Page 65 of Wolf

There’s still the matter of warning Miriam, but maybe this is my chance. I can give this man a note for Wolf or Duke and leave knowing they’ll protect her.

“Well?” the man says, and I jump before removing the jewelry from my neck.

He eyes me dubiously as I place it in his palm. “Can’t get much for this. What are you gonna do with it?”

With a shrug, I avoid his gaze. Why does he care?

I’m itching to leave and considering doing just that when he says, “I need my tools to look at this more closely.”

“Okay,” I say after clearing my throat.

Again, he eyes me weirdly but before I have time to change my mind, he’s disappeared in the back.

Tiredly, I lean against the wall and rub my aching neck. I’m exhausted and my eyes are rolling for the fifth time when he reappears and pulls out a loop that he slides on his finger before looking through a magnifying glass at my necklace.

He grunts and mumbles, gazing at the gold before he glances at me, and I shift under his stare. “I can give you twenty-five for it.”

“That’s it?” I rasp, and he nods.

“Fine.” I don’t even know if that will get me out of town but it’s better than nothing.

“Okay, you’ll have to wait a few. Cash isn’t here yet.”

With a weary nod, I lean my head against the wall, dozing while I wait. This time when I hear the rumble of a bike I don’t bother to look, assuming it’s his coworker with money.

My mistake.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Wolf barks and my knees fail me.

“Wolf,” I whisper. It’s stupid but a rush of relief surges through my limbs. I’m not alone. Thank god.

He catches me as I fall, his hard eyes searching my face before dropping to my chest. I suppress a shiver at the heat I spy because now is not the time.

“Thanks, Tank,” he rumbles, and I frown. Did he call Wolf?

Wolf carries me through the exit. Once outside, he drops me beside his bike and tilts my head back. “You been out partying?”

Slowly I shake my head, and his lips flatten. “Then why are you dressed like that?”

“Like what?”

His nostrils flare and I eye the tic in his jaw as he says, “A bitch in heat.”

What? Of all the…? I couldn’t run away wearing one of the damn dresses Mama makes us wear because I knew that would make me stick out like a sore thumb, but still, I’ve seen the women he hangs around with wearing scraps of clothes that barely cover the goods. What a hypocrite!

Shaking my head, I back away. This was a mistake. Inexplicably tears press at my eyes as he grabs my arm and barks, “Well?”

“I don’t owe you anything,” I whisper through the lump in my throat.

His jaw tightens and his eyes flash as he says, “The fuck you do. I told you to keep your ass at home. Now you’re out sniffing for dick?”

“That’s disgusting,” I sneer, wiping my trembling lips.

His eyes zero in on my arms and he grabs one, holding it up. I still have bruises from Mama’s beating although they’ve faded to a weird yellow hue.

“What happened?” he says quietly.

“I was sniffing for d-dick,” I sneer.

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