Page 86 of Pulse

“Well, whatever you call it, I’m grateful. If you’d left me alone in that apartment, I’d have probably burst in on church and made everything ten times worse by now. So, thanks. And I’m sorry if I’m not much fun today. I’m just worried about Pulse and won’t be able to settle until I see him. We’ve gotten… uh…” Oh my God, was she about to tell these women she was sleeping with Pulse? “Close.”

“Yeah, you have,” Jo said with a whoop. “Somebody’s in lo-ove.”

“What?” Talia practically shouted the word. Love? Hell no. Not love. Never love. She barely knew the man. What a ridiculous thing for Jo to say.

“Look at her,” Harper fake whispered to Jo. “I think you broke her brain.”

“No. I’m good. It’s just… I’m definitely not in love.”

“Mm-hmm.” Jo saluted Talia with her glass. “Pretty sure we all said that at one point.” She snickered as she reached for the champagne bottle.

Brooke, ever the mama of the group, shook her head. “Let it go, Jo.”

Love. How silly. They were just close. That’s all.

“Let it go, let it go,” Jo sang at the top of her lungs before frowning at her once-again full glass. This time, she hadn’tbothered to add even a drop of orange juice. “I may have had too many of these.”

“You think?” Harper asked, straight-faced.

And just like that, the tension burst, and everyone went back to laughing as though they’d met up for a fun brunch instead of waiting on their men to finish deciding Pulse’s fate.

Talia tried to play along. She smiled and said the right things at the right times. She laughed when everyone else did and cooed over Brooke’s adorable dog. She even shared a juicy detail when the conversation turned to bedroom activities.

But her heart wasn’t in it today. It was across the Handlers’ property in the clubhouse, enduring God knew what.

But that didn’t mean she was in love. She merely worried about the man because he was a client and a good friend.

And if you believe that one, I’ve got an island to sell you in the Caribbean.

MAINTAINING EYE CONTACT with his brothers while he told his story was one of the most excruciating things Pulse had ever done. Seeing how their expressions changed from curiosity and confusion to anger to disgust had him fighting the urge to stare down at the table while he spoke. Hot shame prickled his skin like a full-body tattoo machine as he sat beneath their harsh stares.

“So, Talia and I have been staying here the past few nights. The DEA and the cartel must have an idea where we are, but so far, no one has shown up here. I can only assume they’re planning something. So…”

Every man in the room gaped at him with varying degrees of shock and horror on their face. There it was again, the intense urge to avert his gaze. Strength didn’t keep him sitting straight, nor did some internal sense of right and wrong. He kept his gaze up for one reason—his brothers deserved it. At the veryleast, they deserved to be told the truth with full respect and accountability.

Jinx broke the silence first. “So, uh… fuck, man, were you ever gonna tell us?”

Of course. Yes. Definitely.The lies could fall so easily from his lips.

“No. You might not believe me now, but that part of my life has been over for a long time. I don’t associate with anyone from my time there.”

“Mm.” Jinx glanced at Spec. “And this is what’s had you all fucked for the past few days?”

“Can you blame me?” It didn’t seem Spec’s hatred had cooled in the slightest. “He was a fucking fed. Everyone went through a background check before they patched in. A damn thorough one. If that shit wasn’t there, he went through some serious fucking trouble to make it disappear. Bullshit, he doesn’t still have fed buddies willing to suck his dick if he asks.”

Jinx looked back at Pulse with a raised eyebrow as though asking for his response.

“I have one remaining contact from back then. Not a fed. Not affiliated with the government in any way. Quite the opposite. He’s a hacker whose ass I saved back when we were in fucking elementary school. He’s loyal to me, but I can honestly say his mouth has never been near my dick.”

“Fuck you,” Spec spat.

“All right.” Curly lifted a hand. “Here’s how this is gonna go. Any of you have questions for Pulse, you can ask them now. Then, we vote on whether or not Pulse stays in the club. Majority wins. If he’s in, this issue is squashed right now. As in fucking over, and you do not hold this shit over Pulse’s head. Ever.” He stared at Spec as he spoke.

“If it goes the other way…”

Pulse’s heart thumped so loud he almost missed Curly’s next words.

“He’s out, but no harm will come to him. That’s my final decision. You have a problem with it, you can follow him out the door.” His gaze bounced from member to member as he spoke. His serious tone left no room for argument.

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