged him out the door by the cut.

I studied her for another moment, then decided I had one more move to play. It was dirty, but I had to make sure she fully understood. I stepped out of the room and went down the hall, knocking on a door. “Come with me,” I said and turned back to my room.

---