Page 35 of Dagger

Atlas’s face hardened, and he slashed an angry hand through the air. “You’renottouchin’ Billy’s dick.”

Sophie’s lips twitched.

“They’re all fuckin’ crazy,” Brett muttered, studying everybody from his seat at the desk.

“Get used to it,” Colt murmured.

“Yo, Stafford,” Bowie called over. “I’m glad you opened your trap. A little bird tells me I get to beat the fuck outta ya. Gotta say, dude, thought all my Christmases and birthdays came at once when Atlas told me. Nearly shot my load in my shorts like a dang schoolboy.”

Atlas barked a laugh.

Abe chuckled.

John’s stare turned on me, and he sniffed. “He’s a dirty little bastard. I never raised him to talk with a mucky mouth. He must get it from his mother’s side.”

“Doubtful,” I said, my tone filled with sarcasm. “You forget I knew your dad.”

“She’s gotta point.” Abe gave a little chuckle before straightening out his face and glaring at Mason. “Get your ass home, ya little shit. You’ve got work to do.”

Mason rolled his eyes. “Abe, listen, will ya, I gotta talk to Prez. Keep tryin’ to tell you I’ve been diggin’. Got some info on the Sinners.”

The bodies of every person in the room locked—including mine—and a bad feeling washed through me.

The thought of somebody as young as Mason putting himself in situations where he’d find intel on a vile club like the Burning Sinners made my blood run cold. They were trigger-happy lunatics who wouldn’t think twice about shooting him in the head if they caught wind of him gathering information.

Abe must have been thinking the same thing because he growled, “What the fuck?” as his face turned red with fury.

Iris silently shook her head, her turquoise eyes stricken.

My eyes swung to John, who stared at Mason with his mouth open slightly. “Church. Now!” he bellowed, clamping a hand onto the young man’s shoulder and frog-marching him toward the door.

The men glanced at each other before passing John as his feet faltered, and he craned his neck back toward us. “Soph, need to ask you a few questions. Stay close, and I’ll send Atlas out for ya soon.” His eyes came to me and softened slightly. “You okay coming in with her?”

I nodded my reply at the same time as Sophie murmured her agreement.

John, his hand still clasping Mason’s shoulder, gave me a nod before stalking from the room and disappearing down the corridor.

Silence fell as all the women’s gazes remained on the door, all deep in thought about what had just happened.

“I can’t believe that boy,” Iris whispered, voice panic-filled. “If anything happens to him because he’s stuck his nose in places he shouldn’t, I’ll...” her voice trailed off, and she sighed. “He’s too young to get involved with human traffickers. If they find out, they’ll go after him.”

“John will protect him,” Cara assured her. “They all will. Our men won’t let anything happen to Mason.”

Iris bit her lip worriedly before saying something that made my heart wrench. “I’m scared.”

My heart squeezed as every woman—including me—reached out to gather Iris close. Within seconds, we’d made a cocoon around her, murmuring our support.

I looked down at Iris’s stricken face, and my mind went back to when she was kidnapped and brutally assaulted. My heart clenched painfully when I remembered her lying in a hospital bed for days and the impact it had on her, not just physically but mentally, too.

It was no wonder she was triggered by even the thought of Mason being targeted by the same club that hurt her.

The need to comfort my friend and ease her worry overwhelmed me.

After the scene in the parking lot of the old club, when Bandit threatened to shoot me, the majority of the Speed Demons crossed the road when they saw me in the street, but not Iris.

She’d always been kind and respectful, always asked me how I was, and asked after my mom. She was one of the best people I knew, and the thought of her hurting and fretting made my chest tighten.

I caught the sadness in her eyes and smiled at her reassuringly. “If it comes to it, I’ll make Colt take him to Virginia,” I whispered. “Mason will be okay.”

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